How to Increase Your Headlight Bulb’s Lifespan

You’re driving home on a dark, rainy night on the highway and another car suddenly pulls out of a side road. You can barely see it until the last second because your headlights are not as bright as expected. No driver wants to go through that scary experience, right? A set of headlights in good condition isn’t only for your own safety, it also helps protect everyone else on the road. In Ontario, it is even illegal to drive with a headlight that is malfunctioning, so neglecting them can get you into trouble. To help you extend the life of your headlights and stay safe behind the wheel, our service team at Bourgeois Ford North has put together some easy tips, including reducing frequent on-off cycling, checking for condensation, keeping headlight surfaces clean, monitoring your electrical system, and knowing when to seek professional help. Continue reading to learn all the details below.

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Top 5 Tips to Extend Your Headlight Bulb’s Lifespan

1. Don’t Turn Your Lights On & Off Too Much: The filament inside bulbs heats up to produce light. Every time you switch your headlights on and off, the filament expands and contracts. If you keep doing it too often, cracks start to form, and that’s what ends up shortening the bulb’s life. Leaving your lights on for longer stretches helps avoid this.
2. Watch for Moisture in the Headlights: If condensation gets inside the headlight housing, it can cause the bulb to overheat or even short out. Foggy lenses or little drops of water are signs it’s time to get it checked. You can try to seal or dry it yourself, but if it keeps coming back, it’s better to get an expert to check it.
3. Keep the Lenses Clean: Dirt stops the light from spreading evenly. When the light has to punch through a layer of grime, the bulb can generate unnecessary heat trying to maintain brightness, which can shorten its lifespan. All you have to do is wipe it down regularly.
4. Keep an Eye on Your Electrical System: Flickering lights can be signs of voltage spikes, which can be tricky to fix on your own. Having a professional check it is the safest bet.
5. Get Professional Help When Needed: Sometimes it’s worth letting the experts handle things just in case there’s a tricky electrical issue or repeated bulb failures. At Bourgeois Ford North, we can inspect your headlights, replace bulbs with the OEM parts, check alignment and electrical system, efficiently and professionally.

7 Signs Your Headlight Bulbs Need Replacement

Even if you take good care of your headlights, bulbs don’t last forever. Sometimes they start to act a little off before you even notice. Ignoring these signs can leave you driving with less light, which is risky not just for you but for everyone else on the road. Below, our service team has listed a few symptoms that it’s time to swap out your headlight bulbs:

1. Dim Light
2. Flickering or Flashing
3. Colour Changes
4. Frequent Burnouts
5. Patchy Beam Patterns
6. Lots of Condensation in the Housing
7. Visible Filament Damage

Book Your Headlight Service at Bourgeois Ford North

If any of the signs above sound familiar, or if it’s been a while since your headlights had a proper check, now is the perfect time to get them looked at. You can fill out our online form, give us a call at 705-746-2135, or stop by our service centre, located at 2 McMurray St in Parry Sound, to book your headlight service. Drop off your keys and relax in our comfortable lounge with free coffee and high-speed internet while one of our technicians handles the tricky parts for you at Bourgeois Ford North, today.