I’ve got an 07 Civic sedan as my daily driver and the headlight covers have gotten really bad over the past couple years with going hazy and cutting light output way way down.

I bought a kit a couple years ago with a polishing cream and buffer drill attachment that seemed to work for a couple months, then they’d get hazy again. I read that the trick is to clear coat the lenses after polishing, so I did a good polish job and got them nice and clear then taped off and put on 3 good coats of clear coat from a rattle can.

That was maybe 15 months ago but I realized my lenses are getting very hazy again! What the hell is going on? How do I make this permanent?

No, replacing the headlight assemblies at $250 each is not an option.

Help!

I had clear protective film installed on our new work truck. They told us that the film would also protect headlight lenses from chips and hazing.

1 year in, 35,000 miles, and they still look like new. Probably a bit too soon to know how well it really works.

I use Flitz, terry towel and 5 minutes per light. It’s good for at least a couple of years. I’m good with that. YMMV.

Howdy neighbor! If the yellowing is not caused by moisture condensing on the inside over the years...

You can get the infomercial restore products.
You can try the toothpaste hack.
Bar Keepers polish will be similar. See youTube
You may wish to prolong the effects by applying wax after the last 2.

Methinks that these are temporary fix for the abrasions caused by 10s of thousands of miles.

Try clear vinyl.

Another option is PIAA bulbs to compensate for the poor light transmission.

Both for the win.

Use UV blocking clear coat, and then use UV blocking paste wax a couple times a year. It's the UV light rays that is causing the headlights to get hazy.


ARman

I use toothpaste and a microfiber cloth on a hook and loop D/A sander. Spritz some water on the lens and cloth, apply a little minty fresh toothpaste and rock/roll. Cheap and easy. Stays clear for 6-8 months before I see a hint of haze starting again.

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
I use toothpaste and a microfiber cloth on a hook and loop D/A sander. Spritz some water on the lens and cloth, apply a little minty fresh toothpaste and rock/roll. Cheap and easy. Stays clear for 6-8 months before I see a hint of haze starting again.

I have the hook and loop sander (and toothpaste), do you have a spec on themicrofiber cloth?

I just hit the lenses with a cleaner wax (polish and wax in one) at every wash.

quote:

Originally posted by Scoutmaster:

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:
I use toothpaste and a microfiber cloth on a hook and loop D/A sander. Spritz some water on the lens and cloth, apply a little minty fresh toothpaste and rock/roll. Cheap and easy. Stays clear for 6-8 months before I see a hint of haze starting again.

I have the hook and loop sander (and toothpaste), do you have a spec on themicrofiber cloth?

Ask and ye shall receive...

quote:

Originally posted by darthfuster:.... Ask and ye shall receive...

Much thanks, I won't receive until tomorrow morning, there's an O"Reilly about a mile away.

Originally I had bought some random kit from AutoZone that had a buffer tool you attach to a drill. It looked awesome when I was done, but a couple months later it started coming back. The next kit I bought was RainX brand and had a couple kinds of sand paper along with a clear coat that you add after it is cleaned up. That was 2 years ago and still looks like new. I really think it was that finishing bottle of sealant that is keeping it nice.

I'd bet the age of the lenses has something to do with it. Plastics break down. That said, my 5 year old 70k truck headlamp lenses still look new.

I rarely wash them. Never a "car wash" Only washed with plenty of soap and water.

At an oil change, the kid checked off on his "inspection" hazy headlamp lenses, recommend polishing". When in fact they were covered with 2400 miles of road grime. GLAD the kid didn't do me any favors and wipe them off with a soft towel.

My ex-'s '08 Subaru has headlamps which are unrecoverable. The discoloration is in the plastic.

I think I've read it's the UV in sunlight that causes them to deteriorate. That my be true. We have a couple of older vehicles that stay garaged when not in use and their headlight covers look almost new.

Plenty of headlight sets on EBay for under $100. Add a bead of silicone at the seam and cover with a clear film on the front and you’ll be good.
Once they start to haze it is more of a fight to keep them from hazing I have found.

The best way is to clean them thoroughly. You can use a store bought kit, compound, toothpaste, etc. Wash them with dish soap and then spray them with a UV rated clear coat for a more permanent solution. If you keep them waxed regularly, that should do the same but requires upkeep.

My wife has a 2004 4Runner and it has huge front lenses. Every 6 months I polish with Klasse or really any mildly aggressive polish to clear them up. Then I apply a polymer sealant. I use Optimum Opti-Seal the same thing I use to seal the paint. Works great for 4-6 months then I repeat.

Polish with any of the above, then regular application of Plexus....

Plexus

My dad did one of the headlight restore kits on his headlights & taillights on his ~02-04 Silverado.
Followed it up with a coat (maybe multiple coats, I don't recall) of clear coat, once the lenses were cleaned up to his satisfaction.

A couple years later & they're still looking great.