What causes the yellowing on my lights?
Most of today’s cars use halogen reflector, or projection headlights, which have covers typically made of poly-carbonate plastic. Today’s modern Plastic lens has many advantages compared to the good old glass lens. It can be easily molded into any designs, it is extremely light weight, and it does not shatter, but it has one major flaw.
Like most other materials unlike glass, plastic cannot withstand the sun’s powerful UV rays.
It didn’t take manufacturers long to came up with a solution to overcome this weakness,
a permanent fix good enough to replace the glass lens forever
A UV protective coating similar to clear coat is sprayed on the lens giving it incredible durability compared to plastic on its own, extending its life by years. This is why you should not remove the oxidation without the means of replacing the UV protective coating. Auto-detailers may appear to be a cheaper option at first, but you will end up damaging your headlights in a long run.
Yellowing begins gradually with UV exposure as the coating oxidizes and starts to break down, process usually start from the top where it has the most exposure to UV rays, and takes over the entire lens eventually. If not taken care of over time the plastic itself start to break down. Left untreated it can even cause hair fractures, and spider web cracks that start to form within the lens itself.
Restoration
What causes the yellowing on my lights?
Most of today’s cars use halogen reflector headlights, which have covers typically made of plastic with a protective coating to prevent scratching and sunlight damage. Exposure to sunlight breaks down this coating, causing yellowing and clouding that noticeably lessens the headlight’s visibility
Professional Permanent Restoration vs. Buffing, and Home Remedies
For years auto detailers buffing the lens, and home remedies were the only option to clean the oxidized lens. These methods can make a difference by removing some of the oxidation that forms on the lens, but they have a few major flaws and side effects. In more severe cases where oxidation has started on the plastic itself, buffing alone cannot fully remove the oxidation so surface cleaning remains the only option, but most importantly they have no means of replacing the protective coating they just removed. Auto detailers may use wax. Wax is meant for clear coat on the paint and is not a durable option. A simple car wash is all you need to wash of the wax leaving your lens exposed to elements significantly shortening its life.
Professional permanent restoration recreates the same steps used to manufacture new lenses. The lens is striped to bare plastic. Plastic is re-hydrate, prepped and brought back to original condition, like a newly manufactured lens a layer of clear coat is applied. Clear coat gives the light longevity, it also fills in microscopic imperfections within the plastic giving it that flawless new look that vivid is famous for.
CRYSTAL-CLEAR, LIKE-NEW EXTERIOR LENS GUARANTEE
AAA study finds Only 25 percent of driving takes place in darkness, but 50 percent of crashes occur in that same period
New research from AAA reveals that clouded or yellowed headlights generate only 20 percent of the amount of light that new headlights do, leading to dangerous nighttime driving conditions.
Ensuring maximum visibility during night is key to reducing risk of accident. Road fatalities triple during the night, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Driving at night with headlights that produce as little as 20 percent of the light they did when new, which is already subpar, is a risk drivers shouldn’t take,” says Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of automotive engineering and industry relations, “especially when there are convenient and inexpensive solutions that can dramatically improve lighting performance.”
We have developed a proprietary 7-stage method that includes time-tested techniques and modern restoration. Restoration process start by completely removing the damage coating. Once the coating is removed, a 3-stage prepping process readies the lens to bond in perfect harmony with a fresh layer of a modern, UV-resistant coating, similar to what the manufacturer sprays on new lenses. A special chemical compound slightly heats and dissolves the plastic, making a strong foundation for the coating. Once the coating has bonded and cured, the result is an astonishing, perfect lens for years to come.