Hi,

I’ve observed I am frequently replacing my front left (on a RH drive vehicle) halogen bulb i.e. the HB3 bulb.

MY2015 for my vehicle.

When I browse the owners manual, JLR states 55W HB3 bulb, but for some reason I cannot source these at my local parts stores (Midas or Goldwagen).
What I do find there is 60W. I currently have Hella branded bulbs in the assembly:

This is the inside bulb connector. See the one terminal plastic melted?

[img] https://www.freel2.com/gallery/displayimag...&pos=0 [/img]

To add this ONLY happens on the passenger side (of a RH drive vehicle).

And this is on the female connector from the vehicles wiring loom:

[img] https://www.freel2.com/gallery/displayimag...&pos=1 [/img]

Any ideas? Perhaps a resistor, JFET and a shift register connector to it? (Jokes on the latter two)

Thanks for the help in advance!

Regards

Its a well know problem with the later single HB3 bulb /shutter arrangement that use a projector lens.
It was a penny pinching terrible design by JLR.
The HB3 bulbs overheats as it is both dipped and main beam, and suffers reduced bulb lifespan as a result.

JLR at one time produced a fix - a ballast resistor which reduced current through the bulb - but it also reduced its brightness, which wasnt good to start with. I believe the fix (so called) is no longer available.

No much you can do with it about it apart from buy more halogen bulbs or install some sort of conversion.

Though technically illegal in the UK, several people have tried LED conversions with varying success.
I went down the HID conversion route which works very well as the OEM lens is already appropriate for a HID bulb. Jules

I've had this problem exactly, replaced the lamps with this HID conversion kit from ABD:
https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/hb3-hids...n-kit.html

Although it is technically not legal as Jules says, the lamp control modules fit easily inside the headlight housing so you can't tell it's been changed, and the light beam pattern perfectly matches the original. Mine has been through 5 or 6 MOT's with no comment.

jules wrote:

Its a well know problem with the later single HB3 bulb /shutter arrangement that use a projector lens.
It was a penny pinching terrible design by JLR.
The HB3 bulbs overheats as it is both dipped and main beam, and suffers reduced bulb lifespan as a result.

JLR at one time produced a fix - a ballast resistor which reduced current through the bulb - but it also reduced its brightness, which wasnt good to start with. I believe the fix (so called) is no longer available.

No much you can do with it about it apart from buy more halogen bulbs or install some sort of conversion.

Though technically illegal in the UK, several people have tried LED conversions with varying success.
I went down the HID conversion route which works very well as the OEM lens is already appropriate for a HID bulb.

yes, the high performance halogen bulbs just get even hotter and fail as quickly if not quicker. Jules

A HID upgrade kit or decent quality LED headlight bulbs are the answer to this problem.
It really is like the difference between night and day. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Yes - you then realize how bad the OEM single HB3 setup is. Jules