Is Headlight Restoration Worth It?

If your headlights have become yellow, cloudy or hazy, you might be wondering whether restoring them is actually worth the effort or if you should just replace them.

In many cases, headlight restoration is absolutely worth considering.

I've restored headlights professionally for years, and one of the biggest misconceptions I see is that a cloudy headlight automatically means the entire headlight assembly is bad. Many times, the problem you're looking at is deterioration on the exterior surface of the lens. You wouldn't replace a fender simply because it got bird poop on it right? 

If that's the case, restoration can give you another option before replacing the entire assembly.

However, restoration isn't the answer for every headlight. The important part is understanding what is actually wrong with yours.

Why Do Headlights Become Cloudy and Yellow?

Most modern headlights use polycarbonate lenses with a protective UV coating on the exterior.

Over time, that exterior surface can deteriorate. Eventually, you may start noticing yellowing, cloudiness, peeling or an uneven appearance across the lens.

This is what many people refer to as headlight oxidation, when in reality there are different types of issues your headlight may be experiencing.

It can happen gradually enough that you don't really notice how bad the headlights have gotten. You see your vehicle every day, so the change isn't always obvious until you compare the headlights to a newer vehicle or see a before and after restoration.

The good news is that if the deterioration is on the exterior surface, the headlight may be a candidate for restoration.

What Does Headlight Restoration Actually Do?

Proper headlight restoration is more than simply cleaning the lens.

If the exterior coating has deteriorated, washing the headlight isn't going to remove the damaged material. The surface needs to be properly refinished.

With the NextGen process, I wet sand the exterior of the lens to remove the deteriorated material and create a consistent surface.

For a typical restoration, 600 grit is used for the final preparation. Some headlights have particularly difficult factory coatings, and may require starting with 400 grit or, when necessary, 320 grit before progressing to 400 grit.

Once the lens has been properly prepared and cleaned, NextGen Headlight Clear Coat is applied to the lens.

This is also why I'm hesitant when I hear someone say they "cleaned" their headlights and the haze came back. Cleaning and restoring are two different things.

When Is Headlight Restoration Worth It?

The first thing I look at is where the deterioration is located.

If I'm looking at a headlight with exterior yellowing, oxidation or deterioration that can be addressed by refinishing the exterior surface, restoration is usually worth considering before replacement.

You don't necessarily need a new headlight assembly simply because the lens doesn't look new anymore.

This is especially true when the headlight itself is otherwise functioning properly.

The key is determining whether you're dealing with a surface problem that can actually be corrected.

When Is Headlight Restoration Not Worth It?

There are also situations where I would not tell someone that restoration is going to solve their problem.

For example, exterior sanding isn't going to repair:

• A cracked headlight lens
• A broken headlight assembly
• Moisture or condensation originating inside the assembly
• Significant deterioration on the inside of the lens
• Electrical or lighting problems
• Physical damage that requires replacement

That's an important distinction.

If the problem is inside the assembly, I can sand the outside all day and it isn't going to fix what's happening internally.

Before restoring a headlight, inspect it closely. Look at it from several angles and try to determine whether the haze or deterioration you're seeing is actually on the exterior.

Restoration vs Headlight Replacement

This is where restoration can make a lot of sense.

A cloudy lens doesn't automatically mean the entire assembly needs to be thrown away.

Think about what a complete headlight assembly contains. Depending on the vehicle, you're replacing far more than the deteriorated exterior surface you're looking at.

If the assembly is damaged, replacement may be the correct solution.

But if the assembly is functioning properly and the primary issue is exterior lens deterioration, I would consider restoration before replacing it.

I don't believe in restoring something simply because it can technically be sanded. The condition of the complete headlight matters. The last thing I want is to waste time and money restoring a headlight when in reality, it needs to be replaced.

What About DIY Headlight Restoration Kits?

DIY restoration can absolutely be an option, but it's important to understand what the particular system is asking you to do.

This is an area where people get confused because headlight restoration instructions can look completely different from one product to another.

You might find one process telling you to sand through several increasingly fine grits and polish the lens. Another might use a wipe on product. Another might involve applying a protective coating afterward.

Don't combine steps from several different restoration methods.

With NextGen Headlight Clear Coat, the process is specifically designed around preparing the lens to 600 grit before applying the coating. Polishing isn't required as part of our process.

Following the instructions for the system you're actually using is more important than trying to create your own process from several different YouTube videos.

Does a Headlight Have to Be Extremely Yellow Before You Restore It?

No.

You don't have to wait until you can barely see through the lens before considering restoration.

Headlight deterioration can appear as yellowing, cloudiness, peeling or an inconsistent surface. Some headlights can look considerably worse than others.

I've pulled up to a customer locations to restore their headlights that didn't look terrible from a distance but became much more obvious that needed attention once I got closer to them.

How bad a headlight looks also doesn't always tell me how difficult it's going to be to restore.

Some moderately oxidized headlights have stubborn factory coatings that require considerably more sanding than headlights that initially look worse.

That's why I evaluate the actual surface rather than judging the entire restoration based on how yellow the headlight appears. The end goal is to ensure maximum amount of light is projection out of the assembly as possible, and even things like deteriorating clear coat can have an affect on it.

Is It Worth Restoring Headlights Yourself?

If the problem is exterior deterioration and you're comfortable following the restoration process carefully, DIY restoration can be a practical option. You can also look into hiring a headlight restoration service that can come restore your headlights at your location

The biggest thing I would tell someone doing this for the first time is not to rush the preparation.

Applying a coating isn't going to compensate for a lens that wasn't properly prepared.

When sanding, I want to see a consistent surface across the entire lens. I pay particular attention to areas where the old coating remains and to edges and corners that are easy to miss.

I also don't sand for a predetermined number of minutes.

I've restored headlights where the factory coating comes off relatively easily and others where it takes considerably more work. The condition of the lens tells me when I'm finished, not a timer.

What If My Headlights Still Look Hazy After Sanding?

This scares a lot of people the first time they restore headlights.

A sanded headlight isn't necessarily supposed to look clear.

With the NextGen process, you're preparing the surface to 600 grit before applying the clear coat. At that stage, the sanded lens will have a hazy appearance.

That doesn't mean the restoration failed.

One mistake I see people make is assuming they need to keep progressing to finer and finer sandpaper because the lens isn't transparent after sanding.

Again, this comes back to following the restoration system you're using.

For the NextGen process, the final sanding preparation is 600 grit.

So, Is Headlight Restoration Actually Worth It?

If you're dealing with exterior deterioration and the rest of the headlight assembly is in good condition, headlight restoration is absolutely worth considering before replacement.

But restoration should be treated as refinishing the lens, not simply making a yellow headlight look shiny again.

Proper preparation matters.

You need to identify what you're actually trying to correct, completely address the deteriorated exterior surface and follow the application process for the system you're using.

And sometimes the right answer really is replacement.

If the lens is cracked, the assembly is damaged or the problem you're trying to correct is internal, sanding the exterior isn't going to solve it.

After years of working on headlights, that's the distinction I think matters most. Don't replace an otherwise good headlight simply because the exterior lens has deteriorated, but don't expect restoration to repair problems it wasn't designed to fix either.

I hope this helps you take a closer look at your headlights and decide whether restoration makes sense for your situation!