What would be the first thing to pop into your head if someone asked you to name one of the most important safety features on your car? Brakes, suspension, and tires are probably high on the list, but what about the one thing that illuminates your travels? Many of us fail to realize the significance of keeping our headlights well maintained. Properly operating headlights can make the difference between a nice cruise down a country road at night, and the unfortunate likelihood of an accident if you don’t have enough reaction time. Here are some ways to be proactive about headlight maintenance and improve your nighttime driving experience wherever you roam.
Clean headlights regularly
You might think running the car through the gas station car wash will alleviate any problems with dirt collection on the headlights. While it can’t hurt, it is also good to make sure that anything that is missed by the machine doesn’t stay on them too long. Dirty headlights can hamper visibility and increase the chances that you won’t see obstructions in your driving path in time to react to them. A weekly wipe down of your car’s headlights with a damp microfiber cloth can prevent dust and dirt from building up on them, and it might save a buck or two at the car wash.
Replace or repair headlights
It’s a good practice to check the illumination from your headlights regularly. This is easily done by turning them on before driving and doing a quick walkaround to ensure that both of them are shining brightly enough. This simple task can prevent bulb burnout, which poses a safety risk to you and other drivers. If you find that there is a problem with illumination, you may need to replace or repair one or both of them. Depending on when they were last replaced, replacing only one might mean you’re setting yourself up for driving with an uneven field of vision. That can be hazardous to not only you, but other drivers in oncoming traffic.
Avoid or address clouding and yellowing
Sunlight, smog, and engine chemicals can affect the amount of light your headlights give off. Yellowing from the sun can wear down the plastic in their structure and cause a dullness that can be hard to remedy. Using a car cover can prolong the life of your lights because it will protect them from sunlight. If you plan to one day trade in or sell your car, cloudy or yellowed lights can reduce the resale value. There are lots of headlight restoration systems on the market, and some of them actually work pretty well. Checking with an autobody professional is an alternative to you scouring the department store shelves for the right system and going through several before finding the right one.
Check headlight alignment
Just like wheels can be misaligned on any vehicle, so can headlights. Car accidents or rough road conditions can cause jolts to your lights that can cause them to be displaced and the beams can become uneven. Obviously, this will negatively affect your visibility. If you notice that one beam is higher than the other one, they are probably out of alignment. In this case, you need a trusted autobody shop to correct the problem.
Final thoughts
Your vehicle’s headlights are invaluable once the sun goes down, or even in dark and stormy weather conditions. It’s important to remember that headlights need proper care and maintenance to function effectively. Dirty, cloudy, yellow, broken, or misaligned lights can create hazards that can be costly to you and other drivers. Take the time to perform these simple checks, repairs, and improvements to keep you driving safer. If you need expert assistance, you can always contact the professionals at Downtown Autobody in Rohnert Park, CA.
