Issue with new headlight bulb
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 1,061
Issue with new headlight bulb
My new headlight bulbs showed up today, so went out and installed them, NO FUN AT ALL!!!
Turned them on low beam, went in front of the car to check them out, all looked good, then suddenly I hear a soft pop, and the driver headlamp housing fills with smoke, and before I could get to the switch to turn them off, the bulb went out, passenger side was still working ok.
What could cause that???
Turned them on low beam, went in front of the car to check them out, all looked good, then suddenly I hear a soft pop, and the driver headlamp housing fills with smoke, and before I could get to the switch to turn them off, the bulb went out, passenger side was still working ok.
What could cause that???
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 1,061
But, guess I won't be driving my car after dark until the new bulbs get here, really don't want to put the old bulb back in, it is a junky LED, plus it is about a Royal PITA to change the bulbs, don't want to go through that twice more.
I will say, the new bulbs make some really good light, high beams especially, think they will work well enough for me.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 12,860
Likes: 4,661
IDK how many people are aware of what I am about to post, especially since HID's and LED's have supplanted the quartz halogen lights that the C5 had OEM, but here goes:
DO NOT EVER install new 9005 or 9006 (or ANY quartz halogen bulb!) OEM C5 headlight bulbs with your bare fingers!! Also, if you touched the bulb with one of your fingers, they'll blow or burn out much sooner than installing them properly. It's the oil in your fingers/fingerprints that causes the bulb to run way hotter than if it was installed properly. What is properly? Here goes, again:
Have a bottle of rubbing alcohol handy. The higher percentage, the better. As in 90% is better than 70%.
Soak a paper towel in alcohol. Wipe the bulb real good with it, all the way around. Then, holding the glass with the soaked towel, carefully install the bulb into the harness and install into the light fixture. If you do not wipe the glass of the bulb, it will shorten its life dramatically. I spray my hands with brake cleaner before I do anything, which removes a lot, if not all, of the oil on your hands. Since I have done this procedure, I have never had a 9005 or 9006 bulb pop or exhibit a short life. Hope this helps....
DO NOT EVER install new 9005 or 9006 (or ANY quartz halogen bulb!) OEM C5 headlight bulbs with your bare fingers!! Also, if you touched the bulb with one of your fingers, they'll blow or burn out much sooner than installing them properly. It's the oil in your fingers/fingerprints that causes the bulb to run way hotter than if it was installed properly. What is properly? Here goes, again:
Have a bottle of rubbing alcohol handy. The higher percentage, the better. As in 90% is better than 70%.
Soak a paper towel in alcohol. Wipe the bulb real good with it, all the way around. Then, holding the glass with the soaked towel, carefully install the bulb into the harness and install into the light fixture. If you do not wipe the glass of the bulb, it will shorten its life dramatically. I spray my hands with brake cleaner before I do anything, which removes a lot, if not all, of the oil on your hands. Since I have done this procedure, I have never had a 9005 or 9006 bulb pop or exhibit a short life. Hope this helps....
Last edited by grinder11; Nov 8, 2025 at 03:56 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 1,373
Likes: 1,061
IDK how many people are aware of what I am about to post, especially since HID's and LED's have supplanted the quartz halogen lights that the C5 had OEM, but here goes:
DO NOT EVER install new 9005 or 9006 (or ANY quartz halogen bulb!) OEM C5 headlight bulbs with your bare fingers!! Also, if you touched the bulb with one of your fingers, they'll blow or burn out much sooner than installing them properly. It's the oil in your fingers/fingerprints that causes the bulb to run way hotter than if it was installed properly. What is properly? Here goes, again:
Have a bottle of rubbing alcohol handy. The higher percentage, the better. As in 90% is better than 70%.
Soak a paper towel in alcohol. Wipe the bulb real good with it, all the way around. Then, holding the glass with the soaked towel, carefully install the bulb into the harness and install into the light fixture. If you do not wipe the glass of the bulb, it will shorten its life dramatically. I spray my hands with brake cleaner before I do anything, which removes a lot, if not all, of the oil on your hands. Since I have done this procedure, I have never had a 9005 or 9006 bulb pop or exhibit a short life. Hope this helps....
DO NOT EVER install new 9005 or 9006 (or ANY quartz halogen bulb!) OEM C5 headlight bulbs with your bare fingers!! Also, if you touched the bulb with one of your fingers, they'll blow or burn out much sooner than installing them properly. It's the oil in your fingers/fingerprints that causes the bulb to run way hotter than if it was installed properly. What is properly? Here goes, again:
Have a bottle of rubbing alcohol handy. The higher percentage, the better. As in 90% is better than 70%.
Soak a paper towel in alcohol. Wipe the bulb real good with it, all the way around. Then, holding the glass with the soaked towel, carefully install the bulb into the harness and install into the light fixture. If you do not wipe the glass of the bulb, it will shorten its life dramatically. I spray my hands with brake cleaner before I do anything, which removes a lot, if not all, of the oil on your hands. Since I have done this procedure, I have never had a 9005 or 9006 bulb pop or exhibit a short life. Hope this helps....
I use nitrile gloves anymore when I do them.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2023
Posts: 87
Likes: 22
From: SW CO
IDK how many people are aware of what I am about to post, especially since HID's and LED's have supplanted the quartz halogen lights that the C5 had OEM, but here goes:
DO NOT EVER install new 9005 or 9006 (or ANY quartz halogen bulb!) OEM C5 headlight bulbs with your bare fingers!! Also, if you touched the bulb with one of your fingers, they'll blow or burn out much sooner than installing them properly. It's the oil in your fingers/fingerprints that causes the bulb to run way hotter than if it was installed properly. What is properly? Here goes, again:
Have a bottle of rubbing alcohol handy. The higher percentage, the better. As in 90% is better than 70%.
Soak a paper towel in alcohol. Wipe the bulb real good with it, all the way around. Then, holding the glass with the soaked towel, carefully install the bulb into the harness and install into the light fixture. If you do not wipe the glass of the bulb, it will shorten its life dramatically. I spray my hands with brake cleaner before I do anything, which removes a lot, if not all, of the oil on your hands. Since I have done this procedure, I have never had a 9005 or 9006 bulb pop or exhibit a short life. Hope this helps....
DO NOT EVER install new 9005 or 9006 (or ANY quartz halogen bulb!) OEM C5 headlight bulbs with your bare fingers!! Also, if you touched the bulb with one of your fingers, they'll blow or burn out much sooner than installing them properly. It's the oil in your fingers/fingerprints that causes the bulb to run way hotter than if it was installed properly. What is properly? Here goes, again:
Have a bottle of rubbing alcohol handy. The higher percentage, the better. As in 90% is better than 70%.
Soak a paper towel in alcohol. Wipe the bulb real good with it, all the way around. Then, holding the glass with the soaked towel, carefully install the bulb into the harness and install into the light fixture. If you do not wipe the glass of the bulb, it will shorten its life dramatically. I spray my hands with brake cleaner before I do anything, which removes a lot, if not all, of the oil on your hands. Since I have done this procedure, I have never had a 9005 or 9006 bulb pop or exhibit a short life. Hope this helps....
