My lights are very dim. I am assuming I need new headlights?

in short:

-2001 Tacoma Prerunner

the front headlights are so dim that I am honestly afraid of driving on the highway at night...The lights themselves are very faded I guess due to the sun and dirt/etc that may have gotten inside. I've tried wiping them clean on the outside but not much resulted from that.

Is it likely that I just need to replace the dirty lenses or could there maybe be another problem?

 

They sell headlight "repair" kits that let you polish the headlight its self to allow more light to flow through the lenses better.

Or new headlights possibly but the first solution usually works if the lenses themselves look "murky" or "faded"

Hope it helps

 

^^ I am thinking about giving that a try. There are also some sketchy home remedies that involve toothpaste and windex which I'm not sure about lol..My headlights look horribly faded so I am confident that is the issue.


http://imgur.com/a/hMf5q


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You could give the home remedies a shot, couldnt make them worse...

Then try the kit you buy... Then last case scenario is new housings

 

posted a picture above for what its worth

if it comes to replacing the lenses, how difficult of a job is this?

 

Treat your headlights like clear coat and use sand paper.

http://www.viralnova.com/how-to-restore-headlights/

 

Kinda hard to tell from the pic (kinda far away) but if it really comes down to it there are many videos on YouTube etc.

The job is very easy

 

YouTube. Very easy

 

You'll spend about 10 minutes per headlight. Most every kit you'll find consists of a drill attachment, some wet/dry fine grit sandpaper, polish (buffing compound) and a polishing pad. Sand the crap smooth, polish it to remove the sanding marks. Done, for about a year. Once the plastic is UV damaged it's a war of attrition. The end result is new headlights, but you can kick that can a long ways down the road with the kits.

BTW if the lenses are plastic keep that sanding pad wet and moving or else you'll go from needing new headlights someday to shopping for new ones today.

 

Do i need power tools or is it just intended to be a hand polish?

 

Usually a drill attachment of some sort

 

Cordless/corded drill. You can do it by hand with some wet/dry paper and a sanding block, then some compound. The drill is faster though.

 

Doesn't look like his lenses are the cause of extreme output loss. They're fairly clear in that pic.

Someone experiencing what he's describing, I'd think that you wouldn't be able to see the reflector, let alone the bulb so cover so clearly.

 

You can get a new pair of headlights on Amazon for $50. I'd just get new ones if it were me.

 

maybe its just a bad picture. In person, you can very much tell they're oxidized. I hope this is my issue

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHRPBWAMiKw

$80 Brock Replacement Pair Set Halogen Headlights Headlamps Compatible with 01-04 Tacoma Pickup Truck 81150-04110 81110-04110

https://www.amazon.com/Passenger-He...=1473457317&sr=1-6&keywords=tacoma+headlights

found a helpful video and OEM parts for this first gen..I'm really considering replacing the entire thing, seems like an easy enough job

 

I would get new ones also. I watched a neighbor do the headlight buffing/cleaning and I thought they looked like crap.

http://www.1aauto.com/search?q=headlights&year=2000&model=405&abTestingValue=OFF

Get quality ones.

 

Then he did a bad job. I made my wife 4Runner lights and my Civic lights look brand new.

 

You get out what you put in.

But for $50 I'd just get a new set and save myself the time.

 

Just ordered some. I'm excited lol.