Headlamps and Headlights Replacement Guide

Headlamps are a fundamental safety feature of any vehicle. Without fully functioning headlamps we would be unable to drive safely during the hours of darkness. It is also illegal to drive without fully operational headlamps in several countries including Ireland as you pose a higher risk of causing or being involved in a road traffic accident.

Headlamps are scrutinised during the NCT (National Car Test). They can result in an NCT failure for the following reasons:

Source: www.nct.ie

Once you have read the guide below you can enter your registration number in the ID Your Car Section of our Headlamps page and use the filtering options on the left hand side to filter the search results.

1. Bulb Type
2. Type of Headlight Adjustment 
3. Light Design
4. Body Type
5. Fitting Position
6. Bezel Colour
7. Lamp Motor
8. Date Limitation

1. Bulb Type:

H7 Halogen Bulb

The most common issue with headlamps are blown bulbs where a simple bulb replacement will solve the problem. The first step involved is determining which bulb is blown. To do this, switch the headlights on and compare the headlamps to each other to determine which bulb is not lighting. The next step is to determine the type of the blown bulb. There are two ways to do this, you can either check the owner’s manual or remove the blown bulb and check its base for an engraving that specifies the type e.g. H7

As different vehicle manufacturers use different types of bulbs, it’s important to make sure that the headlamp caters for the correct bulb type. Read the section above to determine which bulb your vehicle has. Some of the most common types are illustrated in the image to the right.

2. Type of Headlight Adjustment

The majority of modern cars will have electric or adaptive headlights. Adaptive headlights will automatically adjust themselves based on feedback from sensors around the car. The sensors detect whether the car is leaning to one side and adjusts the headlights accordingly. This ensures that the headlights do not blind oncoming drivers. Standard electrically adjusted headlights will have an interior control switch to adjust the level of the headlights. An example is shown in the image to the right. 

3. Light Design

Halogen Bulb

Halogen bulbs are one of the most common bulb choice in the automotive industry due to their performance and efficiency. They have a thin tungsten filament encased in a glass filament that is full of a halogen gas. These bulbs produce a bright and white light.

Xenon / HID Bulb

Xenon bulbs also known as HID (High Emitting Discharge) are another popular choice for headlights in the automotive industry. They are characterised by their use of an electrical charge that starts an arc between two electrodes. Xenon bulbs tend to take a few seconds to warm up before they emit their full light output.











4. Body Type

In some cases the headlamp may vary in shape or size depending on the body style of the car e.g. saloon, hatchback, estate etc. The common body types are illustrated below.

5. Fitting Position

Headlamps vary from passenger to drivers side and it's important to make sure you purchase the correct headlamp for the side that needs to be replaced. There are two options: Left (Passenger Side) or Right (Driver Side).

6. Bezel Colour

A bezel refers to the trim surrounding the headlights. The most popular colours are silver and chrome. Bezels also come in a black variation as shown in the image below.

Chrome Bezel

Black Bezel

7. Lamp Motor

Some of our lamps are supplied with the adjustment motor. This will be clearly stated in the product description.

9. Date Limitation

As car manufacturers regularly update the shape of their models; some headlamps will only fit a particular models of specific years. As an example, the headlamp below will fit Ford Mondeo's from 2000 to 2007.

Click here to start your search for Headlamps. If you have any questions, use the comment section below and we will do our very best to help you.