Why your car's light bulbs break so often

Do you find that your light bulbs break more often than they should? Do you find yourself changing them every other week?
The most common cause of this is overvoltage .

A car's electrical system is usually called a 12-volt system, but the voltage in the system is normally around 13.2 volts with the engine running.
A “12v light bulb” is therefore designed for a voltage of 13.2 volts, and if the lamp has a higher voltage than this, its lifespan is dramatically reduced.

Many cars output a higher voltage than this and Even at 5% overvoltage (13.86 V), the lamp's lifespan will be halved.

In connection with engine start The voltage often rises well above 13.2 volts, and on cars with a start/stop function there are many engine starts in a short time.

In the winter cold The starter battery voltage drops and the generator has to deliver even higher voltages, which causes the lamps to wear out even more.

Note that the voltage from the battery is not the same voltage as at the lamp socket as there is regulation and losses along the way, which means that you have to measure at the lamp socket (with the engine running) what actual voltage the car delivers to the bulbs.
It is important to remember that the voltage to the lamp can differ greatly between car brands, car models and even individual car individuals, so measurements on the vehicle in question should always be made.)

Another point to consider: a lot of light gives a shorter lifespan and a longer lifespan gives less light.
This rule applies to all manufacturers in the world!

Source: Philips Everything you need to know about car lights

Ok, so what can be done about it?
A simple solution is to choose a bulb that is specially designed to provide a long life with higher tolerance to high voltages! Osram Ultra Life is a series adapted for just that purpose, with up to a 10-year warranty for xenon bulbs and a 3-year warranty for halogen bulbs.