How long do headlights last in cars

Nicole Wakelin covers the automotive industry as a freelance journalist for a variety of outlets. Her work includes news pieces, podcasts, radio, written reviews, and video reviews. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Skip to content How long should headlights last before you replace the bulbs?

Halogen Bulbs Halogen headlights last anywhere from hours to 1, hours. Shopping for parts online gives you an opportunity to compare a full range of options. Consider the benefits of ordering and installing original equipment manufacturer or aftermarket parts. You can also look for the best deal on any type of replacement headlight bulbs or assemblies. Shopping online also makes it more affordable to get the supplies necessary to upgrade from halogen headlights to another headlight bulb type.

You may prefer to simply purchase bulbs of a higher quality for the same headlight assemblies or switch out halogen headlights for more efficient lights.

If your vehicle is stock and not customized, online auto parts retailers make it possible to enter the specifications and narrow down the full inventory to parts that fit your vehicle, including replacement headlight bulbs or assemblies.

This approach to ordering replacement parts can save money and time by helping you select components that fit your vehicle. Installing headlight bulbs in most vehicles manufactured since the s is not difficult. Many models feature a capsule system compatible with replaceable bulbs.

Open the hood of your vehicle to access the headlight assemblies. A fan of EVs since the early s, he stays up-to-date on the myriad complex systems that power battery electric vehicles. Typical car headlights typically last somewhere between and 1, hours, but there are a lot of different factors at work.

Different types of headlights have different life expediencies, so halogen, xenon, and other types can't be expected to burn out at the same rate. Some replacement halogen bulbs are also significantly brighter than the OEM bulbs, and that increase in brightness usually translates to shorter lifespans.

Certain manufacturing defects and installation problems can also drastically shorten the operational lifespan of a headlight bulb as well.

There are several different broad categories of headlights, and one of the main differences between them is how long they can be expected to last. Since these numbers are rough averages, it's possible for headlights to last longer, or burn out faster, than these averages.

If you find that your headlights burn out significantly faster, then there is probably an underlying problem. Halogen headlight bulb capsules, in use since the s, are tremendously widespread, and even sealed-beam headlights designed for older vehicles are built around halogen bulbs.

The filament in a halogen headlight bulb is tungsten. In old sealed-beam headlights, the headlight was either filled with inert gas or a vacuum. While this worked fine for many years, the longevity of these pre-halogen tungsten bulbs suffered due to the way that tungsten reacts to being heated up to the point where it emits light. In the presence of a vacuum inside the bulb, the material then tends to get deposited on the bulb , which effectively shortens the operational lifespan of the headlight.

Modern tungsten-halogen bulbs are similar to much older sealed-beam headlights, except they are filled with halogen. The basic mechanism at work is exactly the same, but halogen-filled capsules last much longer than they would if they were filled with inert gas or vacuum.

When the tungsten filament gets hot and releases ions, the halogen gas collects the material and deposits it back onto the filament instead of allowing it to settle on the bulb. Several factors affect the operational lifespan of a halogen headlight capsule or sealed-beam headlight, but a typical operational lifespan is somewhere between and 1, hours.

Brighter bulbs tend to last a shorter amount of time, and you can also purchase bulbs that are specifically engineered to last longer. As halogen bulbs age, and as you use them, they eventually start to give off less light than they did when they were new.

Xenon : 10, Hour Lifespan. LED : 30, Hour Lifespan. Prolonged use and other factors can have an impact. For more information on all things automotive, contact or visit the knowledgeable professionals at a Sanel NAPA location near you. Since , Sanel NAPA has been a leading auto parts, heavy-duty truck parts, and body shop supplies distributor with over 42 store locations throughout New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Massachusetts. We deliver quality car parts, heavy-duty truck parts, automotive paint and body supplies, and tools and equipment that are durable, dependable, and long-lasting in order to provide our clientele with the best products and services possible.