A plastic headlight lens oxidized by sunlight is common on older vehicles and those that are continually left outside. The degree of oxidation can vary from a light film to a thick, uneven film. Mine was crispy and thick, and turning yellow in places. I couldn’t see the headlight bulb behind the clear lens. Consequently, its night lighting was compromised, making it a security hazard.
Replacing this lens is expensive, around $200. It was much cheaper and easier to fix it myself with a $10 restore kit and rotary tool. Here is how.
Used store bought restoration kit ($10 or less)
- 4 ounces of thick liquid to burn
- 4 ounces of spray lubricant (treated water)
- 3 burning pads (2″x2″ square) of different fine grains
- 1 Sealed Liquid Wax Wipe
- 1 thin plastic glove
Additional elements used
- a roll of 1-inch-wide duct tape
- strong rubber gloves
- rag application
- rag or towel to clean
- Safety glasses or goggles (splashes will occur)
- circulation fan, if done indoors
- 1 handheld rotary device (Dremel type), 5000 rpm or less
- 1 rotary polishing attachment with 2 rotary felt polishing pads attached to its stem (pads are 1/4″ thick wheels, 1″ diameter each)
Procedure
Caveat! This high speed burning step must be done with a very light/gentle touch, otherwise it will melt or burn the plastic surface of the lens. Keep the outer rolling surface of the felt pads flat against the lens when they touch it. Or, if you think it can’t be done this way, use a manual polishing attachment (1500 rpm) or do it by hand.
- Clean the headlight surface.
- Tape off any painted metal trim around it.
- Put on the rubber gloves.
- Using a small cloth, apply the thick burning liquid to the cloudy part of the lens.
- With the rotary tool set to its lowest speed (#1), lightly polish the cloudy portion of the lens in continuous, side-to-side, side-by-side motions. Move the roller side of the felt pads steadily both horizontally and vertically across the lens surface, slightly. Tip: Take your time. This method is much faster than doing it by hand.
- To keep the thick liquid moist, spray it occasionally with the lubricant.
- After 2-3 full passes over the cloudy area, clean the lens with a large cloth or towel. Check the progress.
- As necessary, repeat steps 4 through 7 until the lens recovers enough to pass light safely. Tip: Get out while you’re ahead. Try not to make the lens look like new again. Small amounts of cloudiness may still remain when the basic restoration is done.
- Rinse and clean the lens.
- Apply two coats of liquid wax and let dry for 24 hours.
The smooth, half-inch-thick rotating surface of the felt pads is small compared to the wider surfaces of the hand polishing attachment or hand scrubbing pads. However, its speed makes up for it by effectively removing the oxidation film little by little.
Also, finely crafted combustion fluid from a commercial kit is probably the best to use with a high-speed rotary device. I can now get a good look at my headlight bulb in place behind the refinished lens. For more information on restoring headlight surfaces, see this website.
