Maintaining clear headlights

[Nick1994]

I scrolled through a few pages on the detail section here, but can only find ways to restore headlights.

What's the best way to keep headlights from getting yellow in the first place? Family member of mine is buying a new car this weekend, and I keep it detailed. Wondering what I can use for a sealant. I'd also like to use it on the 2011 CR-V since the headlights still look great.

Thanks

 

[maverickfhs]

Have a look on this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEJbKLZ7RmM

If you need help with restoring, let me know since I have done a lot of research since yesterday.

Good luck.

 

[crazyoildude]

We used meguiars and it worked really well

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: maverickfhs
Have a look on this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEJbKLZ7RmM

If you need help with restoring, let me know since I have done a lot of research since yesterday.

Good luck.
Yeah, I'm doing this on a brand new $30k car, so spraying Rustoleum on them isn't gonna happen lol. They're already clear.

 

[Farmer]

Try Chemical Guys Jetseal. I used it on some headlights last year and they still look good. Polished them with Menzerna FG400.

 

[Rolla07]

No way to prevent unless you wana put clearcoat on them and even then its no guarantee. Detail as normal and when they fog up worry about it or install new lenses. Not much you can do..once mine got bad at around 6 years..its been a constant battle to keep looking good, im likely just going to swap them outright and try to keep sealant on them..

 

[Olas]

Glass lenses instead of plastic lenses solves this

 

[Kestas]

Agreed. It seems we've regressed in technology. We used to have excellent glass headlamps that were cheap and easy to replace with no yellowing issue.

 

[92saturnsl2]

I used a product on my vehicles caused Plastix. It's a plastic cleaner/deoxidizer that is not abrasive. Claims to have some conditioning properties. This product was recommended to me by a professional detailer I talked to, that had excellent results with it on plastic headlights, especially keeping the ugly yellowing film off. Not sure it'd be effective as solely a sealant on a new car, but it might be useful a year down the road as the car ages. I think Meguiars makes it.

I agree wholeheartedly that glass > plastic. My 1996 Maxima headlights look new (OEM glass), whereas Nissan switched to plastic in 1997. Most other maxima headlights you can't see through after a few years. They did it so that you could see the fancy reflectors and new designs through the plastic, which helps sell new cars. Longevity/durability took a back seat.

 

[Kestas]

Once the UV protective layer is removed with the polish, I understand the yellowing comes back much quicker.

 

[raytseng]

yes, you either have to clearcoat them.

Or you apply a PPF (headlight film) and that will also protect all the work you did

 

[KitaCam]

Wax 'em regularly....

 

[Vern_in_IL]

303® Aerospace Protectant™ With modern car design, headlights are part of the body outline. The size and shape of the lenses differ from model to model, and tend to have a lot surface area compared to the old standardized units. Making them of glass would be a lot costlier. But plastic is also more forgiving of love taps, and the likelihood is that on average, plastic lenses go far longer before getting cloudy and yellowed than glass ones would go before getting broken.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: Vern_in_IL
... plastic lenses go far longer before getting cloudy and yellowed than glass ones would go before getting broken.
Not nearly enough longer to compensate for being so much more expensive, harder to replace, more prone to dulling, and more prone to leaks.

 

[Malo83]

Originally Posted By: KitaCam
Wax 'em regularly....


Bingo!

 

[Doublehaul]

Once yellowed and restored they will yellow again quickly. The only fix is to replace them...and not with Chinese repops. OEM.

 

[mehullica]

Wash your car every week & park in the garage when it's not being driven. All 3 of my cars have no oxidation & over 100,000 on each from model years 2000, 2005, & 2009. All I ever do is wash the headlights with car wash soap & wipe them dry

 

[dishdude]

Originally Posted By: mehullica
Wash your car every week & park in the garage when it's not being driven. All 3 of my cars have no oxidation & over 100,000 on each from model years 2000, 2005, & 2009. All I ever do is wash the headlights with car wash soap & wipe them dry


This. Hand washed weekly and parked indoors when possible. I'm always hunting for covered parking or shade from a building. It's not easy when you live in the desert!

 

[gizzsdad]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
No way to prevent unless you wana put clearcoat on them and even then its no guarantee. Detail as normal and when they fog up worry about it or install new lenses. Not much you can do..once mine got bad at around 6 years..its been a constant battle to keep looking good.....


This is my experience as well. My 2007 Frontier has always been washed regularly, and had sealant applied several times per year. No matter the claims of the wax/sealant companies, UV protection from wax or sealant is AT BEST - very modest. This year, after nine years, the upper parts of the headlights began to show some light clouding.

I used the highly regarded Sylvania (https://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-HRK-BX-S...restoration+kit) kit, and was very pleased with the results, especially with the last step (UV Block Clear Coat). Even as pleased as I am, I imagine that I will be redoing annually unless I go the sprayed clear coat route.

 

[ChrisD46]

I'm using Lucas Slick Mist spray polymer which has a UV protectant added ... We shall see .