Bulbs

Ensuring your vehicle's lights are working correctly is critical for your own safety and also other road users as it allows you to be able to see and help others to see you.

A blown bulb will also result in an MOT failure, so make sure you check your lights before taking your vehicle in for its annual MOT test.

Replacing blown car bulbs can be a fiddly business, particular on some vehicle models where the bulb housing is located in close proximity to other engine components. At ABC Tyres, our experienced fitters can supply replacement bulbs suitable for your vehicle and fit these for a small fee. We have a huge range of bulbs in stock, so if you are concerned about changing your bulbs, pop in and our technicians will save you the trouble.

At ABC Tyres we stock a wide range of automotive bulbs including those suitable for headlights, brake lights, indicators and fog lights.

As well as standard bulb replacements we also stock a range of performance bulb upgrades that provide additional light on the road to aid night time driving.

Checking your bulbs

Checking that your vehicle's lights are in good operational condition should form part of your regular vehicle maintenance check. Here are some of our simple checks to help you:

• Headlamps should be cleaned to remove dirt to provide optimum light output, as dirt on the headlamp unit can cause refraction of the light that can lead to glare for other road users. Similarly in wintery conditions, you should clean any snow off your lights before starting your journey so that other drivers can see you clearly.
• Ask a friend or partner to help you check brake lights and indicator lights by observing the lights while you apply the brake pedal and indicators respectively.
• It’s not always immediately obvious when a car bulb blows. If visibility seems poor or other road users flash their lights at you, check your bulbs are operating correctly as they may be trying to warn you about bulb failure.
• If you can hear one of your indicators blinking faster than usual, it means there is a fault or the indicator bulb has blown. You should try to rectify this as soon as possible as other road users won’t be able to see you turning. 
• You should try to replace your bulbs in pairs. If a bulb has blown and it is one of a pair of lights replacing both will give consistent light output.

Changing Bulbs

When attempting to change a bulb yourself, always check the vehicle handbook for instructions first.

• Turn lights off
• Let the bulb cool down if it has been used recently
• If changing a halogen bulb avoid touching or holding the bulb by the glass. Use gloves and wear protective goggles as you will be handling glass
• Once the bulb has been fitted check it works and if it is a headlamp bulb make sure you re-align the level of the headlight.

Remember, if you are in any doubt, pop into and our trained staff can supply and fit replacement bulbs for you.