4 bulbs in 3 years is a little on the high side but nothing to get alarmed about in my opinion. If it starts blowing a bulb every 3 months then you probably have a problem.

I don't remember how hard /easy it is to fit a bulb in the mazda (we traded ours in a while ago) but if it's not too difficult I'd buy some bulbs online and just change them yourself when they blow. Much cheaper than using a dealer to change them :-)

 

I have a 2010 Cx7 and am on my 4th set of low beam headlights. There has to be a problem here... headlamps should last more than a year. Not to mention they're a pain to replace yourself. Incredibly frustrating!!!

 

When i get one that blows bulbs on an irregular basis i start at the battery cable connections. If they are corroded the alternator can go full field ( 16-18 volts ) because the circuit that controls the regulator in the alternator thinks the battery needs more juice. I will then check the alternator output and splice a ground wire to the headlight ground at each connector and bolt it to the chassis to soak up surges.

 

I have a 2011 cx7. Had a year and on replacement 3 of the low beams. Also goes through periods where I have to jump start the car every time. Then out of no where it stops. Alternator?

 

On my 4th set of headlights. Purchased 3 years ago .

 

As long as this tread was resurrected, I can't speak for the CX-7 owners but do possibly have a little help for the 6 owners.

Underneath the battery is a white plastic connector. It is the common ground for a few things, one of which is the headlights. I have seen in the past where corrosion builds up and causes high resistance. In some cases, the connector will lose ground completely and headlights will not work at all. This may or may not be causing short bulb life, but it's a good thing to check anyway.

My wife loves her Silverstars because her night vision is horrible. I've just made a habit of putting in a new set every fall rather than waiting for them to burn out.

 

Hey all, going to resurrect this thread as I have searched a good portion of the internet without locating a solution.

I'm a mechanic in Australia, beginning to see an increasing proportion of Mazda 3's with frequent low beam failure. This is in addition to a p2096 code that is commonly occurring, requiring a software update to resolve.

The H7 bulb in the low beam housing is attached to an intermediate globe holder, which in turn connects to the wiring harness. For vehicles with this headlight fault, each and every one has a globe holder that is slightly melted around one of the inner terminals, which is also corroded/burned. I suspect the corroded terminal is resulting in excessive heat within the globe holder, which causes the plastic around it to melt. The globe may then be receiving a fluctuating or poor voltage which may be resulting in early failure.

It is possible to use a very small file or electrical terminal cleaning kit to clean some corrosion from the terminal. Then use fine tipped needle nose pliers to clamp the terminal slightly tighter, so it will be tightly connected to the globe pin. Then spray the whole connector with contact cleaner, dry and reassemble. You may want to consider applying some dielectric grease, I have yet to try that (certain things seem to go missing in workshops). As many would know, be sure to not touch the glass of the new globe, keep it as clean as possible during installation.

I've attempted this fix on a few and now waiting to see if the issues are resolved for the long term. Could anyone on here with the problem give it a try and post up your results?

I also see a few people using genuine bulbs without having an issue, so let us know what sort of globe you are using. We are using a cheap globe (Repco) at work, although the Repco globes seem to be fine for other cars.

 

Though of something that I know is happening in this region with frequency, so I would be shocked if it wasn't happening anywhere else. Drivers are leaving their headlight switched to ON all the time and allowing the battery saver to turn them off. I found some owners that thought they had auto headlights when in fact they didn't. Bulbs are rated on hours, not miles. If your one of the people that run your headlights all the time, your not going to get the expected life you think out of them.

 

yes, the bulb holder melts, this is due to the spring that holds everything in place being dislodged and shorting the terminal intermittently. result short bulb life and possible fire.
solution, new H7 holder from ebay or parts place, and refit spring/tighten it bend it back to where it should be. not had an issue since this winter.

regards

 

I think I'm dealing with the extreme case here as my low beams last about a day. I bought the car as a daily driver and the headlights lasted three weeks. It then blew two pairs in two days. I benched tested the alternator and it was fine (if bench testing is a good test) and fuses are all fine. I replaced the pigtails, but I'm gonna go through the wiring system from battery to headlight tomorrow. I notice that they do pulse brighter while driving, so I'm guessing they're just getting too much power sent to them intermittently. Any advice is welcomed and appreciated.