After sunset, headlights are one of the most important safety features for any driver. Even marginally dimming or unreliable headlights pose a risk to your visibility. Always watch out for the following signs of headlight trouble and have new headlights installed at your nearest Toyota dealer without delay.
Dimming Light
When headlight bulbs make it to the end of their lifespan, fading light will often be the first indication that they’re about to die. Any reduction in brightness means your visibility is reduced, so it’s advisable to change your headlight bulbs as soon as you notice fading light.
Flickering Light
Some headlights will start to flicker when on their last legs. The flickering might be caused by a broken or worn-out bulb filament. Alternatively, flickering light might result from a fault with the wiring, bulb socket, or even the underlying electrical supply. You may need a technician to determine the cause.
Blown-Out Bulbs
When a single headlight bulb blows out, you may need to replace both bulbs in the pair. This is because the other bulb isn’t likely to last much longer before dimming or failing itself, which would leave you with a brightness disparity on each side of your car.
An occasional headlight blowout is usually no cause for concern. However, if this problem reoccurs frequently, your electrical system might have an underlying problem that needs to be repaired.
Blown Headlight Fuse
As with any electrical component, the headlight fuse protects the bulbs from sudden surges of voltage. A repeatedly blowing fuse might indicate problems with a particular bulb, bulb socket, section of wiring, or the vehicle’s alternator and battery.
Worn-Out Lenses
Over time, the lenses protecting headlight bulbs can become dirtied, hazed, or scratched, resulting in dimmer light. If you think the light ahead of your car is becoming slightly cloudy, examine your headlight lenses and clean away any dirt.
Sometimes headlight lenses become oxidized by over-exposure to the UV rays in direct sunlight. Myriad scratches from little stones and other debris can also create a hazy effect. Large cracks will also interrupt the uniform spreading of light. Lenses damaged in any of these ways will eventually need to be replaced.
Ask Your Toyota Dealer To Test Your Headlights
During your routine vehicle checkups, it’s a good idea to ask the technician to test the strength of your headlights. They can use a multimeter or various other methods to test a bulb’s voltage and brightness. Any potential faults can then be quickly resolved, ensuring you drive away with maximum brightness lighting the road ahead of your car.
Have your headlights replaced or repaired today at Burien Toyota. Our family owned and operated dealership offers an impressive 32,000-square-foot state-of-the-art showroom with a fantastic range of vehicles. We also provide top-notch car maintenance, servicing, and repairs.
Connect with us
