2010 Mazda 3 Sport - Headlight Electrical Issue

[daehkcarc]

Hello Mazda 3 forum...

I am having an issue with a headlight and I am seeking advice. For reasons I would prefer not to admit to, the back side of my passenger side headlight has melted (See pictures below). I took my car into a dealership and they want $1131 to replace the headlight housing and two bulbs (See other picture below). This seems excessive as from what I can tell from their quote they are charging $822.00 for the headlight housing which I think I should be able to obtain far cheaper. I have looked around online and seen the headlight housing much cheaper, but any ones I have found (or used ones I have found on kijiji and the likes) all seem to have a different shape to the orange parking light portion of the headlight (See last picture).

Essentially I would like to know if I can get the listed parts much cheaper and if so, where? Also, if I can get the parts cheaper, is this something that a novice car person should be able to do?

Thanks in advance for any help.

- Mike

Quote
http://www.builtbymike.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Quote.jpg

Melted Light
http://www.builtbymike.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Melted1.jpg
http://www.builtbymike.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Melted2.jpg

Why is my light not like the others?
http://www.builtbymike.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Headlight.jpg

[Hyperion]

As a headlight retrofitter who has looked everywhere for "cheap" spares of these lights I can tell you that you have just made yourself a $1131 + tax mistake.

[Jackal]

I believe he just got the quote and not the work done.

[Hyperion]

I'm telling him there is very little chance he's going to get it for cheaper. Even rockauto is about $550 usd + tax, shipping, and duty I believe. That's not oem.
Then again, oem has shit the bed on these headlights... Sooooo.....

[daehkcarc]

This isn't what I was hoping to hear. I don't understand though (please forgive my ignorance of car headlights) why something like this (http://www.carid.com/2010-mazda-3-headlights/tyc-headlight-12005023.html) is so much cheaper. Is it due to the auto level and ballast?

People are suggesting that I try auto wreckers but so far I haven't had any luck in the KW to London areas. Is there even a remote possibility of me finding the headlight I need in an auto wreckers?

Regardless, if i can find the housing for $550 USD then I am saving myself nearly $300. That is a start. I see part BBN251031S on rockauto for $400 which is even better. Is that not what I am looking for?

Thanks again for the quick replies.

[Girds]

Those are so expensive because the lights turn with the car when your turning putting that in costs a lot, I was looking to get some of these for my non-gt but way to expensive
You're not going to find then for cheap anywhere if you want it to have OEM functions

[Reddie1337]

Wait a second, why did the black housing melt? Did you have a way too powerful bulb in there? When mine were just starting to fog, the black piece looked a little melted, but nothing that crazy. And yes, the headlights are crazy expensive, bought 2 for my 2010 GT after the accident, and that was the biggest chunk of change I spent on the car. And I bought the whole front end...

[studum]

You have the OEM HID headlights and are not as common as the standard lights. You may be finding standard lights for cheaper.

If you're looking at lights that look like this:

http://media.caranddriver.com/images/10q1/324643/2010-mazdaspeed-3-headlight-and-fog-light-photo-408089-s-1280x782.jpg

They're not the same.

[Booter22]

the oem hids are expensive. just no way around it. as you didnt admit why you now need a light and if you changed something from the factory bulbs to anything aftermarket.. i mean thats on you. but the sad truth is yes they are expensive and if you want it cheaper start calling junk yards. but they may no be so easy to come by, and if you have the motors in them for the leveling and what not.. yea even better luck finding those are a wrecker.

[Johns 08 3 GT]

Those are so expensive because the lights turn with the car when your turning putting that in costs a lot

The BBN2 are not the AFS (Adaptive Front lighting System) head lights. The AFS head lights are $1400 EACH just for the part.

Reading the first pic they are including the HID bulb and the high beam bulb. And it might need a ballest. Im taking a guess like above that the wrong wattage bulbs were installed and this is the result.

If the OP would like to comfirm that is another story.

[daehkcarc]

Yes, the wrong wattage bulb was installed...

$550 is still almost $300 cheaper than the dealership. I was looking at rockauto.com and I am confused as to what headlight I would need. I see BBN251031S for $400. It looks like that was the part number on the original warranty print out I have. I am not too sure what the difference is between that and BBN251031K.

