LED headlights are brighter, most durable, and have the longest life span, but unfortunately, they are expensive to replace. So knowing how much do LED headlights cost can let you fix the issue immediately preventing awaiting for arranging the budget.
Typically, LED headlights cost $250–700 to replace, including labor costs. However, the original cost varies depending on the make and model, and you can eliminate the installation cost by doing it yourself.
Read on to learn briefly about the cost of LED headlights and other types, as well as suggestions about customization and the worthiness of the price.
How much do LED headlights cost?
Typically, the three types of headlights available for vehicles are LED, HID, and halogen. LED headlights are mostly found in high-end luxury vehicles such as the Audi R8. However, some low-cost car models under $30000, such as the Acura ILX sedan, now include this type of headlight.
Compared to halogens and HIDs, LEDs last a long time and are considerably expensive to replace. On average, the cost of LED headlights ranges from $250 to $300. However, the exact price varies depending on the make and model of your car and from where you are buying it. For example, buying from a factory in China will be much cheaper than buying from eBay or Amazon.
That’s not the end yet. You’ll also have to add the cost of replacement to the price of the LED headlights.
The cost of replacing an LED headlight varies depending on the make and model of the vehicle as well as the operator. It means taking the aid of a professional will cost more than doing it yourself. However, sometimes it only needs to replace the bulb instead of the whole headlight assembly.
The cost of replacing a typical bulb is around $20, which can go up to $100 for a high-intensity discharge bulb, along with $50 for professional installation by labor. But if you need to replace the whole headlight assembly, the parts will cost around $75 to $200. And if you want to have the job done by an auto body shop, you’ll have to pay a total of $250 to $700.
Is It worth getting LED headlights?
Despite the fact that LED headlights are quite expensive, they are still worthwhile to install in a vehicle.
The LED, or light-emitting diode, is extremely durable, more energy-efficient, and lasts longer than typical headlights available out there. LED headlights also produce bright light, as they release white light compared to halogen light bulbs that emit yellow light. The other benefits of installing LED headlights in the vehicle are:
Longevity
A high-quality LED headlight is easy to maintain and can last up to 30000 hours, making it the most durable of the three options. It means the headlight has almost the same lifespan as the vehicle. So you may not need to replace the LED headlight. Even it’s 30 times longer than a typical halogen headlight’s lifespan.
Efficiency
Apart from the light, halogen headlights produce lots of heat, resulting in plenty of energy waste. Conversely, LED headlights don’t produce much heat and help keep car maintenance costs low.
Energy saver
LED’s use less energy to create the same amount of light as halogen bulbs. Some drawbacks of LED headlights are they are quite expensive and they need to be installed in multiple amounts as just one LED auto headlights provides extremely week light than a typical bulb. LED headlights also have a shorter lighting range as the lighting range was proven to be 10 meters. Despite the drawbacks of LED headlights, they are still worthwhile to install in a vehicle.
Can you replace Halogen Bulbs with HIDs or LEDs?
Since halogen headlights aren’t very long-lasting and don’t produce brighter light, you may plan to replace them with expensive options like LEDs or HIDs. But can you really do so? If your car comes with a halogen bulb in reflective housing, don’t try to replace it with LEDs or HIDs.
It is not only illegal, but it can also be fatal. The reflection of the LEDs’ light in the halogen headlight housing can blind the rider or passenger in front of the light.
This headlight housing is particularly designed to guide the halogen bulb properly on the road. The LED or HID bulb is much brighter than the halogen, and the housing will spread this bright light all around, even in the eyes of the traffic coming towards your vehicle. It can cause accidents. Hence, this customization is illegal.
Hence, it’ll be better for you to replace your halogen bulb with an OEM version to prevent messing things up. But if you are keen to install LEDs or HIDs to enjoy brighter lights, buy aftermarket “projector beam” headlight housing for safe driving.
How much do HID headlights cost?
Among the three types of headlights, replacing the burnt-out halogen bulb is considerably cheaper. But it can’t produce the same amount of light compared to the LED or HID. Hence some vehicle owners prefer to buy with HID or LED headlights. Since you already know how much do LED headlights cost, knowing the replacement cost of HID will help you make a better decision.
The HID headlight alone can cost over $100. Because they are more powerful, these bulbs are more expensive than halogen headlights. HID bulbs also last longer than halogen bulbs, however, they burn out in the end.
Despite this, the replacement cost of a leaking or damaged headlight assembly is much higher than normal replacement. While the replacement cost of halogen assemblies isn’t much higher than hundreds of dollars, the replacement cost of an HID headlight can go over $700 or even $1000.
Does Autozone replace a Car headlight?
If you need to replace the car headlights and you aren’t confident or don’t have much skill, simply schedule a mechanic appointment at Autozone. They’ll help you replace your burned-out headlight. However, you’ll have to purchase a new headlight from this company. They also cannot assist you if you need to disassemble the vehicle to replace a headlight.
It means AutoZone’s experienced mechanics will only help you with simple replacements, and they don’t remove parts of the vehicle for servicing. In addition, AutoZone doesn’t change the car’s headlights, and every store may have a different policy.
Related Headlight: Subaru Outback Headlight Problems
FAQs
1. Do LED headlights ultimately dim?
LED headlights use semiconductors instead of filaments. So these headlights don’t burn out instantly like typical headlights. However, after the end of the lifespan, the LED’s headlight gradually gets dimmer.
2. Why are LED replacement headlights illegal?
You’ve already got the reason why you shouldn’t replace an LED headlight with a typical one. In addition, the law is also against this customization. The FMVSS-108 can only work with point sources, not surface sources, according to US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations. Therefore, LED headlights can’t be used with FMVSS-108 as it is a surface source.
3. Does car insurance cover headlight maintenance costs?
No, car insurance doesn’t pay for replacing or maintaining the headlight. It only covers the catastrophic event that occurs to the vehicle.
4. How much does LED lighting cost?
In addition, installing LED lights inside your car will cost you around $100.However, LED lighting varies in quality and type, and a mid-quality LED light can cost up to $500.
Final Words
LED headlights produce brighter light and come with an extremely long life span, which is almost the same as the vehicle. So there’s hardly a need to replace the LED headlight, making it a less concerning issue.
However, in the end, it may pass away and cost you hundreds of dollars to fix. But once you understand how much do LED headlight cost, you can make preparations or at least carry the budget with you to the automobile repair shop. Finally, don’t try to be overly clever and attempt illegal yet dangerous customization.
