How to Change a Car Headlight

Owning and operating a motor vehicle is a tremendous responsibility for every driver. One of the biggest responsibilities of car ownership – and one of the most expensive – is that of performing the maintenance necessary to ensure that every critical system within the vehicle is operating at peak efficiency. One of those systems without which your car cannot be safely operated is the headlight system. Unfortunately, when your headlights become worn and damaged beyond repair, they have to be replaced. That can cost you upwards of a thousand dollars or more if you have it done by professionals.

Be a do-it-yourselfer

Most people simply don’t have that kind of extra cash lying around, and the prospect of replacing damaged headlights can seem daunting to those without any mechanical experience. The good news is that performing the replacement operation is not as complicated as it might seem, if you have the right tools, materials, and guidance. If you follow these simple steps, you too can replace your old and worn out headlamps and get your car back to its peak levels of safety. Before you begin, however, determine which of the two types of headlights your car uses: the sealed units or the newer component style units with replaceable bulbs.

Replacing a sealed headlight

Before you start, be sure that your car engine is turned off, and that the headlight switch is off as well. For the sealed type of headlight, you will need to take out the screws as well as any molding that surrounds the unit. Once done, simply find the second ring and take out those screws as well. That should enable you to easily pull the headlight out far enough to detach the power cable that is at the back of the unit.

Plug the cable into the new headlight, and place it back into its position. Reinsert the two rings, as well as the molding, and screw everything back into place. When you turn on your headlights, your new lamps should shine brightly once again.

Replacing component headlights

The first part of this process for component units is the same as the sealed unit, in that you should turn off everything in the car and remove the coverings for your headlights so that you have access to the headlight assembly. With the new component headlight assemblies, you have only to replace the bulb. Begin by reaching around the unit to find the old bulb and rotate it until it comes loose. Replace the used bulb with a new one, and rotate it into the socket. Reassemble the entire unit and you will be done.

The process itself should really take no more than a half an hour, even for those with little experience in mechanic work. In the end, you will have a brand new headlight assembly (or bulb) and will have saved yourself hundreds of dollars in mechanic’s costs – and in this day and age of economic uncertainty, saving your hard-earned money is more important than ever.

Photo Credits: joanna8555

This post involves:

headlamps, headlight switch, Headlights, molding, motor vehicle, power cable, replaceable bulbs, screws

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Car Tips, Headlights

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