Bernhard LangGetty Images
No matter what type of vehicle you own, you’ve surely had to use its lights, especially when driving at night or when it’s raining. While headlights are the most commonly used, your car, truck, or SUV has other lights that you might not be familiar with but are still important. Sometimes those lights need to be replaced. That’s why we used Amazon rankings, to put together this guide to the types of lights in a car.
What Are Car Lights?
While you know that car lights are an essential component of your vehicle, did you know that they provide several benefits? These include:
- Safer Driving: Headlights make it safer to drive at night and in the rain by increasing your visibility by nearly 100%. They also make it easier for other drivers to see your car.
- Communication With Other Drivers: Indicator lights allow you to signal your intentions to other drivers. When you’re about to turn or you’re applying your brakes, lights let other drivers know. You can also use your hazard lights to signal that there’s something wrong with your vehicle and that other drivers should drive with caution when nearing your vehicle.
- Improved Efficiency: If you want to get better gas mileage, you might want to consider switching out your car’s halogen bulbs for a set of LED lights. LED headlights produce more light while using less energy. That means they don’t have to consume as much fuel or take as much power from your car’s battery.
- Enhanced Appearance: A nice set of headlights or taillights can improve your car’s appearance. If you want to customize your vehicle, you can add LED light strips or underglow lights.
- Increased Value: Upgrading your car’s lights can make it more appealing to buyers, something to keep in mind if you ever plan on reselling or trading in your vehicle.
Types of Lights in a Car
The types of lights that come standard in a car or that you can add aftermarket include the following:
Headlights
Headlights illuminate your path when it’s raining or when you’re driving at night. Headlights use halogen, LED, or high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs to generate light. They have a low-beam setting and a high-beam setting. High beams come in handy when you’re driving at night on an isolated and unlit road. Low beams give you visibility without blinding other drivers.
Brake Lights
Brake lights let the driver traveling behind you know that you’re applying your brakes and that they should slow down as well to avoid a collision. As with LED taillights, LED brake lights are becoming more popular because they are brighter. They also light up faster than halogen lights when you apply your brakes.
Daytime Driving Lights
Daytime driving lights provide visibility when it’s cloudy outside but not raining hard enough during the day to justify turning on your high beams. These lights typically turn on when you start your car, although some vehicles give you the option of disabling them. You can also set them to run on automatic so they adjust to lighting conditions throughout the day.
How to Choose Lights for Your Car
When selecting lights for your car, it’s important to factor in the following:
- Your Car’s Make and Model: Consult your owner’s manual to make sure you’re purchasing the correct size lights for your car.
- Price: Determining how much you want to spend on lights for your car will help you narrow down your options while keeping you from overspending.
- State Restrictions: While LED headlights come in an array of colors, some states restrict drivers from using anything other than white or yellow lights on their vehicles. Your state might also have limits on how bright your headlights can be or prohibit underglow lights. Check your state’s guidelines to ensure that your car’s lights are street legal.
- Brightness: If you live in a state that doesn’t place restrictions on headlight brightness, you might want to go with the brightest lights possible. Check the product packaging for how many lumens are in each bulb. The more lumens a set of headlights contains, the brighter they are.
- Installation: If you’re an automotive expert then installation probably isn’t an issue. However, if you don’t have much experience working on your car, you might want to choose a simple plug-and-play set of lights or hire a professional to install your lights. Keep in mind that installation fees will factor into the cost.
- Vehicle Age: Depending on how old your car is, you might not want to spend any time or money on new lights, especially if you’re thinking about trading it in.
How to Replace/Install Lights in a Car
Disclaimer: The guidelines in this article are general and not meant to replace instructions for your specific vehicle. Please consult your owner’s manual or repair guide before attempting repairs.
To install your new lights, you’ll need to remove the old lights from the vehicle first. Using a dry microfiber cloth, make sure the wiring is clean. Then, following the instructions on the packaging, install your car’s new lights. Test the lights to make sure they work.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
Source: www.caranddriver.com