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What would you recommend for repairing cloudy headlights?

Six months ago, my local Ford dealer claimed to have cleaned my headlights in order to get a WOF. Six months later they say they need to do it again in order to get another warrant.

Carlton

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 9 March 2010

If you Google "cloudy headlights" you will find a number of different products and opinions on this subject and auto stores like Supercheap or Repco would no doubt stock products claiming to restore headlights back to their original condition.

I tend to think any such products are temporary fixes only and the cloudy appearance is a result of deterioration of the plastic or polycarbonate the lens is manufactured from.

I would be inclined to ask the garage to show you the reason for the rejection, is it obvious deterioration or does the light shape itself get distorted or fragmented when shown against a light board or beam setter. If the car can pass its WoF with some sort of treatment, then I guess it's a cheaper option than replacing the headlight assembly however, you cannot overlook safety and the potential to be driving with inadequate lighting which will deteriorate again over the next 6 months.

What would be interesting to know is if there was any significant improvement in the light beam after the last repair or did it simply satisfy the garage enough to issue a new WoF.

An auto painter may be able to" buff" the headlight much the same as they do over paint with a very light cutter as another option.