Headlight haze

Hey TW,

So was wondering what you guys think of trying to restore my headlights never done it but I've seen many members do it with good results. The issue I see is it seems like my lenses have hairline cracks in the inside. Should I just buy new lenses or can these be saved? Not sure if you guys can tell from the images.

 

Even if you clean them up, those cracks will stay. At least they did on my outback, but they will look better. Might be a good time to look at getting some retrofit lights if it bugs you enough.

otherwise, pick a kit from Walmart or autozone or wherever. They all pretty much do the same thing

 

I've buffed out more headlights than I can remember. Yours are too far gone to really save. If you go to the Lighting sub-forum, there are plenty of posts on what you can replace them with. Spoiler Alert: OEM is best.

 

There are lots of products out there that will make them look like new. About 3 years or more ago I used Meguiars Heavy Duty
Headlight Restore. It did a beautiful job, they look like new. Then you need to spray them periodically with a clear coat UV protective to keep them looking new. The process takes about an hour or less and it is easy to do.
Looking at the picture you posted it looks like your headlights are more than just oxidized. It looks like you have a bunch of tiny cracks/scratches in them. Don’t know what caused that but because of that new headlight lens may be your best option.

 

Imo. New oem.

 

What I did to mine was to progressively sand them and then wipe them with acetone. Whether or not it lasts a while is unknown. The acetone smooths everything out and they are clear 3 months later. I don't remember the grit of the sand paper I used. If I remember I'll update.

 

I was figuring that's what it was going to need. Seeing the cracks made me doubt they could be saved. I just wanted a second opinion before I go out and buy some new light. Obviously cause one costs more than the other. Thanks everyone for the prompt replies. Loving this community so far.

 

New headlights, or Sylvania headlight restore the best. If you only vote them out it will come back unless they are sealed

 

I've had to restore a few on different makes and models. A quality lense restore kit usually works pretty good. McGuires or comprible kit works. Just don't be afraid of useing some elbow grease. You can't mess them up any worse than they are. I actually use of 3" foam pad and buffer.

 

Me too... I have only had them about a year and change. Get what you pay for haha

 

I recommend giving it a try. Buy a kit that uses your drill, has several grades of sandpaper, polishing compound, and a sealing coat. I think you'll be surprised how well they turn out. I looked for before and after pictures of my Tacoma's headlight housings, but I think I deleted them. They looked almost as bad as yours, and were transformed into "almost new" looking headlights after a little work.

I bought a set of OEM Toyota headlights when I first saw the little cracks in the housings, but decided to keep using them after the restoration process. The new headlights are still "on the shelf" waiting for the day I'll have to install them. Hopefully that's still a few years down the road...

 

I used the 3M "Heavy Duty" kit, that comes with the drill attachment, and then I sealed with Sylvania Clear Coat. I previously used regular sandpaper and elbow grease, along with cheap spritz on sealer. That didn't turn out as well as the 3M did (power drill is the key), and the spritz sealer didn't hold at all and I gave up spritzing. We'll see how the Sylvania holds up, hopefully better than the spritz.

Mine were pretty beat up, and now they look brand new. I feel like it's actually turning heads!

 

I bought a kit from chemical guys. Worked beautiful

 

Don’t waste your money on a set. Just buff it out

 

Youtube is blocked here at work so this should be "Chris Fix Headlight Restore"

-J

 

My truck is 13 years old and I just polished mine for the 2nd time. Mine weren't quite that bad, but the finished lens looks as good as this. I still have some cracks that can be seen if you're up close. But I can't see replacing the whole thing when they will clean up this good.

 

Yes - I also have a few hairline cracks here and there, but for 12 going on 13 years old this turned out great. So far the Sylvania UV coat is holding up fine, even though an automated car wash.

At ~$400-$600 for OEM replacements, and these looking 95% OEM after a $30 cleanup, I couldn't wrap my head around getting new ones either. Especially for a truck of this age.

I'm to the point where if they shatter into a million pieces while polishing for the upteenth time, then I'll spring for OEM replacements.

 

I just watched a comparison video today on YouTube by Project Farm, and the results showed the best results were from the kit made by 3M.

 

3M all the way. I've used their headlight kit for years on several vehicles. Look like new when finished. And...save the sanding and polishing pads and liquids. They are good for at least one more polish job.

 

I was totally surprised how well my headlights turned out using one of those systems. They looked "almost new." Definitely worth a try, but do it the right way, and not with some type of "wipe on" product. That may good for headlights with a little haze, but those need the "full treatment." For ~$20, you can have great looking headlights again. (That includes the painter's tape to mask off the painted area around the headlights. Do not do any sanding/polishing without taping off the painted areas.)