Headlight Not Working — What It Is, and What It Costs

How real visits for a headlight out ended at independent shops across the US — the part actually replaced, how often, and what it cost when it was the only fix.

Bulb

The single most common outcome — nearly half of these visits when combined with the runner-up

Bulb $38 – $146

Headlight $60 – $272

typical cost when it was the only fix
(parts + labor)

The fix involved	Share of these visits*	Typical cost†	Median
Bulb	72.8%	$38 – $146	$73
Headlight	15.9%	$60 – $272	$131
Other, rarer causes	smaller shares — sockets, relays, fuses, dimmer switches	varies	—

*Share of visits whose repair involved this part; combined repairs count toward each part, so shares overlap and don't add to 100%. †Middle half of real invoices when this was the only fix — parts + labor, all vehicle types.

Which one is yours? Listen first

One side out — A single dead low beam with everything else working is a bulb until proven otherwise.
Both out, or flickering — Both headlights failing together, or lights that flicker with bumps, point past the bulbs to a switch, relay, or wiring — less common in these outcomes, and worth proper diagnosis rather than parts roulette.
Moisture in the housing — A fogged or wet housing kills bulbs repeatedly and eventually corrodes the connector.

What to expect from the shop

One side out is a bulb — ask about access, because on some vehicles the bumper comes off to reach it, and that's the price. Both sides out or flickering is a switch, relay or wiring problem that needs diagnosis. A housing full of moisture means the assembly, not another bulb.

About this data · How to use this brief

Vehicles all makes and models, US fleet
Data confidence High — large sample, stable shares
Records through July 2026, refreshed continuously
Source paid invoices from independent US repair shops

Take it to the shop. It tells you what the likely answers are and what each one should cost — so when the diagnosis comes back, you already know whether the number fits. Vehicle-specific price reports for the common fixes are on fixdozer.com.