If driving with fogged or dirty headlights sounds like a good idea to you, then be prepared for the unexpected when you hit the road – or a tree – at night. That can spell a significant accident. The longer moisture and other goo is left to sit inside the headlamp casing, the more likely the lights are to burn out. Burnt-out bulbs can also spell a ticket from police if you are on the road so you don’t notice a light is out of commission. Ultimately, nevertheless, fixing the small problem of fogged car headlights is a simple affair.
So what happened to the headlights?
Water will find its way to the inner recesses of your headlights, reports Popular Mechanics. If you live in an area that experiences cooler temperatures, your automobile is going to get wet. That very same cool moisture gets into the headlamp mechanism, which is vented to compensate for pressure differences so that cracking does not occur. Typically this is not an issue, however; the morning sun burns off the moisture. An auto parked in a shady spot may need some additional help from the hands of the owner, however.
Fogged headlights, begone!
If you are a Grey Poupon-style vehicle owner, then just turn on the headlight defogger. But let’s assume you are like the rest of us.
Right out of the gate, search for a Technical Service Bulletin for your auto, says Popular Mechanics. This document – if there is one for auto – will give information on accessible upgrades, for instance one that will replace the cheap headlamp fixture that comes from the factory.
If there is no upgrade to pursue, get down to DIY basics. If there’s only a small amount of condensation inside the headlight fixture, leave the headlights on while you drive for a couple of hours. It’s a good excuse to take the scenic route. However what if the headlamp’s a gusher? Then you’ve to take out the fixture. Within the cleaning process, deal with any mud, hornets or death-dealing spiders that may cross your path. Dump the water and critters, add some rubbing alcohol to the housing to clean the surfaces, then let the whole thing dry for a couple of hours in the sun before re-insertion. Finally, for maximum possible evaporation in the future, try to park facing south where the sun catching is good – if you are a northern hemisphere type.
Popular Mechanics
popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair-questions/how-to-prevent-foggy-headlights
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