It is a common occurrence on the road – gleaming cars with sleek bodies, washed and polished to a fault, sporting yellowed, cloudy headlights! You see dirty, unkempt, cloudy, scratched headlights on old cars and you see them on swanky new cars. It is surprising that people would go through the trouble of vacuuming their interiors and hand polishing their exteriors while leaving their car headlights looking positively ugly.
Unattractive headlights are a compelling eyesore because your headlights form the basic character of your car. These are what you first observe in a car. They are the eyes of the car and play a big role in maintaining the good looks of your car. Clear headlights are also a safety requirement. Cloudy headlights do not throw proper light on the road and could very well lead you into a ditch at night. So, it is important to take care of your car headlights regularly, for both aesthetic and pragmatic reasons.
The good news is that maintaining your car headlights in great condition is easy; and investing some time in it will keep you safe and happy.
Cracked headlights: If one or both headlights are cracked, replace them immediately. Any crack on the surface will allow moisture and dust to seep in, making the headlights cloudy while increasing the glare for oncoming drivers. If you need to wait for the weekend or a holiday to get the headlight replaced, seal the crack with resin until you replace.
Dirty headlights: Use headlight cleaners to wipe your headlights. Dirty, cloudy headlights can greatly affect your night vision. So, every time you wash your windshield, make it a point to clean your car headlights too.
Maintenance: Many drivers say that they just do not remember to check the condition of their headlights. This is wrong. Inspect your headlights annually to make sure that they are in good condition and are focused properly. Replace bulbs once every year to keep your headlights in good working condition. And it is important to replace both bulbs, even if you have a situation where only one is burned out.
Condensation: Sometimes headlights get cloudy due to retention of moisture. To remove condensation, remove the headlight and drill a small hole at the bottom. Drain out water and leave the headlight to dry. Seal the headlight and reinstall it.
Headlight lenses: Most recent vehicles have lenses made of polycarbonate. This makes it easy to maintain and repair them, if necessary. However, though polycarbonate is resilient and hardy, it also has a tendency to cloud and yellow after extensive UV exposure. Fortunately, there are a number of clarifying agents to help you remove this haze.
For those who are less inclined to purchase products to clean their headlights, there are headlight repair and maintenance kits. These kits have everything you need to keep your lenses clean.
Keeping your car headlights in good condition is not a difficult task. All it needs is consistency.