Fix Your Yellowed Headlights

This post assumes that you have a car with headlights that have yellowed from age. Many people think that headlights yellow because they get wet from inside and the yellow is a discoloration caused by the water that dries on the lenses. While water getting into your headlights can cause its own problems (reducing light output by diffusing the light, for example), these problems are not the yellowing that you may see. This yellowing is a reaction to UV rays that the plastic lense covering the lights has. When certain types of clear plastic are exposed to UV rays for extensive periods of time, they can yellow. This is why garage parked cars will show less yellowing and also cars of people who live up north will show less than those who live in the south.

Fixing this is easy! All you have to do is buy a kit to repair it. These kits are sold in several places on the internet, and range in both quality and price. Remember that more expensive doesn't mean better. The kit will usually have a buffing pad that fits on an electric drill, some compound that strips the top layer of the plastic off, and a protective coat to reduce future damage by making your lenses UV proof. A more expensive option, for people who want their cars to look perfect, is to buy new headlights. I bought a new one after an accident (save money, do your own auto repairs) and it worked perfectly! Depending on your car, the lights may cost anywhere from $40 to $400 or more per side. Mine are $125 per side, so I bought the kit for $25 and cleaned them up.

There is an important safety concern as your headlights yellow. This yellowing reduces light output and causes reduced visibility. You should definately consdier repairing your lenses if they are yellowing.