'06 4Runner OEM headlight bulb - price check

M

Mikhael Kampana

New member
Hi all,

Back in April I installed Sylvania SilverStars to replace my burned out OEM bulbs. Now, 8 months later, both bulbs have died. They're not burned out, apparently when you tap on the bulbs they flicker on and off. The dealership said the filaments look "abnormal" but not broken.

That said, I need to replace these bulbs tonight...or else I can't drive home. The dealership says the OEM bulbs are $60 total. Now, I bought the Silverstars for $30. Is this a case of "you get what you pay for" or a case of "dealerships charge a 200% premium"?
 
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Mikhael Kampana said:
Hi all,

Back in April I installed Sylvania SilverStars to replace my burned out OEM bulbs. Now, 8 months later, both bulbs have died. They're not burned out, apparently when you tap on the bulbs they flicker on and off. The dealership said the filaments look "abnormal" but not broken.

That said, I need to replace these bulbs tonight...or else I can't drive home. The dealership says the OEM bulbs are $60 total. Now, I bought the Silverstars for $30. Is this a case of "you get what you pay for" or a case of "dealerships charge a 200% premium"?
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$60 for OEM bulbs is a joke. They're probably Phillips bulbs, which are nice, but should retail around half that without a Toyota emblem on the package. Burning out Silverstars in 8 months is weird. You may have an excessive vibration in your front end causing them to burn out prematurely. Try buying a crappy set at your FLAPS (I just got one while I wait for a replacement ballast from XenonDepot) which should cost about $8 each. The light output is just as good as OEM, and a hulluva lot cheaper. If they burn out quick also, you've got a bigger issue. Also, you're not set back far pricewise on a new set, in case you want to go back to Silverstars, or HID, HIR, etc.

EDIT: You have an '06. Buy a crappy set of lights like I said to last you a week or two, and order a set of HID's. You'll thank me later.
 
I've been using the SilverStars and SilverStar Ultras for years. They do have a short life compared to most stock bulbs and it's compounded if your DRL's also use these lamps. I rarely got more than 1 year of service when my DRL's were the same lamps as the headlights but I liked them enough to continue buying them.

My '08 doesn't use the headlights for the DRL's and I'm going on 2 years on the Silverstar Ultras in the T4R. Also, the Silverstars in my Mustang are going on 3 years.

You should be able to pick up a pair of standard bulbs at WalMart for about $15.
 
chaz said:
do the H9 swap, much brighter the the H11. H9 bulb http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/59202-08-low-beams-h11-h9.html
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^^ Might have to give that a try. I don't mind the light output of the OEM setup. A little brighter would be nice but I don't think I'm ready to go back to HIDs. What brand would you recommend?


I haven't had good luck with aftermarket bulbs at all. They all seem to burn out quick. Stock bulbs seem to last forever. I had trouble with 3 different sets of HIDs (not on the 4runner). One would always go out when I drove out of town. Also in the cold they had trouble coming on.
 
Nuke said:
I've been using the SilverStars and SilverStar Ultras for years. They do have a short life compared to most stock bulbs and it's compounded if your DRL's also use these lamps. I rarely got more than 1 year of service when my DRL's were the same lamps as the headlights but I liked them enough to continue buying them.

My '08 doesn't use the headlights for the DRL's and I'm going on 2 years on the Silverstar Ultras in the T4R. Also, the Silverstars in my Mustang are going on 3 years.

You should be able to pick up a pair of standard bulbs at WalMart for about $15.
Click to expand...

Hopefully that's why mine burned out; they were my DRL's. It's just interesting that they both stopped working at the same exact time. On top of that, the filaments are intact and there aren't any scorch marks in the bulb itself. Lastly, they flickered when you tapped on the bulb...burned out bulbs don't flicker right?
 
Mikhael Kampana said:
Hopefully that's why mine burned out; they were my DRL's. It's just interesting that they both stopped working at the same exact time. On top of that, the filaments are intact and there aren't any scorch marks in the bulb itself. Lastly, they flickered when you tapped on the bulb...burned out bulbs don't flicker right?
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Check the connectors for any signs of melting or high temps. Aftermarket bulbs with higher output often have a higher wattage rating which in turn they "burn" hotter and also draw more amperage that the pins are not rated for which produces its own heat. Those are also reasons they don't last as long.
 
The Silverstars are 55w and or 65w bulbs, depending on the bulb, and draw no more than the stock bulbs. It's possible that a bulb's filament could detach in such a way that it makes intermittent contact but for BOTH to do that at the same time sounds odd. If you have a VOM or some other way to test continuity, check the bulbs while "agitating" (bumping, tapping) them. If they check out good, then you need to look at your wiring.

Do you still have the stock lamps? A quick swap should tell you if it's the Silverstars or not.
 
Nuke said:
The Silverstars are 55w and or 65w bulbs, depending on the bulb, and draw no more than the stock bulbs. It's possible that a bulb's filament could detach in such a way that it makes intermittent contact but for BOTH to do that at the same time sounds odd. If you have a VOM or some other way to test continuity, check the bulbs while "agitating" (bumping, tapping) them. If they check out good, then you need to look at your wiring.

Do you still have the stock lamps? A quick swap should tell you if it's the Silverstars or not.
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Thanks Nuke. I do have the stock bulbs and both of them work fine. It seems like it's the Silverstars, as the connectors are not melted or damaged in anyway.
 
IMO, I'd find the mod to disable the DIR's (it was easy when I had my 3rd gen and my '08 doesn't use the headlights for DRLs) and go back to the Silverstars or the Silverstar Ultras IF you were happy with the light output. The DRL's that use the headlights will significantly shorten the Silverstar's life. I run the Ultra's and drive back and forth to work in the dark and they've been installed for over 2 years.

Otherwise, I'd try the HIR upgrade.
 
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