Just like your favorite sports team, your car lights can also let you down.

Check & Change

Don't let a burnt-out headlight spoil your fun. Many drivers will only replace a headlamp once it has failed completely. But this is a mistake. As the lights deteriorate over time, the quality of the light declines. As a result, the distance you can see at night decreases and the clarity of the world around you gets dimmer.

What happens as headlights age?

Losing your spark

The filament of any headlight lamp deteriorates with use, time and exposure to the elements. At the end of a typical service life, headlights produce less light reducing the driver's night vision.

Check and change

As a rule of thumb, you should change your lights after 3 years. But OSRAM tests show that a standard halogen lamp loses 30% of brightness after 500 hours of use, so be proactive.

The law of lights

Driving with dim headlights is a potential safety risk. In addition, depending on your local legal requirements driving with a broken light could also lead to a penalty if you’re caught.

Always check your lights

Many countries offer motorists the opportunity to have their lights tested – such as Germany’s Lichttest-Wochen and the UK’s annual MOT test. These are obviously good opportunities to ensure your lights are performing perfectly.

But there are some simple tests and maintenance you can perform at home to make sure your lights are operating properly:

• Your headlights will grow dimmer over time. So, make sure you regularly clean and polish the lenses – especially before you take them in for testing.

• Regularly check each light in your car, including icons, signs and interior lights. Get another person to check your lights outside while they are lit – particularly your brake lights.

• Parking close to a wall and turning on your lights can give you a good idea whether they are balanced.

Check out the OSRAM Automotive Lighting Portfolio

With OSRAM, a variety of performances, shapes and beam patterns let you bring intense light to the darkest corners of the world.

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Just like your favorite sports team, your car lights can also let you down.

Check & Change

What happens as headlights age?

Losing your spark

Check and change

The law of lights

Always check your lights

Check out the OSRAM Automotive Lighting Portfolio

Checked your lamps?

Don't forget:

Change in pairs

Two is always better than one

Upgrade your vision

Bring your look up to date