How Do I Check My Headlights, Lights and Horn? The lights in and around your vehicle are not only a convenience they are a safety precaution. All lights on your vehicle should be working at all times, if fact it's against the law for any exterior lights on your car not to be working. If it was designed by the manufacturer to work on your vehicle it must work at all times. Make it a regular check for your vehicle to assure the proper operation for your lights. Always check headlight operation at night or in a dark garage. First inspect the headlight lens for cracks and clarity, next turn the headlights on, the headlights should shine bright. If your headlight bulb has failed; here are some steps you can do to replace it. First determine if your headlight bulb is composite or sealed beam. Most cars and trucks today have composite lenses with easy to replace headlight bulbs. Next remove the retainer that holds the bulb in the headlight housing, replace bulb with new unit and reassemble, recheck operation. Note: there is a notch in the headlight bulb that only allows it to be installed one way. Step 1 - Checking Headlight Operation 
Vehicles today have a variety of features incorporated into the front lighting system. This car has high beam/low beam headlights, front running lights and blinkers, headlight lens cleaners and a headlight sensor used to automatically lower your vehicles high beam headlights when the sensor detects opposing traffic. Step 2 - Checking tail light, side marker, reverse, running light and stop light bulbs. 
For best results check bulb operation at night or in a dark garage. Step on the brake pedal to check brake lights, make sure all brake lights illuminate including the middle third brake light. Turn headlight switch to the first selection, inspect all side marker, front running lights, and tail lights. Step 3 - Checking third or upper brake light. 
All passenger vehicles have a third or upper brake light located between and above the normal side brake lights. To check on this light operation, turn key to the "on" position (do not start). Step on brake light, all brake lights should illuminate including the third or upper brake, light. Step 4 - Checking emergency flashers or hazard lights 
To check your emergency flasher lights (or hazard flasher) operation locate the emergency switch then activate it. Check around your vehicle to make sure all lights are functioning properly. Deactivate emergency flasher switch to stop flasher operation. Step 5 - Changing headlight and other bulbs 
To replace headlight, blinker and running light bulbs you must gain access to the lens were the bulb is located. All vehicles are different but the concept is the same. Remove lens release pins, screws or clips. Step 6 - Remove headlight assembly 
After the mounting hardware has been removed, hold the headlight lens in both hands for safety and remove in from the vehicle. Step 7 - Changing the bulb 
After the headlight housing has been removed, undo the headlight bulb from the headlight hosing (turn counter clockwise) the bulb will come out of the socket and make sure the replacement bulb is exactly the same before you reinstall the bulb. Recheck bulb operation after repair is complete. Step 8 - Checking Factory Alarm Operation 
Some vehicles are manufactured with a "built in" alarm system. To activate the alarm system depress the "lock" button on the key fob. All doors will lock and the alarm indicator light will illuminate and start blinking to inform the alarm has now been activated. To disarm alarm system depress the "unlock" button on the key fob. Step 9 - Checking horn operation Most horn operation is controlled by the center pad of the vehicle steering wheel. By pushing down into the wheel you will feel the center pad push down about a quarter of an inch. At this point the horn should operate. Some vehicles have the horn operation in various levers around the steering column. 
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