anyone ever seen headlights look like this?

JWilliams.RadiantDetail

JWilliams.RadiantDetail

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IMAG0008.jpg


Might be hard to see, but the top layer of the headlights on both sides look like this. If I run my hands over them I can see the spots. It's not effecting my visibility, outside of this they're pretty much crystal clear. I am annoyed at how it looks though. I don't have a DA polisher, I plan to attack it by hand with lots of water and some very fine grit sand paper and finish with some sort of plastic polish. I have seen lots of headlights with hazing and such, but this is a new one to me. I live in So Cal and park my car outside. I'm wondering if anyone knows what caused this?
 
Im guessing its the UV coating wearing off? I would imagine that treating it like any other headlight restoration would work fine.
 
quebert said:
IMAG0008.jpg


Might be hard to see, but the top layer of the headlights on both sides look like this. If I run my hands over them I can see the spots. It's not effecting my visibility, outside of this they're pretty much crystal clear. I am annoyed at how it looks though. I don't have a DA polisher, I plan to attack it by hand with lots of water and some very fine grit sand paper and finish with some sort of plastic polish. I have seen lots of headlights with hazing and such, but this is a new one to me. I live in So Cal and park my car outside. I'm wondering if anyone knows what caused this?
Click to expand...

Getting the sanding marks out won't be easy. Get a drill adapter with a purple foam wool pad and some Meg's Ultimate Compound.
 
Getting sanding scratches out of headlights by hand anywhere near perfection is going to by near impossible with most plastic polishes. I would use Optimum Compound with a machine - which is better on plastics than any plastic polish IME. At least get one of the headlight drill kits - although these don't work as well as a good polisher set up with a 3" pad IMHO.

There is something going on with those lights. The thing is - some lights can be fixed (if the damage is topical) and some can't. The ones that can't may be damaged inside the lens (heat / staining) or in the middle of the plastic layer for whatever reason. But, the only way to find out is to try.
 
Thanks for the replies guys, I don't even have suitable drill but I'll borrow one and pick up a purple foam wool pad, adapter and the megs compound and have at it.
 
Looks as though there is a plastic film over the lens that has worn off in some spots.

Removing the remaining plastic will likely be the only solution.
 
Get the 3m restoration kit at auto parts store. They have a "by hand" version that will work well.
 
Do not sand those lights

Go to WalMart and buy Meguiar's Ultimate Compound

Apply a quarter sized dollop of compound to a microfiber cloth and aggressively rub a small section of the headlight

If this removes the defect, tape off the surrounding paint and repeat on the rest of the headlight

Next, step is saving up a few bucks and buying the best DA polisher you can afford. Harbor Freight makes a decent, low cost machine. There are several threads on it in the AGO Forum
 
That looks a lot like how my 2010 Subaru Legacy's lights started their downward spiral. After that started, it went downhill fast; got real ugly real quick. I bought the Meguiar's heavy duty headlight restoration kit, and it did a good job. This is the kit with sanding disks, polish, the wool pad for your drill, and the protectant. After you finish the restore, make sure to keep it protected, or you'll be doing it again in about a year.
 
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