3 Symptoms of a Blown or Defective Headlight Bulb

On a vehicle that travels by road, headlights are among the most significant lights. They offer the illumination that allows the driver to see as well as be seen while on the road. High-intensity bulbs housed in plastic or glass headlamp housings give the illumination.

Headlight bulbs are available in a broad range of forms, sizes, and styles, and they are designed to be easily replaced when they burn out.

You'll find that a blown headlight bulb is one of the most common reasons for failure when doing an online MOT history checker for your car. If your headlights are dim, flicker on and off, or can't even turn on at all, it's possible that the bulb needs to be replaced.

The lights are particularly crucial to the general safety and drivability of the car, especially for night-time driving, because they offer lighting for low light settings especially on roads with no streetlights or on motorways. When headlight bulbs fail, the vehicle loses critical safety and visibility.

This is not only a dangerous, but it might also cause your car to fail a MOT test. Check MOT status to find out when your car's MOT expires and replace any blown out bulbs before the test.

Faulty headlights generally give the driver a few warning indications that they need to be replaced. The following are a few signs:

1.      Dim headlights - One of the first indicators of a defective or malfunctioning headlight bulb is dim headlights. Over time, headlight bulbs deteriorate and become significantly dimmer than when they were first installed. A dim headlight will not provide appropriate illumination and is usually an indicator that the bulb is reaching its end of life. A simple bulb replacement for a defective headlight bulb failed a MOT test, according to an internet search for "check my MOT history."

2.      Headlights that flicker on and off - Flickering headlights are another sign of a faulty or failing headlight bulb. The filaments of a headlight bulb can become broken or overly worn, causing the bulb to flicker. Typically, a flickering bulb will burn out soon after the problem arises. A flickering light might also indicate a faulty harness or connection, thus a thorough inspection is needed.

3.      Blown Headlight Bulb - A headlight that is out is another, more dangerous indicator of a defective headlight bulb. Headlight bulbs will ultimately burn out and stop working if they are used often. When a headlight goes out, it's typically because the bulb has burned out and has to be changed. If feasible, replace them in pairs, as the opposite headlight is likely to be nearing the end of its useful life if one of them has burnt out. As mentioned earlier, if you check MOT history, a blown headlight bulb is one of the main reasons for a MOT failure.

The headlight bulbs are among the most vital bulbs on any vehicle since their light offers vision and safety, both of which are essential in low-light driving circumstances. If any of the symptoms above apply to your car, or if one of your headlights has burned out, get it diagnosed by a professional technician to see if the bulb needs to be changed.

What Is the Function of Headlights?

Most headlight systems are simple, consisting of a few basic components such as bulbs, a relay, a fuse, and a switch. There are several modifications on this fundamental theme, such as daytime running lights, adaptive headlights, or other minor details like as fog lights, but the concept remains the same.

That switch triggers a relay when you turn on your headlights. The electrical connection between your headlight lights and the battery is provided by that relay. Fuses are also used to protect the remainder of the wire by acting as a sacrificial failure point.

Using your high beam control will normally engage a relay to turn on the high beams in the same way that using your headlight switch triggers a relay to supply electricity to the headlights. This basically sends electricity to the high beam filament in twin filament headlamp capsules.

Your headlights will fail if any of these components cease operating correctly. You can typically backtrack to figure out the best location to start troubleshooting by having a technician look at how they failed.