Car Headlights Guide: How to Change a Car Headlight Bulbs?

When it comes to a faulty or non-functional headlight, night-time driving becomes not just a skill but a dangerous task that involves being alert, cautious, and of course, fearful. Whether your car headlight has taken you for a surprise or you have been postponing the changing task for a while now, broken headlight risks getting pulled over by the law. Moreover, nobody likes to be stranded in the middle of the road at night, especially when the weather God is not on your side.

If you’re looking for a little DIY session with your precious machine or simply don’t like to drive down to a mechanic for trivial tasks, we have the answer for you. In this article, we will be walking through the process of changing headlight bulbs while shedding some light on the other aspects of the guiding lights of our vehicle.

Starting from the basics, let’s get started.

How do headlights work?

When it comes to headlights, it’s one item that is present in every vehicle that you can own. In older cars, halogen bulbs used to be the norm which was fairly convenient and quick to replace. But with newer and more complicated technology came the advent of advanced headlights that deliver much better performance and usage.

From LEDs to HIDs, there is a list of headlight bulbs that you can choose for your car. And based on your choice, there comes the process of changing it whenever the need arises. You would notice that a more expensive vehicle makes use of Xenos Gas to give a brighter and whiter light. These come in the category of high-intensity discharge (HID) lights, which require slight precautions to proceed with due to the increased power.

Firstly, the high voltages produced by the headlights can lead to a fatal shock. Secondly, even after the headlights have been switched off, there is a possibility that the voltage is still running in the circuit. It is recommended not to attempt removing the headlight housing.

You can always contact the Acton Service Centre for the required help at a minimal price if needed.

Read More: How to Jump Start a Car?

What causes your headlights to go out?

It’s a bummer to see a diminishing headlight going out right when you’re entering a dark alley or simply planning a route without street lamps. Wish we had the magic lighter from Harry Potter, but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. For this reason, I am listing out a few reasons why your headlight plans to leave, so you can identify the signs before it occurs.

1. Old Age

This is an obvious reason, but many people tend to ignore it until the last minute. Each headlight comes with their set of a timeline, after which they are bound to flicker out.

Keep an eye on their timeline, and if you see one of them go out, it is natural that the other one would go out too since they both are placed at the same time.

2. Extreme Weather

A human body malfunction in extreme weather & a machine is bound to go through the same route. If you live in a place with severe nail-biting cold or the scorching heat, your headlight might burn out. The temperature changes lead to the impact of the extremely delicate lightbulb filament.

3. Oxidation 

Oxidation is not really a direct cause for replacing headlights, but with the ongoing use of halogen bulbs, it could be a reason that reduces the beam of light. The halogen quality of the bulbs makes the plastic housing of the lights appear yellow/white, which leads to lower visibility for drivers. In such cases, you would need to replace the entire headlight assembly.

4. Bulb Housing Damage

Any crack or damage in the bulb housing will cause the halogen bulbs to burn out, as they are incapable of taking in any type of moisture or humidity. If you’re unable to identify the damage, any new bulb that you install will also suffer the same fate within a few days. Make sure you use a rubber glove as the salt from your finger’s sweat will burn the bulb in a jiffy.

Also Read: Car Cleaning: How to Deep-Clean your Car’s Interior?

How to change the Headlight?

Coming to the most essential part of our article, let’s take a look at how we can effectively change the headlight in our garage with minimal tool and effort. As a DIY project, this is a great place to start since it does not entail any technical knowledge, but at the same time allows you to do the task without any hassle.

What would you need?

• The first thing you would need is new light bulbs. Make sure you get the right kind, and if you’re confused, you can always get in touch with your local car garage or have a look at the manufacturer’s manual.
• Wipes (to clean the bulb before installation)
• A screwdriver

Step 1: 

The first step would be to identify the access to your headlight bulb which is not from the front of the car, but through the engine compartment. Access it through the hood, and you can easily locate the headlight with the bulb holder, having wires leading to the bulb.

Step 2:

It is very crucial to remove the power wires before you start with the changing process. We don’t want any accidents here!

You can see the power wires in the hood of the car that is attached at the base of the headlight with the help of a metal clip, screw cap, or a plastic catch. Each of these kinds of holders has a different mechanism to open, and they are fairly easily identifiable. Once you have removed the power wires, it is now safe to remove the old bulb.

Step 3: 

When all the wires are disconnected, you get a free hand to remove the bulb. The first step here is to remove the headlight holder. You can now easily remove the bulb by holding onto the base, either by rotating it a bit.

Step 4:

Now that the old one is out, it is time to put the new ones in. A word of caution – always hold your new bulb with the help of tissues or gloves to avoid any oils/sweat from the skin getting on to it.

Once the bulb has been cleaned, stick it on to the base of the plug. To ensure that the bulb has been accurately placed, there should be no rubber gasket showing. Once done, you can put the headlight holder back, and plug the wires.

Remember to give it a quick test before driving your car out of the garage.

This brings us to the end of car headlights changing guide. Hope you found this informative.

For more such articles, keep watching this space.