Do you find yourself squinting to see the road at night? It might be time to change your Toyota’s headlights. In darkness or foggy weather, bright and healthy headlights can sometimes help save you from an accident. Let’s take a look at three indicators that it’s time to visit your local Toyota dealer in Silver Spring, MD, for a pair of new headlights.
Dimming Light Ahead
It can sometimes be difficult to notice when an aging bulb begins to dim. This is because the change happens gradually. But oftentimes, a headlight bulb will dim by 20 percent or more before it finally dies.
If you notice dimming light from your bulbs, clean your headlights before assuming the bulb is finished. Sometimes this will solve the problem. Headlights can become clouded or dirtied by dust from the road or salted snow during winter.
Flickering Light
A far more obvious sign of headlight trouble is one of your bulbs flickering. This might mean the filament is broken, and so the bulb needs to be replaced.
Flickering could also mean the bulb is loose, so you should check that it’s screwed in firmly. There might also be a loose connection in the wiring behind the bulb. When you put in a new bulb, you’ll soon see if the issue lies with the wiring. You can also test your bulbs with a multimeter if you have one.
A Bulb Stops Working
The clearest and most common sign of headlight trouble is one bulb dying. When this happens, it’s generally better to replace both headlight bulbs at once. This is because when one of a pair dies, the other is rarely far behind. It can also be difficult to find identical bulbs, and you wouldn’t want mismatched lighting.
What Type of Bulb Do You Use?
The lifespan of your headlights depends a great deal on the type of bulb your vehicle uses. If you know what bulbs you’re using, then you can have a rough idea of when they’ll need to be replaced.
There are four types of bulbs. The most common are halogen bulbs, which tend to last 500 to 1,000 hours of usage. High-Intensity Discharge bulbs last up to 10,000 hours. Light-Emitting Diode bulbs last up to 30,000 hours. And the newest type of bulb, laser bulbs, last even longer than that.
How a Toyota Dealer Tests Your Bulbs
A technician will check your bulbs using a multimeter or a continuity tester. They’ll also check your fuses and run tests to identify any wiring issues. If you wish to convert your headlights to use a different type of bulb, they can do this for you on most Toyota models.
Schedule a service appointment at DARCARS Toyota of Silver Spring today to have your headlights checked and replaced if needed. You may also order any genuine Toyota part from us today!
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