How To Properly Maintain Your Headlights

Do you think about maintaining your vehicle’s headlights? Headlights are an important safety feature of your vehicle that help you see clearly and make it easier for other drivers to see you. Not only is driving without working headlights dangerous, it is also illegal in many areas.

Maintaining vehicle headlights can be categorized into 3 steps:

• Clean. Headlights can accumulate dirt, sand, road salt, and grime. Over time, they can turn yellow or get cloudy from exposure to sun. Clean the outside of the headlights with a damp microfiber cloth and household glass cleaner or use car soap and water. There are also headlight restoration kits available for more serious cleaning jobs. 
• Check. It is sometimes difficult to know if one headlight goes out. To check the illumination, park your car with the headlights on and walk to the front to see if both headlights are working. Another way to check illumination is to park in front of a wall or garage door. The wall or door should be bright and white, not yellow. While you are checking illumination, also check the alignment of the headlights. If one headlight shines higher on the wall or garage door than the other, they are out of alignment. This can happen from traveling over rough road surfaces or potholes.
• Fix. Headlights can be restored or replaced. Headlight bulbs should be replaced in pairs. If you are not sure what type of bulb is needed, consult the owner’s manual for your vehicle or an auto parts store. Take your vehicle to a mechanic if you are not comfortable restoring or replacing the lights on your own or if you find alignment issues.

Regular headlight cleaning and checks can help prevent issues down the road and also keep you, your loved ones, and other drivers on the road safe. For more safety tips, check out our blog!