It takes about an hour on average to replace a car headlight if the required tools and replacement headlight housing, bulbs, fuse, and other components are readily available. While most technicians and DIY car owners can replace a headlight within 5 to 45 minutes or more than an hour, the time it really takes to replace a headlight is dependent on the following factors:
Experience
When it comes to how long it takes to change car headlights, experience matters a lot. This is because the amount of time a rookie would take to study his or her own car manual, follow a YouTube tutorial, get the tools right, and then begin the process would be different from that of a professional or a car owner with experience. So, if you have never replace your car headlights before and you would like to do that, it would take you several hours if not the entire day to take out the headlights and reinstall a replacement.
Whole headlight assembly
Car technology is continuously advancing and so are their designs. From sealed and popup headlights to bumper mounted headlights, the process of accessing and installing car headlights varies according to the model and make of each individual car. There are no “one-fits-all” techniques of changing headlight as most car headlights are affixed to the front fenders which require the entire fender and front grill to be brought down before access to the headlight housing.
Getting the replacement and tools right
As explained earlier, getting the right headlight replacement housing, bulb, fuse, or working equipment can be difficult especially for a novice and that factors into how long it could take to replace your car headlights. Even for a professional, you might know the steps but unable to easily find a matching fit at times and that can be due to its scarcity or unavailability at the store. Although there are online stores where you can order these parts from, the delivery and sometimes misfit when it arrives can cause delays.
Conclusion
When replacing your car’s headlight, whether you are replacing only the headlight bulb or entire headlight housing, it’s best for you to be patient and allow yourself plenty of time (two hours minimum) for changing a headlight rather than racing to beat a new time record. This is recommended especially when it’s not your profession with customers waiting in line.
Headlight replacement might seem simple, but it could also be more complicated than you planned. Ensure you put any retaining clips and fasteners that you’ve removed in a container and reinstall every part you removed in the process. Furthermore, restore the headlight lenses after a successful headlight replacement using a headlight restoration kit to keep your car headlight lenses safe from repeated oxidation.
