For some reason one of my headlights looks dirtier than the other. I’ve tried just about everything to get it to look new again an
My driver's side headlight looks dingy. I tried just about everything to get it clean. I was starting to believe that it was the reason for my dim low beam. I bought a new HID bulb and after having it installed i still had the same issue. Different people tell me different things as to what's really going on but can't figure out the real issue. Is it the wiring or the projector or does the whole headlight need to be replaced entirely?
My car has 145000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Hi there. Over time, many different items can cause headlights to fade. In most cases, it’s a caused by debris that naturally builds up on the lens that causes it to become cloudy. In other cases, the inner seal that protects the headlight from water can wear out and condensation can collect inside the headlight. It is also possible that a loose electrical connection or a relay is damaged and can cause a consistent restriction of power to illuminate the bulb. It’s always best to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete a headlight not working inspection to determine what is causing this issue before deciding to make repairs.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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In most cases, it`s a caused by debris that naturally builds up on the lens that causes it to become cloudy. In other cases, the inner seal that protects the headlight from water can wear out and condensation can collect inside the headlight.
Dipped headlights are the most commonly used headlights; brighter than sidelights, but not as bright as full beam headlights. They get their name as they are angled downwards, towards the road.
What are full beam headlights? The brightest type of headlight on normal vehicles, full beam headlights are angled higher than dipped headlights and let drivers see more of the road ahead. They work on the same switch as dipped lights, usually with a simple action to swap between the two.
Toothpaste and baking soda can be effective cleansers for cleaning headlights. Both products are abrasive enough to take off the fog without scratching or damaging the headlights. Polishing compounds such as Rain-X might also be effective enough to remedy UV damage.
Apply a surface protectant, such as plastic protectant, to the headlight. It will shield the headlight from UV damage and oxidation, and provide a buffer between the headlight and any road debris. To protect the headlight and prevent fogging, reapply the car wax, plastic protectant or restoration product regularly.
Use headlights when visibility is `seriously reduced`. Use fog lights when visibility is reduced to less than 100m by fog or spray. Use dipped beam headlights to avoid dazzling other road users when driving at night. Use full beam headlights at night when the road ahead is completely clear.
Fog Resources
Make your vehicle visible to others both ahead of you and behind you by using your low-beam headlights since this means your taillights will also be on. Use fog lights if you have them. Never use your high-beam lights.
Go ahead and ask the dealer and say, “Just what kind of headlights do I have, man?” They`d be happy to help you out. The other option you can do, as well, is to check your vehicle handbook and see if there`s a VIN number in there, on the door jamb, or in the front corner of your dashboard.
As with all car lights, your dipped headlights are for improving your visibility in the dark or when your vision is restricted. Dipped headlights allow other road users and pedestrians to see you much clearer, helping reduce the risk of accidents.
Spray a generous layer of WD-40 over the headlights and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. While you wait, the specially engineered solution will expertly get under the buildup and muck, making your next step easier.
If your dirty headlights are physically damaged, toothpaste won`t do much to restore them to their former glory. But if they`re covered with chemicals and dust from the road, toothpaste could actually provide a potent polish.
Changing a halogen bulb is very easy. In order to save on your energy costs, you can replace a halogen bulb directly with an LED bulb. In addition, LED lights last on average around 25 times longer than a halogen bulb. There are various LED lamps that are suitable for replacing halogen lighting.
You can replace the bulbs with LEDs in park lights, tail lights, brake lights, hazard lights, stop lights, and your indicators. You`re not allowed to put LED bulbs in your fog lights or headlights if the car is not manufactured with them.
High beams are supposed to be used only in multi-lane highways without any chance of a driver blinding others driving in the opposite direction.
Low beam headlights / dipped headlights
Low beams are essential when driving at night, but they have also been proved to improve visibility and safety when used during the day, for example during adverse weather (rain, snow, sleet or fog) or just after sunrise and just before sunset.
Visibility is always a challenge, especially at night or in low-light conditions. That is why most cars come with some kind of fog light setup in addition to the regular headlights. Designed to cut through fog more effectively than headlights, fog lights can actually be a lifesaver in dangerous driving conditions.
One of your bulbs is aimed higher than the other. This makes it look like one is brighter than the other. You can probably fix it yourself, but the dealer can quickly align them for you too. One of your bulbs is aimed higher than the other.
HIDs are very efficient compared to CFL and incandescent lights (120 lumens/watt source efficiency). They lose out to LEDs principally because their system efficiency is much lower (<30 lumens/watt) due to all of the losses associated with omnidirectional light output and the need to redirect it to a desired area.
One of your bulbs is aimed higher than the other. This makes it look like one is brighter than the other. You can probably fix it yourself, but the dealer can quickly align them for you too. One of your bulbs is aimed higher than the other.
You`ll need to replace the bulb, switch, or relay. If just one bulb fails to work in either high beam mode or low beam mode, it may be the bulb. Most headlight failures that are limited to just high or low beams are related to a relay or the high beam control switch.
One of your bulbs is aimed higher than the other. This makes it look like one is brighter than the other. You can probably fix it yourself, but the dealer can quickly align them for you too. One of your bulbs is aimed higher than the other.
