Headlight Sun Fade?

[mlacava17]

Hey guys! Just wondering if anyone has experienced and/or has a solution for the plastic headlight covers being damaged due to the sun. I’ve had my stinger for about a year. I’ve put 11k miles on the car since buying it used. Has a total of 33k. Below is what the headlights have started to look like.

 

[ChaneRZ]

Polish the headlights. I see some swirls on the hood. Eek.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Whoa! Never seen that on a Stinger. That shouldn't be happening for years. Where do you live? Sun bake a lot?

Once you get that sorted out, put PPF on the headlights. Better to get the PPF baked than the plastic.

 

[mlacava17]

Whoa! Never seen that on a Stinger. That shouldn't be happening for years. Where do you live? Sun bake a lot?

Once you get that sorted out, put PPF on the headlights. Better to get the PPF baked than the plastic.

I’m in Southwest Florida (Naples) and I try to keep the car protected as much as possible but the previous owner lacked any sort of care for the car. Already replaced some of the OEM parts on the roof that got sun baked as well but the headlights just started to get noticeably worse

 

[CKeeler]

Once it starts yellowing like that it’s going to be a battle to keep it nice. Try a polishing kit and then keep on top of it with polish and wax

 

[5tinger]

That's defiantly abnormal, no?
I have vehicles from 2005 that has lived outdoors with no where near that sort of damage on the headlamp housings.

 

[RedCal]

Seems very premature.... I'd guess, that the previous owner (or maybe the dealer) polished the hood and ran over the top of the headlight removing the UV coating. As others have said, polish it out, and either put a film on it, or ceramic coat it, or both to prevent it from returning (or at least slow it down)

 

[ldusseau]

Seems very premature.... I'd guess, that the previous owner (or maybe the dealer) polished the hood and ran over the top of the headlight removing the UV coating. As others have said, polish it out, and either put a film on it, or ceramic coat it, or both to prevent it from returning (or at least slow it down)

Most likely what happened. If it was a full failure of the coating you would probably see it all over the lens

 

[stoopid]

My guess is some type of damage as well, and where it is would be consistent with someone polishing the paint and not being mindful to cover/tapeoff the headlights.

That crackling looks severe to me. You can try polishing it out, but by the looks of it might be too far gone.

 

[D.J.]

On my 2004 Mazda 3, when it was 14 years old, in 2018 I painted the headlights with some cheap rattlecan acrylic clear coat - UV resistant standard automotive stuff. I only kept the car for a year after that, so it lasted at least a year and looked great as the car left on a tow truck to the scrap yard after ~480,000 kms.

Results speak for themselves - and it still looked excellent the day I sold it to a scrap yard replaced with my Stinger.


Wet sanded with 240 grit - friends said I should use 600, but I said, nah, it'll be fine, and I didn't have any on hand.


The rattle can I used.


Sprayed super light coats



Half of coat #2 in the next pic!






4 - 5 extra light coats, with the final coat being as thick as possible without runs.




I was quite satisfied with the results.

In my experience, after the original OEM UV coating is worn off, polishing only lasts a few months at a time. The yellowing always returned quickly after multiple polishing attempts.
This final painting technique I used lasted much longer for me, but after a year I scrapped the car, so I don't know how many years it would have lasted.

 

[D.J.]

This is 11 months after painting the headlights - obviously this image isn't focusing on the headlights, but you can see they are still pretty decent.

 

[briguy]

This started happening on the passenger headlight on my 2019 GT2 (not as bad as yours). I still was within 5 years of purchasing the vehicle new, and they replaced it under warranty without any hassle.

 

[Bbrownjohnd]

Like others mentioned, you can get those kits to clear it up. Then get a PPF clear wrap on it. I do that to all my cars. Headlights stay Crystal clear from them on. Did that to the stinger a week after buying

 

[djerickd]

If you are going to spray CLEARCOAT it has to be 2k. otherwise to make it easier, I would just polish it out and PPF.