Headlight issue

[Baydestrian]

This just recently started happening last week but the issue is that my passenger headlight doesn't always turn on, I have to get out and hit the headlight and it will light up. I haven't touched anything recently, I have to remove the whole headlamp assembly just to replace the damn bulb lol. I'm using PIAA Intense white bulbs, the are great and the person on the Cadillac forum who told me about them said he's been using his for the past 5 years and I only put mine in about year ago or so.

I just read that a headlight can fail if its subjected to a lot of vibration from rough roads, I do go over a lot of rough roads and that headlamp assembly is pretty loose due to some broken plastic that would hold it securely in place, new headlamp is $1000 =(

Edited February 23, 2012 by wonderbreadSTS

[Redhaze]

have you checked your wiring your probably damaged it

[Maxim]

If you have to hit it to get it to light up it sounds like some loose contacts, either the wiring or inside the bulb. I'd double check that before I went and replaced the bulbs.

[Baydestrian]

Ok yeah figured my light bulb wasn't already failing since its still bright when it does work, ahh hopefully its nothing too bad.

[SmallTruk]

i had some PIAA's that had the same problem; that shit wouldn't turn on until i smacked the housing. i swapped in the factory bulb and it worked fine. before you get a new housing see if swapping the old bulbs back in makes a difference. might just be the bulb crapped out on you already.

[Baydestrian]

don't got the old bulbs and yeah def not replacing the housing, its $1000 new and about $800 from the junkyard.

[h23a3lude]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CADILLAC-STS-99-00-01-02-03-04-RIGH-PASSENGER-SIDE-HEADLIGHT-HEADLAMP-GREAT-/280830019841?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item4162c60901

don't got the old bulbs and yeah def not replacing the housing, its $1000 new and about $800 from the junkyard.

Theres one on ebay for 150 right now but its an auction.

[Baydestrian]

I'll check out Ebay, hopefully its just the wiring a bit loose and can be fixed easily.

Did find a 2003 Cadillac Seville SLS though on Craiglist with 34k original miles for about $9k, might see about getting a loan from the credit union and getting that. So hey if anybody in Northern Cali is interested in a 99 STS for parts or to fix up a bit let me know, won't go more than $2k considering it needs suspension work among some other things but have replaced quite a bit since 2009 and it still runs like a champ. Despite what anybody says these cars are solid and the gas mileage is actually pretty damn good. Won't include my subs/amp but the speakers & maybe headunit will stay with the car which is in my sig. Just putting this out there in case anybody is interested.