Newbie Help: Headlight Bulb is not working

[Hustler]

Hi,

I recently bought a car and need to take it in for an MOT this Friday. However, it's come to my attention that one of the bulbs is not working and I'm not sure why.

This is the light that I am talking about:

I am not sure what the particular light is called. I'm pretty sure it's not called the dipped headlight.

I've taken the bulb out and cannot see anything wrong with it. The filament looks fine. Here are a few of pics:








I'm not sure what has gone wrong with this bulb. I believe that it is a HID light looking at the blueish tint when the light is turned on on the other side? I know for a fact that the car has HID lights fitted, but not 100% that this particular bulb is a HID light.

I would highly appreciate any help as I am really clueless, being my first car. If it helps, the bulb is:

12v 55w 5852OU E1 23P and also says 'GE H7 A' on it. I don't want to order one in case the bulb is not the problem. :Oops:


Thank You.

 

[NW_Merc]

I've had a bulb look fine on a discovery that needed replacing ultimately. Maybe the bulb has inevitably 'gone' and needs to be changed?

 

[television]

You can buy one in any garage, although Ring are not bad, try and buy a Osram or Philips, that will be the high beam on the inside

 

[whitenemesis]

Looks like standard halogen lights. H7 is a halogen lamp.

Did you not get a failed lamp message in the cluster?

 

[Hustler]

Thanks for the replies guys. So am I right in concluding that the bulb could be gone, despite the filament looking ok?

What is that light called? I'm sure its not called the dipped headlight and definitely not the fog light.

Looks like standard halogen lights. H7 is a halogen lamp.

Did you not get a failed lamp message in the cluster?

I did occasionally get some warning light in the cluster about checking bulb now that you have reminded me. I'll have to check tomorrow what the exact message was, but it was something like 'Fr. Light check bulb'.

So this is definitely a halogen bulb and not a HID light?

Thank you.

 

[television]

Do you have an ohmmeter where you can check to see if it is open circuit or try it in the other side

 

[Frontstep]

Its a standard halogen you get xenon on dip (if fitted,the outside light units) and halogen on main beam.
To test swap one side with the other they are a common bulb.

 

[Hustler]

Do you have an ohmmeter where you can check to see if it is open circuit or try it in the other side

I don't have one. I'll ask my uncle to bring one along on Friday and also try swapping over on the other side. Thanks for the idea.

Also, I've checked the warning on the instrument and it said something like:

- Fr. Right Parking Lamp. Check Bulb!
- Fr. Left Parking Lamp. Check Bulb!

It's weird, because I thought only one of the bulbs was gone (on the right hand side) but the warning is asking me to check both bulbs. I'm really confused. Should I order a couple of the bulbs, or is there something else wrong?

 

[Frontstep]

Switch lights on, look which one works, swap to other side.
If it works there buy one bulb place in side with duff bulb, the world is then a better place.
The failure warning/s will (hopefully) go out.

 

[EmilysDad]

and don't handle the bulbs by the glass ...... you leave greasy finger prints on them & they fail sooner.