{"id":22673,"date":"2024-11-18T05:14:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-18T13:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"\/wp-site\/?post_type=car-repair&#038;p=22673"},"modified":"2025-01-09T13:59:01","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T21:59:01","slug":"headlight-bulb-replacement","status":"publish","type":"car-repair","link":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/car-repair\/estimates\/headlight-bulb-replacement\/","title":{"rendered":"Headlight Bulb Replacement Cost Estimate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When a headlight goes out, you lose visibility at night and might risk getting a fix-it ticket. Luckily, replacing a headlight bulb is a simple task in most cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cost-to-replace-headlight-bulb\">How much does it cost to replace a headlight bulb?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In most cases, it costs $20 to $440 to replace a headlight bulb.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you aren\u2019t handy, consider that Walmart offers a headlight replacement service at $10 per headlight plus cost of parts. Walmart also sells bulbs for about $10, such as the Sylvania 9005 Basic Halogen bulbs, so you could be out the door for about $20. Experts do advise changing bulbs in pairs, a point we shall explore later.<br><br>So why such a big difference in cost? It comes down to the type of headlight bulb you use and the cost of labor for your replacement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cost of parts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are three types of headlight bulbs used in today\u2019s cars: halogen, high-intensity discharge (HID) and LED bulbs. All of these have different costs and lifespans. For example, all of these bulbs are sold at AutoZone. The first two fit a 2015 Honda Accord, while the last one fits a 2001 Acura TL:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Name<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Type of bulb<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Price<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Sylvania Basic Headlight Bulb <br>H11-2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Halogen<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$32.99 (pair)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Sylvania LED Headlight Bulb <br>H11SLBX2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">LED<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$99.99 (pair)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">Sylvania SilverStar zXe Headlight Bulb <br>H11SZGOLD-2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">HID<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">$104.99 (single)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Should I replace both bulbs?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While you can change just one bulb, experts advise that you change both at once. Lightbulb maker <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usa.philips.com\/c-m-au\/car-lights\/change-in-pairs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Phillips<\/a> advises changing both at the same time. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Headlights degrade over time, and if you pair an older bulb with a newer one, you won\u2019t achieve the same brightness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If one bulb burned out, the other isn\u2019t too far off.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Changing both of them eliminates worry about the other bulb for a while.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Labor cost<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Labor costs can vary significantly depending on how complex changing a lightbulb is. In some cars, you only need to pop the hood, and the headlight bulb is easily accessible. In others, you have to remove parts and bodywork in the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Changing a pair of lightbulbs takes between 0.2 to 1.1 labor hours. Mechanics\u2019 per-hour rates across the United States range from $110 to $175. This means that the labor cost for a headlight bulb replacement would be $22 for 0.2 hours at the lowest rate and $192.50 for 1.1 hours at the highest rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"can-i-replace-headlight-bulb-myself\">Can I replace a headlight bulb myself?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, replacing a headlight bulb yourself is generally possible in most cars. In most cars, here are the general steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Buy the bulbs. You can check your manual or go online to a parts retailer and put in your car\u2019s details, and they\u2019ll help you find suitable parts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pop the hood and locate the headlights.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remove any parts in the way if necessary (see next paragraph).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Remove the bulb. Unplug the connector and remove the clip holding the bulb in.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Install a new bulb, making sure not to touch the bulb\u2019s glass to avoid contamination from finger oils.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Some cars are much more complicated than the steps outlined above because they require extensive removal of body parts. An example of this is the 2014 Ford Fusion. To access the headlight bulb, you need to remove the headlight assembly, which requires you to separate the bumper from the fender bracket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jerry-meet-experts\" data-wp-interactive=\"jerry\/meet-experts\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;modalVisible&quot;:false}\">\n  <div class=\"font-circular text-2xl font-extrabold text-slate-900\">Expert-driven. Built for you.