Scott1258

I just cleaned my 2000 RX300's headlights with ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) - and it worked! I wish I had taken before and after photos to show how amazing this was. My headlights were really yellow with oxidation. I read somewhere that ATF cleans yellowed headlights and thought I would give it a try. Simply amazing!

It literally just wiped away the oxidation. I put a little on an old cotton t-shirt and it just took it off as easy as could be. I could hardly believe it. This is when I so wished I had taken photos! Wiped it on and wiped it off - no scrubbing - took 15 seconds.

Just thought I would share this with everyone - I searched and didn't find anyone posting about this. If you've got discolored headlights this is the answer you've been needing!

Scott

Grumpa72

I remain cautious that this is a permanent fix. More like waxing faded paint. I had a car with clouded and yellowed headlight lenses and it took polishing compound and a random orbital polisher to get it clear and clean.

Keep us posted.

tromly

I'll try it on my neighbors old Dodge Neon, hope it works! thanks for sharing your discovery

Scott1258

Hey Grumpa thanks for posting. I would have been cautious too had I not watched the ATF take off what I thought I would have needed a polisher to do. It did the job effortlessly and simply! I don't think any headlight polishing is permanent - it will all come back at some point ... but with this method all it takes is a few seconds and it'll be clean again! Enjoy all and post your experiences with this method.

Scott

arima

are you sure your getting it out, or just greasing it up. what happens after a few car washes?

code58

Wait til you wash the car a couple or three times. With all due respect, your kidding yourself that you took anything off or polished anything with the ATF. You could do the same thing with any type of light oil or WD-40. It only seems to brighten them, it hasn't really changed anything. If you don't believe me, take some regular paint thinner that you buy at Home Depot and clean the ATF off and dry it. All the oxidization will return. Any kind of oil has that ability, for a very short time.

tromly

Your logic sounds very reasonable !

arima

its not a lexus, but should you should get the same results

http://forums.maxima.org/detailing/3...es-2-08mb.html

mikey00

Are you sure regular paint thinner is safe for our headlight covers?

code58

Mikey- I use paint thinner all the time for a million uses, because it is non-threatening to almost everything. What we're talking about is PAINT THINNER, NOT LAQUER THINNER! Paint thinner like you would use in an oil based house paint. You can buy it at Wal-mart for about $6.-$7. a gallon. Laquer thinner costs about $14.-$15. a gallon now. There are some things on a car that you could harm if you let 'em soak in paint thinner, but it is an excellent solvent because it doesn't solvate (attack) like laquer thinner. I spent over 30 years in body, paint and mechanical so I'm very familiar with the products in that field.

code58

Having spent so many years in the automotive field, I was restoring hazy headlight lenses long before they ever started coming out with the kits they have for that purpose now. I am not putting them down, because for the average person that doesn't have a background in that field, the kits will do wonders, but do not do the same thing that sanding and polishing with a buffer and white polishing compound will. I always prefer doing things in a way that give me the longest time before I have to do it again, which means doing it right the 1st. time. Once sanded and buffed, they do need to be kept waxed just like the paint. As a matter of fact, the headlights really should be waxed just like the paint does. Just like the paint, they wouldn't get hazy anywhere near as quick if they were. The cheaper the plastic (ever notice Dodge/Chrysler product headlights?) the quicker they will grow hazy. Most all plastic surfaces that get scratched up can be sanded and polished in the same way.

lexus114

I dont know why the h3ll they didnt just use glass!

zombie

iTrader: (1)

i tried it. it leaves a glossy layer on the surface. it didnt really wipe the yellow off like i hoped. i didnt have atf fluid, so i just bought fluid i found at the dollar store. i didnt feel like experimenting with atf that costs close to $5. scott1258 what brand, where did you get it, and type of atf fluid did you use?

blueridge

Sounds like a new use for AutoRX!

mandyfig

I have to try this on my friend's 97 Camry....I will take pics before and after...we'll see...