Headlight + Brake Kleen Nightmare!

[97 Supra]

When I purchased my supra I noticed the headlights were damaged and I knew exactly why.

You have probably all heard the "miracle" (Stupid) lens cleaning idea to spray Brake Kleen on a rag and wipe down oxidized headlights I'm sure.

Of course the brilliant technician who prepped my car before delivery thought he would put this to the test, and severely damaged the headlights.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/95_5speed/morons.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/95_5speed/morons1.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/95_5speed/morons2.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b30/95_5speed/morons3.jpg

Well, there is why you DON'T EVER do that.

There are rag fibers melted into the headlight lenses and the smudges as you can see from some of the photos are so bad - light is scattered (look at the reflection of the sun in the last picture) causing hindered night time visibility along with high blood pressure every time I wash the car and have to see this mess.

I have spent hours and days trying to use PlastX but no luck. Does anyone know of another product I could use or a few step headlight restore kit that will make this right?

- Brett

[94BMW325CIS]

How are you using the it? Maybe try a terry cloth, or if you have, a pad on a polisher if you haven't already.

[Lydia]

I'm not sure if you have a machine or not, but IME #80 with a 3 inch buffing pad works great on headlights. After a few passes of #80, I usually hit it with PlastX on a 3 inch pad to finish it up.

[Mike Phillips]

Like already recommended, if you have not been using terry cloth you might give this a try with some elbow grease, the nap of the terry cloth will work like a gentle form of an abrasive and amp up the cleaning ability of the combination of PlastX and Application Material working together.

Next would be trying a dual action polisher with PlastX

Next would be trying a rotary buffer with a compound or paint cleaner or possibly PlastX

Next would be wet-sanding the lens and then removing your sanding marks with a rotary buffer.

Note: You shouldn't do the wet-sanding if you don't own and know how to use a rotary buffer.

It's also important to note that some headlights have coating on them and if you start to abrade them with an aggressive product or in some extremes start wet-sanding them, you will remove this coating and then while they underlying plastic may polish out clear, it will no longer have this coating and chances are this coating may have had something to do with the UV protection or overall protection of the lens from the elements.

The above is just some thinking out-loud guesses...

One one hand something has happened to your headlight lenses to the point where if you can't fix them you'll have to replace them then you've reached a point where experimenting is acceptable. It might work and it might not. If you do have to get extreme with your lenses and it doesn't work, then keep in mind they were shot before you started and don't later blame the product or process for the problem when this would all be after the fact.

Definitely try the terry cloth with some elbow grease if you haven't already, then if this works you may want to do some follow-up passes with something softer like a foam pad or a microfiber pad.

[dave40co]

I have actually wet-sanded older plastic lenses and then sprayed them with a couple of coats of clear auto paint. It will last about a year or so and you will have to do it again. Cheaper than new lenses. I have also used #83 with a polishing pad followed with plastX which worked well.

[G Force]

I have actually wet-sanded older plastic lenses and then sprayed them with a couple of coats of clear auto paint. It will last about a year or so and you will have to do it again. Cheaper than new lenses. I have also used #83 with a polishing pad followed with plastX which worked well.
I also wet sand head lights plastic lenses .As plastX is not available here apply DC 2 on the lenses .the first applications of DC 2 really (feeds) the lenses.

[97 Supra]

i rubbed for hours today with the plastx with all sorts of different cloth, unfortunately I don't have a buffer - or know how to use one yet so I'll have to try and wet sand them and polish them after the sanding is done.

I got some 2000 some 2500 and some 3000 grit paper, after those I'll really muscle in some plastx with a soft cloth and hope to god it comes out glass-smooth and clear.

[mudvayne9790]

One thing i did for my dads truck since it is a daily commuter is i made a make shift part for the drill that was flat and had some cushion from a few peices of scotch brite and then covered in a terry cloth then i went at the head light with some plastx and that. it turned out really good

[dave40co]

I have also used the cotton polishing wheels from Home Depot on a drill with PlastX and have gotten good results. You just have to use only the edge,

[VonLego]

I took the wet sanding route up on my horribly oxidized and scratched lenses. They arn't perfect but I only spent a short time on them. Follow up with some chemicals of course.

[oldmodman]

How about telling the dealer "your lot monkey ruined my headlights, you replace them"

[Jbirk]

They will only refuse and counter with "prove it." You will irritate the service advisor, and the guy who messed up your lenses. Essentially, the dealer does not care about you or your car. To be even more blatantly honest, the dealer will not even believe what you have is damage. They probably believe spraying brake cleaner on the paint, plastic, rubber, and anything they want is a perfectly acceptable practice.

Essentially, only people with an eye like the people on this forum would understand what happened. If you were to sue in court, the jury of regular people (not your peers) would also not understand. Their personal vehicles have likely all been neglected.

The rules of life are simple:
You get only what you pay for, but often less
If you want something done right, do it yourself
Avoid letting other people touch your stuff

Experience:
I lent my neighbor my small 2 stroke Echo chain saw 14" blade (very sharp, clean, and lubed), so he could cut some small branches off his trees. He cut small stuff down and did not like the unsightly appearance of miniature tree trunks, so he decided to cut those off a few inches below ground! Only problem, chain saw blades are not for cutting rock and dirt.

Before I lent him the saw, it would go through 4 and 5 inch branches in under 2 or 3 seconds. Now, the blade is so dull, it takes over 30 seconds to get through anything.

I learned my lesson and replaced the chain (cost of this lesson). I am never going to say anything to my neighbor or even bring this matter up. I am just making it a no-issue. However, it does not matter what he wants to borrow, as when he asks for it, he will be told it is "broken," "in the shop for repair," or "missing a required part..."

[roushstage2]

It is also best to shop around for the best dealer to work with. I finally found the one Ford dealership in Northern CA that I will take my car to, the third one I've been to.

[cm2005300]

They will only refuse and counter with "prove it." You will irritate the service advisor, and the guy who messed up your lenses. Essentially, the dealer does not care about you or your car. To be even more blatantly honest, the dealer will not even believe what you have is damage. They probably believe spraying brake cleaner on the paint, plastic, rubber, and anything they want is a perfectly acceptable practice.

Essentially, only people with an eye like the people on this forum would understand what happened. If you were to sue in court, the jury of regular people (not your peers) would also not understand. Their personal vehicles have likely all been neglected.

The rules of life are simple:
You get only what you pay for, but often less
If you want something done right, do it yourself
Avoid letting other people touch your stuff

Experience:
I lent my neighbor my small 2 stroke Echo chain saw 14" blade (very sharp, clean, and lubed), so he could cut some small branches off his trees. He cut small stuff down and did not like the unsightly appearance of miniature tree trunks, so he decided to cut those off a few inches below ground! Only problem, chain saw blades are not for cutting rock and dirt.

Before I lent him the saw, it would go through 4 and 5 inch branches in under 2 or 3 seconds. Now, the blade is so dull, it takes over 30 seconds to get through anything.

I learned my lesson and replaced the chain (cost of this lesson). I am never going to say anything to my neighbor or even bring this matter up. I am just making it a no-issue. However, it does not matter what he wants to borrow, as when he asks for it, he will be told it is "broken," "in the shop for repair," or "missing a required part..."

!! YOU CANT GO THROUGH LIFE LETTING OTHERS WRECK YOU STUFF AND THEN BE NO RETRIBUTION FOR IT AND THEN HAVE TO LIE ABOUT ITJUST FOR THE SAKE OF NOT FEELING BAD BECAUSE YOUR NOT GOING TO LET THEM USE YOUR STUFF ANYMORE STAND UP FOR YOURSELF

AND PS ORIGINAL POSTER DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS GUY GO TO THE DEALER AND MAKE THEM PAY TO FIX THAT THATS RIDICULOUS BUT IF YOUR CAR IS A 97 HOW DO YOU KNOW THE LIGHTS WERENT LIKE THAT IS PROBABLY WHAT YOUR GOING TO GET BUT DONT ACCEPT


[Edited for inappropriate language. This is the final warning! 2hotford]

[Tim Lingor]

!! YOU CANT GO THROUGH LIFE LETTING OTHERS WRECK YOU STUFF AND THEN BE NO RETRIBUTION FOR IT AND THEN HAVE TO LIE ABOUT ITJUST FOR THE SAKE OF NOT FEELING BAD BECAUSE YOUR NOT GOING TO LET THEM USE YOUR STUFF ANYMORE STAND UP FOR YOURSELF

AND PS ORIGINAL POSTER DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS GUY GO TO THE DEALER AND MAKE THEM PAY TO FIX THAT THATS RIDICULOUS BUT IF YOUR CAR IS A 97 HOW DO YOU KNOW THE LIGHTS WERENT LIKE THAT IS PROBABLY WHAT YOUR GOING TO GET BUT DONT ACCEPT


[Edited for inappropriate language. This is the final warning! 2hotford]

Just a final reminder, this is a family site and inappropriate language will not be tolerated. Whether you agree or disagree with the poster, everyone on MOL will show each other respect or this may not be the right kind of forum for you.

Thanks
Tim

[benhui86]

heres an idea..... find 2 better condition headlights at a salvage yard and recondition those instead....

[cm2005300]

Just a final reminder, this is a family site and inappropriate language will not be tolerated. Whether you agree or disagree with the poster, everyone on MOL will show each other respect or this may not be the right kind of forum for you.

Thanks
Tim


no i get what your saying tim sorry i didnt mean any disrespect of course i was simply stating that he is telling the guy to just deal with what the dealer did to his car rather than stand up for himself and get the problem fixed if everyone had this sate of mind the country would be run by...... well ill let your imagination do the work

thanks
chris

[Tim Lingor]

no i get what your saying tim sorry i didnt mean any disrespect of course i was simply stating that he is telling the guy to just deal with what the dealer did to his car rather than stand up for himself and get the problem fixed if everyone had this sate of mind the country would be run by...... well ill let your imagination do the work

thanks
chris

I know...it is hard to not get passionate about certain things. But one must keep in mind that on a public forum everyone is entitiled to their opinion. And...on MOL we encourage people to have a meaningful discussion as long as bashing of individuals or companies does not become part of it. :) :)

Tim

[Lydia]

I'm still not sure how you know that Brake Kleen is what caused that? I detailed a car a few weeks ago that was two years old, and in those two years it had never been cleaned (washed, vacuumed or ANYTHING). The headlights looked pretty similar to yours. I used #80 on a 3 inch buffing pad to polish them up, then PlastX to finish them. They looked brand new.

[CAShine]

A fellow Meg online user did an amazing write-up on revamping the headlights of scratches. The technique used was a bit abrassive but the results were amazing. Search the forum for the thread and you will get some insight.

[roushstage2]

I believe that thread you're referencing is his.

[v.bartolomei]

USE.800,1000,2000,3000,YELLOW MICROFIBER/WOOL PAD,SOLO COMPOUND,HIGH SPEED AT 2200 RPM AND PLASTIC X TO KEEP THEM CLEAR.THAT SHOULD DO IT.:xyxthumbs

[v.bartolomei]

follow the steps i gave you before but dont put any clearcoat back because it will turn yellow in a few months.:xyxthumbs

[seth1066]

I'm not sure the Brake Kleen marred the plastic. These lenses are coated with a clear material that prevents rock chips and minimizes the sand blast from the road. This is probably what got melted. BTW, this is why the first sandpaper pass is usually more difficult, the stuff is much harder than the lens material.

[722ish]

If you can't rescue them, call Elmhurst Toyota.. i got a good deal from them for my 98 headlights.

Nice car by the way!