What to know about your Vehicle Lights

Vehicle lights are simple but vital parts of any internal combustion, mild hybrid, hybrid, or electric vehicle. No civilian car, truck, or SUV may be legally driven on America’s roadways without these lights installed and in good working order. We’ll cover all the details on different light positions, types, common issues, costs, and more for your convenience.

Vehicle Lights by Unit Type and Position

Vehicle lights vary in type, number, and position depending on the model year of the vehicle in question. All vehicles have head and taillights, but some also have fog lights, spotlights, daytime running lights, and side mirror signal lights. We’ll review what each set is for below.

Headlights and Front Signal Lights

These are the front-facing primary lights on any vehicle. They’re almost always white lamps or bulb lights, but they can be more compact and bright LED units. Some are single lamps, but on most newer vehicles, they’re multi-lamp units when they aren’t LED. They’re usually high on either side of the front grille or above it. Some SUVs and pickup trucks have larger headlight setups to cover the full distance from the front bumper to the hood area.

Taillights and Rear Signal Lights

These are the rear-facing primary lights on vehicles. They’re always red, as American law dictates, and set on either side of the rear trunk, hatch, or tailgate. Sometimes they’re small units, but some SUVs and trucks have far larger ones that go up their hatch sides or tailgate sides, respectively.

Fog Lights

These units are usually smaller than headlights and positioned below them on either side of the grille or below it, depending on the vehicle. They have a far wider and brighter light pattern, making them ideal for cutting through foggy or rainy conditions. This helps to increase drivers’ road visibility. They can be found on any civilian vehicle type but are most seen on SUVs and trucks.

Spotlights

These are probably the rarest lights on our list. They tend to be restricted to mid to high-trim SUVs or pickup trucks and are usually mounted next to the driver’s side mirror. They are the most powerful light source that can be standard equipment on normal vehicles, ideal for lighting up work areas or searching for items in the dark.

Daytime Running Lights

These are among the newest light options installed on cars, trucks, or SUVs. They are meant to catch the attention of other drivers during the day, alerting them to the existence and position of the vehicle using them. Some daytime running light units are integrated into headlight units, while others are separate. Some electric vehicles have creative and beautiful daytime running light setups. Expect them to get more interesting as time goes on.

Side-Mirror Turn Signal Lights

Many larger vehicles, especially trucks and SUVs, come with side-mirror-mounted turn signals. These blink simultaneously with the rear turn signal lights and increase the odds that drivers and pedestrians within sight will notice the vehicle turning.

Common Light Unit Issues and Standard Life Spans

Vehicle lights can be compromised in many ways, most repairable through simple maintenance. The most common reasons for light failure include loose wires, bad grounds, corrosion, bulb failure, electrical opens, electrical shorts, a failed switch, or a failed relay. Servicing these issues is almost always quick and simple, so schedule service with us when your lights go out. Our service professionals will deduce the source of the failure and replace components accordingly.

The average standard headlight life span runs from 500 to 1,000 running hours on the lower end to over 30,000 running hours on the higher end. LED headlights tend to land in the middle of that range. Taillights of the standard bulb variety last approximately five to six years, while their LED counterparts can last more than 12 years. Headlights should be changed in pairs regardless of the condition of the operating light. This ensures that the bulbs or diodes will wear down simultaneously, avoiding uneven, blurry, or limited lighting effects.

Fog lights should be replaced every 12 years. Spotlights tend to last longer. They could run for over 12 years because they’re rarely used. Daytime running lights should be replaced every 10,000 hours, but some newer units can last the entire running life of the vehicle. Side mirror signal lights should be replaced every 4,000 hours.

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram Light Replacement Costs

The lighting units installed on Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles are among the most recognizable and classic in the industry, but their internal technology has been advancing steadily. One of the most well-known unit types is the standard 7-inch round Jeep headlight. This is a bright headlight you’ve seen on Jeeps since their earliest wartime days. Their main advantage is their broad lighting field.

The average Jeep headlight costs around $100 in parts and labor. Ram trucks often have projector beam headlights. These lights are built to minimize any blinding impact on other drivers. Their headlights cost around $110 in parts and labor. Chrysler has an extremely varied range of headlight models. They tend to cost around $150 to replace because their layouts are more complex, meant to convey a merging of luxury, style, and function.

The price of Dodge headlights varies. The standard units cost around $100 in parts and labor, while the largest versions can cost over $300. Depending on the unit, taillights cost between $100 and $300, while fog lights cost around $150 to replace. Daytime running lights cost between $60 and $250. The more complex their patterns are, the more expensive they tend to be.

Meadowland of Carmel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram can handle any light issue your vehicle might have. Schedule service with us when the time comes, and we’ll be happy to either replace your units with identical ones or install more powerful or efficient versions.

Photo Credit: Jeep by fltmech98 is licensed with CC BY 2.0

Tags: Lights
Posted in Vehicle Tips | No Comments »