Old headlights often go blind. As a result, the road is less well illuminated and there is significantly more scattered light. It is often sufficient to clean the headlights regularly, but the question often arises as to whether old headlights can be refurbished. This desire is often reinforced by the fact that polishing car headlights seems to be significantly cheaper than replacing blind headlights with new parts. But how do you help yellowed headlights to shine again and how do you clear dull headlights again? The following article will answer these questions and a few more so that you can enjoy perfect vision again in the future.
Contents
How do headlights become blind?
Before we can deal with the repair of this damage pattern, we must first look at the causes. So there are various reasons that lead to the fact that you feel the desire to polish your matt headlights. First of all, the material has a significant impact on the aging processes to which the headlights are exposed. In the construction of these vehicle parts, glass is primarily used, but various plastics are also used. While glass has a particularly hard surface, it can break more easily. On the other hand, plastics lose their smooth surface structure more quickly because they often only have a thin, hardening coating. In addition, older plastics in particular have the problem that they can yellow. Today, however, almost all modern headlights are made of plastic. These have been the standard for new vehicles since the 1990s.
If you don't notice yourself that the luminosity or the road illumination of your car has deteriorated considerably, then this defect will come up at the latest at the next general inspection. The condition of the headlights is also checked as part of this technical check. They must not be yellowed, dull or significantly scratched. If such a defect is brought to light, you will be denied the sticker you want and you will have to take remedial action as soon as possible in order to be able to continue using your car on public roads.
Sealing headlights, grinding headlights and polishing headlights
If you ask the TÜV or take a closer look at the laws and regulations on road traffic, you quickly come to the conclusion that it is particularly forbidden to polish plastic headlights. But why actually? This is partly due to their structure. As already described, modern vehicle headlights are mainly made of plastics. Polycarbonates are primarily used here. These are then covered with a hardening protective layer in order to achieve sufficient strength. This prevents them from scratching too quickly and becoming blind. But the problem lies precisely in this structure. Once the frequent driving on dirty roads or gravel roads has caused scratching, this damage can no longer really be repaired in accordance with the law. If you start to polish the headlight glass, you will damage the protective paint, as it will become thinner or be completely removed. This, in turn, changes the headlight properties, which means that they are no longer street legal. Even worse, however, is that your vehicle is no longer allowed to drive on public roads. It is also forbidden to try to seal the headlights in any way. You should therefore save yourself the costs of polishing the headlights and invest directly in a suitable spare part.
Note: Polishing with toothpaste also has the same effect and also destroys the necessary protective varnish.
Headlights blind: What can I do?
A blind headlight is understood to mean components that have a weakened luminosity. Yellowing or scratches can be responsible for this, or the component has simply become matt. Only repairs in which the blind headlight is replaced are compliant with the law. There are spare parts, depending on the model, for a cost of 100 to 800 euros. You also have to factor in the cost of installation. However, you can possibly save yourself the latter if you lend a hand yourself. In many cases, the independent exchange is possible, but often requires some effort. Because various bodywork components often have to be dismantled, we strongly advise you to organize competent support. However, there are a few points to consider when changing headlights on your own responsibility:
First of all, you should realize that in almost all cases the replacement headlight does not include a new bulb. That also makes sense, because almost always only one headlight is renewed and the two bulbs should match each other as far as possible. This applies in particular to their luminosity, the brand but also their operating hours. For this reason, we also advise you to always replace both lamps that belong together if there is a defect. However, if the old bulb is still intact, you can continue to use it in the new replacement headlight without any problems. Occupational health and safety should also be an important part of the work. When installing or removing these components, it can happen that they break or splinter. Therefore, you should always protect yourself adequately so that no serious injuries occur. You can usually find suitable step-by-step instructions for your vehicle model in the relevant literature and on the Internet.
Conclusion
Headlights are one of the most important, safety-relevant components of your vehicle. Not only do you ensure you always have a good view of the road and other road users, you also ensure that you are seen. For this reason, these vehicle parts are also at the top of the list of components and systems to be checked during the main inspection. Contrary to what most motorists believe, you should refrain from any modification of headlights. For example, it is forbidden to polish the headlights, as this can change their light properties significantly. If your headlights are no longer usable, you should have them replaced with new components as soon as possible.
A tip from CarTipsandmore: Better be careful and make sure that your headlights don't go blind in the first place. To do this, you should regularly remove at least coarse dirt from them. This works well, for example, by rinsing with a little warm water. You should avoid rubbing, as this can cause scratches in the coating or in the polycarbot. The plastic can later be easily wiped off with a fine microfiber cloth and a suitable vehicle shampoo. Cola, toothpaste, baking soda, car polish, headlight cleaner etc. should not be used, as these accelerate scratching.