Restoring the headlights may be needed, depending on their condition. If you have a car that is aging very fast, it is very likely that your car’s headlight will be yellow and cloudy. Yellowing of headlights is a very common issue in cars. Not only does yellowing headlight assembly look bad, but they also give out a very poor light output at nighttime.
Considering that the upcoming season will have longer nights and shorter days, you must address the issue of headlight. This includes assembly, discoloration, and poor headlamp output.
The lens covering the headlights assembly consists of poly-carbonate plastic. And even though you cannot see it, there is a UV protective coating on it from the factory. Over time, the coating wears off, and while you drive under the sun, the UV rays end up causing damage. This, in turn, causes the transparent lens to turn yellow. Over time, this keeps getting worse.
Therefore, you must address your headlights before they get into a condition that requires a costly repair. The problems with headlights can go beyond headlight assembly’s discoloration, and you may also have to address issues with the bulbs inside the lens. For that, you will have to either replace the bulb or correct the headlight’s aim.
Aligning the Aim of the Headlamps
Sometimes there is a noticeable change in the headlight output that may lead you to believe that the headlamps are degrading. However, this may not be the real cause. Often, the two headlamps are unable to focus their beams because they are not aligned properly.
This causes the light to disperse more and scatter instead of focusing on the road. This not only decreases the driver’s visibility but also blinds the oncoming drivers that you come across, putting you and others on the road at serious risk.
Aiming the lamps correctly is a thorough method that requires a couple of markers, a screwdriver, or an alignment tool. All you have to do is point the car’s headlight at a white wall when it is dark, ensuring that it stands 25 meters from the wall. Then, according to a manual, make the markers that indicate where the top beam is supposed to fall.
Cleaning, Polishing, and Restoring
Restoring the discoloration of the headlamp is fairly easy. You have to apply some of the cleaning products that are easily available in the markets and then continue this by applying the protective coating on the plastic assembly to protect it from the harmful UV rays.
Once you do that, you can check whether you need to replace the bulbs inside the headlight. Some people like to replace their halogen bulbs with new LED ones that are brighter and more efficient. This is a maintenance measure that can be useful for the upcoming winter season.
