Why do headlights always burn out in winter?

[elizilla]

The right headlight on the Subaru burned out. I tried to change it but it was buried under a bunch of vent tubing that was held in place with those single use trim panel clips and I was freezing my butt off out there trying to break the darn things loose. So yesterday at lunchtime I drove into one of those quicky oil change places. A replacement bulb was $19.99 installed. Done. Figure six bucks for a bulb and 50 cents for replacement plastic trim clips, and they spent a lot more than $13.49 worth of time fiddling with it, while I sat in the car where it's warm. In summer I'd have spent an hour doing it myself, but headlights never burn out in the summer.

I tried to persuade them to aim the headlights while they were at it, but they said they didn't know how, and if they don't know how I sure don't want to press them. So I still have a project to do myself, sometime.

Comments

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

My ex-recto theory: thermal cycling is more pronounced in winter because of the broader temperature range. Also, roads are worse, so physical damage to the filament from road shocks accrues at a higher rate.

Headlights shouldn't be so damned difficult to change.

My BMW may be a yuppiemobile but at least it's easier to work on than most of the Japanese stuff I've become familiar with over the years.

[schmi.livejournal.com]

but headlights never burn out in the summer.
Hehe... ain't that the truth. I've been dragging my feet on fixing the turn signals on the BMW just cos it's so damn cold out.