# What is causing my bulb to do this? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [January 28, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603 "2008-01-28T17:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boarderx192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@Boarderx192](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boarderx192)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603/1 "2008-01-28T17:48:37Z")
I just picked up a new car and found out that the previous owner replaced the rear tail light bulbs with the wrong ones. I tried replacing them with the right ones but when I turned the lights on, the bulb blew. I replaced it again and turned the lights on and it blew again. This is what the bulb looks like after it blows: ![http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture022.jpg](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture022.jpg) ![http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture021.jpg](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture021.jpg) ![http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture020.jpg](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture020.jpg) I took out the socket to see if it was the cause and this is what I saw on one of the contacts: ![http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture019-1.jpg](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture019-1.jpg) ![http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture017-1.jpg](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture017-1.jpg) Whats going on and how can I fix it? ---
**Author:** ![llink78](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/llink78/32/8037_2.png) [@llink78](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/llink78)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603/2 "2008-01-28T18:49:30Z")
lol did the old wrong ones work? if so shove thoes back in there ---
**Author:** ![Willybeen](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/willybeen/32/7351_2.png) [@Willybeen](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Willybeen)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 6:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603/3 "2008-01-28T18:55:03Z")
moisture… a short… my tail lights used to do that often… theyd short, due to water in the light, then theyd fog up like that ---
**Author:** ![Boarderx192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@Boarderx192](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boarderx192)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603/4 "2008-01-28T19:36:48Z")
The taillights aren’t fogged on them and there isn’t any moisture near them. It hasn’t rained here (NC) in a few weeks. I dont even know where/what to start checking ---
**Author:** ![Boarderx192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@Boarderx192](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boarderx192)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 9:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603/5 "2008-01-29T09:03:14Z")
Here are some pictures of the housing: Tab furthest from view is the one that im having issues with ![http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture027.jpg](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture027.jpg) Closest in view is the issue ![http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture026.jpg](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture026.jpg) Right side of socket in this picture is the one is question ![http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture025.jpg](http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y146/Boarderx192/E36/Questions/Picture025.jpg) Blue wire you see is a jumper so that the bulb illuminates when you hit the brakes along with the standard brake lights. Also this is on a 94 325is ---
**Author:** ![dftsilvia](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dftsilvia/32/7447_2.png) [@dftsilvia](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dftsilvia)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 9:34am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603/6 "2008-01-29T09:34:19Z")
check the ground maybe its loose enough that when u click it on it arcs n blows your bulb out ---
**Author:** ![Boarderx192](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@Boarderx192](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Boarderx192)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2008, 9:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603/7 "2008-01-29T09:49:19Z")
I took some sand paper and sanded the one contact on the terminal and it is now working. I probably should have thought of this before:/ ---
**Author:** ![1BADGPGT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/1badgpgt/32/5123_2.png) [@1BADGPGT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/1BADGPGT)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2008, 5:14am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/what-is-causing-my-bulb-to-do-this/42603/8 "2008-02-05T05:14:29Z")
Possibly the wrong bulb caused a higher current draw and melted something, somewhere and now with the correct bulb you complete the circuit with a dead short. Grab a DMM and check what you have for voltage and current. From the looks of that bulb, you are definately smoking those fuckers with too much current.