ae101 cloudy headlights solution

[Lurkin]

Made the effot to consolidate all of the past owners recipts for my car (purchased OCT 08).

Seems to be that the headlights regularly (ie every warrant) requires 'cleaning'

This is no great surprise as they are cloudy.

A friend suggested using an abrasive cleaner ie JIF to take the surface off and therefore reveal nice, clean plastic.

After having a go I can confirm this is a totally stupid idea.

Looking through past posts, metal/ plastic cleaners have been suggested...

can anyone actually vouch for this ie has tried its already? I'm not too keen to 'redamage' my headlights any further.

Furthermore does anyone know of a firm selling new ae101 headlights? preferably cheap? have seen on trademe heaps of different headlights for civics etc but there doesnt seem to be much of a toyota representation?

[Mr Revhead]

yes autosol or brasso works perfectly

dont know of any aftermarket options
but you wont need new lamps unless the jiff has ruined them, which it prob hasnt. prob just need to work harder with autosol/brasso

[MR2BOY23]

I know permatex makes a product a- 'headlight restoration kit' worked quite well on my previous ae101. Available from anywhere that sells permatex, supercheap auto or maybe repco. Goes for around $30 but worked wonders on mine

[Lurkin]

ah cheap answers! - will give it whirl tonight

Cheers!

[Leon]

I used Mothers headlight cleaner on the g/f's Starlet with cloudy plastic headlights. I suspect the bottle will last ten years with the rate I use it (once every six months or so). Seems to work pretty well.

[AceSniper]

I use any car polish thats laying around at the time... almost any polish cleans them up

[MasCam]

I used some meguiars plastx on mine and it works great. The other stuff probably works the same for less money but I know that one works

[Nu-Del]

If your having trouble getting a wof with them spray some crc over them just befor your wof and they will look perfect

[AceSniper]

or silicon spray

[Stott69]

silicon or crc are probaly not the best idea as its not cause they look cloudy that they fail but because the beams dont focus on the area the should when switch from high to low. had this problem with gf's old integra every wof, blew up before we got them fix for good

[strx7]

Mothers mag and alloy polish works for any we need to sell haha

[Lurkin]

I cannot believe the results!!!!! have used meguiars plastx goodness - cloudy no more! $20 odd as opposed to $350 for a new set!!!

thank you!!! Roy.

[Snaps]

You can also wetsand with increasing grit (1000 -> 2000 -> 3000) in up + down, then side to side patterns. Just tape off around the headlights to prevent damaging the paint. Then use Meguiars ScratchX (abrasive scratch remover) to make it nice and smooth, then use Meguiars Plastic Polish, comes out almost like new.

I use this method on my Supra headlights every 8-10 months and the lens come out clear, too bad the housings/background inside the headlight are too 'yellowed' (actually looks brown, supposed to be chrome)

You can even tape + paper off a large area around the headlight and then spray some UV resistant clear spraypaint (the paper is obviously to prevent the clear from getting onto the car).

[Lurkin]

hmmm like the sound of a more permenant end.. tempted to buy some spares on trademe so I can experiment with the current ones - still very very impressed with the results.. was abit afaid I would check them out this morning to find a dream was gone!

but no the lights were twinkling away as hoped for!

[Mr.Phreak]

The only permanent solution is to buy new ones

[Mr Revhead]

there is NO permanant solution.... new ones will do the same eventually...

just use brasso once a year or so, easy, cheap, and it works.

[Mr.Phreak]

Fair call, was really meaning permanent for him as I doubt he'll still have the car in another 10 or so years as if he does, the headlights will probably be the least of his worries

[Lurkin]

lol given the way its driven anyway

[flygt4]

+1 brasso.

worked a charm on my old ae101