Good, working headlights are essential for safe driving at night or in any other low visibility conditions. When you’re driving in restricted visibility, you need the certainty of knowing that your lights will show you the way ahead. When you need new headlights, your Hyundai dealer can fit them for you. These are some signs that you need new lights.
Your Bulbs Are Old
Headlight bulbs have a limited life. Their longevity ranges from 500 to 30,000 hours depending on the type of bubs you have. While these figures might not seem long, your headlights aren’t used all the time. When your bulbs are close to failing, they’ll usually shine dimmer than they used to. You might also see that the bulbs start to flicker.
If one of your bulbs blows, we advise that you replace both of the bulbs. Headlight bulbs are installed in pairs. If one bulb has failed, the other one will likely fail in a day or so. If you replace both bulbs at the same time, you save the inconvenience of a return trip.
Your Lenses Are Damaged
The lenses are the clear plastic coverings that fit over your headlight recesses. They’re designed to allow light to shine out and to protect the bulbs and the electrical system from damage. Since the lenses are made from plastic, they can get scratched or cracked by road debris. Cracked lenses look ugly, and they’re also an offense. You can receive a ticket for driving with damaged lenses.
A crack in a lens can also cause damage to your headlights. Water can enter the recess through the crack. Once inside, the water can corrode the lightbulb socket or cause a short in your electrical system. Our technicians can repair either of these problems and replace your lenses.
You Frequently Replace Bulbs
As we saw above, different types of headlight bulbs have different lifespans. At a minimum, however, you shouldn’t need to replace your headlights for a least a year after you install them. If you find that you have to replace your bulb more frequently, this suggests you have a problem in your car. One possible cause of frequent bulb replacement is a weakening alternator.
Your alternator supplies all of your car’s electrical power. As the alternator gets older, it produces less power. When the alternator can’t supply all the power, your car’s computer will need to shift the available power according to need. You may notice that your lights become dim and then bright. The shifting power supply will cause your bulbs to blow more frequently.
When it’s time for new lights, come and see us at Crain Hyundai of Little Rock.
Image via Hyundai.
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