I'm hoping someone can shed some light on this. I went out to install the new PIAA headlights on my Ram 3500 today and on both headlights, after pulling the 'retention' clip back and the plug away from the bulb, I ended up with several pieces of plastic in the plug. I've determined that this is the retainer to prevent the plug from separating from the bulb.

Is this a common problem?

I now have to wait until the middle of next week for the shop to bring the part in and get it installed. Can I safely run the headlights without the retainer clip? I cannot for the life of me figure out how to augment the plug with zip ties, or anything other than glue to help them stay on.

 

I would not run the truck with out them as bumps and vibrations could make the bulbs come out. Does it look like heat fatigue got to them?

 

No, it just appears to be old plastic crumbling! It's like they were 'dried out' and became brittle.

It is not the bulb retainers that broke, just the plug retainers. The bulbs are secure in the headlight enclosure.

 

Oh ok, i was thinking the grey round ring that locks the bulb in place. So you are talking about the actual electrical connector to the bulbs itself? If so LMK and I can get you some replacement part numbers or you can buy new sockets off ebay. I bought some a while back that was ceramic on the inside to resist heat

 

Yeah.. I ended up getting them and they were installed same day. They are working out.

The dealer suggested that possibly having the higher wattage bulb in there would cause them to fail... and right behind him at the parts counter were some PIAA bulbs for sale... :S

 

LOL....yeah, it sounds like heat fatigue to me which is why i asked. But as long as you got it going then I wouldnt worry about it. Did your wires have any melting or anything on them?

 

No evidence of heat fatigue at all. I would have written it up to it being -15C when I was pulling the bulbs out, but it seems its the heat, not the cold according to most I speak with. :S