BMW 1 Series Coupe Forum / 1 Series Convertible Forum (1M / tii / 135i / 128i / Coupe / Cabrio / Hatchback) (BMW E82 E88 128i 130i 135i)
 





 

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      07-15-2018, 04:39 PM   #1
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Headlight surface speckles

Anyone ever had this problem with their headlights?

It's not pitting from everyday driving... It's too evenly distributed throughout both headlights. Microcracks, maybe?

Any idea how to clean this up?
Attached Images
  
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-15-2018, 07:20 PM   #2
chris_flies
Sideways and Smiling
chris_flies's Avatar
3027
Rep
2,860
Posts

Drives: In Exuberance
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: Rosamond, CA USA

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
You could possibly polish them
__________________
2012 BMW 328i 6-Speed Wagon | Deep Sea Blue with Grey Dakota Leather | Manual Swap, 330i Intake + Tune, 3.15 Helical LSD, Öhlins R&T
(SOLD) 2009 BMW 128i 6-Speed Coupé | Monaco Blue with Black Sensatec | chris_flies' 128i thread
Appreciate 0
      07-15-2018, 10:32 PM   #3
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by chris_flies View Post
You could possibly polish them
I used Meguiar's Swirl Remover and it didn't do a thing. Then I tried Meguiar's PlastX and that had no effect, either.
__________________
Appreciate 1
      07-16-2018, 06:47 AM   #4
1and1
Loves me some MHD!
1and1's Avatar
United_States
1852
Rep
1,711
Posts

Drives: faster than he should...
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Tally, FL

iTrader: (2)

Garage List
'09 135i  [10.00]
I have the same symptom. Have done my headlights with my DA during paint correction with no change to their appearance.

To me the small spots appear like very small voids in the lens, or spots on the inner surface. On mine the exterior surface is very smooth and clean/clear.
__________________
1and1
135i - E82.N54 2009 BSM - MHD / xHP / DCI, PR CP & 7.5" Race IC / N55 mid & Borla
. . WL RSFI, Koni, Eibach & Dinan CP's, M3 CA's / EBC Red's & Firehawk 500's
X1 - E84.N20 2013 MGM - JB4 - The Wife's, now with new turbo & ewg
Appreciate 1
bmw1racer998.00
      07-16-2018, 02:08 PM   #5
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1and1 View Post
I have the same symptom. Have done my headlights with my DA during paint correction with no change to their appearance.

To me the small spots appear like very small voids in the lens, or spots on the inner surface. On mine the exterior surface is very smooth and clean/clear.
I can't tell if those speckles are on the inside or the outside... I can't feel them with my fingers, so they could be on the inside.

Also, there some areas around the turn signals that seem rough as if there's some coating (UV?) that's coming off. Polish doesn't seem to remove it, but I can scratch it off with my fingernail.
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-16-2018, 03:00 PM   #6
1and1
Loves me some MHD!
1and1's Avatar
United_States
1852
Rep
1,711
Posts

Drives: faster than he should...
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Tally, FL

iTrader: (2)

Garage List
'09 135i  [10.00]
Those areas may need actual compounding, or even wet sanding to resolve what you can feel/scrape off with a finger nail.
Beware however, at that point you're also potentially removing the factory UV coating so will need to re-coat or face repeating the process every 6-8 months
__________________
1and1
135i - E82.N54 2009 BSM - MHD / xHP / DCI, PR CP & 7.5" Race IC / N55 mid & Borla
. . WL RSFI, Koni, Eibach & Dinan CP's, M3 CA's / EBC Red's & Firehawk 500's
X1 - E84.N20 2013 MGM - JB4 - The Wife's, now with new turbo & ewg
Appreciate 1
Dackelone10511.00
      07-16-2018, 10:58 PM   #7
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1and1 View Post
Those areas may need actual compounding, or even wet sanding to resolve what you can feel/scrape off with a finger nail.
Beware however, at that point you're also potentially removing the factory UV coating so will need to re-coat or face repeating the process every 6-8 months
Duly noted.

First things first, though: Let see if I can get rid of those annoying speckles.
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-18-2018, 11:59 PM   #8
icegrill
Lieutenant Colonel
icegrill's Avatar
2078
Rep
1,779
Posts

Drives: 2015 M3
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Oregon

iTrader: (3)

It seems like mine are on the inside. One more "quirk" with these cars, the gd headlights!
Appreciate 0
      07-19-2018, 08:29 AM   #9
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by icegrill View Post
It seems like mine are on the inside.
It could well be... If that's the case, I'm screwed.
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-19-2018, 10:51 AM   #10
smrtypants44
Captain
smrtypants44's Avatar
United_States
518
Rep
894
Posts

Drives: 2017 440i
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Tulsa, OK

iTrader: (2)

Are you sure its not dirt on the inside?
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-19-2018, 04:37 PM   #11
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by smrtypants44 View Post
Are you sure its not dirt on the inside?
Nope, not dirt... It wouldn't be so evenly distributed in BOTH headlights.
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-19-2018, 05:20 PM   #12
1and1
Loves me some MHD!
1and1's Avatar
United_States
1852
Rep
1,711
Posts

