We’ve all had this happen at one time or another we’re driving down the street at night when we either notice that our car has a headlight out or we’re pulled over by a police officer to tell us the same thing.  While we could pay someone to replace the burned out bulb for us, we can do it ourselves and save a few bucks because it’s not hard to do in fact, it will only take a few minutes to replace it and be on our way.

Here’s how to do it:

1) Purchase a new headlight or headlamp that’s right for your vehicle.  If you’re not sure what you need, ask.

2) Open the hood and look for the wires that are located behind the headlight. 

3) You’ll need to turn the screw cap located on the back of the headlight, which will release the bulb.  If you have a plastic catch with a lever, depress the lever and at the same time pull on the plug to get it to slide off.  If you have a metal clip, all you need to do is give it a slight tug and it should slide off easily.

4) Remove the bulb completely.  In some cases you may have to twist the bulb just slightly to work it free.

5) Remove the new bulb from the packaging, but don’t touch the glass with your hand or fingers.  This is because oil from your skin can cause the new bulb to burn out prematurely, in some cases, immediately or within a few hours after replacement.  You can use a rag or paper towel if you need to.

6) Holding the end of the bulb, gently stick it into the back of the headlight until you can no longer see the rubber gasket of the bulb.

7) Put everything back together and turn on your lights.

If you need to replace the entire headlamp, you can do that, too.  All it takes it a screwdriver:

1) Using your screwdriver, remove the small screws that hold the metal frame in place.

2) Pull out the headlight and unplug it.

3) Insert the new headlight. 

4) Turn on your headlights to make certain they’re all working. 

5) Secure the metal strip back on and replace the screws.

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