# Low beams useless at night **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** nissan, altima\ **Created:** [April 25, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261 "2018-04-25T17:02:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terri48](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@Terri48](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Terri48)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/1 "2018-04-25T17:02:50Z")
I have a 2014 Nissan Altima, 71,000 miles, whose low beams are useless at night. Googling this problem would seem to indicate that this is a common Altima problem. Are there any ways to fix the headlights myself or am I destined to have to take it to a dealership? ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2018, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/2 "2018-04-25T17:05:19Z")
Still the original headlights? Bulbs may be almost done. Is the plastic on the headlights still clear or has it become foggy? What kind of headlights, anyway? (Halogen, HID, LED, etc) ---
**Author:** ![Terri48](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@Terri48](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Terri48)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2018, 5:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/3 "2018-04-25T17:08:59Z")
They are the original headlights, and I don’t believe it to be the bulbs. Bulbs don’t fade out. They either work or they don’t. Hi-beams are fine. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2018, 8:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/4 "2018-04-25T20:11:35Z")
> [@Terri48](#): > > Bulbs don’t fade out Actually they do. The bulb can get deposits that reduce its output over time. High beams aren’t used much so they don’t degrade as quickly. The lens, as @pyrolord314 said - the plastic housing - can get cloudy but that can be polished out with kits from the auto parts store. Better bulbs can be installed like this from RockAuto [https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=574313&cc=3305931&jsn=417](https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=574313&cc=3305931&jsn=417) ---
**Author:** ![pyrolord314](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6a8cbe/32.png) [@pyrolord314](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pyrolord314)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2018, 8:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/5 "2018-04-25T20:19:52Z")
> [@Terri48](#): > > They are the original headlights If they’re halogen (you didn’t specify what type of bulb btw 🕶), I could certainly see them start to fade after 3 years. I’m even willing to bet (given the plastic housing/lens being clear and not cloudy) that if you swapped the exact bulbs out for new bulbs that are the exact same that you would notice immediate improvement ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 4:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/6 "2018-04-26T04:23:09Z")
Please don’t take this the wrong way . . . Are you sure it’s the car and not your eyesight? As we age, our eyesight typically degrades I’m middle aged, and my eyesight . . . including at night . . . isn’t what it was when I was in my 20s Have you driven other cars at night, for a comparison? And even if you’re pretty young, it was still a valid question. I’ve known some young people with very poor eyesight ---
**Author:** ![Terri48](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@Terri48](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Terri48)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 11:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/7 "2018-04-26T11:33:48Z")
HaHa…my eyesight does indeed suck at night, but I have driven other vehicles at night, and it is definitely my headlights. ---
**Author:** ![Terri48](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@Terri48](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Terri48)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 11:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/8 "2018-04-26T11:34:28Z")
I am going to get the bulbs changed out today and we will see if that helps at all. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![Terri48](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@Terri48](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Terri48)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2018, 11:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-beams-useless-at-night/116261/9 "2018-04-26T11:35:55Z")
I am going to get the bulbs changed out today and we will see if that helps at all. Thank you I didn’t specify the kind of bulb, because I don’t know the answer 🙂