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There are only three main problems that can cause dim headlights.  Bulbs that are going bad (this is pretty rare as they usually just burst and go out so you know when you have a bad bulb – your light is completely out).  A bad electrical current (this could be either a bad alternator or battery that isn’t holding a charge (this can be evidenced by the amount of light going up and down or surging – this is quite rare nowadays as the quality of alternators and batteries with a 10 year lifespan have become quite common – rarely do you see someone stranded on the side of the road due to a dead battery, usually now it’s because they ran out of gas). And the final reason, and by far the most common, is worn and cloudy plastic headlight lenses.  To see how prevalent this problem is just go to any Walmart parking lot anywhere in the country and you will see that at least half of the cars have some degree of yellowing, cloudy or worn headlight lenses.

What can be done to fix this situation? There used to be only one option which was replacement of the affected lenses.  That was a very expensive predicament and still is as car dealers charge on average $300 per headlight lens – that’s around $600 per pair and that does not include installation or aiming.  Some luxury vehicles like Mercedes Benz, BMW and Lexus have very expensive headlights which can easily reach $500 a piece or more.  There are now aftermarket headlight lenses which are a little cheaper at an average of $240 per lens – but that is still $480 for a set and still does not include installation and aiming. Also, aftermarket headlights are known for poor fit and finish and tend to leak and fill with condensation (per Consumer Reports data) and so are a very poor alternative to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) carried by your new car dealer.