Requesting advice on removing very fine scratches on areas of my headlight lens

[snovvman]

I am requesting help with removing very fine scratches on specific sections of my headlight lens.


Otherwise crystal clear and no surface scratches at all, but on specific sections of the headlight, there are scratches that are only visible at the right angle and under the right lighting condition. They are easier to see when the headlight is on. The scratches are so fine that I cannot feel them with my nails. They are similar to a poorly washed paint, spiderwebs that need polishing.


What can I use to remove these fine scratches? I tried the Novus 3 step, but the fine scratch remover (step 2) actually added more scratches to the lens. Is Meguiar's M10 a good option or is there some other product to use?


I would also appreciate some tips on how to remove the scratches, once the right product is identified.


Thanks.

PS: Wow, I registered in 2014 and this is my first post!

 

[Big DaveBig Dave is verified member.]

Firstly, welcome, I know you've been looking around for a while, but this is a first contact situation.

Is it possible the scratches are actually very fine cracks that are on the inside of the lens. I have seen this before when people have used extra bright +50 or +100 bulbs, I don't know if it's the extra heat or UV, but they can usually only be seen when the headlights are on.

If they are on the outside, you could try one of the plastic specific polishes, I've used the Mother's one, and I think Meguiar's has one as well. If you don't feel like buying something, believe it or not, toothpaste works as well, but not the gel one, just the plain white paste.

I'm sure others will come in with other options as well.

Good Luck.

Sent from my motorola edge 20 fusion using Tapatalk

 

[oneheadlite]

I’m with Big Dave - My first thought for scratches on a headlight lens that you can see but not feel is concern that it’s (what I’ve always called) crazing of the headlight lens - failure of the plastic lens from heat or U/V exposure even if iti’s not showing the usual yellowing or delamination or clouding of the coating on the outside of the lens.

I see it a lot on X5s that come through my work (disclaimer: auto repair, not auto detailing. But I see a lot of cars…)

 

[snovvman]

Firstly, welcome, I know you've been looking around for a while, but this is a first contact situation.

Is it possible the scratches are actually very fine cracks that are on the inside of the lens. I have seen this before when people have used extra bright +50 or +100 bulbs, I don't know if it's the extra heat or UV, but they can usually only be seen when the headlights are on.

If they are on the outside, you could try one of the plastic specific polishes, I've used the Mother's one, and I think Meguiar's has one as well. If you don't feel like buying something, believe it or not, toothpaste works as well, but not the gel one, just the plain white paste.

I’m with Big Dave - My first thought for scratches on a headlight lens that you can see but not feel is concern that it’s (what I’ve always called) crazing of the headlight lens - failure of the plastic lens from heat or U/V exposure even if iti’s not showing the usual yellowing or delamination or clouding of the coating on the outside of the lens.

Thank you both for the reply and welcome. I should provide a little more background on my issue: These are brand new headlights, but had some scuffs and fine scratches. The areas that are not scuffed look perfect from any angle and when light is on--there is no spiderweb/swirl marks and no fine scratches at all, inside our out.

I tried to minimize the scuffs and fine scratches in the specific areas of concern with the Novus 3-step and found that even with step 2 (for fine scratches), the treat areas are left with a fine spiderweb scratches if I look at the light just right. Step 1 is simply a cleaner so that did not help to take away the fine scratch. I am hoping to remove those very fine scratches/swirl marks--and have ordered Meguiar's PlastX (in retrospect, probably too aggressive for my problem), M17 Plastic Cleaner, and M10 Plastic Polish to try. My plan is to start with the M10 and if it does not solve the problem, then try M17.

Maybe the better question is what is the best way to restore a headlight surface to its original condition and removing any superfine scratches? If there are product and/or application advice, I'd love to hear it.

Thanks again!

 

[2black1s]

I'd be very careful polishing "new" headlights. If the scratching/marring is as slight as you describe, I'd be more inclined to leave it as is.

Reason being... once you remove the factory "hard coating" by aggressive polishing, those areas of the lens will age much more quickly.

 

[Flash Gordon]

I am requesting help with removing very fine scratches on specific sections of my headlight lens.


