Head Lamps & Lights

Headlights - what you need to know

The headlights of an automobile are one of the most important parts of its exterior. Each headlight illuminates the road ahead, helping the driver navigate through dark places or when driving at night. Because the headlights are situated in the front most part of the car, they usually end up being collateral damage in case of an impact. Since the headlights are made of glass (although quite thick) it doesn’t take much for them to break or at least crack. A cracked headlight might not seem as big of a deal, but with time dirt or water from the car wash or rain can get through the cracks and damage the headlamp leading to a non-working headlight. And while driving with a damaged fender, for example, is not illegal, driving with a non-working headlight is. Not to mention that it is dangerous, to say the least. With this in mind, keeping your car headlights working and undamaged is very important. If you damage your headlight or both headlights during an impact - you should take measures to change them immediately.

Types of lights inside a headlight

Usually, a car headlight consists of three lights:

• Bumper (Front or Rear)
• Fender
• Hood
• Mirror (Left or Right)
• Radiator Support
• a dipped beam;
• a sidelight;
• an indicator - usually orange in color

Depending on the brand and year of the car, your automobile can also have DRL or Daytime Running Lights - these turn on each time the engines turn on. Some models also have cornering lights, which turn on whenever the driver turns the car wheels.

Types of headlights

There are three general types of headlights on the market:

Halogen headlights

This type of headlight is the most common and is still considered the standard for many car brands. They pretty much work the same way household lamps do - an electric current heats up a thin metal filament inside a bulb filled with halogen gas. The halogen car headlights are usually cheap, last a fair amount of time and are replaced rather easy. However, they are not as bright as the LED or xenon car headlights and generate a lot of excess heat.

LED Headlights

The Light Emitting Diode headlight differs from the halogen headlight in a couple of ways - the LED headlights don’t generate heat, they are brighter and are more energy efficient, thus preserving your car’s battery. However, they are still new to the car headlights scene and can get a bit pricey.

Xenon/HID headlights

The HID (which stands for High Intensity Discharge) headlights are also known as Xenon headlights, because of the gas inside the bulb. As with the LED car headlights, xenon headlights are up to three times brighter than halogen headlights, have longer lifespan and use less energy. They can also be pretty expensive.

Headlights at PaintedAutoParts.com

We at PaintedAutoParts.com understand the importance of a working headlight. This is why you can find the perfect headlight or set of headlights for you car with just a few clicks - just fill out your car brand, year of production and choose the headlights that will best suit your car and style.