Find parts for your automobileIf one of your headlights is burnt out and it’s time for headlight bulb replacement, the variety of bulbs available at the auto parts store might seem a little mind-boggling. The different types of bulbs that you can choose from are halogen, xenon high-intensity discharge (HID) and light-emitting diode (LED). Halogen headlight bulbs operate like incandescent bulbs, using a thin tungsten filament within a glass capsule filled with halogen gas. They offer increased light output on the road and a longer light beam that can offer an increased reaction time when driving at night. Halogen bulbs are the most common headlamp type in use today, offering low cost and a working life of between 500 and 1,000 hours. However, halogen bulbs also generate excess heat, use a lot of energy and require cautious handling to prevent reactions with other substances on the glass. Go Big With Xenon Xenon HID headlights are around two to three times brighter than halogen lamps — which is great for the driver, but not so good for oncoming traffic, as the glare they cause can be particularly annoying if the lamps are not properly aimed.

They use less power to operate than halogens and are good for as many as 2,000 hours of use. HID lights do not use a filament, but work much like a fluorescent bulb and contain an enclosed tube filled with gases. The electric current is ignited by a charge — similar to a ballast — that passes through electrodes at each end. Recently, manufacturers have started outfitting cars with LEDs because they are very energy efficient, have a high lumens-to-watt ratio and boast tremendous lifespans. They burn cooler than other bright headlight types. Their small size also allows them to be used in more creative lighting designs. BMW is pioneering laser lighting on its new i8 supercar, advertising that the new headlamps are smaller, more energy efficient and can illuminate the road up to 600 meters ahead of the i8. That said, it may be a while before this cutting-edge lighting technology goes mainstream. When it is time to choose a headlight bulb replacement, here are some pointers to keep in mind:

If you’re on a budget, halogen headlights may be best, as they provide good overall performance for a relatively lower cost than other types of headlights.Miniature Dachshund Puppies For Sale In Southern Illinois Xenon headlights emit a very strong light and may be preferred by buyers who drive in dark, secluded areas often.Loss Weight Townsville LEDs are typically popular with buyers who prioritize long life and efficient energy consumption.Buy Wedding Dress Penang Ultimately, when choosing a headlight bulb replacement, you should evaluate the brightness and temperature at which the replacement bulb burns. Choosing the recommended OEM replacement bulb will prevent your headlight housing from being damaged by a burning-hot bulb.

Some buyers may choose a headlight based on the hue of its light; if you’re choosing style over function, remember to check any headlight regulations or laws regarding bulb color and brightness. If you have questions about your headlight bulb replacement options, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store. Image courtesy of MorgueFile 7 Lawn Care Tips: Getting Your Lawn Equipment Ready for the Summer Tips for Pollen Removal and Keeping Your Car CleanDaytime running lights (DRLs) are a crash avoidance feature new to vehicles sold in America, but they've been used for years in Canada and Scandinavia. prevent crashes by making vehicles more conspicuous. U.S. law now permits but does not require DRLs, which turn on automatically when the ignition is started and are overridden when regular headlights are activated. DRLs typically are high-beam headlamps at reduced intensity or low-beam headlamps at full or reduced power.

lamps and/or turn signals also may be lit. In some vehicles, turn signals alone function as DRLs, especially when the headlamps are hidden. 1. What are the safety advantages of DRLs? Daytime running lights are a low-cost method to reduce crashes. They are especially effective in preventing daytime head-on and front-corner collisions by increasing vehicle conspicuity and making it easier to detect approaching vehicles from farther away. 2. How effective are DRLs? Nearly all published reports indicate DRLs reduce multiple-vehicle daytime crashes. Evidence about DRL effects on crashes comes from studies conducted in Scandinavia, Canada, and the United States. examining the effect of Norway's DRL law from 1980 to 1990, found a 10 percent decline in daytime multiple-vehicle crashes. A Danish study reported a 7 percent reduction in DRL-relevant crashes in the first 15 months after DRL use was required and a 37 percent decline in left-turn crashes.

