- May 19, 2018
- 304
- 475
- Funster No
- 53,980
Hi all,
My 2007 Ducato based Autotrail has had yellowing headlights since we bought it in 2018. Around about 2021 I bought a cleaning kit but never had the nerve to try it out. Sanding down your headlights seemed a bit risky.
However, I finally bit the bullet yesterday and went for it. I must admit to being pleasantly surprised. After removing the headlights, I got to work with a cordless drill and the kit. Each headlight took half an hour or so and the difference is amazing.
Considering that new headlights cost around £170 each, this kit was worth the money at £27.
It was a 3M kit which appears to be £16.78 on amazon at the moment.
Deal of the day: 3M 39073 Headlight Lens Restoration Kit to Restore Dull/Faded/Discoloured Headlights, 1 Pack https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0078IHJ1K/?tag=mhf04-21
There's enough sanding disks and compound to do both headlights and if you follow the instructions, you can't go wrong.
I pinched some sealing wipes from a Turtle Wax kit I had bought and applied that after the sanding process was complete. I think 3M do their own but I used what I had available.
So if you've got a spare couple of hours and yellowing plastic headlight lenses, give it a go.
I followed these instructions (from https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.u...earside-headlight-assembly-ducato-x250/37016/ ) to remove the headlights :
First you need to remove the top plastic panel above the light. There are 2 screws to remove and it will prise out easily as long as the screws come out ok.
The lower plastic trim has another screw in it and then its just a matter of gently pulling it towards you at the end nearest to the grille first and if you can place a drift (piece of plastic) between the bottom of the headlight and behind the trim to ease it out sideways it may come out without breaking a clip. If one clip does break they can be glued back on but in all honesty it will fit back perfectly well with it broken.
Next you undo the three screws that secure the headlamp, move it forwards a bit to get to the electrical connector; slide the collar across to release the plug and you are out!
The potential pitfalls are if the screws have never been out they may be seized in the nuts which are bonded into the headlamp. The nuts may turn with the screw but this does not matter because you are replacing the lamp unit anyway. Use hex headed screws next time and grease the threads!
Your replacement headlamp may be of the later type and could require an adaptor loom to be fitted between the old plug and the new lamp. Vehicles built after 2011 have a different connector with an extra wire in it for optional DRL's.
You need a large Pozi-drive screwdriver, a 10mm socket and a small flat screwdriver will help to ease the connector collar over; just put it through the loop and slide across.
My 2007 Ducato based Autotrail has had yellowing headlights since we bought it in 2018. Around about 2021 I bought a cleaning kit but never had the nerve to try it out. Sanding down your headlights seemed a bit risky.
However, I finally bit the bullet yesterday and went for it. I must admit to being pleasantly surprised. After removing the headlights, I got to work with a cordless drill and the kit. Each headlight took half an hour or so and the difference is amazing.
Considering that new headlights cost around £170 each, this kit was worth the money at £27.
It was a 3M kit which appears to be £16.78 on amazon at the moment.
Deal of the day: 3M 39073 Headlight Lens Restoration Kit to Restore Dull/Faded/Discoloured Headlights, 1 Pack https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0078IHJ1K/?tag=mhf04-21
There's enough sanding disks and compound to do both headlights and if you follow the instructions, you can't go wrong.
I pinched some sealing wipes from a Turtle Wax kit I had bought and applied that after the sanding process was complete. I think 3M do their own but I used what I had available.
So if you've got a spare couple of hours and yellowing plastic headlight lenses, give it a go.
I followed these instructions (from https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.u...earside-headlight-assembly-ducato-x250/37016/ ) to remove the headlights :
First you need to remove the top plastic panel above the light. There are 2 screws to remove and it will prise out easily as long as the screws come out ok.
The lower plastic trim has another screw in it and then its just a matter of gently pulling it towards you at the end nearest to the grille first and if you can place a drift (piece of plastic) between the bottom of the headlight and behind the trim to ease it out sideways it may come out without breaking a clip. If one clip does break they can be glued back on but in all honesty it will fit back perfectly well with it broken.
Next you undo the three screws that secure the headlamp, move it forwards a bit to get to the electrical connector; slide the collar across to release the plug and you are out!
The potential pitfalls are if the screws have never been out they may be seized in the nuts which are bonded into the headlamp. The nuts may turn with the screw but this does not matter because you are replacing the lamp unit anyway. Use hex headed screws next time and grease the threads!
Your replacement headlamp may be of the later type and could require an adaptor loom to be fitted between the old plug and the new lamp. Vehicles built after 2011 have a different connector with an extra wire in it for optional DRL's.
You need a large Pozi-drive screwdriver, a 10mm socket and a small flat screwdriver will help to ease the connector collar over; just put it through the loop and slide across.
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