Compare Prices to Book Your Car Bulb Replacement

A blown bulb is one of the simplest problems a car can throw at you, but if you spot it for the first time on a dark drive home, it can feel like a lot more than that.

Fortunately, you don't need to know whether your car takes a halogen, LED or Xenon bulb or need to head straight for the first big name you remember from the high street either. Just enter your reg and postcode below to compare real, local BMG-Verified garages* by price, reviews and availability, and find the right one for you in seconds.

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These are just some of the reasons to choose BookMyGarage — enter your reg and postcode to find your perfect match.

*Garages marked as 'BMG-Verified' are assessed by our team for customer service standards, ratings and reliability.

**Some mobile technicians (that come out to you) may require an upfront payment or commitment, please check this with them first.

Signs You Need a Bulb Replacement

You'll usually notice a bulb has gone in one of a few obvious ways, and none of them mean there’s anything more serious wrong with your car. Keep an eye out for:

●      One headlight, indicator or tail light looking noticeably dimmer or darker than the other

●      A light flickering on and off, especially when you accelerate or go over bumps

●      A bulb-out warning symbol appearing on your dashboard

●      Someone mentioning that a light isn't working

If you spot any of these warning signs, we recommend getting the bulb replaced as soon as possible to ensure your vehicle is safe to drive, especially if you often drive after dark or your MOT test is approaching.

Is a Blown Bulb an MOT Failure?

A blown bulb is usually an automatic MOT fail as most cars have a single bulb per light position, so if it's not working at all, that's a "Major" fault under the DVSA MOT inspection manual.

Some newer LED lights use multiple light sources, where losing up to half is only "Minor," but losing more than half or losing the light completely is still "Major." If every one of a given light (e.g. all your brake lights) is out at once, that's rated "Dangerous."

If your MOT is due soon, it's worth getting the bulb sorted beforehand to avoid an unnecessarily failure. Compare BMG-Verified garages* by price, reviews and availability now, and you could have it booked in before you've finished reading this page.

What Types of Car Bulb Might Need Replacing?

It helps to know which light is affected before you book, so a garage can identify and order the right part in advance rather than you turning up unsure. The most common bulbs drivers need replacing are:

●      Headlight bulbs: covering dipped beam for everyday driving and main beam for unlit roads

●      Sidelight bulbs: the smaller lights that sit alongside your headlights

●      Brake and tail light bulbs: the lights that show red at the back of your car, both when braking and when your lights are on generally

●      Indicator bulbs: the amber bulbs that flash when you signal

●      Number plate bulbs: the small lights that illuminate your rear registration plate

●      Fog light bulbs: front or rear, used in poor visibility

If you're worried about your brake lights, it's worth checking the lens and housing aren't cracked or damaged too, since a broken casing is a different job to a blown bulb.

Equally, if the problem turns out to be bigger than the bulb, such as a damaged unit or a failed seal, you may need a full headlight repair instead of a simple bulb change.

If you've already changed the bulb and the light still isn't working, the bulb probably wasn't the real problem. A blown fuse, a faulty relay or a wiring fault can all look identical from the driver's seat, so you’ll need an auto electrician to find and fix your problem.

How Much Does a Car Bulb Replacement Cost?

There isn't one honest answer to what a bulb replacement costs, because it depends on which bulb has gone and what your specific car takes.

A basic halogen sidelight bulb is a different job and a different price to an LED, HID or Xenon headlight unit that might need specialist fitting or coding, and labour time varies further by make, model and how easy the bulb is to reach. Rather than quote a single figure that won't apply to your car, we show you real, comparable prices from local garages the moment you enter your reg and postcode, so you know exactly what your job costs before you commit to anyone.