Hazy headlight covers

[devinsdad]

I'm sure I'm not the only one out there with this problem. The covers for my headlights are hazy and I'm sure the cause of my dissappearing light. For those that have polished it away, which kit works best?

[mikered30]

Amazon

Amazon

Protect with a wax or sealant when done

The 3M kit is pretty good too.

[Yuko]

If you're on a budget, toothpaste (or KIT Scratch Out) is another way to go. But you would have to clean it every 3-4 month as there's nothing to seal the lens after cleaning. Just throwing in another option.

[bennor]

Anyone have any recommendations on sealant or wax after cleaning the headlights?

My 05 LE headlights are just now starting to haze over a bit. Hopefully either the Meguiars Plastx or BlueMagic Headlight Lens Restorer will work. If those don't work it will probably be time to break out the drill and use the 3M Headlight Lens Restorer system.

[fj62]

I bought a headlight cleaner at Harbor Freight for $8.00 using a coupon. It had everything needed except the drill. It did a good job. I always put Nu finish wax on my headlights when I wax my car.
Dennis

[DavidHB]

the 3m kit works great. make sure you follow the directions carefully. it seems weird to sand the plastic at first because it makes it look worse initially. but it works great.

[Habs_Fan]

I've been meaning to ask the same question on the forum since the headlights on my 06 rolla are starting to get a bit hazy as well. Thanks for bringing the topic up, that McGuiars kit looks good, 20$ ain't bad although it looks like I need a drill to take full advantage of it. How does the 3M kit compare?? Do you also need a drill to use it to its full potential??

I'm probably going to wait another year before using this since my headlight are clear enough for now. Does anyone know what causes headlights to get hazy/foggy/scratched like this?? I see older corolla's that have cleaner/clearer looking headlight than mine... Can this be caused by sun damage, or high speed driving (guilty of this), highway driving, not washing the car regularly??

[Ohiowa]

Originally Posted by Habs_Fan

Does anyone know what causes headlights to get hazy/foggy/scratched like this?? I see older corolla's that have cleaner/clearer looking headlight than mine... Can this be caused by sun damage, or high speed driving (guilty of this), highway driving, not washing the car regularly??

In my experience, it's primarily due to irregular washing and sun exposure. Typically I see hazing on cars that are not garaged and not regularly washed/waxed.

(My brother and I detail on the side)

[Ohiowa]

I should also add that I just did the third Meguiar's One-Step application in a year on my Corolla. I wax it with two coats every time and it lasts a few months before I have to repolish them. I'm thinking about buying these and applying them immediately after I've polished the lenses in hopes that they won't yellow any more. It's still a cheaper option than new lamp assemblies.

[xelorwatch]

You maybe right as My 9yo Corolla, not garaged, and hardly washed; I thought frequent washing would wear down the shine. Well, it works with the shine but has created other problems. BTW- it cost Me $601.00 to have dealership replace New Head Lamp Lens; since I'm not able to do a kit, I think it was worth it, as the car now looks only a few years old; if your not familar with model years.

[Ohiowa]

Originally Posted by xelorwatch

You maybe right as My 9yo Corolla, not garaged, and hardly washed; I thought frequent washing would wear down the shine. Well, it works with the shine but has created other problems. BTW- it cost Me $601.00 to have dealership replace New Head Lamp Lens; since I'm not able to do a kit, I think it was worth it, as the car now looks only a few years old; if your not familar with model years.

Not to get terribly off-topic, but hand washing with a good quality car wash soap and soft sponge will do wonders for a clear coat's longevity when coupled with regular waxing (again, good quality wax as well).

My grandfather drove a 1992 Buick Park Avenue Ultra and when it finally died in 2009, the clearcoat still shined like new as a result of good upkeep.

Automatic car washes can sometimes damage the paint, but hand washing and waxing is key to long paint life.

Garaging can help, but regular exterior cleaning and maintenance will make a huge difference.

[nitronate33]

Originally Posted by Ohiowa

I should also add that I just did the third Meguiar's One-Step application in a year on my Corolla. I wax it with two coats every time and it lasts a few months before I have to repolish them. I'm thinking about buying these and applying them immediately after I've polished the lenses in hopes that they won't yellow any more. It's still a cheaper option than new lamp assemblies.

yeah i'm in the same boat for two of my cars. problem is, both were in minor accidents where one headlight was replaced and is shiny new and the other one is old and tired.

i need to try a different product, something that has a decent sealer that will really last and prevent the yellowing from coming back so quickly.

[GREENPUS]

Originally Posted by Habs_Fan

Does anyone know what causes headlights to get hazy/foggy/scratched like this?? ?

It's the nature of plastic. European cars have glass headlights and don't do this and us folks in America have to put up with cheap plastic lens. UV light and Ozone destroys plastic. When new from the factory, the plastic lens have a protective sealant that keeps the lens from turning yellow and cloudy. Washing the lens with harsh chemicals and putting aftermarket wax on destroys the factory sealant and causes yellowing and cloudy lens.
Most cheap aftermarket lens fix-it kits include some cheap sealant like car wax but even using that, the lens still turns yellow after a few months.
I tried an expensive kit that worked great as far as getting the yellow and cloudy out but after about 6 months the sealant must have given out and the lens turned yellow again. In my opinion these kits are useless unless you're willing to keep applying which I am not.

[bennor]

Hit my lightly hazed 05 Corolla LE headlights with Meguiar's PlastX today. Spent about 20 minutes per headlight lens. The plastic definitely look more clear after I was finished and the haze was pretty much gone. Then applied some Blue Magic Headlight Lens Sealer. Now the test is how long before it starts to haze over again and I have to reapply the Plastx and Lens Sealer. Have plenty of Meguiar's Plastx and Blue Magic Headlight Lens Sealer left over for if and when the headlights haze over again.

On the plus side, the Plastx bottle indicated you can use the stuff on CD's. Going to have to try it out on several scratched discs that I have.