Yes, it’s easy, changing a car headlight.
But as much as it’s essential to know the vital steps for a successful replacement, it’s also crucial to know the agendas of replacing headlight bulbs in your favorite car.
Today we bring you the ultimate guide for replacing those sparklers that guide you through the night and provide safety in the thunder!
We’ll be starting with the basics and then digging deeper.
When Should You Replace The Car Headlight?
It’s entirely immature to wait for the bulbs to die (Who wants that anyway?).
Not only is it almost an accident half-done to drive with a dying bulb, but it can also lead to a short circuit because of the bulb getting extremely heated and finally giving up.
Considering the potential danger, you should start deciding on a replacement as soon as you see the dimness, not to mention the double Fs, ‘frequent flickering.’
Basics of How Much Does it Cost To Replace a Car Headlight
Let us consider first that you’ll be doing the job independently (which is cost-effective).
And hence the monetary value will be dependent on a lot of factors minus the labor cost.
The determinants usually depend on the car and the headlight type, the raggedness of the situation.
Also, it is a no-brainer that the latest models, regardless of the vehicle or the headlight, will require more dough.
Depending on all these, you can expect to pay anywhere, starting from $150 to $1500.
Yes, the range is that big.
Additionally, when you look up the labor cost on google, you’ll see that it is about 0.3 of an hour.
When we try to elaborate on it, it all comes down to your choice of replacing OEM or high/low beams.
Note that the stock one replacement cost about $25 each, and for the other sort, the price almost takes down a notch with the value halved.
Different Types of Car Headlights
Before we go full-on technical mode, let’s have a quick look at the table below to know about the basic types of headlights and a peek-through of some of their stats and positions in the automobile world.
Mind that, and we will be discussing four types of headlights and two types of headlight systems.
These headlight systems apply to any headlight.
They will be discussed thoroughly as well.
| Types of headlights | Pros | Cons | Life expectancy (Hours) |
| Halogen | Cheap and easy engineering. | The light temperature isn’t street-legal. | 500-1000 |
| LED | Better than halogen bulbs in terms of energy savings. | Not as cheap as halogen bulbs because of the developed engineering. | 5000-50000 (Opinions differ as they say!) |
| Xenon | The hue is appreciated by everyone. Especially the carefully optimized color temperature. | The spot-focused light may be a problem for photosensitive ones. | 2500-10000 |
| Laser | Comparably better than LED bulbs; also the size is convenient which provides a classy look. Needs a low-energy input. | More light means more heat! So extra attention is to be given to the heat sink. | 20000-50000 (Most of the time it’s the latter one) |
Now we’ll be giving an overview of the two headlight systems.
Reflector Headlights
As the name suggests, the light is reflected through the metal casing in which the bulbs are placed.
In the casing, mirrors are availed so only the bulbs can be replaced with ease.
Yes, they are cheap and minimalistic, but as the metal casing ages, the visibility of dark spots increases too.
Projector Headlights
Also, the science behind HID lights.
Projector lights basically remove all the bad jinx from the reflector type.
The thing that makes this system a more successful one is the added lens that brightens up the inside of the mirror casing hence the overall light output.
Car Headlight Replacement Cost
Let’s shove up the list again, shall we?
This time we’ll focus on the bulb types, the science behind the bulbs, the usage, the replacement cost, and why that particular amount of replacement cost.
| Bulb types | The science behind | The usage | Replacement cost | The reason behind the replacement cost |
| Halogen | Glass casing with a negligible amount of iodine and an inert gas (halogen) with tungsten filaments | A common choice for modern vehicles | $25 a bulb and $110 for the whole system | Typically, lower prices because the lifespan is too low and the bulb being in high demand. |
| LED | Use of semiconductors, electrons rushing towards positive voids. The process is electroluminescence | Ubiquitous for any object that needs photons to produce light | $100 a bulb and almost 10 times higher than the system. | The intricate design and usage of semiconductors. |
| Xenon | Also known as High-density discharge lights, they a perfect combination of xenon and argon that generates a beautiful bluish halo. | Still new tech, so not as common as the prior ones. | $120 a bulb and rounds up to $1500 for the assembly. | A higher-end conversion choice for the advanced tech as well as perfecting the optimal temperature for a soothing hue. |
| Laser | Runs by running a chemical process, using laser rays and phosphorus gas; where the gas is the main man for producing the light. | Using chemiluminescence is still new to the automobile world, so new usage potentials are still yet to be explored. | The average cost is cited as $8000 to $12500 in trusted resources. | Still, a new addition, only used in top-class brands like BMW. They are designed to be the most intricate, small, and also carefully engineered heat dissipation system. |
How Much To Replace Headlight in a Simple Method
A little pro-tip before we jump on to the straightforward steps; constantly change your bulbs in pairs.
Else, the vision of your car will be wobbly.
Step 1: Safety First
Turn off your car’s main power supply.
Before you do that, wear safety gloves and get rid of the keys.
