How Do I Replace My Headlights

Working headlights are essential for driving any car safely, but they occasionally go out. Knowing how to change a headlight and what to look for when the front of your car goes dark can help you quickly remedy the problem.

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Step 1: Locate the headlight holder

You’ll access your headlight bulb through your engine compartment, rather than from the front of the car. Open your hood and locate the headlight near the front of the vehicle. It will be in a bulb holder, with a power connector (usually three wires) leading to the bulb.

 

Step 2: Remove the Power Wires

The power wires are attached to a plug at the base of the headlight, and held by a plastic catch, a metal clip or a screw cap, depending on your vehicle. The plastic catch will have a small lever at the top — push down on it while you pull the plug out. If you’re dealing with a metal clip, pull it up and away, and be sure to hold onto it as you pull. If you’re dealing with a screw cap, you can unscrew it by turning it counter-clockwise.

 

Step 3: Remove the old bulb.

Once the wires have been disconnected, you should be able to remove the back of the headlight holder and remove the old bulb by holding onto the base. In some cases, you may have to rotate the bulb a bit to get it free.

 

Step 4: Clean and install the new bulb.

Handle the new bulb with tissues or gloves — you don’t want oils from your skin getting on it. You should also give it a good cleaning with an alcohol wipe before you install it. Once the bulb is ready, stick it into the base of the plug. If it’s installed correctly, none of the bulb’s rubber gasket will be showing. Once the bulb is in you can put the headlight holder back in place and plug the power wires back in. Make sure you test the bulb by turning on your headlights.

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About Spirit West Rapid Refinish

Spirit West Rapid Refinish, established in 2011, was formed to focus on providing quality service for customers who are paying out of pocket for automobile repairs and streamline the workflow volume.

We take great pride with teamwork and our commitment to making sure our team receives training on the latest innovative state-of-the-art equipment and collision repair techniques.

We are proud to say our team is family, and we treat our customers like family too. Whether you need minor collision repair services, bumper repair or vehicle paint, give us a call today (636) 386-8060 to see how we can restore your vehicle to its original factory finish or stop by the shop 14643 Manchester Rd, Manchester, MO 63011 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm closed 12pm-1pm daily.