How Long Do Xenon Headlights Last? (Explained)

Xenon bulbs have vastly different characteristics than other headlights like halogen and LED. Xenon (also known as High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps) are becoming popular on higher-end cars.

A xenon lightbulb is made out of a clear quartz casing with tungsten electrodes on both ends. It is filled with a gas mixture. It works by ionising xenon gas to produce light, they are slightly more efficient and usually much brighter than halogen lamps.

Xenon lights can last for around 10,000 hours. Compared to 500-1000 hours with halogen lamps and 30,000 hours for LED headlights, HID lamps only work for around 2,000 hours.

Compared to halogen and HID headlights, the xenon bulbs are advantageous. However, it is still at a massive disadvantage compared to LED headlights.

What Should You Do?

Despite the fact that headlight bulbs are sometimes claimed to last hundreds or thousands of hours, practical concerns generally come into play. If you notice that a headlight bulb burns out rapidly, there's a good likelihood you're dealing with a manufacturing issue.

You may be able to use a manufacturer's guarantee in any case. While you may have to go through hoops to acquire a free replacement if your headlights fail inside the warranty term, headlight bulbs from major manufacturers are often warrantied for 12 months after the date of purchase.

It's also a good idea to inspect the headlight assembly before replacing them. A worn-out or damaged headlight assembly might be an issue since any contamination can cause it to fail prematurely.

Water and road grime may be able to seep into the headlight assembly if a rock punches a tiny hole in one of the components, or if the seal fails. This would dramatically reduce the life of your headlight.