Shedding Some Light on Your Headlights

The oldest headlights were fueled by acetylene or oil and were introduced in the late 1880s. Acetylene lamps were popular because the flame was resistant to wind and rain.  The first electric headlights were introduced in 1898 and were optional. Two factors limited the widespread use of electric headlights: the short life of filaments in the harsh environment, and the difficulty of producing parts small and powerful enough to produce sufficient current to fuel the new headlights.  By 1904, acetylene lamps were the standard.  When Cadillac integrated their new electrical system in 1912, it changed the new standard to electric headlights.  This headlight system remained until the 1940s when the sealed beam headlight was introduced.  Now the new technology is LED headlights.  These provide the brightest and clearest view while driving at night and claim to last the longest.  

Headlights Lifespan

When headlights malfunction it is not fun.  The time they malfunction is when you need them most, especially if it is dark.  Headlights rarely indicate if they are about to quit working.  This is why it’s good to know the estimated life of your headlights.  You may not know their exact life span because there are so many factors that affect it.  Manufacturers usually have some type of estimate for this.  This lifespan estimate is developed using a complex formula involving voltage, watts, lumens and a few other factors. Each contributing factor, as well as real world testing, is crunched together and an approximate number is determined.  If you are getting near the end of this estimated life then it is a good idea to purchase an extra set of bulbs to keep until needed.

Headlight Maintenance

Headlight systems require periodic maintenance. Sealed beam headlights are modular so when the filament burns out, the entire unit is replaced. Most vehicles in North America made since the late 1980s use headlight lens-reflector assemblies that are considered a part of the car, and just the bulb is replaced when it fails.  Be sure not to touch the glass bulb with bare hands.  The oil or moisture from human skin can cause the bulb to overheat and burn out prematurely.  Headlight aim must be properly checked and adjusted frequently.  Misaimed lamps can harm other driver’s vision and stop you from seeing effectively at night.  Over time the headlight lens can deteriorate.  Sand and gravel can cause it to become pitted.  This will not allow light to pass through easily and could crack to let water into the headlamp.  Water on the bulb can cause it to burn out.  Water can also cause the headlight to short out.  Plastic lenses can often become cloudy or discolored.  This is due to the oxidation of the hard coat on the lens surface.  If this damage is minor it can be polished out.  You should use a good brand of car polish that is intended to restore the shine to chalked paint.  Major damage will require the entire lens to be replaced.  

Smart Headlights

Drive through a pounding thunderstorm or heavy snowfall at night and you’ll notice that your headlights glare off the precipitation more than the road ahead.  Scientists are developing a way to concentrate the light in between the drops or flakes to increase visibility.  The headlight is actually an array of bulbs. The system uses a digital camera to track the motion of individual raindrops or snowflakes and then uses a computer to predict where they will be.  Then it deactivates the bulbs that will glare off of the precipitation.  There are also headlights that turn in the same direction as the steering wheel to help see around corners.  There are many concepts that will help to make driving at night much safer.  

Do-It Yourself Vehicle Safety Inspection

Owning a car is a delight and hassle all bundled into one.  Your car gets you from point A to point B extremely fast, provides a safe trip to a vacation spot, and if you have young kids, becomes their next play room; messiness and all.  But we sometimes forget to think about maintaining that car.  Neglecting to maintain your car, could provide an unsafe environment, not only for you and your accompanying passengers, but for others on the road as well.  That’s why you need to do a quick inspection on a regular basis.  Some of the inspections can be visual, while other parts may require you to get a little dirty.

Headlights and Tail Lights

Checking your head and tail lights shouldn’t take any more than five minutes by yourself.  Turn your lights and check to see if any of them are burned out.  At the same time, check your blinkers, hazard lights and high beams as well.  If any of these are not working, it’s best to bring your car to our repair shop and talk to one of our mechanics.  While you could replace any of the bulbs yourself, a lot of the newer cars on the market use a high capacity bulb.  What this means is that even though they may be removed from their plug, they can still hold a charge that has enough amperage to cause some bodily harm.  This way, when you bring your car to us, we will properly and safely discharge the bulb and electrical system so that it can’t cause any harm to you or anyone else.  There are also times where they bulb may burned out, get replaced and burn out again.  This is an easy indication that there is a problem with your car’s electrical system.

Clear Visibility

Your windshield wipers were designed to give you a continual clear view for driving.  Without them, you might be sticking your head out the window like Fido does.  An easy way to tell if your wipers need replacing is when you notice they are causing streaks along your windshield.  If you were to put water on your windshield or even turn on your windshield washer fluid nozzles, and you notice beads of water in same arch as your wipers, it’s time to replace them.  You may also need to do a visual inspection and look for any cracks, tears or spots where the rubber is pulled away from the frame of the wiper blade.

Take it for a Spin

You can make this next part of the inspection a quick family outing to the store or to the tallest hill to go sledding.  Drive your car and notice for anything that doesn’t seem to be acting right.  You want to look for any unnecessary shakes, vibrations, loss in stopping or accelerating power, pulling to one side or harder turning.  All of these signs can indicate the start of a bigger problem and the care should be brought in to have it checked it out.  If you notice any of these or other anomalies, it could be your brakes, steering and suspension, wheel alignment or uneven tire wear.