Make Sure Your Headlights Are Safe

Our cars are something that we all take for granted, and unless there’s a serious fault we don’t tend to spot signs of general wear and tear. We need to make sure that all of our cars parts are working correctly and that is usually completed through regular MOT testing and annual servicing.

However, something that we can check ourselves is the headlights and the quality of the light that the bulb is producing for us when driving in dark conditions.

Bulb maintenance isn’t a hard task. All you need to be doing is checking your lights once a week and making sure that all of them are well lit and fitted correctly. Walking around the vehicle and making a visual inspection can complete all of that.

Replace any failing bulbs before burning out:

It can be tempting to use the bulbs until they completely fail, but trust us; that’s going to be counterproductive. Car bulbs will start to dim over time and that could be the first sign that they need to ne changed.

Failing to replace bulbs when they’re broken can lead to your vehicle becoming a far greater risk on the road to other road users and yourself as the down road visibility will be slowly getting worse.

It’s best to replace bulbs if you cannot remember the last time you did them. Because they’re probably sue a change.

Replacing bulbs in pairs:

Always avoid replacing individual bulbs. You should always look to replace them in pairs as this then saves you a lot of money on bulbs in the future. Chances are, the other old bulb we go a week later and you’ll be back to square one.

Never combine a new bulb with an old bulb. The combination of the two creates an uneven field of vision, causing distractions for others, and makes your general visibility a lot poorer.

Go ahead and upgrade the bulb:

A lot of car owners aren’t aware that there are in fact a number of different car bulbs available to them when they are replacing them, and a lot of them are able to improve your driving experience.

The better quality of light has proven to make drivers feel safer when driving in darker conditions as they’re able to see a lot more in advance of junctions and major to minor turnings.

In general, anything above a basic bulb is a good upgrade. However, you want to look for something that will give you a greater down road visibility and a whiter light.

Replace the bulbs yourself:

Not all car maintenance tasks need to be completed in a garage with a team of qualified technicians. Bulb replacements are actually one of those tasks that you can do yourself in less than 20-minutes.

If you have never replaced a bulb before, it can become a little fiddly but with a little practice you’ll be able to get things done in no time.

If you’re really struggling, you can look at the replacement directions for bulbs in the car owner’s handbook that is usually placed in the glove compartment.

Aiming your lights:

If you don’t get your headlights aiming correctly you could be causing other road users to alter the driving position and speed due to the light shining in their eyes.

Your lights should be pointing down the road evenly so that you have a large field of vision that allows you to make better judgement calls in dark conditions.

Deutsch Tech are an independent BMW garage that provides annual MOT testing and BMW servicing in Milton Keynes.