Foggy car headlights are not good news. This is a safety issue, as they reduce our vision during night driving, which can lead to accidents. Additionally, they also affect the aesthetics of your vehicle and decrease its value. Well, there’s no need to worry. There are several ways to show you how to restore headlights permanently, and they are so simple that even an amateur can handle them!
Signs of Car Headlight Failure
Car headlights are known to be one of the most indispensable lighting components in cars. Moreover, the automotive lighting system is designed with a variety of tools not only to illuminate the lack of light at night, but car headlights also have the task of alerting the vehicle when it engages in transport. So, before moving on to How to restore headlights permanently, we will first discuss the signs of car headlight failure.
So, we will show here some signs of car headlight failure that you need to know for any type of situation.
- When flashing headlights appear: the possibility of multiple headlights or flashing due to contact shutters and lighting switches is likely. Thus, the possibility of short-circuiting the inside of the phase, core, or wiring to the battery.
- Incandescent light: The reflector with diffuse capacity or the bulb stuck in this case must be cleaned to ensure optimal lighting.
- The headlight is not on: The lamp is not bright enough for the generator to climb too fast or run too long. Or perhaps the battery voltage regulator is discharged.
- A light does not appear: If the lamp is not lit, a headlight may be burned out and needs to be replaced.
Temporary Fixes When Restoring Headlights
Who doesn’t know the toothpaste solution? Let’s go! A Google search will bring up dozens of pages suggesting cleaning your headlights with a mixture of baking soda and toothpaste. It’s a simple and inexpensive solution that works but won’t last more than a few months, or even less.
Another solution is to mix baking soda in distilled white vinegar and rub this concoction on the headlights. This will also properly clean the lights but won’t last more than a few months. For more details, you can refer to the temporary methods below:
- Cleaning: Over time, headlights can become hazy or yellowed due to oxidation. Cleaning them thoroughly can improve their appearance. You can try using a headlight restoration kit, which often includes abrasive compounds and polishing pads designed to remove haze. Follow the instructions provided with the kit for best results.
- Toothpaste: Surprisingly, toothpaste can be used as a temporary abrasive to clean headlights. Apply a small amount of toothpaste to a soft cloth or sponge and rub it in a circular motion on the headlight lens. Rinse with water and repeat if necessary. This method can help remove some of the haze and temporarily improve clarity.
How to Restore Headlights Permanently?
This DIY project won’t take more than a day. It’s super simple, inexpensive, and will likely last for a few years! You won’t need to remove the lights (although you can if you wish) or perform complicated work.
Tools You Need to Restore Headlights
- A can of UV-resistant clear coat
- Rubbing alcohol
- A water spray bottle
- Sandpaper
- Tape
- Trash bags or plastic sheets
- Scissors
How to Restore Headlights
This simple DIY project will help you make your headlights clean permanently.
- Tape around the headlights so as not to accidentally scratch the body paint. Now, start sanding but spray water on the surface to lubricate it. Start with 600-grit sandpaper, but 400-grit would be ideal if the lights are too dirty.
- Sand in a circular motion and keep spraying water with the other hand. After that, use the sandpaper horizontally. If you started with 400-grit, repeat this process with 600-grit sandpaper.
This video will explain the entire process in detail.
- When you’re done, rinse the surface with water and then dry it with a paper towel to remove the sanded plastic components. Your next step is to rub the headlights with a piece of ultra-fine 2000-grit sandpaper. Wash the lights again after sanding and use a paper towel to dry and clean them.
- Now, pour some rubbing alcohol on the paper towel and rub it on the light. This is the final cleaning step that will remove any oil residue (which may have been transferred from your hands or other sources).
- Now it’s time to apply the clear coat. However, don’t forget to cover the hood, bumper, and fenders with a plastic sheet or trash bag before spraying the solution. You need to apply three to four coats with a five-minute interval between each application.
- Let the UV coat sit for a day before removing the plastic sheets and adhesive tapes. You can leave it as is or wet sand it or use ultra-fine 3000-grit sandpaper. The process will be similar to the second step mentioned above.
- Finally, you may want to apply wax to the lights. Scrape a bit of car wax onto a microfiber towel and rub it onto the surface. You should choose the best RV wax for fiberglass for better efficiency. After that, use another dry, clean towel to wipe it off well.
Using Headlight Experiences
So, after showing the specific way How to restore headlights permanently, the following experiences on using headlights will help you ensure safety while driving.
1. For vehicles that do not have a headlight switch, when traveling during the day, you should switch to parking light mode or switch to fog light mode so that the battery can be charged better.
2. On the highway, if there is a high divider beyond the range of the car’s headlights, use high beams for better visibility. The divider prevents light from traveling between the two sides, so you won’t have any issues with the headlights.
3. On highways with low dividers, or with only solid lines or dashed lines, use low beams to move, avoiding glare for vehicles coming in the opposite direction. If the road is open, turn on the high beams to see, but when the car lights are going in the opposite direction, switch to low beam mode within a radius of 150 meters.
4. Do not use high beams when driving the car, because if the opposing vehicle forgets to turn off the high beams, both vehicles at the same time will prevent both drivers from seeing the road and the two cars will collide. If you want to pass the car, do not tailgate with high beams, so maintain a safe distance and flash the lights to signal.
5. When entering the road or needing to overtake or remind other vehicles to lower their high beams, the headlights should be used in the flashing type. In cars, headlights sometimes work better than honking, as moving cars are usually closed and it’s hard to hear the horn sound. Whereas a few flashes appear in the rearview mirror, the driver easily recognizes the car following them.
Final word, congratulations! You have completed the project How to restore headlights permanently. Enjoy the crystal-clear lights with bright lighting.