Headlights / Headlamps

What You Need To Know About Headlights

It is a legal requirement to ensure your headlights are in good working order, including dipped headlights, and should they fail or become damaged it is essential to replace them.

We can supply the vast majority of headlamps including Xenon headlights and LED headlights.
This includes replacement car headlight bulbs where appropriate, as well as entire light units.

Not only do your headlights illuminate the road in hours of darkness, they are also an indication to other road users as to your position on the road.

Headlights are made with different beam patterns for different countries. In the United Kingdom our lights are classed as Right-Hand Drive. Some headlights aremade that can be switched from right hand drive to left hand drive. This controls how the beam pattern come out of the headlights.

All our headlamps comply with the relevant European standards

Tips when choosing Headlights from the Ultimate Styling website:
All choices are to the specification of the original version. Some vehicles can have upgraded lights fitted from the factory, so sometimes, it helps to study the image.

This is the same for front headlights. There are generally two options; Halogen headlights or xenon headlights.

Always check the year breaks and if necessary ask one of our team for help if you are unsure.

Headlight Types

Halogen Headlights
The bulb has a filament inside made out of tungsten and halogen gas. When the current of electricity gets to the filament, it heats up the tungsten causing it to glow and produce the light. Halogen bulbs usually emit a colour temperature between 3000K and 5000k. To attempt to match that of a Xenon bulb, you would require non-road legal Halogen bulbs.



Xenon Headlights
Xenon bulbs gained popularity due to the advancements in emitting light. Most Xenon bulbs sit behind ‘projector domes’ which direct the light at the road in more of a direct fashion as opposed to the way halogen headlights light beam reflects off the inside casing and onto the road. Xenon headlights only really tend to be found on higher specification cars before 2010, however they are a lot more common on all vehicles now. Xenons produce a bright white light and usually have a longer lifespan. They work by using electrodes to charge the gas inside the bulb as opposed to a filament.

LED Headlights
The recent developments have lead to LED lights being used in most new cars these days. LED produce a extremely white light, whilst being more efficient than halogen or xenons bulbs, as they require a very low wattage to work

Headlight Terms Buying Guide

Here is an explanation of the terms used to help you choose the right headlights for your car.

Electric Electric adjust headlight can be adjusted inside your vehicle, it can also automatically adjust
Manual Manual adjust these need adjusting manually using adjuster on the headlight normally by spanner or allen key
Black Inner Inside of the headlight has black inner
Chrome Inner Inside of the headlight has chrome inner
DRL Day Light Running Lamp
O/S Off Side Drivers Side Right Hand Side
N/S Near Side Passenger Side Left Hand Side
Drivers Side is classed as o/s, off-side, right hand side. Meaning the right-hand side of the vehicle when sat in the vehicle.
Passenger Side is classed as n/s, nearside, left hand side. Meaning the left-hand side of the vehicle when sat in the vehicle.
With Motor Includes load level motor for adjusting the headlight
RHD Right hand drive for vehicles with the steering wheel on the rhs of the vehicle
Plastic Lens The headlight lens is made of plastic
Glass Lens The headlight lens is made of glass

Frequently Asked Questions

What are dipped headlights?
Dipped headlights are low beam headlights and are used for night driving. They can be activated automatically or selected by the driver, typically by a dashboard dial or arm to the rear of the steering wheel.

How do you clean headlights?
It is important to clean headlights and they should be maintained. We suggest you do this by using a non-abrasive cloth and a good quality car cleaner to ensure your car bulbs visibility is maximised.

When should you use hazard warning lights while driving?
Hazard warning lights should be used in instances such as;
• When you are in traffic to alert drivers to the rear
• While broken down
• To alert other drivers if you are in distress

What is the dipped headlights symbol?
Here is the standard dipped beam headlight symbol:




What bulbs do I need for my car?
To find out the exact specification of your car bulbs we recommend that you check the Manufacturer’s Manual.

How can I restore car headlights?
It is very difficult to restore car headlights, indeed it is not possible to do this on many newer headlights such as Xenon headlights and LED headlights. Therefore, we advise replacement.

What headlights does my car have?
Please check the Manufacturer Manual or contact us with you Registration number so we can advise which headlights your car requires.

How much are car headlights?
This is entirely dependent upon the specification for each individual vehicle and the headlights your car requires.

How can I fix headlight oxidation?
We recommend that you use a suitable glass cleaner which you can apply and then wipe the surface clean with a soft cloth.

High beam vs low beam headlights?
High beam should only be used when there is no oncoming traffic to avoid dazzling other drivers.

How much are LED headlights for cars?
Regardless of the brand or model our LED headlights are priced competitively.

What are projector headlights?
These headlights have a Glass-Dome projector which deflects light for a more even spread of light.

What are Bi-Xenon headlights?
These are a dual bulb headlight which feature a Xenon bulb used for the low beam and a halogen bulb used as the high beam.

What are OEM headlights?
Our Aftermarket headlights are built to the same spec as the OEM (Original equipment Manufacturer) meaning you can enjoy the same reliability and performance and the perfect fit.

How do I identify my fog lights?
Green is usually for the front, Yellow/Red for the Rear.



When to use fog lights?
Fog lights should only be used during foggy conditions when visibility drops below 100m.

What is a Rear fog light symbol?
The Rear fog light symbol is usually yellow or red:



How to turn on fog lights?
This depends on the make and model of the car but are most typically located either on a stalk to the rear of the steering wheel or on the dashboard.