Hello, is there a way to get the headlight covers clear again? My 2010 RX350 with less than 110k miles is solid, except for the headlight covers that are "foggy". No cendensation inside.

Is it worth getting new headlights or is there a way to change out the covers?
What would new headlights cost?

 

You need to polish your plastic headlamp lenses. There are kits specifically made for this that you can order online or purchase at any auto parts store, but I have always had great success using SoftScrub Bathroom Cleanser with Bleach. A damp rag and a lot of elbow grease does the job. I do this two or three times per year and the plastic headlamp lenses on my wife's 2015 RX350 and my 2013 Outback 3.6R stay clear.

 

Thank you for this. I purchased a cleaning kit two years ago, and it immediately looked great! It only lasted one month. I will try your suggestion.

 

The root cause is that the clear coat on the plastic shell gets worn out and surface imperfections starts to develop.

If you just wet the surface and the appearance returns to normal then reach out for a lens restorer kit. Cerakote Ceramic has good reviews.

The important part is to apply a clear coat at the end of cleaning and preparing. Without the clear coat the oxidation will return sooner.

Salim
PS: Personally I would start with least aggressive scrubbing, but it all depends on how bad the lens is.

 

You can also after restoration, spray them with a UV Protectant spray such as Mequiar's Keep Clear headlight coating, which I have used on a few cars after restoring headlights. It provides a year or so of UV protection and is easy to reapply.
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I will also recommend the Cerakote product.

 

I'm a big believer in electricity, and have been using an cheap random orbital polisher, with a lambswool bonnet (all from "Harbor Fright") to polish ugly headlights. I use a polishing compound, but most any compound/polish should work from cleanser, to toothpaste, etc. You do need to tape off the paint around the headlights to stop potential paint damage. Keeps the headlights looking good for around a 7-8 months, by end of 12 months, time to do it again.
I've read that using a 2-part professional clear_coat spray, over the cleaned headlights will give you 3-4-5 years of clarity, but no personal experience.

 

I've had great success with Sylvania's headlight restoration kit. Less than $20 I believe and works well. I do all our cars lights about once a year.

 

I've used this as well for my vehicles and it came out great. I didn't wet sand, but used polish because my lights weren't horrible. It's been a few years since I applied. also used on my 4runner which is for the most part always outside in all seasons and in the sun and the lights still look brand new. If you take your time and be patient it should come out well. I used this on my rx as well and the lights look brand new, but that vehicle is garage kept and rarely driven

 

I use a plastic polish about every 2 months. It's the clear uv coat that turns yellow after a few years that has to be removed.