So I've had the truck about a month and a half. Front parking lights were working, then about a week after I bought the truck I noticed they were out so I replaced them. Now 4 weeks later, they are both blown again. Fuses are still good, just the bulbs are blown. I thought about putting LEDs in to see if they would hold up, but didn't want to fry those also in case it's a wiring issue.

Any ideas ? Maybe wiring or ...???

 

Strange problem.
Only thing I can think of, is maybe the bumper, or light housings are not
mounted securely, and the vibrations are causing the filaments to break.

 

Are the correct bulbs being installed??

Are the bulbs blown or is it possible the sockets could be corroded and they just lost the ground.

You got a few bad blubs?

If this is a over voltage condition have you checked the alternator output??

Is it possible your getting water hitting the hot bulb?? that will pop them in a second.

A few things to look at.

 

Hmmmm is everything stock? Previous owner modified something? Weird I would think all parking lights are on the same circuit and the rears would have issues also? Relay mayby, have you checked both wires/harness to see if something is rubbing either way sounds like an annoying problem look for simple things first then dig deeper.

 

Bulbs can handle 12 volts which is battery power, the parking light bulbs can handle the battery voltage as long as it is not being over charged like wyoming said.

A bad relay wouldn't do anything as it would distribute battery power, if there is a short to ground on the power side it causes current to increase which will blow your fuse usually before the bulbs blow.

The things I would look at is what was already mentioned as in bad bulbs, vibration or moisture in the housing.

 

Yup...correct bulbs. Took then into the store to match. It was a 2825

Bulbs are blown...the filaments are toast and the bulbs are black

Possible which is why I'm thinking of LEDs

Haven't checked that yet. Can't wait to get a Scangauge II so I can actually tell by looking at my dash

I see no condensation in the housing on either side. The vibration idea sounds possible too. My question is if I switch to LEDs will they hold up to vibration or pop just like the regular bulbs ?

 

If it was me I would want to know the cause before trying the LED bulbs.

Do you have a lot of vibration in the front end??

If that is the case blown blubs will be the least of your problems.

 

I replaced mine with 194 bulbs and haven't had a problem, I don't know what was originally in there.

 

No I don't have a lot of vibration in the front end. Found some repair receipts in the glove box when I bought it that said the previous owners just had the front end aligned/fixed and had the brakes done in Sept.

I did notice that the housings are a little loose and I can shake them with my hands. I wonder if that is causing the bulbs to prematurely blow.

And I might just try the 194s like James suggested.

 

any chance the truck was in a front end collision? possible that the bumper was put back on and is pinching the lights somewhere, causing them to ground out and blow? i had a similar issue but in an 87 runner

 

As far as I know, no collisions at all. Had a Carfax done before I bought it

 

Check the wattage on a 2825. There are two different bulbs that look the same. One is a 194, the other I think is your 2825. The difference is the brightness and wattage. Yours may be getting too hot and burning out prematurely. I have seen that before.

 

Where did you come up with the 2825 number?

Off the blubs that had blown??

Wrong blubs the 194 blubs should be in there.

 

http://www.sylvania.com/en-us/applic...s/lrgmain.aspx

The Sylvania bulb guide calls for a 2825 in a '99 4Runner. It is a 5-watt bulb. The 194 is a 3-watt bulb. The '99 Owner's manual does not give a number, except to specify a 5W wedge-type bulb:



I have been using 2825's in my 4Runner for 12 years with quite satisfactory life. I think I have changed each one only once. But the 3-watt 194 WILL give a much longer life than the 2825, which are rated for 300 hours. The 194 is rated for 2000 hours. But the 2825 IS the correct bulb.

 

Well I'm gonna drop in the LEDs I just got and see how they do. I explained to the guy I bought them from I thought it might be a vibration problem causing the bulbs to blow early and he said he sells LEDs to guys who Rally so they should hold up. If not, he offers a 1 yr warranty.

 

Never to old to learn something new.

I asked for a box of 2825 bulbs and was told they would have to be ordered by the local autoparts.

 

My local Pep Boys has two-packs on the display rack.