When you are driving at night, in bad weather or through a tunnel, you rely on your headlights to help you see. They also let other motorists see you. In short, your headlights are important components of your vehicle. Of course, like all other auto parts, they wear out. When this happens, you want to replace them quickly to stay safe and avoid a possible ticket.
Getting the Right Headlights
In most cases, when your headlight goes out the problem is the bulb. In a lot of cars, these can be replaced individually. However, in some, you need to replace the entire headlight. Finding the right replacement headlight bulbs can be a little nerve-wracking. There are so many choices that all look so similar.
Fortunately, if you are heading to AutoZone, finding the right bulbs is fairly easy. The store offers a tool to find parts using your make, model and year. Additionally, if you are in the store, the staff will help you find what you are looking for. Better yet, you can use the free VIN lookup tool that will find everything you need simply by inputting your VIN. It doesn’t get much easier.
Will They Change Your Headlights for Free?
This question is slightly complicated. The short answer is that AutoZone doesn’t officially provide a headlight change service. However, the longer answer is that some stores will change your headlights for you. Typically, they only do this on vehicles that accept replacement bulbs (as opposed to changing the full light). In many cases, they will do this free of charge.
The good news is that you don’t have to rely on AutoZone or anyone else to change your headlights for you. The process is very simple, and you can learn to do it yourself. In many cases, you don’t even need tools.
The exact process of changing a headlight depends on the vehicle. Consult your make and model’s service manual for specific details. However, the process is always something like the following:
- Open the engine bay and locate the rear of the headlight.
- If necessary, remove the casing behind the headlight.
- Remove the bulb from the holder. It likely needs to be screwed out. On some cars, you need to remove the cable first. In others, you lift the bulb out with the cable.
- If you lifted the cable out, remove the bulb from it.
- Follow these steps in reverse to put the new bulb in place. Wear gloves to avoid getting finger oils on the new bulb.
If you have sealed headlights, you can follow a similar process. However, instead of just removing the bulb, you will remove the entire old headlight.
Learn More
Changing your car headlights is very simple, especially if your model accepts replacement bulbs. Once you have learned how to do this, you can move on to other car maintenance. Much of the work you are paying a mechanic to do is easy to learn. For example, changing your oil and inspecting your vehicle can be very simple. Start learning today.
