Blowing headlamp bulb

Having owned my 2006 Ford C-MAX TDCI (150,000 miles) since late 2012, I have had to replace the blown nearside front dipped headlight bulb several times; the offside dipped headlight bulb has only blown once. All the connections to the offending bulb are in good condition and the multi-pin connector is a tight fit. I mentioned this problem to a relative who owns a 2008 Focus petrol and they had the same problem. Ford fitted a modification to its Focus that stops this bulb from blowing, which cost them just over £50.

Is there any reason – say, a power surge – that the nearside dipped beam bulb blows so often? Is there a DIY kit available and if so how easy would it be to fit? Surely if this is a common Focus fault then Ford should issue a recall and do the modification free of charge. Or have I missed the recall? Peter Hoare Having checked the Ford service literature, I can find no campaign details on a recall or on a modification, so I am unable to comment on the repair your relative had carried out.

The failure of headlamp bulbs is something which seems to vary with apparently little reason. Even the best quality bulbs can fail in a relatively short period. As you know, halogen bulbs are a delicate part and the glass of the bulb should never be touched when installing.

Failure can sometimes be attributed to a loose lamp or fixture causing undue vibration through the unit. The other common reason for excessive bulb failure is a faulty alternator or GEM (general electric module) allowing either a power spike or too high voltage to affect the bulb. It can also be the case that a failing battery will cause the alternator to overcharge in an attempt to bring up the battery voltage; this would also have an adverse effect on the headlamp bulbs.