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It seems that with the passage of time, there are fewer and fewer car maintenance and repair items that ordinary car owners can do by themselves. But in these projects is headlight bulb replacement, at least for many models that may burn out now. The light bulb can burn, and it will burn out after a few years.

Many old-fashioned bulbs are easy to replace, but if your car has newer LED lights, ask a professional to install them, as the entire light assembly usually needs to be replaced.

Generally, on most cars, only a small circular clip or twist lock can fix the headlight bulb to the rear of its housing, so once the wiring harness is removed, it should be easy to take out. If there are other components obstructing, the challenge comes—for example, car batteries or air filter boxes.

Make sure you can easily reinstall anything you remove to gain access. Other bulbs are usually easier, but you may need to remove the plastic panel before you can use it.

Before solving, be sure to refer to your user manual and watch a video about your specific model on YouTube. And wear gloves when handling new bulbs. 

Make sure the car is turned off. Open the hood, you can see the back of the headlight housing. A small circular clip or twist lock can usually be fixed in the bulb in its housing.

You may need to move parts that are in the way, such as car batteries or air filter boxes. Once exposed, the bulb should be twisted freely or unplugged from the wiring harness.

Wear gloves when installing new bulbs to prevent the bulbs from getting skin oils, which will cause them to fail prematurely. Test the lights to verify that they are directly illuminated.

Editor's note: This article also appears in the October 2021 issue of Consumer Reports.

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As a native of New England, I have driven all kinds of vehicles, from Segways to aircraft carriers. All in all, I have driven thousands of cars-many of them on race tracks all over the world. Today, CR Automotive Test Center uses this experience and enthusiasm to enhance the capabilities of consumers. If some tires must be sacrificed in order to pursue the truth, so be it. Follow me on Twitter (@JeffSBartlett).

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