Fixing Your Car Headlights

Many people would never consider working on their car. They are considered to be very specialist machines that must be sent to a mechanic, even for the simplest of jobs. This could not be further from the truth, and there are many routine repairs you can make which will save you money, and you won’t have to hang around while the mechanic gets everything fixed up.

Today, we are going to talk about broken headlight bulbs.

First Up, Get Your Bulb

Naturally, different cars require different bulbs. I cannot provide a simple answer on exactly what one you need. I would suggest just searching “what headlight bulb does [the car model and year] need?” You should find the answer within the first few links.

Alternatively, look up your owner’s manual if you have one. It should tell you exactly what kind of bulb you need.

You can pick up the bulb online, in shops like Halfords, or perhaps from a car part shop if there is one nearby.

Step 1: Before doing anything else make sure that your headlights are off before you start.

To begin, you will have to find out how the headlight bulb is removed. Usually, if you open the bonnet, you will see some clips behind the headlight that can be used to take the bulb out.

If it remains unclear, you can open up your owner’s manual, and it should tell you how to replace the bulb in your vehicle.

Also, make sure that you don’t bash it or drop it. They are very delicate, and even a minor bump can reduce the lifespan of the bulb.

It is just a case of slotting the new bulb into place, the same way you would in your house.

Step 2: Get your new bulb ready and prepare to slot it into place. It is fundamental that you wear latex gloves while handling the new bulb. Any oils from your skin going onto the glass could reduce the lifespan of the bulb.

Step 3: Check the lights and make sure everything is working properly. If it does not work, check the bulb you took out. If the filament has not broken, it may be the case that there is something else wrong with the headlight which may require a mechanic to diagnose.

Chances are, however, you have just finished a ten-minute job that has saved you a fair bit of money!

Some Things to Consider

When you are replacing your bulb, there are a couple of things you will have to consider. Firstly, do not just get the brightest bulb available if you want it to have a reasonable lifespan. Bright headlights can look impressive and will really light things up at night. However, they will burn out relatively quickly. I would suggest going for a middle-ground that strikes a balance between performance and lifespan.

Secondly, make sure you don’t get any dirt in the headlight cover when you are changing things over. Make sure that the bulb does not touch anything on the way in, and that you do not knock any dirt or filth in through the open hole after you remove the broken bulb.