<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-3\">\n    <div class=\"flex justify-between items-center py-3 border-b border-neutral-200 cursor-pointer font-semibold text-gray-900\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.toggleModal\">\n  <button class=\"text-left text-base\" type=\"button\">\n    Why you can count on Jerry&#8217;s articles  <\/button>\n\n  <div class=\"transition data-[visible=true]:md:rotate-180 text-xs iconify i--chevron-down text-gray-500\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"modal-backdrop fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-50 overflow-hidden overscroll-contain bg-black\/70 font-body transition-transform delay-100 duration-0 md:relative md:z-auto [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:bg-black\/0 [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onModalInit\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n  <div class=\"modal-view fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 flex max-h-[75%] w-full flex-col rounded-t-3xl bg-white pb-7 pl-7 pt-3.5 transition md:relative md:rounded-none md:pl-0 md:transition-none [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n    <div class=\"modal-header md:hidden flex justify-between items-center pb-1 mb-1 border-b border-zinc-200\">\n      <div class=\"modal-title text-base font-semibold\">Summary<\/div>\n\n      <div\n        class=\"modal-close-btn wp-block-group w-11 h-11 mr-2.5 content-center text-center\"\n        data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"iconify i--close text-gray-500 cursor-pointer\"><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"modal-body pr-7 overflow-y-auto\"><div class=\"wp-block-template-part\"><div class=\"flex flex-row items-center gap-2.5 rounded-lg bg-gray-pink px-4 py-5\">\n  <span class=\"iconify mt-0.5 shrink-0 self-start text-xs text-primary i--shield-check\"><\/span>\n\n  <div>\n    <div class=\"font-body text-xs font-bold text-primary\">Our goal is clear, trustworthy information.<\/div>\n    <div class=\"mt-1 font-body text-xs text-gray-600\">\n      Our content is created, edited and fact checked by a team of licensed insurance agents, automotive pros and\n      experienced journalists who know the industry inside and out. Facts are thoroughly researched, verified and kept\n      current, and our editorial team is separate from our business partners, so our opinions &#038; tips are unbiased. All\n      insights drawn from Jerry\u2019s proprietary, aggregated customer auto insurance quotes data provide unique, real-world\n      guidance.\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"text-base font-semibold text-gray-900\">Our experts<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-8 flex flex-col gap-8 items-center justify-center\">\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Xuyun.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Xuyun.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Xuyun-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Xuyun-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Xuyun-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Xuyun Zeng            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Xuyun Zeng is a writer and editor with a wide-ranging content background including tech, journalism, cars and health care. After graduating with highest honors in journalism, Xuyun led a newspaper to win eight awards, helped start an award-winning film industry podcast and has written over a hundred articles about cars repair, state laws and insurance. Prior to joining Jerry, Xuyun worked as a freelance SEO consultant with a mission to create the best content that will help readers and grow organic traffic.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Phil-Metzger.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Phil-Metzger.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Phil-Metzger-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Phil-Metzger-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Phil-Metzger-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Phil Metzger            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Phil Metzger is a personal finance editor and writer with more than 30 years of experience editing and writing content across a variety of industries. In writing and editing for Jerry, Phil\u2019s mission is to help car owners better understand their vehicles and the costs associated with car ownership. Before joining Jerry, Phil worked as a writer and editor for newspapers, magazines, television radio and online news. His work has appeared in many major publications and websites over the years, including a series he edited that was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Worried you might overpay for your headlight bulb replacement? Use Jerry\u2019s GarageGuard to get fair cost estimate for your headlight bulb replacement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":49155,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jerry_authors":"[{\"id\":\"39\",\"type\":\"main-author\"},{\"id\":\"254\",\"type\":\"editor\"}]","jerry_author_ids":[39],"jerry_idx_page_label":"","jerry_meta_desc":"Worried you might overpay for your headlight bulb replacement? Use Jerry\u2019s GarageGuard to get fair cost estimate for your headlight bulb replacement.","jerry_related_posts":"[15072,21048,18064]","jerry_summary":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[516],"tags":[120],"class_list":["post-22673","car-repair","type-car-repair","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-estimates","tag-car-repair"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-repair\/22673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-repair"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/car-repair"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22673"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-repair\/22673\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49156,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-repair\/22673\/revisions\/49156"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}