Haze on headlights

[Outerspace]

Looking for some advice on headlights. My 8 year old Avensis has some haze forming on the top edges of the headlights. Google search suggests many diy methods for removing the haze, toothpaste, baking soda, vinegar, Wd40,  expensive refurb kits etc.

Toothpaste seems the cheapest solution, especially as its just the top edges. Anyone been there, done it etc ? Welcome any help. Thank you.

[RUToyota]

Some have found a degree of success with toothpaste...but any rubbing compound should make an improvement.

I've use Farecla G3 in the past with good results..I always have it "in stock" as it were.

[Vaughanth]

Halfords do their own equivalent of g3 for about £4 a tube. Will need a lot of work without a buffer but not impossible. You'll use about 1/10th of a tube but it's handy stuff, like t cut on serious steroids!!! 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Moved to the Avensis club.

[Gerg]

I have had the same problem on a Mazda MX5, and used toothpaste with reasonable success.

However, the haze comes back faster the next time around, this will be almost irrespective of what you've polished them with - the polished plastic (it's polycarbonate, I believe) needs some UV protection putting on them to slow its reappearance.  I think some available kits include this UV protection product.  I'm not certain they all do, I've never bought one.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

I notice that the car's previous owner has had a poorly-masked bumper respray done to repair some minor damage, and that some lacquer has been sprayed onto the edge of the plastic headlamp lens; this edge has not suffered any hazing at all, despite the unlacquered lens immediately next to it obviously fading.  So lacquering the (previously polished) whole headlamp might be a longer term solution?

[bonjo]

I would buy the proper kit to do it which I believe includes the final coating for UV protection as Gerg referred to.

And the fading would come back as it did in the first place. I wish they would re-introduce glass lenses🙁

[mrfixer]

The yellowing is due to deterioration of the plastic through UV breakdown. This is because the original factory UV protection has worn off.

You need to clean off the yellowed plastic and reapply UV protection. Amazon sell restoration kits, e.g. the 'Visbella Headlight Restoration Kit' which contains all you need. It includes some 1K acrylic lacquer which you apply using a small sponge after cleaning up the lens. This will protect the lens for around a year - then you'll need to apply again. A professional bodyshop would apply 2K (two-pack) lacquer which would protect for several years.

In the long term the lenses will develop tiny cracks/crazing which scatters the light.  At this point the only solution is new headlights. If you don't want to buy original Toyota (v. expensive!) then TYC are a Taiwanese company which makes decent quality aftermarket copies at a reasonable price.  TYC Europe catalogue is here....

https://www.tyceuropeonline.com/catalogue/automotive-lamps/toyota/kat-11176/

[Robert81]

Hi,
I personally us K2 lamp doctor and I am happy with the results. It is fairly cheap too.

Once polished, ideally seal the lamp so they last longer but you will need to do this regularly.

Hope this helps,  

[Penfold]

I get this on my 06 T25. I find if I polish it back every 6 months the headlamps stray bright.   I use 2 commonly available and relatively cheap products. 

First pass using Solvol Autosol chrome polish if they're heavily tarnished.  (gold and black tube)

Second pass and regualry 6 month polish thereafter with PEEK polish. (chrome silver box with blue lettering)

I have recently restored a pair of 04 Yaris headlamps from  a very sad MoT fail condition to shiny new. 

Using toothpaste will work but it has to be old fashion paste with chalk in it to act as the abrasive.  Gel types will just make them smell nice.    This trick is also used by scale modellers to remove glue hazing from clear plastic (yep - guilty as charged).  Anecdotally, the RAF used to polish perspex aircraft canopies with Brasso to do get the bug scratches out. so you could try that as well.

[FROSTYBALLS]

Or Silvo which is less harsh than Brasso - both usually available at Poundland

[Konrad C]

I wiped my headlights using oiled cloth, after changing the engine today. It took off the haze, but there is a oily film on the lens. I will be trying some of the suggested methods later.