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Lexus transitioned from glass to plastic headlamp assemblies in 1998 for the LS400.
Plastic headlamps lenses oxidize over time with resulting yellow haze that not only looks terrible, but is unsafe in that it can, depending on severity, significantly reduce headlamp output.
While Lexus fares better than most, after 17 years it was time to restore the lenses.
Of course new replacement lenses are an option, but $$$.
There are numerous headlamp restoration kits out there that do not offer a durable restoration...they just polish the plastic but do not prep the surface in appropriate steps nor do they offer a UV coating.
Wjat jappems os oxidation returns in as little as a few months, oftentimes worse.
After reviewing and comparing contents of countless products, I determined that most would not durably correct the oxidation but for a few months.
I finally came across Sylvania's headlamp restoration kit.
Sylvania offers what appeared to be an engineered solution.
The one challenge faced with using the Sylvania kit was finding a store that carried it...everyone was attempting to sell me what they had in stock. Finally had to contact the Sales Manager of the division whose assistant found local inventory.
The before pictures of lens. Oxidation is beginning after 17 years...much better than 5 or 10 year old lenses on other brands.
The Sylvania Headlight Restoration Kit.
Contents of Sylvania's very complete kit; Surface activator, qualitty medium, fine and ultra-fine wet sandpapeaper claifying compound and UV coat.
This is the yellow oxidation wiped off the lense.<br/>A water spray bottle will make the project go much faster. The instructions ate fairly straightforward and easy to follow<br/>
The after picture...This was taken a few days after UV coating cured and had driven it through a few bugs.They look like new.
Last edited by YODAONE; Jul 16, 2016 at 05:19 PM.
Reason: misspelled words
I used that kit couple years ago, lasts a lot longer than the kits without clear, my 99LS headlights still look good, no yellowing, not like just after the polishing though - road debris, new pitting, etc. I used a high speed buffer (13000 rpm) with a small foam pad and an "extra cut " polishing compound from 3M, cuts your labor threefold and delivered professional results!
I recommend this product, you can buy it on eBay cheap, you can also buy just the clear if you don't need sand paper and the rest of the stuff
It's that clear coat step 3 that most kits are missing. Even rubbing compound will take the yellow off, but what can you put on to keep it from coming back?
Must be the UV coating that is not in most lens cleaning kits.
thanks for the update. it may be worth a shot for someone else but what I recently did was use purple power degreaser (strong stuff, don't get it on paint) to clean my girlfriend's headlights on her IS250. it completely took out the haze without sanding whatsoever. only time will tell but it's been 2 months, rain and all, and it still looks decent. not bad for a $3 bottle of purple power, and barely any elbow grease.
as a background, I've done sand and buff jobs on headlights before, and yes they always come back if you don't add a clear coat as shown. good work here!
thanks for the update. it may be worth a shot for someone else but what I recently did was use purple power degreaser (strong stuff, don't get it on paint) to clean my girlfriend's headlights on her IS250. it completely took out the haze without sanding whatsoever. only time will tell but it's been 2 months, rain and all, and it still looks decent. not bad for a $3 bottle of purple power, and barely any elbow grease.
as a background, I've done sand and buff jobs on headlights before, and yes they always come back if you don't add a clear coat as shown. good work here!
I don't want to discourage anyone with ideas but when I read things like this I ask myself why I bother going through the time, trouble and expense of presenting enigineeted solutions.
There is scarcely anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse, and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey.John Ruskin,
I was using the Meguiar's headlight restore kit (that also includes a UV coating) every 6-9 months on my 99LS for almost 3 years before finally doing it one last time, but right when I was done I applied a clear protective film over each headlight. Over a year has passed of daily driving it and they look like the day 1 result. It takes a little extra effort to get the film on without any bubbles or folds and I anticipated this, so I ordered enough film for 5-6 attempts.
If I were to do it again (however I don't believe I will have to) I'd do the Sylvania kit that YODAONE has shown us here, but still add that film for a final protective layer. It seems to really help. I got 5 or 6 square feet on Amazon for about $20 shipped. Pretty sure it was 3M.
Thanks again YODAONE. Your informative and thorough posts are much appreciated.
Headlamp restoration
