Thanks Stellantis (IE Jeep Compass Headlight Connector)

[ctechbob]

Kiddo informed me that one of her headlights was not working. I'd already replaced the pass side light a few months ago and figured the drivers one had let go. I'd already bought a pair of bulbs so I had one on hand and set out to replace it. Luckily the drivers sider one is a BIT easier to get to, still drew blood from the back of my hand, but that's not the problem.

Problem is, it wasn't the bulb.....

Yep, this is all that is left of the H11 headlight connector.

Being 3am when I'm outside doing this, I bodged some .110 terminals on a scrap of 14awg wire and crimped it in to the factory harness. (no pics)

A real terminal has been ordered and I'll do a proper repair Monday, but at least she'll have both lights. That's far more important to me than a bodged repair since she comes home from work after dark and with all the deer around here you need as much light as you can get. I'll probably go ahead and throw the new bulb in at that time as well.

No way a headlight terminal should have melted like that. I don't know if they're using crap metal in their connectors or what (IE Lost tension), but I've never seen one destroyed that bad. And it was completely clipped on, but it shattered when I took it off the bulb.

 

[rijndael]

If I were guessing, the connector pin lost their tension or the crimp to connector was loose. If it were an over-currrent issue, a fuse should have blown.

 

[harbor]

Wow! You deserve a Father of The Year award for doing the repair at 3 AM.
What’s the year and mileage of her Compass?

 

[ctechbob]

Wow! You deserve a Father of The Year award for doing the repair at 3 AM.
What’s the year and mileage of her Compass?

To be fair, when I've got a shift the next day (I work nights) I stay up all night to get back on my sleep schedule, so usually I'm puttering around doing random projects.

2018 with, ehh 105k+

 

[ctechbob]

If I were guessing, the connector pin lost their tension or the crimp to connector was loose. If it were an over-currrent issue, a fuse should have blown.

That's my guess as well. Crap metal that lost its tension over time.

 

[Kira]

In my application, P2 Volvos with H11 headlights, the female part weakened/loosened as mentioned above.
The resulting heat destroyed the incredibly thin plastic used to make the socket.
The plastic was as thin as that used for sprouted seedling trays
There was enough room to allow for removal of the very crispy, burned socket AND, after giving the female connectors a slight squeeze with pliers, reattaching them directly onto the H11's prongs. The wiring is stiff enough to keep them separated.

Do you think the manufacturers deliberately use cheap materials to experiment with how long they'll last?
Maybe the cheap plastics vary batch to batch?

 

[K-Man]

Do you think the manufacturers deliberately use cheap materials to experiment with how long they'll last?
Maybe the cheap plastics vary batch to batch?

It's directly related to how much the CEO needs a new yacht or executive jet. Don't underestimate how much that drives decisions like using cheaper materials in critical applications.

 

[Kira]

Have you inside info on any materials selection within manufacturing?
They make so much stuff so very well, one has to conclude they know how something functions and wears and what it costs.

Extravagant compensation, mismanagement and kickbacks FTW (ha-ha)

 

[ctechbob]

Do you think the manufacturers deliberately use cheap materials to experiment with how long they'll last?

No, but I'll bet they don't QC things they're getting from their vendors as much as they should. QC'ing costs money, and why spend it if only 1 in 10000 has an issue and those issues only crop up after the vehicle is out of warranty?

Maybe the cheap plastics vary batch to batch?

I'm not pinning the problem on the plastics, although some more heat resistant varieties might have held on better. I'm pinning it on the metal losing its 'spring' over time causing the socket to heat.

They make so much stuff so very well, one has to conclude they know how something functions and wears and what it costs.

No they don't. None of them do, not anymore. Vehicles are engineered to last 100-150,000 miles these days. One only has to look at some of the docs that were unsealed in one of the GM 8 Speed transmission lawsuits. There's mention in there that they were only concerned with the trans lasting about 120,000 miles. If they're only concerned with a big expensive part like that lasting a limited time, you can bet that extends to the rest of the vehicle as well.

Of course, that is GM specific, but we're in a race to the bottom here.