Automotive lighting. How to care for them in the fall? Spare bulbs are missing

Shorter days, frequent rains and morning fog - autumn is felt by drivers. According to police statistics, it is during this period that the greatest number of accidents occur. One of the reasons is the poor technical condition of cars, including, very often, insufficient lighting. Meanwhile, according to studies conducted by the ProfiAuto brand, up to 25% of drivers drive on roads with incorrectly adjusted headlights.

Attention to lighting is not only memorizing spare light bulbs in the glove compartment, experts emphasize. A number of other elements should also be taken care of, such as, in particular, the adjustment and check of the technical condition of the headlights. These are not cosmetics, but issues that determine the safety of driving. According to the report of the General Directorate of Police, in 30, the lack of lighting was the cause of 2019% of accidents due to technical reasons.

“Every year we remind drivers not to neglect simple road safety steps, such as properly adjusting the headlights on their car. Unfortunately, our statistics show that there is still a lot of neglect in this regard. According to research conducted by ProfiAuto as part of the ProfiAuto PitStop 2019 campaign, up to 25% of drivers had poorly adjusted headlights in their cars. Meanwhile, their configuration directly affects security. Improperly adjusted headlights can, among other things, dazzle other drivers, provide insufficient illumination of the road, or interfere with the visibility of glare for pedestrians,” says Adam Lenorth, ProfiAuto expert.

Replacing light bulbs with your own hands - what you need to remember?

In theory, changing light bulbs shouldn't be a problem, but automakers are effectively making sure that drivers and mechanics "have something to do" during the operation. Increasingly, to change a light bulb, it is necessary to remove the bumper or grille or other element that prevents access to the rear of the headlight. In some cases, you may not be able to visit the website without visiting the website.

– If we have access to a headlight, we can replace a regular halogen bulb ourselves. Usually it is enough to first remove the rubber or plastic cover, unfasten the three-prong plug, and then the spring securing the bulb flange. In almost every model, this spring is bent differently, so dry replacement should be practiced. In adverse road conditions, it will be extremely difficult for us to properly seat the light bulb in the ceiling. For this activity, it does not hurt to wear gloves, and if you touch the glass of the flask, be sure to wipe it with alcohol. Be sure to mount the light bulb exactly as shown by the metal shape of its collar. If this is not done, then yes, it will glow, but not properly. Adjusting the headlights doesn't help much either, adds the ProfiAuto expert.

Single or in pairs?

In the case of conventional halogen bulbs, you can try to replace only the one that just burned out, although it should be remembered that if one fails, then the other will probably soon do the same. Therefore, it is better to replace the kit - we will eliminate the problem of the difference in the intensity and color of the lighting, and if the operation requires the removal of, for example, a bumper, then we will also save time and money. In the case of xenon bulbs, the difference in both color and light intensity is so noticeable that they must be replaced in pairs.

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After replacement, it is necessary to check the adjustment of the headlights every time. This is best done by a mechanic or an inspection station. If this is not possible at the moment, you can compare the shape of the chiaroscuro of two spotlights on the garage door or on a vertical wall. Then the car should be at a distance of 3 to 5 meters. The horizontal border of the light should be the same for the left and right headlights, and the right edges of the shadow should go up at an angle of 15-20 degrees. However, the "on the wall" method can only tell us if we have installed the light bulb correctly, not upside down or diagonally. Fine tuning of the light is possible only in a car service or at a service station using a professional optical device. It is worth remembering to check this question not only after each bulb change, but also after a possible sheet metal repair associated with the removal of the reflector. A bulb shift of a few millimeters often equals even a few centimeters of change in the illumination of objects on the road.

Budget xenon and durable light bulbs - is it worth it?

It happens that drivers want xenon lighting in their cars, but want to avoid the costs. That is why some install xenon filaments on regular halogen headlights. This is unacceptable and dangerous. This can damage the headlights, their reflectors, glass, incandescent fixtures and electrical wiring, and most of all dazzle other drivers with a strong and unregulated beam of light. If you want to equip your vehicle with "xenon", you will need to install a complete xenon lamp system with sprinklers and a self-levelling option. An alternative is a kit built on 25-watt burners that emit a luminous flux of 2000 lumens - then there are no such requirements, but the light intensity will not differ much from a conventional halogen bulb.

– Some drivers opt for 'long life' bulbs to save money. Theoretically, they have an extended service life, but there is an important “but”. The thinner the lamp filament, that is, the resistance wire inside the lamp, it heats up more and gives a brighter light. When it is thicker, it gives less light but lasts longer. Therefore, the "long-livers" light bulbs shine less. When leaving the city, we will have much worse visibility, - the ProfiAuto expert comments.

Good old headlights?

Experts emphasize that with comprehensive lighting care, attention should also be paid to the condition of the headlights. These are elements that wear out over the years in modern cars. Plafonds made of plastic fade, reflectors fade. The yellow opaque lampshades effectively limit the leakage of the light contained in them. Fortunately, these parts can be efficiently recycled for little money.

- It is worth checking the condition of the lighting in our cars, especially now, in the autumn. For those who resist safety arguments: lighting in poor technical condition can be fined up to PLN 500, including keeping the registration document until the malfunction is fixed, sums up Adam Lenort.

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