Yellow faded headlights

[FarmerPug]

I tried to cure the faded headlights on the clio today using a quixx headlight restoration kit:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291005055244? ... 1497.l2649

Here was the lights before, they seem to have gone like this after just 3 months of sitting:



Drivers side:




After quite a bit of time with the jokingly small bits of sandpaper supplied, and using the polish:



they still are not perfect but much
better, i think i might get some 500 or 1000 grit paper and try again, the sandpaper in the kit started at 2000 grit.

[jasper5]

Toothpaste is brilliant at restoring faded headlights.

[lozz]

get some of this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Freepost-Fare ... 3f2b0a59db

That's what iuse on headlights. ive just not long done the headlights on the wifes fiat -they where Milky and faded
they look brandnew now,and no scratches,

p1.jpg

[FarmerPug]

I tried toothpaste last week on the drivers headlight, and although it worked there on the spot, a week later when i came back to the car the headlight looked worse than before, i wonder does the type of toothpaste matter, it was colgate sensitive pro relief, which conveniently i had in my pocket after a trip to the dentists that day

Lozz them headlights look very fresh, and thats a nice Fiat, is that the 1.9 diesel one?

[Puggy2]

I use G3 compound a lot at work on mot failed lights I use an electric polisher.

[lozz]

I tried toothpaste last week on the drivers headlight, and although it worked there on the spot, a week later when i came back to the car the headlight looked worse than before, i wonder does the type of toothpaste matter, it was colgate sensitive pro relief, which conveniently i had in my pocket after a trip to the dentists that day

Lozz them headlights look very fresh, and thats a nice Fiat, is that the 1.9 diesel one?

no mate, the 1.9 one ihad went in the crusher -after it got a good thrashing round the yard (wrapped round olde oak tree)
the yellow one in pic is a 1.2 16v one we rebuilt for something to do,
ive got another yellow 1.8 punto pidgeon catcher. don't know why ibother with them realy

[Welly]

Might have to get one of those kits FP, our Astra headlights have 'crazed' like this. I have some Meguires Plastic-X which is good but not very tough on heavy marks.

The damage is caused by the Sun, if you go to Spain and places like that the headlights on older cars are completely shot. Remember when headlights were made of glass?

[lozz]

ifind its the heat from the Bulbs too that fade the headlight's.

[Sonia406]

Must admit I have issues with my indicators, on Miss Pug the orange lens faded and it had a white ish appearance... any tips on that?

[lozz]

Must admit I have issues with my indicators, on Miss Pug the orange lens faded and it had a white ish appearance... any tips on that?

try something alchol based. surgical spirit- aftershave /perfume, (meth's)
if that don't work then try the Abrasives, G3 or wet n dry paper (fine) using plenty of water.

[Sonia406]

Must admit I have issues with my indicators, on Miss Pug the orange lens faded and it had a white ish appearance... any tips on that?

try something alchol based. surgical spirit- aftershave /perfume, (meth's)
if that don't work then try the Abrasives, G3 or wet n dry paper (fine) using plenty of water.

Thank you!

[jasper5]

I tried toothpaste last week on the drivers headlight, and although it worked there on the spot, a week later when i came back to the car the headlight looked worse than before, i wonder does the type of toothpaste matter, it was colgate sensitive pro relief, which conveniently i had in my pocket after a trip to the dentists that day

Lozz them headlights look very fresh, and thats a nice Fiat, is that the 1.9 diesel one?

I think yours were too far gone for toothpaste, it works best when you have the yellow tinge to them or a misty film over them.

[Waxman]

I do headlight restoration like these.

Various grades sandpaper, then mild compound at various speeds through worked through a machine polisher with various pads, then once done I use a patented UV Polycarbon coating which is placed over the lens to protect it.

Why do headlamp lenses fade?
The main reason headlamp lenses begin to opaque/yellow/cloud/fog/ is due to their interaction with ultra-violet (UV) radiation. The plastic trim/moulding on your car fades for the same reason. There are certainly other factors that contribute to lens degradation to include exposure to exhaust, extreme temperatures, salt, grime, oil, acid rain, etc., but the biggest culprit is UV light. The constant exposure of the lens to the elements leaves it looking pretty bad, to say the least.

Headlamp lenses are made of polycarbonate and, at their heart, consist of carbon-oxygen and carbon-hydrogen bonds. Polycarbonate offers great advantages as a lens material as it is light weight, moldable, cheap, etc., but also has its disadvantages as stated above. The physical reason for the lens degradation has to do with the fact that the energy of UV radiation is close to the disassociation energy of the chemical bonds – hence, over long periods of time, the UV radiation causes the bonds in the polymer to ‘disassociate’…and this leads to oxidation. To protect headlamp lenses from fading, manufacturers typically apply a coating to the lens – a hard, scratch-resistant, UV protected layer. Lenses that are exposed to sunlight (and the elements) for long periods of time, however, will eventually occlude as this protective coating starts to fail.

Headlamp lenses on most cars that are over 2 years old will undoubtedly show some signs of degradation unless the car is maintained regularly or garage kept. . Situations will arise, however, where the lens suffers from severe damage, due to extensive UV exposure, and, as such, it can not be restored and will need to be replaced.





Here's a passat headlight I did last week.

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[Puggy2]

I find Vauxhall Nissan Hyundai Daihatsu Ford the worst but Peugeot seem to be ok take my own 406 2000 with 165000 headlights like new.

[Welly]

Nice little restoration there Waxy, I have witnessed that it is the angle of the headlight towards the sun which determines which motors are effected. The 406's headlights have an almost vertical face and don't 'see' as much sunlight as these cars with 'raked' headlight designs.