NHTSA Complaint #10875375 — 2006 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER

AS REPORTED BY SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2006 MODEL OUTLANDER, WHICH WAS THE ONLY MODEL YEAR TO USE THIS SPECIFIC HEADLIGHT UNIT, THE LOW BEAM BULBS HAVE SERIOUS AND SIGNIFICANT LONGEVITY ISSUES. STARTING SOMEWHAT PRIOR TO 2012, I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO KEEP A LOW BEAM BULB (H1 KIND) FUNCTIONAL FOR LONGER THAN 6-7 MONTHS PRIOR TO IT BURNING OUT. I HAVE PURCHASED EVERY BRAND OF BULB, MANUFACTURED IN 6 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, OF EVERY PRICE RANGE AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME AVERAGE 6 MONTH LIFESPAN. I HAVE HAD BOTH BULBS BURN OUT WITHIN DAYS OF EACH OTHER AND THEREFORE KEEP TWO SPARES IN THE VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES FOR PROMPT REPLACEMENT. SEEING THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS HERE, I NEEDED TO ADD MINE TO THE MIX TO ENCOURAGE ACTION ON THIS ISSUE. I AM QUITE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT BULBS AND PROPER HANDLING OF BULBS TO PREVENT FINGER OILS FROM CAUSING WEAK SPOTS ON GLASS. THE BULBS, WHEN BURNED OUT, APPEAR TO NOT BE DAMAGED VIA MOISTURE. THE INTERNAL FOCUSING LENS IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS ALSO CRACKED. THERE IS YELLOWING AND HAZING OF THE PLEXIGLASS FRONT OF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE MOISTURE IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY.