Hazy Headlights & Windshield

[hauoli63]

Just bought my son a 2000 VW GTI and the headlights are hazy ... what can we use on them to make them clearer?

There also appears to be small spots all over the windshield, maybe overspray? How can we get that off? Very annoying when the sun is shining directly on the windshield and I imagine it won't be very safe for night driving.

Thanks!!

 

[illwood]

Lisa, there are a couple different ways to try to fix the GTI.

For the headlights, I've had decent luck with this method
1. 600grit wet sand
2. 1500grit wet sand
3. 2000grit wet sand
4. Turtle Wax polishing compond (green label)
5. Plastic polish

I wouldn't say that it got the headlights back to new condition, but it was a significant improvement (maybe if I had spend more than 45min per side I would have done better).

For the windshield, the safest method would be to use a solvent with a rag to remove the offending overspray. A faster method is to use some glass cleaner along with a piece of fine steel wool to clean the glass. You have to be gentle, but it is a bit difficult to scratch glass.

Good luck.

 

[hauoli63]

Thanks for the advice ... question .... what you did with the headlights ... were they plastic or glass?

 

[illwood]

Plastic

It is fairly difficult to scratch glass, so the wet sanding process would have little to no effect if I had tried on glass lenses.

 

[zincyellow03]

If you do a search, someone asked this question a few months back and someone posted a really good site that told you step by step on how to get rid of the haze. It also had pictures

 

[UhadMEatGT]

Yep, spray a lot of glass cleaner on the windshield and use 00000 fine grain steel wool. Then re-clean it with windex. OR Use a clay bar on your windshield! There is a film that pretty much wont come off with any car wash, etc. These are the two ways I know to remove windshield grime. I do it to my vehicles yearly.

 

[hauoli63]

After a close examination of the windshield by my father-in-law, it turns out that it is pitted ... like it was in a sand storm or something. I am just going to have it replaced tomorrow. The headlights look like that, too. Will probably have to replace them eventually also.

 

[LX91Mustang]

Hey...
i found that Mothers mag/aluminum polish works well on faded head lights... my stang head lights were reallyyyy fadded yellow used some of that... and they look brand new

 

[UhadMEatGT]

Pitting is normal on windshields. These methods will still help a ton, to get into those little pits and clean it thoroughly

 

[hauoli63]

Pitting is normal on windshields? What causes this?