As time goes on you may find yourself having more difficulty seeing the road late at night. It’s understandable to assume that perhaps the lightbulbs are dying, when in fact the culprit is likely the aging plastic headlight surface itself.
Headlight bulbs are built to last, LED bulbs can last upwards of 40,000 hours before needing replacement. Unfortunately the plastic headlight covers the faces the outside world has to face harsh conditions and can deteriorate quickly.
What Is Making Your Headlights Dim?
For cars that have some years on it, you may notice you have actually difficulty seeing the headlight bulb because the casing is so faded.
This fading can be attributed to a number of factors. For one, normal wear and tear is expected as driving will have bits of dirt and gravel flying at your car and scratching up the surface. Over time this can build up and contribute to the scratched and faded appearance of your headlights.
The major cause of this fading though will be due to oxidation. This is the process of the harsh UV rays from the sun beating down the plastic and deteriorating it. The UV rays are extremely damaging to all surfaces on your car after enough time.
This damage on the black plastic can cause a grey and faded appearance, with the clear plastic of the headlights it can turn an opaque white or yellow. Aside from the ugly appearance, it makes driving more dangerous as the lights are as bright as they should be.
How To Address Headlight Fading
Fortunately there are options to remedy the problem and they don’t need to be done often.
It is possible to do it yourself, but it can be risky for an untrained hand. The process consists of several sandings and a polishing. The risk comes from the need to use abrasive pads like sandpaper on your car. It’s a delicate process to ensure you aren’t removing too much plastic and also not accidentally scratching the paint job by the headlights.
Professional car detailing services often offer headlight restoration services and they are your best bet for getting the job done. With years of experience, they know precisely what to do to revive your headlights without ever causing any damage.
In an instance like this, the job is better left to the professionals. When it comes to expensive pieces of personal property like vehicles, the best hands are the experienced ones.
How To Prevent Future Damage
After the professional detailing experts have restored your headlight to their former glory, how do you go about keeping them that way?
The good news is that there are several things you can do to preserve the crystal clear shine of your headlights. While these are only preventive measures and can’t guarantee that damage won’t occur again, it can do a great job keeping your headlights looking great.
Since the prime culprit in the fading of your headlights is oxidation, your best course of action will be to protect your headlights from the sunlight as much as possible.
One easy thing you can do will protect more than just your headlights. By parking in the shade when possible, your car can avoid the harmful UV rays that faded your headlights in the first place.
Another step you can take is to purchase and apply a UV protectant to your headlights. You can’t avoid the sun forever, that's no way to live. But you can give your car the best fighting chance when facing the sunlight everyday.
Odds Are It’s Time To Get Your Headlights Restored
Your headlights don’t have to be solid white to need a restoration service. Quite often the fading can be hardly noticeable as it oxidizes over time. The final result can come as a shock when you didn’t realize your headlights were in bad shape to start with.
Similar to how a pressure washing can elevate the appearance of your home, a headlight restoration service can make a noticeable difference to your car’s appearance.
In many ways the headlights are highly visible focal points that determine the look of a car, and when they look glossy and clear they make your vehicle look like new.
If your lights seem dim or the plastic seems faded, take your car into a professional headlight restoration specialist to turn back the clock and revive your car’s former glory.
Book Auto Detail Services With Cali Car Co Mobile
Hire a car detailing specialist such as Cali Car Co Mobile to get your vehicle looking brand new with a waxing or ceramic coating. We can not only fix minor imperfections, but we can also protect and enhance the paint on your car. Give us a call, and we'll be able to help. Fill out a form or give us a call at (925) 549 - 4555, and we can have your car looking like new!