You`ll need to replace the bulb, switch, or relay. If just one bulb fails to work in either high beam mode or low beam mode, it may be the bulb. Most headlight failures that are limited to just high or low beams are related to a relay or the high beam control switch.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
For some reason one of my headlights looks dirtier than the other. I’ve tried just about everything to get it to look new again an
ANSWER : Hi there. Over time, many different items can cause headlights to fade. In most cases, it’s a caused by debris that naturally builds up on the lens that causes it to become cloudy. In other cases, the inner seal that protects the headlight from water can wear out and condensation can collect inside the headlight. It is also possible that a loose electrical connection or a relay is damaged and can cause a consistent restriction of power to illuminate the bulb. It’s always best to have a professional mobile mechanic come to your location to complete a headlight not working inspection to determine what is causing this issue before deciding to make repairs.
My gas cap will not open. I can get a new cap but how do I get the current one off?
ANSWER : Hi there. Unfortunately, there is no black & white step for removing a broken gas cap. If the gas cap is stripped or spinning around, it has to be carefully drilled out. This should be completed by a professional mechanic to avoid mistakes and debris falling into the fuel cell. If you live in one of our service areas, one of our professional mobile mechanics can come to your location and complete the gas cap replacement.
I was able to remove the bad starter on my 2 wheel drive automatic transmission Geo Tracker but I can’t get the new one back in
ANSWER : Hello. Thanks for writing in. If you got the starter out, there is a way to get the new one back in. First, as redundant as it may seem, just make sure that the old starter matches the new starter in general size and shape. Specifically make sure the mounting bolts line up, and that we are not working with the wrong replacement. Take a deep breath and try not to rush through it. The best thing to do is try and reverse the exact way the old one came out. Do your best to remember how you needed to maneuver it for removal. This make and model calls for the starter to be serviced from the bottom. Focus your energy on finding a pathway from the bottom to its mounts. Before attempting to reinstall it, move and secure any wires and hoses out of the way. This may open up pathways and allow you to have some more space than before. The best bet is to make sure your vehicle is raised up off the ground, and that you create space and a pathway as best as you can before trying to reinstall the new starter.
Des getting a new ignition mean you have to get a new key?
ANSWER : If you are needing to replace the ignition lock cylinder where you put your key in to start the car, then yes a new key is typically provided with the lock cylinder. Sometimes programming of the key is necessary for it to work properly after the key fob is installed. I would recommend researching how your key needs to be programmed to the car to determine if you can do it yourself or if the dealership has to do it.
It cranks doesn’t start new batteries, oil pressure switch new pmd, new injection pump. new alternator, new glow plugs.
ANSWER : Hello.
A crank but no start condition can be caused by many things. A few common causes are a faulty crank position sensor, or issues with the fuel system. The crank position sensor is used in the engine’s fuel calculations, and in some cases it’s failure will disable the engine.
It may also be possible that there is issues with the fuel system that are preventing the engine from running. If the fuel pump or injectors have an issue the engine may not run correctly, or at all. It may also be possible, for either case, that the issue may be wiring related.
I would start by trying to determine if the engine is getting fuel and then going from there. If you need assistance with these checks, consider YourMechanic, as one of our mobile technicians can come to you in order to diagnose your starting issue firsthand for an accurate repair.
Check engine light is on for the catalytic converter , I fixed one about a year ago. Is there a part needed, Frontback? Which part
ANSWER : Since your vehicle has a V shaped engine, it will likely have two catalytic converters. Since the engine is mounted transversly in the vehicle (because it is front wheel drive) there will be one converter on the front and one on the rear. If you had one replaced, it is likely the issue is coming from the opposite converter. I would recommend having your exhaust system inspected by a qualified professional who has experience in exhaust system diagnosis and repair.
Throttle Body needs replacing, is cardone re-manufactured ‘better’ than a ‘new’ throttle body
ANSWER : When it comes to remanufactured or brand new you are better off in most cases with the new one. The reason the company did not have the remanufactured one in stock is due to there has not been enough old cores returned to get rebuilt yet or the remanufactured part is in short supply. When it comes to getting a new or remanufactured part I have seen mixed results. The remanufactured one rebuilds an old throttle body using the base housing and installing all new parts in to it. The replacement parts will have to meet or exceed the manufacturers part performance and specifications. Just remember that if the manufacturer identified a product problem and changed the unit specification the dealer will get the new designed part before the aftermarket companies will and you may get old stock on the aftermarket where a dealer will only sell the newer part. If it was myself I would only use a factory new throttle body on this car. It may cost more but at least I would know I would get a new quality part with any last minute changes to product.
I got a new battery new alternator put in but my battery just gets drained I keep having to buy new batterys
ANSWER : This may be a sign of a failing voltage regulator or potentially a bad grounding problem causing a draw on the system. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator. Often times this will result in the alternator allowing too much power to be delivered to the battery resulting in damaging wires and prematurely sometimes destroying the battery. In other cases it may result in the alternator not supplying enough power to the battery, resulting in undercharging the battery or not charging it at all. In either case, I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose your vehicle’s charging system.
