I have some sort of buildup on the inside of my headlights...how do I clean the inside of the plastic?

 

I'm assuming you have a 5.5 Gen (2002/2003) since I haven't heard of the problem on other gens and you don't say in your profile what year you drive.

Our headlights are sealed and it's actually very involved and difficult to get in there. check this thread by Studman for how to open them up.

As for the cleaning, make sure you are using the right materials or you will permanently scratch the plexiglass:
paper towels, shop rag, terry cloth, windex, etc. = BAD
quality microfiber, Plexus plastic cleaner/polish = GOOD

Key word here is quality microfiber, they are not all created equal. Don't use microfiber that you picked up from walmart or target, those are usual of sub-standard quality and are typically just as bad as paper towels. You can order Plexus and good microfiber from any of these online retailers:
http://autopia-carcare.com
http://www.properautocare.com
http://autogeek.net


P.S. I haven't tried cleaning the inside of the housing myself and according to some things I've read, the haze is actually on the outside even though it looks like it's coming from the inside. Bottom line, don't blame me if you end up going through all this effort and the haze is still there when your done. Good luck.

 

yeah i have an '02 with hid's...have you been able to get that haze off?? if so, how?

 

Try the detailing forum.

 

No, i haven't been able to remove the haze. I tried using 3M Plastic Cleaner followed by 3M Plastic Polish on the outside which is what Nissan recommends in one of their Technical Service Bulletins, but it hasn't gotten ride of the haze.

I'm with you and think it's on the inside of the lens, but others seem to disagree. I haven't tried opening up my headlight housing to clean it though...yet. As soon as I get the time, money, and patience to duplicate Studman's project, I'll open them up and clean the inside. Until then though, your on your own.