Otherwise crystal clear and no surface scratches at all, but on specific sections of the headlight, there are scratches that are only visible at the right angle and under the right lighting condition. They are easier to see when the headlight is on. The scratches are so fine that I cannot feel them with my nails. They are similar to a poorly washed paint, spiderwebs that need polishing.


What can I use to remove these fine scratches? I tried the Novus 3 step, but the fine scratch remover (step 2) actually added more scratches to the lens. Is Meguiar's M10 a good option or is there some other product to use?


I would also appreciate some tips on how to remove the scratches, once the right product is identified.


Thanks.

PS: Wow, I registered in 2014 and this is my first post!

I have never heard of any of the products that you mention, but it your doing a 3 step correction on brand new headlights that's not the road that you should be going down (unless something truly unusual is going on).
If I were you I would 1 step polish using a soft (black pad) with a glaze. This will temporarily fill in the scratches (not perfect, but much better).
At this point you could have paint protection film (will help hide the scratches even more) installed over the freshly polished lenses.

The alternative is to get use to polishing with the glaze every once in a while (10 minutes after a wash).

Headlights are made of super soft plastic (or maybe it's a factory film or resin?).
I do know that they scratch easily when rubbed against (washing/touch up detailer sprays).
If you'll start looking around at everyone else's headlights no matter the make or model of the car (or how well taken care of). They all have those thin scratches.

What I believe you really have is a mental illness like everyone else here (but me). A regular person could look at your headlights and never see those scratches.

Welcome to Autogeekonline. If you wait another 9 years to make your 2nd post alot of us will be dead...

 

[snovvman]

I'd be very careful polishing "new" headlights. If the scratching/marring is as slight as you describe, I'd be more inclined to leave it as is.

Reason being... once you remove the factory "hard coating" by aggressive polishing, those areas of the lens will age much more quickly.

Thanks for the advice. Too late now. I was trying to fix some scuffs and minor scratches on an otherwise pristine headlight. I thought these lights are Lexan or similar and there is no coating?

I have never heard of any of the products that you mention, but it your doing a 3 step correction on brand new headlights that's not the road that you should be going down (unless something truly unusual is going on).
If I were you I would 1 step polish using a soft (black pad) with a glaze. This will temporarily fill in the scratches (not perfect, but much better).
At this point you could have paint protection film (will help hide the scratches even more) installed over the freshly polished lenses.

The alternative is to get use to polishing with the glaze every once in a while (10 minutes after a wash).

Headlights are made of super soft plastic (or maybe it's a factory film or resin?).
I do know that they scratch easily when rubbed against (washing/touch up detailer sprays).
If you'll start looking around at everyone else's headlights no matter the make or model of the car (or how well taken care of). They all have those thin scratches.

What I believe you really have is a mental illness like everyone else here (but me). A regular person could look at your headlights and never see those scratches.

Welcome to Autogeekonline. If you wait another 9 years to make your 2nd post alot of us will be dead...

Lol, yea, my wife confirmed my mental illness and she's a professional in this field. Worse, I can get her to see it, but doesn't care that it's there. I think the issue is that we care. We care a lot, and caring matters :-/ And please don't die, I might need help again 9 years from now!

Today, I used Meguiar's PlastX, then M17 plastic cleaner, then M10 with a mini DA. It's better, but the swirl is still there and *I* can see them. Question--is it possible, ever, to get a surface (clearcoat or Lexan) completely swirl free to the eye without fillers? The new Lexan is clearly smooth. The part that I worked on clearly has swirl, albeit very minor. How could I get rid of them, or could I at all?

Thanks.

 

[snovvman]

After more research, I found people using heat guns to remove scratches, as well as a "vapor polishing" method. Interesting stuff...

 

[Rsurfer]

After more research, I found people using heat guns to remove scratches, as well as a "vapor polishing" method. Interesting stuff...

Never heard of using a heat gun to remove scratches, especially on clear headlights. Heard of using a heat gun to revitalize faded black plastic.

 

[snovvman]

Never heard of using a heat gun to remove scratches, especially on clear headlights. Heard of using a heat gun to revitalize faded black plastic.

I found many YouTube videos on both heat guns with polycarbonate/Lexan and vapor polishing. Amazing results if done right.