Drives: faster than he should...
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Tally, FL

iTrader: (2)

Garage List
'09 135i  [10.00]
Yup-same as mine...
Almost like a heavy scattering of tiny air bubbles in the lens

If only it wasn't such a PITA to pull the lens off
__________________
1and1
135i - E82.N54 2009 BSM - MHD / xHP / DCI, PR CP & 7.5" Race IC / N55 mid & Borla
. . WL RSFI, Koni, Eibach & Dinan CP's, M3 CA's / EBC Red's & Firehawk 500's
X1 - E84.N20 2013 MGM - JB4 - The Wife's, now with new turbo & ewg
Appreciate 0
      07-19-2018, 10:44 PM   #13
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Picked up a 3M Headlight Restoration Kit... Now I'm wondering is it worth the trouble or will I really screw up the headlights.
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-24-2018, 08:34 AM   #14
Thunderguts
Captain
Thunderguts's Avatar
772
Rep
992
Posts

Drives: 2009 128i Sport MT
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: DFW

iTrader: (0)

As others have said, once you remove the protective layer, they will yellow much, much faster. What I have never tried is polishing them and then coating them with that clear body protective film. Mine are fairly pitted, but I suspect it's just rock chips. If I ever decide to polish them, I will try the film and see if that keeps them looking clear longer.
Appreciate 0
      07-24-2018, 10:18 PM   #15
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thunderguts View Post
I suspect it's just rock chips.
They're not. As I've said more than once, they're way too evenly distributed on the headlight housing.

The more I inspect and stare at it, the more I think they're on the inside of the housing.
__________________
Appreciate 1
1and11851.50
      07-25-2018, 12:29 AM   #16
Thunderguts
Captain
Thunderguts's Avatar
772
Rep
992
Posts

Drives: 2009 128i Sport MT
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: DFW

iTrader: (0)

The only time I've seen that happen on the inside is when I hit a deer with my car. It separated the headlight housing on the bottom and condensation would form inside after a good rain. When the lights were on for a while, it would evaporate and leave spots. If you have it on both, that's not likely unless you have leaky seals on both headlights.
Appreciate 0
      07-25-2018, 09:00 AM   #17
zx10guy
Brigadier General
5139
Rep
3,235
Posts

Drives: 2013 135i
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: DC

iTrader: (0)

I was looking into doing something with my headlights. I talked to my trusted body shop and they said they could polish the lenses and then spray clear coat over them.

Then I hit a deer. So I had two new headlights installed. I was still considering doing something about the headlights now that they are new. I decided to have 3M film installed over them. One thing I can say is, it's amazing even with a garage kept car how much of a beating the headlights take. I thought the old headlights were still in fairly good condition even with the pitting from road crap hitting them. But when I first drove at night with the new headlights, it's amazing how much brighter the lights are with new lenses.
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lups View Post
We might not be in an agreement on Trump, but I'll be the first penis chaser here to say I'll rather take it up in the ass than to argue with you on this.
Appreciate 0
      07-25-2018, 10:25 PM   #18
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Not going to see any deer in my neck of the woods.

At this point, it's more of an personal annoyance rather than anything. If they are microcracks, it might be from heating and cooling over time caused by the halogen bulbs.

I've got to think it's not going to get better and sometime down the line I'll have to bite the bullet and replace both of headlamps.
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-27-2018, 09:10 AM   #19
jaye944
Captain
No_Country
1007
Rep
638
Posts

Drives: a
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: a

iTrader: (0)

if you have to compound polish them you "MUST" spray it with a few coats of clear
Appreciate 0
      07-27-2018, 09:11 AM   #20
jaye944
Captain
No_Country
1007
Rep
638
Posts

Drives: a
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: a

iTrader: (0)

have you taken the headlight units out removed the bulb and try and see if it is on the inside, because if they are it is TOTALLY pointless doing anything to the outside
Appreciate 0
      07-27-2018, 10:21 PM   #21
bmw1racer
bimmerphile, technogeek
bmw1racer's Avatar
United_States
998
Rep
3,784
Posts

Drives: 2012 E82 6MT Sport
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: SoCal

iTrader: (0)

Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaye944 View Post
have you taken the headlight units out removed the bulb
I'm not going through all that trouble to do that, since I'm pretty convinced the problem is on the inside. If I go through all that, it'll be to replace the headlight units.

Quote:
try and see if it is on the inside because if they are it is TOTALLY pointless doing anything to the outside
Well yeah, duh.
__________________
Appreciate 0
      07-27-2018, 11:22 PM   #22
jaye944
Captain
No_Country
1007
Rep
638
Posts

Drives: a
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: a

iTrader: (0)

dude,
it may have been obvious to some but not to all,
post 5 is where you even mention that it is not on the outside, even I missed that reply.

so your answer is "thanks"
mine would be "your welcome"

c a little bit of courtesy, doesn't hurt does it ?
Appreciate 1
Dackelone10511.00
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:55 PM.




1addicts
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST