The Dos and Don'ts of Replacing a Headlight Bulb

Does your vehicle have a blown headlight bulb? Headlight bulbs don't last forever. Most of them last for about 500 to 700 hours on average. After this length of time, they'll typically blow, in which case they'll no longer provide illumination. Fortunately, you don't have to take your vehicle to a professional mechanic. You can replace a blown headlight bulb with minimal effort.

Do Remove the Old Bulb

One of the first things you should do when replacing a blown headlight bulb is to remove the old bulb. Open your vehicle's engine bay and inspect the panel behind the old bulb. You may be able to pull out the old bulb directly, or you may have to unscrew the panel to remove it. Regardless, you should remove the old bulb so that you can buy a replacement of the same type.

Don't Touch the Replacement Bulb With Bare Hands

You should avoid touching the replacement bulb with your bare hands. Why is this a problem exactly? All headlight bulbs produce heat when turned on. If you touch the replacement bulb with your bare hands, you'll transfer oils from your skin onto it. The presence of these oils means that the replacement bulb won't heat up uniformly. Instead, the areas without the oils will become hotter than the areas with the oils.

Do Wear Gloves

Rather than touching the replacement bulb with your bare hands, wear a pair of thin gloves. You can wear nitrile or latex gloves, both of which are thin. With a pair of gloves, you can hold the replacement bulb while inserting it into the electrical connector of your vehicle's headlight housing.

Don't Press Too Hard When Inserting

When inserting the replacement bulb into the electrical connector, avoid pressing too hard. Electrical connectors for headlight bulbs feature a simple method of operation. You can remove the old bulb by pulling it out of the electrical connector. You can install the replacement bulb, on the other hand, by pushing it into the electrical connector. With that said, you should avoid pressing too hard. Pressing the replacement bulb too hard may damage either it or the electrical connector.

Do Inspect the Headlight Housing for Cracks

You should use this opportunity to inspect the headlight housing for cracks. Cracks in the headlight housing may shorten the life of the new bulb. If you discover any cracks, you'll need to replace the headlight housing.

For tools and equipment to replace a headlight, shop JB Tools. Here are a few items you may need to purchase:

• Nitrile Gloves
• Safety Goggles
• Ratchet
• Phillips Screwdriver