.jpg)
An automobile’s headlights and brake lights are some of the most important exterior features. The headlights provide the main illumination for night driving, while brake lights signal to other drivers when you’re stopping or slowing down. For these reasons, it’s important that these particular sets of lights always be in working order whenever operating your car or vehicle.
Fortunately, headlight maintenance is generally easy, and even major repairs don’t take that long. Here are some tips for headlight/brake light care for your vehicle:
Inspect the Lights
The first step to proper headlight and brake light care is to do regular, frequent inspections of the lights. This can be a quick walk-around where you examine the lights for any failures, uneven dimness, and other defects. For brake lights, it can be helpful to ask a buddy to take note while you step on the brake lights. If something is dirty, out of order, or needs replacing, be sure to take action immediately — don’t put it off!
Clean and Polish Your Lights
When it comes to headlights and brake lights, it’s important that you keep them clean and free of debris. If the headlight or brake lights are caked with dirt or mud, it can seriously hamper the lights’ effectiveness. This is especially important for headlights — if they’re not cleaned, it can seriously affect your visibility at night when the headlights are in operation. If your lights are dirty or foggy, give them a thorough cleaning. There are some products that you can purchase to restore extremely foggy headlights to a more transparent, brighter cleanliness.
Replace Broken or Defective Parts
In instances where the headlight or taillight has been broken, damaged, or no longer functions properly, you’ll need to replace them immediately. Driving with a broken headlight or brake light can lead to a ticket, and is one of the main reasons why traffic police pull vehicles over. Stop by Convoy Auto Repair for immediate and efficient headlight replacements to get you back on the road in no time.
Review Any Custom Mods
Some states allow vehicles to be fitted with custom headlight or brake light modifications (mods). If you have these, or plan on getting these, be sure these meet state and local laws for brightness, wattage, etc. Also, the angle of the headlight beam is crucial as well, as well as the evenness and symmetry of the beams. Lastly, any tint on the lights needs to meet state and local laws as well.
That’s it! By following these simple tips, you can develop good habits that will keep you out of headlight and brake light trouble. If you need immediate servicing, repairs, or complete car checkups, stop by Convoy Auto Repair today. We have a full-fledged team of mechanics ready to help you get your car in top working order.