Car Headlight Replacements

No surprise then that headlight function is one of the things that is checked as part of the MOT test. But MOT aside, having properly working lights is essential to your safety.

On older cars, headlights were relatively simple, they were usually round and you could remove the lenses from the outside with the aid of a screwdriver in order to change the bulb if it failed. Over the years, headlights have changed a lot. A handy bit of pub quiz trivia is that the Vauxhall Viva HB, launched in 1966, was the first mass-produced car in the UK to feature rectangular headlights instead of round ones.

 Headlights have since evolved into various different shapes, there have been two-light and four-light systems and even pop-up lights that hide away under covers until needed.

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In more recent times, headlights have become a styling feature with complex shapes that add to the daylight face of the car as well as lighting the way. Simple glass lenses have been replaced by complex polycarbonate covers and shaped reflectors intended not only to deliver a good light but also make the car look good.

The introduction of daytime running lights (DRLs) has also made headlamp units more complicated and these, again, have become a styling feature. They started out simply as small bulbs but with the rise of LEDs, designers are now frequently using different shapes of DRL to make their latest models stand out.

The technology that makes the lights work has changed too. From around the 1960s, halogen bulbs began to take over from the earlier filament type as they provided a brighter, whiter light. In the 1990s other gasses, notably xenon which gives a bluish-white light, began to be widely used. A more recent development has been the use of LEDs which provide more brightness for less wattage.

A side effect of all of this change is that car headlight replacements have become rather more complicated. The days of carrying a set of spare bulbs in the glovebox and being able to fix a failed headlight yourself at the roadside are largely gone. These days, changing a failed headlight bulb will usually mean a trip to a garage as in our experience it often means dismantling other parts of the car in order to gain access to the lamp units.

At Protyre, our qualified fitters are used to working on a wide range of vehicles and can change bulbs without you having the hassle of doing it yourself. Of course we do much more than headlights, we can supply and fit tyres from well known brands including; Sumitomo and Bridgestone, carry out servicing, safety checks and much more.

You can use the Protyre website to book a free safety check and our experts are always happy to offer advice and assistance whatever type of car you have.