How to Fix Cloudy Plastic Car Headlights

Cloudy plastic headlight lenses are the result of moisture building up on the inside of the headlight housing and drying out in the sun. At first, the dried moisture leaves water spots. Over time, the lens begins to turn white and then yellowish in color. Normally, this occurs on the backside of the headlight lens. To fix this, you can purchase replacement headlight housings for your vehicle. However, that can be expensive. An alternative is to clean the inside of the lens with lens polish. This will restore the lens and remove the cloudiness that is so common with older vehicles.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver (flat-bladed)
• Orbital buffer
• Lens polish
• Lint-free towel

Instructions

1. Wedge the flat-bladed screwdriver underneath the retaining clip on your headlight lens.

2. Pry the headlight clip off and pull the headlight lens off of the front of the headlight.

3. Apply a liberal amount of lens cleaner to the inside of the headlight lens.

4. Kneel down on the ground, hold the headlight lens between your knees and buff the headlight lens until the cloudiness disappears. The polish will eventually turn clear along with your headlight lens. If the outside of the lens is also dirty, repeat this procedure on the outside of the lens.

5. Wipe the lens down with a lint-free towel and reinstall the lens.

Tips & Warnings

• The process of removing the lens varies from vehicle to vehicle. The process for your vehicle may be different than the one described here.

References

• "Auto Repair For Dummies; Deanna Sclar", IDG Books Worldwide; 1999
• "How To Repair Your Car: Car-Care Tips, Simple Repairs, Driving & Maintenance Tips, and more..."; Paul Brand, Motorbooks International; 2006