Fairweather April 15, 2009 Share Fairweather Member April 15, 2009 i was wondering if anybody knew of a good polish or product that works well to take the "fogging" out of headlight covers? at first i was just gonna replace them but I cant find headlights on the net for under 200$ a piece and the ones on ebay are those black or chrome flashy types that just look stupid when put on a stock family car i drive an intrepid and it just makes the car look old and junky so i'm pretty much sick of it and need to do somethin about it before i go nuttzzzzzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclean April 15, 2009 Share Unclean Member April 15, 2009 Those headlights are plastic, right? Start off with a product like Meguiar's Plast-X, see if that helps. You may have to put some elbow grease into it. If that doesn't work, that means the fogging was caused by leaks in the headlight assembly seal. Water/condensation get in, evaporate, leaving mineral deposits behind. If you're a DIY kind of person, here's a way to clean it: 1. Take the headlight assembly out of the car (varies based on mfg) 2. Put 1 headlight assembly in the oven on its lowest temperature for 1-2 min (yes, really)* 3. Take the assembly out, start prying it open for 10-15 seconds. If you can't open it fully, repeat steps 2 and 3 until you can. 4. Clean the inside with Meguiar's Plast-X until it's suitably clean. 5. You can repeat steps 2 and 3 to press the assembly back together again. You may need to remove the seal + reapply some kind of weatherproofing seal, so this doesn't happen again. If you don't seal it properly, you'll just have the same problem again. * I did this with an older car - Lady unclean gave me the most hilarious look when she saw me stick the headlights in the oven. The headlight assembly wasn't fogging, but I wanted to "clear it" - aka take out the amber plastic. Just be careful not to touch metal directly, I burned the crap out of my finger that way. If you touch plastic only, or use gloves, you'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushwack April 15, 2009 Share bushwack Member April 15, 2009 I had a buddy that lapped his headlight covers like what one would do lapping a heatsink. Seems the yellowing is the plastic breaking down due to the UV rays of the sun? You just have to remove it. The sandpaper technique can be found on the net, this will give you a guide to which grades of sandpaper you will use. And we're not talking 120 grit here. Unclean's oven technique may be easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather April 15, 2009 Author Share Fairweather Member April 15, 2009 (edited) alright thanks man! i'll try the easy way first and if that doesnt work i'll giver ur oven method a go ... i'll have to look up that sandpaper technique as well Edited April 15, 2009 by Fairweather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoMamma April 15, 2009 Share YoMamma Member April 15, 2009 (edited) step 1) remove headlights step 2) remove H2O. You could either put them in your oven for a little bit or some other way to turn that water into vapor. step 3) place headlights back I was told that the yellowing is from water being trapped in there over time, not from sun rays. However, if you don't remove the water soon enough the yellowing may not come out so easily if ever. edit* oops, Unclean already said that. Edited April 15, 2009 by YoMamma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather April 16, 2009 Author Share Fairweather Member April 16, 2009 lol yesterday i tried just the polish, that worked alllrigghtt but not as good as i wanted, so i happened to walk by a headlight renewal kit in canadian tire that contained the sand paper required and everything and was like alright i'll give it a try.. sssooo anywho this sanding method involved about 4 hours of my time and i'm pretty sure it only made the headlights worse LOL CRAP guess i'll try the oven method Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flitterkill April 17, 2009 Share Flitterkill GC Board Member April 17, 2009 Plastics + sun exposure + salt (Ontario right?) + time (Intrepid = how many years old?) = gonna have some stuff happen. Might want to try a junk yard for some cheap options (depending upon where / how stored) The front bumper on 1st gen Nissan Xterras are a plastic of the type that just discolors as the years go by - most folks just sand, prime, and paint them, or try using various plastic restorers (randomly successful that) -Fk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tek-Almighty April 17, 2009 Share Tek-Almighty Member April 17, 2009 You know what you need? Foglights inside your headlights! chase that fog away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clueless April 17, 2009 Share Clueless GC Alumni April 17, 2009 Pros use a machine buffer, if you have access to one, use a slower speed, a fine grit compound, a foam pad, and KEEP THE PAD DAMP, this is key to not melting your lens, keep a spray bottle close and mist the light and the pad when it looks like you are starting to buff dry. Oh yea..remember that we have a Cars forum towards the bottom I'll move this there tomorrow if it hasnt already been done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclean April 17, 2009 Share Unclean Member April 17, 2009 Pros use a machine buffer, if you have access to one, use a slower speed, a fine grit compound, a foam pad, and KEEP THE PAD DAMP, this is key to not melting your lens, keep a spray bottle close and mist the light and the pad when it looks like you are starting to buff dry. I agree with Clueless - if you've already started the sandpaper method, you might want to finish that first. Definitely use a buffer of some kind. If you've never done it before, get a friend that has. If you see yellowish water dropping down, you're doing the right thing - continue that until it's clear or white water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymo April 17, 2009 Share anonymo Member April 17, 2009 How much does an Intrepid go for off the lot? $300? Just buy a new one (jokes) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather April 18, 2009 Author Share Fairweather Member April 18, 2009 How much does an Intrepid go for off the lot? $300? Just buy a new one (jokes) lol i just cringe when i look on the auto trader and compare how much i paid a few years ago and how much they sell for now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclean April 21, 2009 Share Unclean Member April 21, 2009 What's the latest on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairweather April 22, 2009 Author Share Fairweather Member April 22, 2009 What's the latest on this? i took them out and put them in the oven for a few minutes but couldnt pry them apart the sealant that was still there was too strong so got all the moisture out that was possible and re-sealed the headlights with a clear silicon sealant and polished them about 300 times.. think its about as good as its gonna get, better than it was tho, should make driving across the country a little safer anyway with the extra visibility thanks for the tips guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGeek May 8, 2009 Share TheGeek Member May 8, 2009 One more tip. Your dishwasher. (I'm not joking) Most expensive dishwasher detergents have a "streak free", anti-fog design. If your headlights can let a lot of water inside, then do that. I did it for my buick and it worked. Just wait a day or two before putting them back into your car. This is obviously a temporary fix, and it doesn't do anything for yellow headlights. Just foggy ones. I got the idea from watching Wheeler Dealers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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