I also have an e-mail from beaver auto parts out of London quoting me $425 plus tax for BBN251031K.

Both of those are significantly cheaper than the dealership. If the bulbs happen to be cheaper elsewhere, and I can do the labour myself then I should be able to do this much cheaper than the quote.

Thanks again in advance for everyone's input.

[studum]

I'm unsure of the exact part numbers, but on Rockauto the ones without auto-level control are $400. If you need the right lamp (passenger side) I believe you're looking for the BBN251031S - that's what it says on the "failed part number". Not sure what the "k" unit is or why they quoted that instead of the "S" - may be as simple as a minor change / correction in the unit.

Also if you order from Rockauto google "rockauto discount code" for another easy/gauranteed 5% off. I've ordered from them a few times and have always been a happy customer, you just have to do your due diligence to make sure you're ordering the right stuff.

[Booter22]

Yes, the wrong wattage bulb was installed...

$550 is still almost $300 cheaper than the dealership. I was looking at rockauto.com and I am confused as to what headlight I would need. I see BBN251031S for $400. It looks like that was the part number on the original warranty print out I have. I am not too sure what the difference is between that and BBN251031K.

I also have an e-mail from beaver auto parts out of London quoting me $425 plus tax for BBN251031K.

Both of those are significantly cheaper than the dealership. If the bulbs happen to be cheaper elsewhere, and I can do the labour myself then I should be able to do this much cheaper than the quote.

Thanks again in advance for everyone's input.

take into account if you do this by yourself and have an issue again later you are really on your own. the other thing to think about is some of the early production oem lights had the issue with hazing so if the aftermarket parts are built on the first model headlight and not any revisions done to them you could have that issue down the road as well.

if your are from the gta what I would advise personally. send me your vin. I will speak to my parts manager friend at mazda and see if I can get you a decent price at my discount rate. it might be a bit more still then the rockautos but you will get the right part for the car and hopefully not have any other issues going forward.

[daehkcarc]

Good afternoon all,

I am slowly getting my headlight housing dilemma solved with everyone's help. Thanks for that.

One more question. Would it be possible to find cheaper bulbs out there? I've been looking up the part numbers I was given without any luck.

Thanks again.

[zoomzoomtech]

I would of warrantied those for you under the fogging headlight dealo if you had came to my dealer and asked for me.... Is your car still in warranty....

[Girds]

I would of warrantied those for you under the fogging headlight dealo if you had came to my dealer and asked for me.... Is your car still in warranty....

Would he even be able to Warranty that as he clearly put something aftermarket in instead of OEM?

[zoomzoomtech]

Its the techs decision not mazdas

[zoomzoomtech]

If you put some obviously cheap China knock off bulbs in that caught fire then no... Name brand tho then I wouldn't care

[zoomzoomtech]

The whole reason we are warranting these in the first place is Cuz the OEM hids got too hot and made smoke inside the lenses

[Johns 08 3 GT]

Its the techs decision not mazdas

It's the service managers decision. Not the techs. If Mazda audits the old parts and sees the back of the headlight melted and not fogged your dealer principal is going to have a bad time.

I have never seen any warranty headlights come back with the black back side melted that bad.

[zoomzoomtech]

Wow by the book much lol

[zoomzoomtech]

So put Mazda bulbs back in it and then bring it back simple.. Manager pushes it through warranty... Customer leaves happy no questions asked

[zoomzoomtech]

What bulbs did you buy?

[Johns 08 3 GT]

Wow by the book much lol


So put Mazda bulbs back in it and then bring it back simple.. Manager pushes it through warranty... Customer leaves happy no questions asked

I see you have clearly never gone through an audit.

When the dealer principal hears about a charge back for denied warranty claim and has to pay out of pocket the service manager might be looking for a new job.

[zoomzoomtech]

Keep your panties on bro...

[deepinmod]

If your car is not under warranty i don't see a reason to go to the dealership to begin with.. they usually quote much higher than the actual cost.. I f i were u, I would go on eBay and buy 2 nice, cooler looking headlights for a fraction of the cost and and replace them BOTH at a local mechanic / body shop ... Just my 2 cents, good luck