Have you considered maintaining your vehicle's headlights? Headlights can help you see clearly and make it easier for other drivers to see you. Driving without working headlights is not only dangerous but also illegal in many areas.
Just like your engine, air filters, and oil, your car's headlights need inspection, maintenance, and sometimes replacement to keep your vehicle running at peak performance. However, many drivers ignore their headlights until their visibility is greatly reduced. In this case, they usually need to replace their headlights entirely. Headlights are one of the most essential parts of your vehicle’s safety components, so it’s crucial that drivers keep their headlights consistently maintained.
In this article, we'll cover 6 headlight maintenance tips to keep your car looking good and operating safely for every trip you take.
1. Check your headlights regularly
It is highly recommended to inspect your headlights at least once a week for signs of any problems. This ensures that you can catch complications early and work towards prompt repair. Otherwise, the problem could worsen and lead to more complex aesthetic or safety issues.
It is certainly helpful to check for any signs of damage such as chips and cracks. While signs of major damage are obvious, carefully inspecting your headlights for minor chips and cracks and repairing them in time may avoid the need for replacement.
You should also check for signs of dimness. Dim headlights are usually caused by foggy, cloudy or oxidized headlights, or headlight bulbs that are going out. If you notice excessive dirt and grime buildup on your headlight lenses, you can clean cloudy lenses with soap and water. For more serious problems, you can try the home remedies we mentioned in our previous article to get rid of the fog. If your headlights appear clean and undamaged, simply replace the headlight bulbs in pairs.
2. Take routine headlights cleaning
Your vehicle is like a body. Preventive medicine goes a lot further than restorative medicine. The best way to deal with moderate to severe headlight problems is through preventive care. You can remove dirt and grime buildup on your headlights by cleaning regularly. Not only does this make your headlights look great, but it also reduces the risk of them becoming cloudy or oxidized, which makes driving safer.
Generally, you can keep your headlights clean with soap and water. You can also use a simple washcloth or gently go over the headlights with a scrub brush. Routine cleaning of your headlights usually takes 10-15 minutes at most, while cleaning more severe issues may take much longer.
If headlights are foggy and the issue can not be resolved through just soap and water, then you can try vinegar and baking soda. Toothpaste may work as well. If the above methods still don't work, then you may need professional cleaning service or new replacement headlights.
3. Repair damage in time
The longer your headlights remain damaged the harder it is to deal with the problem. Minor damage can be repaired in some instances, but it is also essential to replace your headlights that are beyond repair. For example, early signs of oxidation are usually reversible, while more severe oxidation may need you to replace your headlights entirely.
It is important to promptly repair the minor damage or seek a replacement set if the damage is severe to ensure a safe driving experience. Otherwise, it may reduce your visibility and make it more challenging to see the road and other drivers clearly. In addition, damaged headlights can affect the appearance of your vehicle, which is a concern for many car owners.
4. Address issues of oxidation
Oxidation can be one of the main reasons why you need to replace your headlights. It usually happens slowly over time, so you should check your headlights regularly. Typically, the sooner oxidation is detected and addressed, the less likely it is to become a permanent risk.
You can park your vehicle in the garage or under a shady tree. If this option is not available, you should keep your headlights away from the sun when parking outdoors to reduce UV exposure and slow the oxidation process.
Oxidation usually appears as being dirty or cloudy and worsens over time. Fortunately, the process can be slowed by keeping them clean.
If concerns of oxidation do develop, you can try to reverse the oxidation with a headlight lens restoration kit. If this does not work, however, you can consider a replacement set if the oxidation creates a safety concern or leads to an undesirable appearance of your vehicle.
5. Check Alignment and adjust your bulbs
A routine part of headlight maintenance that you may have overlooked before is checking the placement of your headlight bulbs. Over time, the bulbs may become off-kilter, pointing too high, too low, or completely off-center.
Level your car before adjusting the headlight bulbs. Then park it on level ground about 10 to 15 feet from a smooth and plainly colored wall. Keep the headlights aimed toward the wall. Turn on your headlights. Next, mark the center of where each beam hits the wall vertically and horizontally with masking tape.
After marking up the wall, back up your vehicle about 20-30 feet while keeping your headlights on. If your headlight bulbs are set properly, the most intense portion of their light beam will be at the center of the horizontal piece of tape, and to the right of the vertical piece of tape.
If you do have to adjust your bulbs, you can typically find your headlight’s adjusters on the sides or back of each headlight.
6. Invest in quality headlights
You can keep newer headlights looking great and lighting up the road for years by following effective headlight care tips. However, another primary factor that dictates how long your headlights last is their quality. Low-quality and outdated headlights naturally will not look as good or hold up as well long-term as new and improved ones.
Fortunately, Vehicleaid offers quality headlights for hundreds of car models. If your headlights are excessively dim, outdated, damaged or oxidized and want more attractive and safe headlights, then feel free to browse through Vehicleaid for your new headlight set.