How To: Restore you hazed headlights.

No mention of the mosquito spray trick yet? Get a repellent containing a large percentage of DEET... spray on headlamp, rub away with paper towel... it's amazing! Wife's '08 Corolla had hazed lamps... no more!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2meDyYNx8rY

 

hazing must be a big deal, I noticed today we have a new requiered test from Toyota on cleaning fogged over lenses

 

Explain more please?

 

Try a different dealer. The warranty extension campaign covers ALL 05-11s regardless of mileage and it ends sometime late next year. That's what my dealer told me anyways. I even mentioned to the service writer my mileage and he said it didn't matter.

Here you go brother...Print out the PDF and take it with you, it's kinda hard for them to argue with a original Toyota document
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/lighting/336016-drls-melting-need-new-cover.html#post8896668

 

Doesn't DEET, eat up plastic though?

 

Just don't confuse what the actual problem is. This thread was started based on cleaning/de-hazing the outer lens. This warranty extension appears to be for .........

Important Note: [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]This condition should not be confused with normal yellow-orange color that occurs over time as the inner lens ages. Additionally, this program does not address conditions related to the outer headlamp lens. [/FONT][/FONT]

For those with outer lens problems, keep your fingers crossed that you have the qualifying inner problem as well. ​

 

This is a good point...however it is an easy and free solution for anyone's truck that came factory equipped with DRL. B/c if it came with them it's pretty much guaranteed that the inner lenses are melted. Southeast Toyota pretty much put DRL on every 2nd gen Tacoma they sold. And I would bet the other distributors did the same. It was a good little money maker ($4 relay = $40 option upcharge). At any rate, just trying to help.

 

Understood. Got stuck with them on my '04 Highlander. Look horrible now, really need replacing. Wish i could find similar info on them. And figure out how to disable the DRLs!

 

My wife's Corolla headlights now function again (as in light gets out), so the only thing the DEET did was eat up the haze! You spray it on and then rub it off... the haze ends up on the toweling, you are not leaving DEET on the plastic after you spray. Look at the video... it's how it worked for me.

 

Just had mine replaced on my 2010 with 80,000 miles on it.
Find a different dealer or show them the PDF and translate what it says for them.
Until the end of 2015 regardless of mileage.

 

I'll give it a shot. My dads 08 tacoma looks 10x worse than mine did. They are destroyed!

 

Well as long as you've got burned up DRL lenses and the Warranty Enhancement PDF in your hand you should be good to go. And if for some reason they still give you crap contact Toyota Corporate and tell them about the situation. Good Luck!

 

I did this today before dropping off for my Toytec lift install. The results are outstanding.

 

Just get in the habit of using 303 protectant every time you wax of seal your truck and you want have a problem. It has UV coating.

 

Bump from the dead- I followed these steps yesterday and the difference is night and day. I would recommend finishing with 3000 grit sandpaper and being very liberal with the rubbing compound. I probably made 5-7 passes on each headlight with the rubbing compound and there is still minor etching visible from the sandpaper. Application of the urethane should also be extremely light, I ended up with some minor runs on my driver's side headlight even though I was being careful. Overall I'm impressed and it's a simple way to breathe some life into my almost 10-year old truck.

I didn't get any true 'before' shots, but the headlights were embarrassingly clouded.

Driver's side sanded, Passenger side untouched:

 

Gonna have to try this.

 

How long does this last?

I have been polishing using Meguiars Plastx and a rotary polisher with 3" pads every 3 to 6 months.
Seems if I wipe the dew off the headlights every morning they stay haze free longer.

Since my wife volunteers my technical services to all her extended family I saw a couple vehicles that had golden colored crusty peeling finishes on the headlights. To them I said sorry no freebee today, take it back to whomever did this.

 

@bigbarlo weren't you having hazing issues?

 

I got close to 3 years before having to do it again.

 

This is what I did to my daughters 2004 Matrix, summer 2014 I think. https://youtu.be/UEJbKLZ7RmM
The plastic was so hazed you had to use the high beams to get around.
I wouldn't sell this as permanent but I got a couple years out of it before it started to go. I did one side with the clear coat and buffed it really well after it was dry. The other side I left without the clear coat just buffed the hell out it. The clear coat gave me that extra year or so before we started noticing the hazing coming back. Actually the clear coat started flaking a bit and then the peel was on.
I've since sold the car but the guy who bought it hasn't felt the need to redo the sanding and clear coat quite yet. I told him I would help with it over the summer since I hunt his property whenever I want for an occasional 12 of the favored IPA at the time.
I have to do my taco soon. Should have done it last summer. Hopefully I'll get it done this spring or summer.