512M HEADLIGHT HAZE

My M had very slight fogging on the right headlight and foglight when I bought it. I was told that it could not be removed and the headlight light was very expensive and since it was very minor, just live with it.

My friend has a 512M parts book and it shows the headlight lens as a separate part. Also when I tapped the lens, it did not sound like glass so I thought it must be lexan. here is what i did.

1. after removing the upper gasket which seals to the hood, i sliced open the seal on the perimeter of the lens using an Xacto knife.

2. it came off easily

3. now the surprise. the headlight cover is glass, not lexan/plexiglass. so i was able to quickly clean it on both sides to perfectly clear condition.

4. the lens does have micro road rash on the outside surface. recently i had purchased the griot headlight clear protection film. I had a window tint shop install it on the lens.

5. i decided to have a windshied installer put the lens back on the housing during which i heated the opeing up with a hair dryer to drive out any moisture.

6. i am happy with the final result: no haze, however a little distortion from certain angles due to the protective sheet.

 

1. my fog on the 512M is small and round. after the griot protective clear film was installed, the haze is very hard to see.

2. my guess is the is the big fog light on the TR is similar to the headlight construction on the M. if so, the glass can be separated from the housing.

 

1. the only reason to separate the lens is to clean off the haze which is likely some sort of volatile coming off the housing.

2. when i did it on the M, it was definitely not moisture condensation.

3. the rock risk is why i put on the griot film. it is advertised to withstand a bb gun hit. it is pretty thick and the window film guy that put it on said it was good stuff.

4. i had it put on all the front lights on the M. so far i am pleased.