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Left Turn Signal Bulb Exploding?


EuroSedan93

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Hey all, just recently ran into this problem, don't exactly know whats going on, but for a few days or so the signal will be fine, but when I check after that time, the bulb is out, so I check and take it out of the case and the bulb is practically exploded. Any idea what could be causing this little problem?

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Yea a couple things can cause it to do that....

 

1: it was just a bad bulb, many times I have opened a new pack of bulbs, changed the bulb, and literally watched the bulb blow again within a second.... sometimes you do just get a bad bulb that blows immediatley for whatever reason. Usually ths happens more often with cheap no-name auto bulbs.

 

2: water inside the lens, or anything liquid getting on the bulb while it is hot. Sounds like its just a regular tungsten filament bulb, but halogen bulbs, and others you arent even supposed to get body oils from your fingers on them.

 

3: Too much current.... not likely, but easily checked with a DVOM.

 

4: maybe the bulb was damaged... cracked, maybe all the gas leaked out, that makes light bulbs blow right away, or maybe the bulb broke loose from the base....

 

Is this the first time it happened? I'd just try another bulb if so. If it blows bulb after bulb... makes sure theres no water in the lense and check the current either with the turn signal on or with the brake pedal depressed..

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yeah my right rear turn signal has been doing that too....is your turn signal stalk still working? mine hasn't worked fully in months, so im thinking that has something to do with why it keeps blowing. I have to replace it today actually...now that this reminded me of it

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it's happened a few times to me. Alaways in a dual filament bulb. I think either the filament 'explodes' as it breaks or that the filament breaks, coming in contact with the other one, which results in more than the normal amount of amps frowing through the bridging section of the second filament, and causes it to reach the flash point of the material resulting in the vaporization/expolsion which cracks the bulb.

 

 

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Actually it's not the first time this has happened to me, it's happened a few times, I'm thinking about 4 or 5 times thus far, It's getting to the point where it's an expensive nuisance that I am trying to fix. The lens has the usual condensation in it, but between the white lens and the red lens. Nothing is actually getting around to the bulbs. It's only the one bulb too which is blowing.

 

The signal stalk is good. No problems with the signals, working fne, just the one bulb blowing.

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try a different brand!

 

which bulb? the ones i had blow where the outside brake but not turnsignal bulbs.

 

I must say that I don't buy bulbs.... I have a shoebox full.

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This is kinda funy, because not too long ago, I had this happen to me! ( except it was the right side ) But either way, I just flicked the bulb a couple times, got a couple blue sparks, and it worked again, only to find out a day later it blew up.

 

Is there any di-electric compound on the bulb socket and/or the bulb itself?

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Yeah, there's plenty of the compound, same goes for all the other bulbs. It's just the one bulb doing it.

 

I doubt it's the bulbs brand as all the other bulbs are of the same brand and no problems.

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This is kinda funy, because not too long ago, I had this happen to me! ( except it was the right side ) But either way, I just flicked the bulb a couple times, got a couple blue sparks, and it worked again, only to find out a day later it blew up.

 

Is there any di-electric compound on the bulb socket and/or the bulb itself?

imo... SUPPORTING EVIDENCE! the filaments sometimes break, and if you shake or snap the bulb it can reconnect... I bet it entangled with the other bulb and when the second filament got hot enough, it caused the bulb to explode.

 

btw, I have had a horrible time with 3-way GE 120v light bulbs, their filaments break easy if the bulb gets and vibration. just shows how weak they can be.

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