A lot of people underestimate the importance of their car headlights. It is easy to take them for granted, especially since you don’t physically see them when you are driving. As with all components of your vehicle, however, without proper maintenance, your car’s headlights will begin to deteriorate.
If your headlights don’t work you will be unable to drive, because driving without them can be incredibly dangerous. If you drive in spite of this, you can actually be arrested by the police.
This article will provide nine tips for maintaining your car’s front and rear lights:
Quality Bulbs
If you want your car’s headlights to last longer, then you need to invest in the best quality lights that you can. Many recommend Xenons Online LED headlight bulbs because they are ultra-bright and very durable. Brightness is of course something that you need to consider when you are selecting bulbs for your vehicle. If your headlights aren’t bright, then you may struggle to see on especially dark nights. This increases your chances of being involved in an accident. By investing in quality bulbs, you not only reduce the amount of time you will have to spend replacing them, but you also protect yourself on the road.
Regular Servicing
It’s also important to go and have your car serviced regularly. During the checks performed by your mechanic, your car’s headlights will be inspected. The mechanic performing your car’s check-up will be able to tell you if there are any problems with your headlights and if they need to be replaced. Servicing your car ensures that any problems can be identified sooner rather than later. This allows you to fix things while they are still cheap before the problem becomes amplified and the cost of repairing it multiples.
Headlight Casings
You always need to make sure that your car’s headlight casings are clean. Unclean casings can reduce the amount of light that they release. It’s very common for one’s headlight casings to become dirty, especially if one were to be driving in the rain, in the countryside, or through a dusty area. Make sure that you regularly tend to your headlight casings, even if they don’t appear dirty. Some dust can be imperceptible until it’s dark and your headlights are struggling to shine through it. You simply need to wipe them down with a wet terrycloth.
Regular Checks
In addition to regular services, you also need to regularly check your brake lights and indicators. It will be difficult for you to do this yourself, so you should ask a friend to take a look at your vehicle’s lights while you are working the controls. Failing that, you could take a video of your vehicle from behind while you operate your car. This method is a lot more complicated but just as effective. It also gives you video evidence that your vehicle’s lights are working, which is handy. Make sure to perform these checks once a week.
Blown Headlights
Another thing to bear in mind is that if your headlight blows, you might not notice it immediately. The first indication of a burst headlight is a drop in brightness. Generally, other road users will flash their lights at you if your headlights aren’t working. If you notice this, safely pull over to the side of the road, turn your hazard lights on, and check. Assuming that your headlight is blown, then you will need to either replace it if you have a spare headlight with you, or you will need to contact a roadside recovery service.
Quick Blinking
If your indicator bulb blinks fast, then there could be a problem. A bulb that’s blinking quickly could not be working properly. If this is the case, then you will need to stop your vehicle and replace the bulb or get it to a mechanic as quickly as possible. If you drive around with indicator bulbs that aren’t working, you can get into a lot of trouble. An indicator that’s flashing fast could be because one of your vehicle’s indicators have blown. This is because the flasher changes its blink rate when the bulb blows.
Bulb Replacement
A word of advice: if you are going to replace your vehicle’s bulbs, you should replace all of them at once. This is so that they are all on equal footing. If you don’t replace all of your bulbs when you replace one, you could end up having to replace another several days or weeks later. Replacing all of your car’s bulbs at once allows you to save time, money, and protect your vehicle. Replacing bulbs is very simple. Simply disconnect the bulb from the three power wires attached to the base of the bulb, by unlocking the locking mechanism and detaching the bulb from the wires. In order to replace the bulb, simply reverse these steps with your new bulb.
Bulb Handling
If you are replacing your vehicle’s car lights, then you need to make sure that you handle the bulbs properly. If you don’t then you could damage them. Make sure that you always wear gloves, because oil from your skin can cause the bulb to burn out as soon as you turn on the headlight. You also need to ensure that you place the bulb on your vehicle correctly. If the bulb is improperly placed, it can dazzle oncoming traffic. Once the bulb is attached, secure the cover so that no water gets in.
Headlight Fogging
Another common problem is headlight fogging. If you notice this, check the light’s vents for blockages. Ensure that the vents are clear from debris, dirt, dust, and insects. You may also want to blow compressed air through the vents to clean them properly. If your headlight has a lot of water inside it, remove the casing and dry it manually, remove the water, and wipe down the casing’s interior with rubbing alcohol. Make sure that you allow it to dry in the sun before reattaching it.
Looking after your car’s headlights isn’t difficult, it’s common sense. If you don’t take care of them then they will need to be replaced often. If you are going to replace them, then take our advice and invest in the best quality headlights that you can find.