In a second study covering two years and 9 months of Denmark's law, there was a 6 percent reduction in daytime multiple- vehicle crashes and a 34 percent reduction in left-turn crashes. Canada study comparing 1990 model year vehicles with DRLs to 1989 vehicles without them, found that DRLs reduced relevant daytime multiple-vehicle crashes by 11 In the United States, a 1985 Institute study determined that commercial fleet passenger vehicles modified to operate with DRLs were involved in 7 percent fewer daytime multiple-vehicle crashes than similar vehicles without DRLs. A small-scale fleet study conducted in the 1960s found an 18 percent lower daytime multiple-vehicle crash rateMultiple-vehicle daytime crashes account for about half of all police-reported crashes in the United States. 3. Where are DRLs required? Laws in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden require vehicles to operate with lights on during the

There are two types of laws. Canada's requires vehicles to be equipped withThe other type of law in effect in Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden requires motorists to turn on their headlights if their vehicles do not have automatic DRLs. This kind of law applies to drivers only, and vehicles do not have to be specially equipped. In 1972, Finland mandated daytime running lights in winter on rural roads and a decade later made DRLs mandatory year-round. law took effect in 1977, Norway's in 1986, Iceland's in 1988, and Denmark's in 1990. Hungary has required drivers on rural roads to operate with vehicle lights on since 1993. Canada requires DRLs for vehicles made after December 1, 1989. state mandates DRLs, although some require drivers to operate vehicles with lights on 4. Are DRLs available on vehicles in the United States? Offered on a handful of 1995 domestic and foreign model passenger cars, pickups, and sport utility vehicles,

daytime running lights are becoming a more common feature. They're standard on all 1999 GM, Lexus, Saab, Suzuki, Volkswagen, and Volvo models, as well as the Toyota Avalon, Camry Solara, Corolla, and Sienna. They are optional on the Toyota Camry and Tacoma and on some BMWs. GM offers retrofit DRL kits for vehicles that don'tThe kits can be used on non-GM models, as well. 5. Why has it taken so long to introduce DRLs in the United States? state lighting laws inadvertently prohibited DRLs until the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) agreed to permit automakers to offer them on vehicles sold in all 50 states. This action, which preempted the state laws, followed a petition filed by General Motors. The Institute had filed a similar petition based on studies showing that DRLs are an inexpensive way to reduce daytime collisions betweenAfter initially granting this petition, NHTSA terminated rulemaking in 1988, saying that the matter wasn't clearly a national safety issue and that auto

manufacturers "tended to oppose, rather than support, the proposal." changed course again, approving DRLs in 1993. 6. Will DRLs be effective in the United States? Countries where DRLs are required generally have lower levels of ambient light during winter and longer periods of dusk and dawn than the United States. Although studies have indicated that DRLs have reduced crashes in North America and Scandinavia, the impact they will have on U.S. crashes has not been fully determined since DRLs have been used only on aPositive effects found in Canada's evaluation of DRLs are important because most of Canada's population is at a lower latitude than Scandinavia. American DRLs are brighter than European DRLs. This should increase visual contrast between vehicles and their backgrounds despite brighter daylight conditions. 7. Will DRLs shorten headlamp bulb life or lower fuel economy? vehicle lights in the daytime does not significantly shorten bulb life.

on General Motors cars that use high beams are designed to operate at half their normal power during daylight hours, thereby conserving energy and reducing the effect on a vehicle's fuel economy. NHTSA estimates that only a fraction of a mile per gallon will be lost, depending on the type of system used. General Motors estimates the cost to be about $3 per year for the average driver. Transport Canada estimates the extra annual fuel and bulb replacement costs to be $3-15 for systems using reduced-intensity headlights or other low-intensity lights and more than $40 a year for DRL systems using regular low-beam headlights. 8. Will motorists be bothered by glare? In most countries mandating DRLs, glare has not been an issue. However, some motorists in the United States have complained that the systems here are too bright. In response to these complaints, NHTSA has proposed reducing the maximum allowable light intensity from 7,000 to