How To Fix A Broken Car Headlight?

Broken Car Headlight

Driving a car with a broken car headlight is like running at night with a closed eye. It might be due to a minor accident, or the bulb might have burned out. It isn’t easy to drive at night without headlights. It’s risky.

You can never deny the relevance of a car headlight. But, if it’s broken, you can face multiple problems. At times you can feel completely blinded or like a blindfold on. Hence, headlights are the key elements of your automobile, and these must always be functioning.

The headlights can be smashed or tumbledown over time. Its constant exposure to rain, cold, and sun can be the reason for it. Therefore, you need to focus on its regular maintenance. In such cases, you can run to a repair shop and pay for it or handle it yourself. Some little work can protect your money and time.

Commonly, the used cars have issues like a broken headlight. If you check cars for sale in Zimbabwe, you must test the headlights. It is not a big issue. However, it’s recommended to check headlights to ensure that it does not have any major issues.

Ways to Repair and Install Headlights

These days, you’ll rarely see a vehicle with a broken headlight. In the past, automobiles had fragile glass headlights. These had more problems like cracking and shattering. However, modern cars have an advanced version of headlights made of indestructible plastic.

Yet, you cannot say that headlights don’t break or don’t need a replacement. So, of course, it does.

In some cases, the plastic becomes degraded, and in other cases, it might require polishing and repair. Once the lights are done, you can’t drive without replacing them.

To manage a headlight repair or install it yourself, you need to know the following process.

  • First, you can’t drive with a broken headlight for a long time.
  • Second, do you know how many accidents occur worldwide due to broken or non-functioning car headlights?

Eventually, you’ll have to fix it anyway. So, it’s better sooner than later.

It’s a stress-free process that will help in quickly and efficiently replacing the broken headlights.

How to Replace the Headlight Bulb?

Fortunately, changing a headlight is a simple task. You don’t need any skills or proficiency to manage it. Your vehicle has a high-intensity-discharge bulb or a light-emitting-diode bulb.

It’s easier to replace these. So please do this yourself.

Never touch the bulb with bare hands. It’s critical to wear gloves and be careful. Even when placing a new bulb, it’s essential to use gloves to avoid contamination. The natural oil from your skin can make contaminate the bulb.

These are some basic tips that are helpful in the process.

For the replacement, you’ll need the following:

  • Rubber gloves.
  • Screwdriver.
  • A new light bulb.
  • Alcohol cleaning wipes.

Follow these steps to change the bulb of your car headlight:

  • First, locate the rear of the headlight. It’s usually placed in the gap in the front bumper, which is below the bonnet. Please go through your vehicle’s manual to be sure.
  • Second, take out the power cables from the car headlight assembly. It’s at the back. You’ll find it covered with a screw fitting or some plastic catch. At this stage, you can effortlessly take out the bulb.
  • The third step is to fix the new bulb. Again, it’s better to stay focused and handle the bulb with care. You must wear rubber gloves that will prevent fingerprints. In any case, you can use an alcohol cleaning wipe to wipe it down to remove the lint and marks. If you don’t wipe it out, it can shorten the life of the bulb.
  • Lastly, once you have placed the bulb rightly, reconnect all the wires. Before fixing screws, test the bulb to make sure it’s working rightly.

It’s completed.

How to Mend the Damaged Headlights?

Fixing broken headlights is challenging as compared to changing a light bulb. The procedure and time rely on how bad the damage is.

In case of a small crack, you can easily repair it. But, first, you’ll have to focus on preventing moisture from getting into the assembly.

On the contrary, if there is a large crack or the lens is shattered, you’ll require new headlights.

Still, if you think it’s repairable, you need the following things to repair it:

  • Paper towel to remove excess material or glue.
  • It’s better to have a car polish and application tool for smoothing the area around the headlight’s crack.
  • You’ll also need a car washing kit, including a drying cloth, shampoo, and a sponge.
  • A masking tape to protect all the unaffected areas.
  • Also, you require a silicone sealant, which is super glue.

Further, to fix the broken headlight, follow these steps:

  • First, clean the affected area using cleaning agents. It will help in getting free of dirt and grunge.
  • Second, take a little bit of car polish and apply it smoothly to the headlight using a circular motion. Don’t use too much and only cover the damaged area.
  • Cover the areas surrounding the headlights with masking tape. It will protect the lens.
  • Then, use a sealant gun to apply silicone to the damaged area. You’ll need a cloth to wipe away the excess. Leave it there for a certain time so that you can set it appropriately. Of course, you can preserve it overnight too.
  • To conclude, check if the sealant is wholly dry. Then, apply some polish on the areas as an extra layer. At this point, you must use a generous coating of wax. It not only protects the region but also adds some shine to it.

The concept of do-it-yourself always sounds interesting. People jump up to the idea of managing things on their own. However, many aspects require attention when working on your vehicle on your own.

From selecting a clean section of the driveway to ensuring the availability of required tools, paying attention to everything is necessary.

Some things look easier but are hard to manage. Hence, before starting anything, check the car manual. Additionally, use Google to gather relevant information. Some videos can help you through.

Final Thoughts

Headlights are one of the key elements of a vehicle. Therefore, it’s important to make sure these are functioning. If it’s damaged, you can replace it, or you can fix it. Working on your own can be better than taking your car to a repair shop. It will save time and money.

You don’t need any expertise for it. A quick guide and following a few steps can help in getting it done. However, before starting, plan what you have to do and what you need for it. In this way, it will be easier to avoid any complications.

The steps mentioned above can help in fixing the headlights or replacing its bulb. Nevertheless, throughout the process, it’s important to be careful. If you don’t have the required tools, you can check the online stores or visit nearby stores.

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