Repair Lane

Headlight Wiring/Socket Repair

Repair melted, corroded, or damaged headlight sockets and wiring so new bulbs stop dying.

Difficulty: moderate~0.52 hrs1–2 hours
Estimated total
$65–470
Parts$10–120
Labor$55–350
Labor time0.52 hrs
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What's involved

What this repair actually is.

We cut out the damaged socket or wiring section and splice in a new pigtail or harness section with proper connectors and heat-shrink — no twist-and-tape. Melted sockets and green, corroded contacts are extremely common on cars that live through salted NYC winters, and they kill bulbs, cause flickering, and can blow fuses.

Symptoms

How you can tell.

  • New bulbs keep burning out in the same headlight
  • Headlight flickers when you hit bumps
  • Melted or browned plastic on the bulb connector
  • Headlight fuse keeps blowing
  • Light works only if you wiggle the connector
If you delay

A melting socket is an overheating electrical connection — left alone it can take out the harness further back or, in rare cases, start a fire.

Educational estimate. Real pricing depends on your vehicle, the inspection, parts availability, taxes, and shop rates. Use this as a guide while you shop quotes.
Related

Often done together.