What do headlight bulbs do?

Headlight bulbs are responsible for illuminating your vehicle’s headlights. Your headlights, located on the front of your car, are designed to give you maximum visibility while driving. They light the road in front of you at night, and can be used to improve visibility during adverse weather conditions. Just as importantly, headlights make your vehicle visible to oncoming traffic, making them a vital safety feature that must be properly maintained.

Kia

Kia Motors Corporation (widely known as Kia Motors) is South Korea’s second-largest automobile manufacturer, behind their parent company, the Hyundai Motor Company.

They were initially established in December 1944, over 70 years ago, as a steel tubing and bicycle parts manufacturer who started building cars in the 1970s.

Coming from a background of building cars under licence for the likes of Fiat, Mazda and Peugeot, it wasn’t until the 1980s when Kia started to produce vehicles under their own brand name, and only more recently were they to become minority owned by Hyundai, who currently holds a 33.88% stake in the company, in 2015.

How popular is Kia in the United Kingdom?

From the mid-1990s, the amount of Kia cars on UK roads has seen a steady increase to the current number of around 800k today.

Given their reliability, value for money and market-leading 7-year, 100k mile warranty, Kia is a marque that is heading for further popularity, greater sales and added respect.

Superb value for money

With an extensive range of models to choose from, Kia cars offer excellent value. From their city car Picanto starting at under £10k, through to their luxury spec SUV Sorento at £30k, Kia cars compete with more established mainstream brands, offering not only strong price-points but with advanced levels of technology and the extended benefits you’d expect from a car of a higher price.

Kia Sportage: The 10th best selling car in the UK

Given the rise in growth of the Korean car brand, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see its best selling model sneak into the top 10 best selling cars of 2018. This great value and practical SUV is ideal for family motoring; not only is it rugged and good looking, but it’s also backed with Kia’s impressive reliability and extensive warranty.

How often should a headlight bulb need replacing?

This depends on the type of bulbs you have and on how much you use your headlights. Halogen bulbs will usually last for 500 - 1,000 hours, HID will need replacing after around 2,000 hours, Xenon is 10,000 hours, LED can last up to 30,000 hours.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

According to UK law, drivers must have functioning headlights and must use them at night and when visibility is seriously reduced. A broken or faulty headlight puts you at risk of causing an accident and being pulled over and potentially fined by the police.

All headlamps are checked during an MOT and your car will fail if the headlights are broken or don't produce sufficient light. To save time and money be sure to check and replace your headlight bulbs regularly.

What causes a headlight bulb to break?

Headlight bulbs can break for a variety of reasons. For example, because of a blown fuse, if water has seeped into the light or over time they can simply wear out. The most important thing is that you replace the bulbs as soon as possible as it can be very dangerous to drive without them.

When should a headlight bulb be replaced?

This depends on the type of bulbs you have and how often you use them. For example, halogen bulbs will usually last for 500 - 1,000 hours, HID will need replacing after around 2,000 hours, Xenon is 10,000 hours, LED lights can last up to 30,000 hours.

As your headlights are such a vital safety feature it’s crucial that you check them regularly and replace them when necessary.

What are the signs of a failing headlight bulb?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

• If one or both of your headlights has stopped working

• If your headlights are dimmer than usual

• If you have noticed your headlights flickering or dipping in and out

What happens during a headlight bulb replacement?

During the repair our certified mechanics will:

• Inspect the headlight holders and test to see which ones need replacing

• They will then disconnect the headlight bulb power wires

• Unscrew the old headlight bulb(s) that need replacing

• Fit the new headlight bulbs, ensuring they’re the correct size and type for your car make and model

• They’ll reconnect the power wires and test that the new bulb is working

What is the average life of a headlight bulb?

The average lifespan of headlight bulbs varies significantly between different types of bulbs. For example, halogen bulbs will usually last for 500 - 1,000 hours, HID will need replacing after around 2,000 hours, Xenon is 10,000 hours, LED lights can last up to 30,000 hours.

Can you drive with a broken headlight bulb?

No, it can be very dangerous to drive with a bad headlight bulb. While driving you rely on your headlights for visibility at night and in bad weather conditions, and they also warn oncoming traffic of your presence on the road. Without fully functioning headlights, you’ll be a danger to yourself and other road users.

What happens if you don't change the headlight bulb?

Without fully functioning headlights you risk causing a serious accident and being pulled over by the police. UK law states that drivers must have functioning headlights and must use them at night and when visibility is seriously reduced.