Headlight repair
Yellow, cloudy headlights are a worn-out surface, not a dirty one. We sand the damaged layer off, polish the lens clear, and seal it under a new clear coat so the haze and scratches don't come back.
- Professional results
- Reliable service
- Dealer & retail solutions
- Mobile service, we come to you
At a glance
$75+ headlight restoration
- Done at your driveway, workplace, or lot. The headlights stay on the car.
- Four sanding stages: 600, 1000, 1500, then 3000 grit.
- Machine buffed and polished back to a clear lens.
- Finished with a UV clear coat, not a wipe-on dressing.
- Moisture inside the lens or a cracked housing? We'll tell you it needs replacing instead.
Why headlights go cloudy, and why ours stay clear
The haze is a failed coating
Modern headlight lenses are polycarbonate plastic with a thin UV-protective hard coat from the factory. Years of sun, heat, road grit, and wash chemicals break that coat down. What's left turns yellow, goes cloudy, and pits.
We remove it instead of covering it
Polish alone, or a wipe from a parts-store kit, shines up the damaged layer for a few weeks. We sand all of it off, down to sound plastic, then work back up through finer grits until the lens is ready to polish.
Clear coat replaces what the factory put there
A freshly sanded and polished lens has no UV protection at all. Left bare, it yellows again fast. We finish with a UV-resistant clear coat that does the job the original hard coat did.
Four grits, each one erasing the last
| Stage | What it does |
|---|---|
| 600 grit | The cutting stage. Takes off the failed factory coating, the yellow oxidized layer, and light pitting. The lens comes out evenly frosted, which is how we know the damaged layer is gone. |
| 1000 grit | Removes the 600-grit scratches and starts leveling the surface. |
| 1500 grit | Refines the 1000-grit marks. The lens turns from frosted toward a smooth, even haze. |
| 3000 grit | The finishing sand. Leaves marks fine enough for the polisher to remove completely. |
| Buff and polish | Machine compound takes out the 3000-grit haze, then a finishing polish brings the lens to full clarity. |
| Clear coat | A UV-resistant clear coat goes over the bare, polished lens so the haze and scratches don't return. |
Every stage is wet sanded, and we change sanding direction between grits so the marks from the last stage are easy to see and fully removed before moving on. Skipping a grit is what leaves fine scratches that show up at night.
Headlight repair
- Inspection first: is the damage on the outside, where we can fix it?
- Lenses washed and degreased
- Paint, trim, and bumper around each lens masked off
- Wet sanding at 600, 1000, 1500, and 3000 grit
- Machine compound and finishing polish
- Polishing residue wiped off so the clear coat bonds to clean plastic
- UV-resistant clear coat applied
- Masking removed and surrounding paint wiped down
- Final check with the lights on
- Care instructions for the first days
Headlight repair pricing
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Headlight Restoration (increased clarity & safety) | $75+ |
"Plus" prices start at the number shown and move with lens size and condition. We confirm the price in person before we start.
What we can fix, and what needs a new headlight
| What you see | What's going on | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Light yellow tint or dull haze, lens feels smooth | The factory coating is starting to oxidize | Full repair. These come back the clearest. |
| Heavy yellowing, rough or flaking surface | The factory coating has failed | Full repair, with more time at 600 grit |
| Fine pitting, a sandblasted look | Road grit has chipped the lens surface | Sanded out as far as the lens allows. The deepest pits can leave faint marks. |
| Fog or water droplets on the inside | The housing seal has failed | Not fixable from the outside. Needs resealing or a replacement headlight. |
| Cracks, or a burned and dull reflector inside | Physical or heat damage | Replacement. We'll tell you before you spend anything. |
The headlight repair process
Inspect and mask
We check that the damage is on the outer surface, clean the lens, and tape off the paint and trim around it.
Sand
Wet sanding at 600, 1000, 1500, then 3000 grit. The first cut removes the damage; the rest remove the sanding marks.
Buff and polish
Machine compound, then a finishing polish, until the lens is clear from every angle.
Clear coat
The lens is wiped clean and sealed under a UV-resistant clear coat, then left to cure.
Questions about headlight repair
Will the haze come back?
Any restored lens will yellow again if it's left bare, usually within months, because sanding removes what was left of the factory UV coating. That's why we finish with a clear coat instead of a wax or wipe-on sealant. How long it lasts depends on sun exposure and how the car is washed.
Why not just polish them, or use a kit?
Polish only works on the surface it touches, and on a cloudy headlight that surface is the damaged layer. Most kits also skip the coarse sanding and end with a wipe that wears off. The lens looks better for a few weeks, then goes cloudy again.
Does it actually help me see at night?
Yes. A cloudy lens scatters and blocks the light before it reaches the road. AAA testing found badly deteriorated headlights can put out as little as about a fifth of the light of new ones, and that restoring them recovers most of it.
Do the headlights have to come off the car?
No. We mask the paint, trim, and bumper around each lens and do the work in place.
Can you fix moisture or fogging inside the headlight?
No. That's a failed seal on the housing, and the fogging is on the inside of the lens where sanding can't reach. We'll point it out during the inspection so you don't pay for a repair that won't fix it.
How soon can I wash the car?
Keep water and chemicals off the lenses for 24 hours so the clear coat cures. After that, normal hand washing is fine.