Headlight Maintenance - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

congee · 04-13-2015, 12:20 PM

Hello,

Anyone recommend a cleaner for the oem brz headlights besides windex or tooth paste.

Thanks

Sweet48 · 04-13-2015, 12:52 PM

Low cut polishing compounds and very high grit sandpaper (wet) followed by buffing/polishing pads with wax/polish. Lots of write ups are to be found.

I'd recommend just a buffing pad with a polish is a good way to maintain the headlights.

In regards to a cleaner, nothing specific. Windex is always a good go to, i usually just give them a good scrub when i wash my car and dry it off right away.

ls1ac · 04-13-2015, 12:58 PM

several companies make a polish just for headlights. They are cleaver because it starts with the ability to cut but changes to a polish and has a protectant. Wal-Mart sells one called Meguiar's PlastX Clear Plastic Liquid Cleaner and Polish‎

tahdizzle · 04-13-2015, 01:07 PM

Change the fluid at least every 7k miles.

drifter-s · 04-13-2015, 05:01 PM

My headlamps were starting to haze near the top portion. Tried the Meguiars, but the spray on finishing compound was spotted. Not a clean and even finish.

Tried GlassyLite from Amazon and it worked incredibly well. No power tools required and leaves the headlamps looking like new.

cdrazic93 · 04-13-2015, 05:17 PM

Wait you guys can clean them? Ive just been replacing them when they get dirty...

lol

PNW FRS · 04-13-2015, 07:25 PM

Frankly.... kind of shocked that you're asking the question.... the 86 (USA) hasn't been out THAT long (i.e., long enough to have headlight lenses that need cleaning/polishing).

Did you get slammed by a dust storm or something that prematurely marred the surface of the headlight lens?

congee · 04-13-2015, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PNW FRS

Frankly.... kind of shocked that you're asking the question.... the 86 (USA) hasn't been out THAT long (i.e., long enough to have headlight lenses that need cleaning/polishing).

Did you get slammed by a dust storm or something that prematurely marred the surface of the headlight lens?

Just a lot of driving through everything. They aren't bad or hazed to the point where I need professional work done but at night, you do see a bit of haze in some parts. During the day it looks okay.

wbradley · 04-13-2015, 10:35 PM

I have used Novus 2 and 3 with a microfiber cloth on my previous WRX. Had the stuff in my household chemicals for polishing other plastic stuff (on pinball machines).

Poodles · 04-14-2015, 08:03 PM

No no NO!

Plastic headlights are clear coated from the factory to seal and protect them. DO NOT use abrasives on them unless this coating is failing and needs to be removed to restore the lights (this involves sanding, polishing, and recoating).

Don't use anything on them you wouldn't use on your paint (like tooth paste, sand paper, or windex!)

AzureShadow · 04-14-2015, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poodles

No no NO!

Plastic headlights are clear coated from the factory to seal and protect them. DO NOT use abrasives on them unless this coating is failing and needs to be removed to restore the lights (this involves sanding, polishing, and recoating).

Don't use anything on them you wouldn't use on your paint (like tooth paste, sand paper, or windex!)

Thank you! I was reading through this and practically yelling at my monitor.

Unless your headlights are starting to see serious hazing and yellowing DO NOT USE ABRASIVES. All that will do is take the protective coating off, and if you don't recoat them yourself they will deteriorate even faster. As new as all the 86's are I find it extremely hard to believe that the UV coating is starting to fail and yellow on any of them yet.

What I would recommend is give your car a good wash and then take a clean clay bar to your lights and see if that clears up the slight issues you are having. I am betting it does.

radroach · 08-25-2016, 11:06 AM

Bumpin' this thread, checking to see if anyone has done a cleaning, polishing and recoating process for their headlights?

I'm thinking of getting the headlights out and polishing with a PC DA, 4" microfiber pads, and a light compound like Meguiar's DA microfiber correction compound. For headlight coating I'm looking at either Opticoat 2.0 or Opti-Lens Headlight coating resin.

04-13-2015, 12:20 PM	#1
congee Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Drives: SSM BRZ Location: Canada Posts: 545 Thanks: 218 Thanked 150 Times in 86 Posts Mentioned: 8 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Headlight Maintenance Hello, Anyone recommend a cleaner for the oem brz headlights besides windex or tooth paste. Thanks __________________

04-13-2015, 05:17 PM	#6
cdrazic93 Junior Join Date: Aug 2013 Drives: a car Location: Probably at school Posts: 4,341 Thanks: 3,184 Thanked 2,512 Times in 1,502 Posts Mentioned: 20 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Wait you guys can clean them? Ive just been replacing them when they get dirty... lol __________________ "Ah! What music! They could have never imagined, those pioneers who invented the automobile, that it would posses us like this, our imaginations, our dreams. Men love women, but even more than that, men love CARS!"-Lord Hesketh

04-13-2015, 07:25 PM	#7
PNW FRS Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: 2013 Scion FR-S Location: Olympia, WA Posts: 581 Thanks: 230 Thanked 343 Times in 189 Posts Mentioned: 7 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Frankly.... kind of shocked that you're asking the question.... the 86 (USA) hasn't been out THAT long (i.e., long enough to have headlight lenses that need cleaning/polishing). Did you get slammed by a dust storm or something that prematurely marred the surface of the headlight lens? __________________ 2013 Asphalt / MT Olympia, Washington

08-25-2016, 11:06 AM	#12
radroach Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Drives: car Location: usa Posts: 2,162 Thanks: 1,028 Thanked 867 Times in 530 Posts Mentioned: 35 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Bumpin' this thread, checking to see if anyone has done a cleaning, polishing and recoating process for their headlights? I'm thinking of getting the headlights out and polishing with a PC DA, 4" microfiber pads, and a light compound like Meguiar's DA microfiber correction compound. For headlight coating I'm looking at either Opticoat 2.0 or Opti-Lens Headlight coating resin. Last edited by radroach; 08-25-2016 at 11:23 AM.

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04-13-2015, 12:52 PM	#2
Sweet48 Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Drives: 2013 Subaru BRZ Location: Toronto Posts: 84 Thanks: 9 Thanked 44 Times in 19 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Low cut polishing compounds and very high grit sandpaper (wet) followed by buffing/polishing pads with wax/polish. Lots of write ups are to be found. I'd recommend just a buffing pad with a polish is a good way to maintain the headlights. In regards to a cleaner, nothing specific. Windex is always a good go to, i usually just give them a good scrub when i wash my car and dry it off right away.

04-14-2015, 08:03 PM	#10
Poodles Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2015 Series.Blue Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,781 Thanks: 88 Thanked 781 Times in 481 Posts Mentioned: 16 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	No no NO! Plastic headlights are clear coated from the factory to seal and protect them. DO NOT use abrasives on them unless this coating is failing and needs to be removed to restore the lights (this involves sanding, polishing, and recoating). Don't use anything on them you wouldn't use on your paint (like tooth paste, sand paper, or windex!)

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