My Fit's headlights have an area along the inside edges of the lenses which are hazed from something, and I'm trying to figure out how to remove it or polish to get rid of it. I have used a commercial carwash before but I don't believe this is the problem. Have a look.

 

You can buy a headlight polishing kit with a buffing wheel that will take care of most prolems like that. Or, if you already have a buffing machine, you can try buffing with compound.

So fixing the immediate problem is easy but that problem may return if you dont spray them with clear coat. We routinely buff and spray with clear coat at the shop when we prep a vehicle and never have any of them ever go bad again.

 

I got the same on my '07 high mileage Fit, but since it's not in the "line of fire" of the light, I ain't worried about it.

 

I use the 3M headlight kit that is available at autozone for $20

Works great. Dont be gentle, you need some elbow grease to get everything nice and smooth. Kit has everything except for water and microfiber cloth to clean as you go.

 

Yep will work.

Best bet is to prevent it all together. Use a good quality wax or something like Klasse polish(what I use) on the lens. Safe on all painted surfaces and plastics. Creates a clear coat barrier and protects from UV which over time with mild natural pitting that will occur from hurtling through the air just from everyday driving will haze over if you don't protect on a regular basis, like waxing/polishing.

 

depending on how bad it is, id use 3000grit sand paper prior to doing a polish to speed up the process. i use paint polish i have and my random orbital. finish off with plastic polish (very fine).


i dont use carwashes and even my 10yr old car has no such hazing. i think it's the recycled water they use at those car washes on top of the harsh 'soft brush' and chemicals + sun that contributes to hazing.

 

Definitely needs attn before it gets any worse. It's not bad now, but I'm nitpicky and prefer to keep things in good shape. Will the 3M 39008 Headlight Lens Restoration System be OK for this? Watched their instruction video, seems straightforward. Only part I worry about is after polishing getting a good, longlasting UV clear coat applied ASAP. Are there better alternatives to the 3M kit, or will I be good with that?

 

What clear coat product do you use? Need to re-apply every few years?

 

The kit will work to repair, no question. As far as a long lasting UV clear coat, no such thing. Even a car's paint clear coat will fade over time if not waxed/polished on a regular basis. Being a high impact resistant plastic already, it's already "protected" just by the nature of it's material/construction for it's intended purpose.

Like I said in the previous post, a regular application of wax or polish will go a long way to slow down any hazing that will naturally occur over time. I swear by Klasse myself because one application removes the old buildup while applying a thin protective uv resistant coat.

 

Once I started treating the headlights on my '03 Acura TL I had to continue to treat fairly regularly. The coverings were never as good as new, but I didn't want to replace those [expensive] parts. I've been keeping an eye on my Fit's eyeballs and so far they are fine after five years of hard use.

Cheers.

 

Thanks everybody, I think I'll go for the 3M kit and finish with Klasse. I see what you're saying 'bout the clear coat, just have to maintain it with regular TLC. Dang those things are 'spensive, $219 EACH best price I saw. So $30-$40 or so to shine these up is a deal anywhere.

 

use those polymer based spray sealant when you dry your car. that should be plenty to reinforce your sealant year long.

 

 

Damn! That's awesome!

 

I used to be in the auto paint industry and the best way to restore headlight lenses is start with 1000 grit and work your way up to 2000 grit, then apply a few coats of quality clear coat! its a finish that will last years and most auto body shops will do it for you if you don't have the tools to do it yourself. I smoke tail lights using the same steps as above but I add some black toner to the clear and it works great.

 

The mechanical shop I run also has a body shop and I am not sure what clear they use but its not in a spray can. Its shot with a spray gun and is a professional grade clear.

It works very well. If you dont clear coat them then they usually dont last too long.

 

Tail lights smoked using clear coat and toner!

 

The smoked tail lights were a great choice and compliment the body color. I like it. Good job!

 

Had a problem with the 2007 Honda stock headlights. They developed small webbing on the inside of the lens. Attempted to do the lens restoration kit but it did not help because I realized the damage was on the inside not the outside. Since I had a 2007 found Night Hawk black housings on sale and finally did a modification I wanted to do when I first got the car. Those headlights should have been black in the beginning.