Headlights, Bulbs, Indicators, Brake Lights & Electrical Faults
A failed headlight or brake light might seem like a small problem, but your vehicle’s lighting is fundamental to both visibility and road safety.
Modern vehicle lighting systems have also become considerably more sophisticated. What used to be a five-minute bulb change can now involve LED units, control modules, sensors, wiring and electronic fault diagnosis.
DB Autos provides professional vehicle lighting repairs in Stoke-on-Trent for a wide range of makes and models.
We can help with:
DB Autos’ lighting service covers bulbs, driving and fog lamps, headlights, indicators, licence-plate lights and rear lamps.
Headlights are one of the most important safety systems on your car.
Problems can involve much more than a failed bulb.
We can investigate:
For MOT purposes, mandatory headlamps need to operate correctly and be secure. A missing or inoperative mandatory headlamp is classed as a major defect. (GOV.UK) If one of your headlights has stopped working, get it sorted rather than waiting for the MOT tester to point it out.
Changing a headlight bulb on an older car could often be done in minutes.
Modern vehicles can be rather less cooperative.
Access may be restricted by:
And not every modern lighting problem actually involves a conventional replaceable bulb. Some vehicles use sophisticated LED or other lighting assemblies. DB Autos can establish what’s failed and replace the appropriate component.
LED lighting is now common across modern cars.
You may find LEDs used for:
The advantage is excellent light output and potentially long service life. The disadvantage arrives when something goes wrong. Rather than simply changing a low-cost bulb, certain LED systems use integrated lighting units and electronic control systems. We’ll establish whether the problem involves the lamp, wiring, electrical supply or another component before recommending replacement.
Brake lights are easy to forget because you can’t see them while driving.
Everyone behind you can.
Problems can involve:
Brake lights form part of the MOT lighting inspection, so defective mandatory stop lamps can result in an MOT failure. (GOV.UK) If somebody tells you one of your brake lights isn’t working, don’t leave it until next month.
Indicators allow other road users to understand what you’re intending to do.
We can investigate:
Under current MOT requirements, direction indicators and hazard warning lamps are inspected for condition and operation, and indicators generally need to emit amber light subject to limited exceptions for older vehicles. (GOV.UK)
If your indicator suddenly starts flashing much faster than normal, don’t just admire its new-found enthusiasm.
It can indicate a fault within the indicator circuit, commonly associated with a failed lamp or another electrical problem.
Check whether all the indicators on that side are actually operating.
If they aren’t, DB Autos can investigate the fault.
Fog lights are designed to improve visibility — or make your vehicle easier to see — in seriously reduced visibility.
Problems can involve:
Rear fog lamps are included within MOT requirements where mandatory, and faults involving operation, switches or required lamp characteristics can be major defects. (GOV.UK)
Daytime running lights — usually called DRLs — are now fitted to many modern vehicles.
The current MOT manual requires inspection of original-equipment DRLs on applicable M1 vehicles first used on or after 1 March 2018. (GOV.UK)
DRL faults can involve:
DB Autos can investigate why the light isn’t operating correctly.
Your rear lights make your vehicle visible to traffic behind you at night and during poor visibility.
A rear lighting cluster may contain several functions including:
Depending upon the vehicle, these may use separate bulbs or an integrated LED assembly. If part of the rear light has stopped working, we’ll establish what needs replacing.
Number plate lights aren’t particularly exciting.
Until they cause you trouble at MOT time.
Licence plate light replacement is one of DB Autos’ existing lighting services.
If your rear registration plate isn’t being illuminated correctly, it’s usually better to deal with it before the test.
A reversing-light problem can involve:
Because the cause isn’t always the lamp itself, diagnosis may be required where simply replacing the bulb doesn’t solve the problem.
You fit a new bulb.
Nothing happens.
At that point, buying another bulb isn’t likely to improve matters.
The fault may instead involve:
DB Autos provides electrical diagnostics alongside mechanical repairs, allowing us to investigate the circuit rather than simply swapping parts.
If one headlight stops working, a failed bulb is an obvious possibility.
If several lights stop operating simultaneously, the fault may lie elsewhere within the electrical system.
Possible causes can include:
Electrical diagnosis can help narrow down the cause.
A working headlight can still be a problem if it’s badly adjusted.
Headlights that are aimed too high can dazzle other road users.
Headlights aimed too low can reduce your own visibility.
The Highway Code specifically states that lights must be properly adjusted to prevent dazzling other road users, and headlamp aim is also assessed during the MOT. (GOV.UK)
If your headlights appear incorrectly aimed, get them checked.
Absolutely.
Vehicle lighting forms an entire section of the MOT inspection manual.
Depending upon the vehicle’s age and applicable requirements, inspectors can check:
Some faults are classed as minor defects, while others are major defects resulting in an MOT failure. (GOV.UK)
Before your MOT, walk around the vehicle and check the obvious things.
Ask somebody to help with the brake lights while you operate them.
Check:
The Highway Code says drivers should take particular care that vehicle lights are working and that lights, indicators and reflectors are kept clean and clear. (GOV.UK)
DB Autos is also an MOT test centre.
That means if your vehicle has a lighting-related problem, we can investigate and repair faults involving:
It makes sense to have the test and repairs handled under one roof.
DB Autos is an established family-run garage in Stoke-on-Trent.
We’re proud to be an AA Approved garage.
DB Autos is also part of the Bosch Approved servicing network.
From straightforward bulb replacement to more involved lighting faults.
If changing the bulb doesn’t solve the problem, we can investigate the electrical system.
Lighting problems can be repaired alongside your MOT requirements.
DB Autos carries out lighting repairs across all makes and models.
DB Autos offers vehicle collection and delivery from home or work where the vehicle remains driveable.
No additional work is carried out without your agreement.
DB Autos offers a 12-month guarantee on supplied lighting parts.
Headlight out? Indicator flashing too quickly? Brake light failure? Tell us what you’ve noticed.
We’ll inspect the affected lamp and associated components.
If it isn’t simply a failed bulb, we’ll investigate the electrical or component fault.
We’ll explain what needs replacing or repairing.
Once authorised, we’ll complete the repair and check the lighting operation.
(based on the information currently supplied)
DB Autos has built its business by looking after local motorists year after year.
For us, those reviews matter because they're built through the same things we've always believed in: good workmanship, straightforward advice and treating customers properly.
Read Our Google Reviews →Whether it’s a simple bulb or an electrical fault buried somewhere deeper in the vehicle, DB Autos can get to the bottom of it.
We can help with:
Headlight Repairs | Headlight Bulb Replacement | LED Lighting Faults | Brake Light Repairs | Indicator Repairs | Fog Lights | Daytime Running Lights | Rear Lights | Number Plate Lights | Reversing Lights | Headlight Alignment | Lighting Electrical Diagnostics | MOT Lighting Repairs
DB Autos
Units 3 & 4 Salem Street
Stoke-on-Trent
ST1 5PR
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