My headlights seem to be getting a film or haze on the inside of the housing. It's more on the one side then the other.Anyone got any ideas....maybe the seal might be shot?? AM I alone


http://images.cardomain.com/installs...355_6_full.jpg

 

Oh yes the self fogging head lamp, Mine has been doing it since forever. I just can't get enough willpower to find out how to fix it, IMHO.
Soylent green is made out of people!,
Jeff Catt

 

No, you're not alone... I got the same issue. Haven't tried anything yet.

 

alot of us have that.

 

yeop i'm with ya on that one too.

 

yup, i have it too... its a haze that builds up on the plastic... i had it on the outside too. I used some plastic cleaner/polish for the outside and it made it crystal clear. but the inside is still hazy when the lights are on...

Adam

 

I've been noticing the same thing with mine. Any way to clean the inside of the plastic?

Tony

 

You know what I think this hazyness might be? It might be caused from the heat of the lights. As the light heats up the plastic in the headlight unit, the polymers from the plastic leach out and collect onto the clear portion of the headlamp. For those of you without dash covers and leave your car exposed to the hot sun, you will notice a film collecting on your windshield. This film is the polymers from the dash being released into the air and collecting on the windshield. Glass cleaner usually removes this haze from the windshield, although, I'm not sure how one would try to clean the headlamps. I also have this haze, but as of now, there's not a whole lot we can do about it.

 

as Maximum Velocity said, it is caused by heat. a guy at autozone once told me to put vinegar and crushed ice and then slush it around for a little bit and then keep risining it out for a few minutes, he said i'll get that film out.

 

sounds a bit scary, wouldn't it leave any hard water stains??? btw.. welcome to max.org

 

I have seen this on other makes equipted w/HID's. May somthing to do with the frequency of the light emmited from HID's?

 

do you think the dealer will replace the headlights? I was going to ***** about it and see what happens. but, if its the heat like some of you guys think, its just going to come back... <sigh>

 

You're not alone...I have this too. I've heard about the plastic polish to remove it too but haven't had the chance to get any. Anyone try regular polish and see if that works?

 

I tried the Meguiars plastic polish and it did make it crystal clear on the outside. But after a couple of days it just comes back.

 

Blue Magic Plastic Polish on the outside. Once a week. They look brand new.

 

Sounds like there isn't a long-term/permanent fix on this hazy headlight problem. I guess I just have to include the headlights when I'm waxing the car.

 

Maybe polishing/cleaning it then covering it with 3M's clear bra perhaps?

 

[I]

the problem is on the INSIDE of the lights (for me it's mainly the blinkers on both headlights). i thought it was just me, but now... aaarggh!. someone please post a solution to this dollar question.

kafene.

 

Eagle-One Plastic Cleaner&Polish works pretty good to me.

 

Now there's an idea! ...but how does the clear bra hold up?

 

Thanks for all the input guys,I think it may be one of those things I live with for now . If it gets any worse I will be making a trip to the dealer to see what they have to say(it's always good to get an opinion from someone who doesn't know anything about cars)I think if I wrote down all the stupid lines I have heard at dealerships over the years I could have a pretty good comedy routine and make some money. But I guess it would only be funny to people know about cars.....anyway (guess I wouldn't get any bookings at dealer conventions)

P.S for those who say clean/polish/cover up it's on the inside of the lens...the outsides good...and I think I will hold off on the coffee pot cleaning idea(ice + vinegar) I just don't like the sound of it

 

it's the INSIDE. thanks for all u people w/ great OUTSIDE light tips, but again, it's the INSIDE.

kafene.

 

Well I just got my Max, I'll have to keep checking to see if/when this haze starts developing inside. Seems to me like it should be covered under warranty, being a faulty design somehow. Either the HID lights themselves or not a tight seal, etc...?

 

ditto...... i also used it on the guage cluster and faceplate on my stereo...

good stuff

 

Well, I can't imagine that it's the HID lights doing this, because some of us don't have HIDs, myself included.

Tony

 

i think it's a problem with alot of headlights... mine sorta have a haze... sorta... but i just always thought it might be the light itself refracting through the lens itself...
from what i understand tho, it's kinda hard to take off the max's lenses? good luck, and keep everyone posted! i'd like to know too...

 

I had a 2000 Max without the HIDs and it began to get a haze on the interior of the headlight lens as well, so it's probably not a phenomenon exclusive to the HIDs, and probably has more to do with the sunlight/polymer theory.

By the way, here's a picture of my old 2000 Max, sitting at the dealership, awaiting its next owner:



It was a Mahogany Pearl SE with blond cloth. Nice car, but not as nice as my 2002 SE!

 

I have this as well on the inside. The outside gets treated with Plexus.

 

I have never used anything but good old Mothers Cleaner Wax and it comes right off. I passed by a max the other day and the lights were so yellowed out that it makes the car look terrible.

 

3M will not fix the problem because it needs to go on a completely clean surface. If there is wax (or polish) on the surface the clear bra won't stick.

 

Well, you could always just clean it with soap/water and apply the clear bra. Either way the haze won't be forming on the outside of the lens as it's already covered up.

 

You might have a point. When the hazy area is wet, you cannot see it. I assume that when you apply the solution for the pieces to stick the hazy will be gone and once the pieces are applied haze should not come back. I am going to purchase the headlight pieces and install them myself and report what happens. I would rather have hazy headlights than clear headlights with scratches and cracks.

 

You can polish the pis$ out of your headlight lens and its not going to cause it to turn color with UV light. The haze you see on the inside is nearly more than a condensation from the humidity in the air. When you run your headlights/HID and turn them off the air cools quicker than the lens-and the humidity sticks to it. The hazy stuff on the outside is probably a combo of pollen and dust.

Sometimes the obvious is over looked because its too easy.

 

I have the 3M clear bra on my headlights and have noticed no fogging whatsoever. I just went to check on them. There isn't any on the inside, nor the outside. I've had the clear bra on there since I purchased the car almost 2 years ago. So it definitely works for the outside. I don't know about the inside though?