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Are some brands more prone to this problem than others? I’ve seen some cars with no sign of this problem while some newer vehicles are starting to show signs of this problem.
Are some brands more prone to this problem than others? I’ve seen some cars with no sign of this problem while some newer vehicles are starting to show signs of this problem.
Inside or outside?
Here in Vermont, EVERY car has headlights covered in ice, because everything is covered in ice.
In the 40s car headlights were made of some space age material that didn't degrade. If it got damaged, every car had identical seal beam assembles that could be easily and cheaply replaced. I wonder what that was, and why they don't use it anymore.
Sealed beam headlights were (and are) made of glass. There were few (if any) "space age" materials in the 1940s, long before the "Space Age".
Prior to the sealed beams, the headlight lenses were made of glass, as were some of the reflectors. Other reflectors were made of metal, which would eventually tarnish. Replacing the bulbs in those headlights was interesting; don't drop the lens, don't touch the reflector, remove the bulb, install the new one, replace the lens gasket, and reinstall the lens.
Chances are, they don't use glass today because of time and expense.
Molding a plastic part is quick and cheap, even if it must be optically clean and clear.
Molding optical glass is slow and expensive, and once it is molded it must be annealed to relieve stresses and prevent cracking. Optical quality glass is expensive, and molding and annealing takes a lot of time.
Time and money; the same reasons they use cheap plastic for body parts instead of metal, and nickel plate or stainless steel for trim instead of chrome plate.
They need to be waxed periodically just like the paint, or else they will oxidize. Cars kept in a garage and out of the sun will have headlights that look better longer.
I had this problem on my old car. I got in a fender bender and one headlight was replaced, but they didn't replace the other which was yellowed. I was planning to replace it but never got to it.
The headlight assemblies for most cars don't cost that much these days, and if they're oxidized, I'd say just replace them. You can get them sanded and polished out, but it seems to come back later.
I am wondering with my new car how to keep them from yellowing. I suppose I will try waxing them as suggested. Could a film placed over them possibly prevent yellowing? I'm get the idea the sun plus road debris in the air while driving causes them to get this way, along with the heat from the bulbs.
It does seem that cars made after the mid 2000s seem to do this less than cars made during the 90s did. I remember some of those would be totally clouded after about 5 years or so.
A car will look much better and newer with new, clear headlights. Oxidized headlights to me always made a car look like it hadn't been taken care of. Not that's necessarily the case, but it certainly made it look old.
They need to be waxed periodically just like the paint, or else they will oxidize. Cars kept in a garage and out of the sun will have headlights that look better longer.
Tried this already, 10 coats over the first 5 years; when car was new.
I'd imagine this issue is brand specific, dependent on quality of plastic materials used.
As per vid, if it's on the inside they would have to be replaced.
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