5 Signs Your Ford May Need New Headlights

Headlights are essential for safe driving after dark. Even during the day, if you get caught in foggy or stormy weather, then headlights become an important safety feature. Here are five problems that should prompt you to visit your local Ford dealer at once for new headlights.

Fading Headlight Strength

Whether you’re using halogen, HID, or LED headlights, the bulbs may start to fade in power as they near the end of their lifespan. Sometimes headlights can lose as much as 70% of their power before dying.

However, it’s unwise to drive with anywhere near this amount of dimming. Always change your bulbs as soon as you notice they’re starting to fade in order to maintain maximum brightness.

Erratic or Flickering Light

If your headlights start to grow dimmer and brighter erratically, you might have a problem with the underlying electrical supply from the battery or alternator. More rapid flickering might indicate a problem with one of the bulbs or the wiring behind it.

Discolored or Hazy Light

Most headlight lenses these days are made from a highly durable thermoplastic polymer, which is transparent, heat-resistant, and tough enough to endure stones thrown up from the wheels of other vehicles. However, lenses can still become scratched and cracked over time, which might cause the light to become hazy.

Damage from UV rays in sunlight can also haze or discolor the lenses and light. If your lenses become damaged in any of these ways, you’ll eventually need to replace them. Sometimes headlight lenses simply become dirty, in which case you only need to clean them.

Repeated Bulb Failure

Halogen bulbs will generally last from 450 to 1,000 hours. HID bulbs can last anywhere from 2,000 to 10,000 hours, and LED bulbs might keep going for as long as 40,000 hours.

If you find yourself needing to change your bulbs more frequently than expected, ask a technician to take a look at the socket or wiring. There might be an underlying fault.

Unresponsive Headlights

Needless to say, if your headlights refuse to turn on one day, you’ll need to have the fault repaired. If none of your bulbs come on, the problem is likely to lie with the wiring or electrical supply.

Have Faulty Bulbs Tested by Your Ford Dealer

If you suspect one of your bulbs is dimming, you can replace it with a new one and see if the light becomes markedly brighter. If you’re still unsure, have your bulbs tested at your local dealership. The technician can use a multimeter or similar tool to check the strength and brightness of each one.

Have your headlights repaired or replaced today at Pugmire Ford of Carrollton. We’re a full-service dealership providing top-notch cars, maintenance, and customer service.

Tags: Do I Need New Headlights?, Ford Headlight Replacement
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