Step 2: Detach The Wires
Now you need to open the bonnet, and you’ll see the wires fixated in the headlight holder with tabs attaching them down in the right places. Just lift the tabs.
Step 3: Get Rid of The Old Junk
So different headlights have different unscrewing methods (clips/other car compartments attached).
You can see them clearly; hence removing them won’t be a problem.
Step 4: Bring in The Newness
Remember we told you to wear those gloves?
Well, it’s not only for safety reasons but also for cleanliness.
Please remove the shiny new bulbs from the packages and adjust them in the socket.
Wasn’t that hard, see?
Tips To Make Your Headlights Last Longer
Want to know some secrets for the headlights with the perfect life?
Try taking a look at these points.
Trusted Brand
When it comes to an essential feature of your favorite car, we’d suggest avoiding the price list and trusting the brand and the manufacturer.
Be a bit more careful if you’re doing online shopping.
Right Bulb Type
This factor depends on the type of focus you and your car need.
Not to mention the legality (on-road/off-road) and brightness level.
And when you do choose the right bulb type, align them while ensuring you got the nuts and bolts aligned.
No Waste of Time And Energy
We would also suggest not keeping the headlights on unnecessarily.
Else lights will get fused when you most need them.
Also, to protect your headlights from the sunniest of days, use a headlight restoration kit to prevent them from oxidizing.
Surprisingly, this type of kit helps lock the moisture and doesn’t let it go all the way through.
No Condensation is Allowed Too
It can be a common problem in airy areas and cause the headlights to be fuzzy.
So, whenever it’s windy, make sure you have the time to check up on your headlights.
Regular Cleaning And Investigation
Cleanliness is key! Don’t let dust pile up on the corners of the headlight rooms.
In addition, there’s this term called ‘terminal cleaning,’ which is nothing but scraping out that corrosion from the copper wires of all places of the car.
Don’t forget to watch the fuses, relays, batteries, alternators, harnesses, and wires.
It’s a lot we know, but still, the effort will be worth it.
The Basic FAQs of How Much Does it Cost To Replace A Car Headlight
How Long Do Car Headlights Last on Average?
Based on the data chart of the average lifespan of different bulbs, the value can be anywhere between 10,000 hours to 30,000 hours.
So that sums up to the range of 1 year to 3 and a half years.
How To Determine If a Headlight Needs To Be Replaced?
The correct word collocation is ‘dimmed illumination.’
A constant decrease in the brightness level is the red flag you should be looking for.
Why Do You Need To Replace a Dimmed/Burnt Car Headlight?
First off, it’s pretty apparent that you don’t want to drive on a dark road (It becomes even creepier when the lights are dimmed!).
It will be like a moth to a flame if you don’t replace those old things.
How To Choose The Correct Bulb Type For Your Car?
We would suggest looking at the pros and cons chart and other factors hidden in the pores of this article only for you.
While taking a look, you’ll know what you want.
Keep an eye on the brightness, color temperature, and most importantly, the ‘street legality’ of the bulb.
Will Car Insurance Cover Headlight Replacement Cost?
The policy solely depends on the severity of the damage your car will be facing in case of any accidents.
So, we recommend that you better drive safely!
Can I Go For a Uni-Replacement?
It is strongly suggested not to because of one bright light and one dimmed light; the resultant will not be so neat; hence the observational view and the down-road view will be confusing to determine.
Is The Popular ‘Symptom-Based Diagnostic Fix’ Worth it?
Yes and no.
They can make the process to spot and solve the problems, but it is suggested by the users that you investigate the other linked items too.
And whenever you go for a checkup, do a thorough one to be on the safe side.
How Can I Find The Headlights in My Car?
Usually, it’s the sun you should be looking for.
If not, it will be an upside-down bulb sign.
What is The Difference Between High And Low Beam Headlights?
The main keywords are centralized and decentralized.
High beams provide a conical or angular-like view of the whole road.
This focus helps the chauffeurs get a straight and generalized idea of the objects ahead.
Higher-beam headlights are most useful on dark roads.
Contrarily, the lower beams help the high beams to focus even more.
They are more down-to-earth, as some say!
Even though higher beams provide a clear view, during traffic or on the highways, you need extra exposure toward the ground.
Hence the work of lower beams comes in.
We think these FAQs will clear some confusion for the newbies and deliver some insights to the professional ones.
Conclusion
So, changing the headlight isn’t that hard after all these tutorial and manual sessions.
But we can’t stress enough the importance of keeping an eye out for the headlights when they start behaving strangely.
But lights won’t do all the work, will they?
Make sure you drive safely and always keep an eye on what’s ahead.
One thing the expert drivers always point out is not only to focus on the lighted area but also on the areas that are not.
This little trick will not only ensure your safety but also prevent you from being blinded by the lights (No pun intended!)
If our instructions seemed vague to you, please don’t hesitate to check out these awesome videos!
We hope you make the perfect replacement!