Frequently Asked Questions for the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System

Q) How long will a refinished lens remain clear?

A) This will be dependant on many factors that vary greatly including; environment, altitude, lens material, lens design, surface coating, indoor or outdoor storage, and exposure to harsh car wash chemicals. We've seen headlights begin to oxidize as early as 9 months up to 2 or more years depending on the environment. This is a difficult question to answer accurately

Q) Does a refinished lens yellow sooner than a OEM or new aftermarket lens?

A) Yes, the refinished lenses will likely yellow sooner than an equivalent OEM or aftermarket lens. However, in order to restore clarity to the lens, the degraded UV coating must be removed. The UV resistance will vary on refinished lenses based on environment, lens composition, and many other factors. Therefore it is difficult to estimate how much sooner a lens will yellow when compared to an OEM or aftermarket replacement lens.

Q) Is 3M Corporation looking at providing UV protection with the Headlight Lens Restoration System kit?

A) Yes, we would like to offer something for additional UV protection. We're exploring a variety of UV resistant products. However, this requires some long term testing at our weathering centers as well as Department of Highway Safety approvals. It may be some time before we have a product available for market. Some collision repair shops are shooting clear coat over the top of the headlights after they are restored. At this point we have no data on how long a clear coat will last before yellowing or its long term effects on a headlight lens. In order to maintain the clarity of the lens after refinishing, Plastic Cleaner (3M 39017) and Plastic Polish (3M 39010) can be used on an as needed basis.

Q) How long does the process take to restore a lens?

A) On an average it will take about 10-15 minutes per headlight. Headlights that are larger or extremely hazed will require more time and can take up to about 45 minutes per lens. The first sanding step that removes the yellowing will normally be the most time consuming step.

Q) Can a headlight be refinished more than once?

A) Typically Yes, a lens can be refinished several times using the 3MHeadlight Lens Restoration System. Most lenses are made of polycarbonate material that is 1/8" - 1/4" thick. We are only removing a small fraction of material when refinishing, less than 1/32" in most cases, from the overall lens thickness.

Q) Why does the kit include Chicago Pneumatic brand tools?

A) 3M evaluated several brands or tools and the CP brand tools performed extremely well for this process. CP is a reputable manufacturer that makes quality tools. The ability to adjust the speed on the tools and ease of use/comfort we feel are huge advantages for the 3MHeadlight Lens Restoration System.

Q) What type of plastic are headlight lens made from?

A) Most are made of polycarbonate material, some are acrylic.

Q) Do I have to worry about being too aggressive during the sanding steps on the headlights?

A) Generally No, the plastic headlights are thick and much more forgiving than clear coat on your vehicle. As with any sanding procedure, keep the DA sander moving so excessive heat is not generated on the surface of the lens. Excessive hear can result in smearing  which will require more sanding and can be difficult to remove.

Q) Can I use a coarser grade abrasive like P220 or P320?

A) Yes, however you must step out the headlight in a normal abrasive sequence like: P320 > P500 > P800 > P1000........etc. Coarser grade papers must be ordered separately from the kit. We feel that P500 will handle most of the tougher headlights that you will see.

Q) Do the headlights have a coating on them?

A) Yes, most of them have a thin UV coating. It's important to remove the yellowed or oxidized UV coating during the P500 sanding step otherwise you won't get optimal results.

Q) What causes headlight lenses to become hazed, yellowed, pitted?

A) Hazing, yellowing, and pitting is the result of several factors including Sun/UV exposure, impact with sand and road debris, climate or other environmental conditions, as well as age, composition, and design of the headlight lens. The yellowing you see is either degraded UV coating or degraded polymer.

Q) Will the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System work on all headlight lens defects?

A) No, Damage or defects on the backside of the lens or moisture inside the headlight assembly can not be repaired with the 3M Headlight Restoration System. Most yellowing and other defects on the outside surface of the headlight lens can be refurbished.

Q) Can I use the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System (3M 02516) on glass?

A) No, do not use the 3M Headlight Restoration System (3M 02516) on glass. It is extremely difficult to get sand scratches out of glass.

Q) Can I use the 3M Headlight Lens Restoration System to remove scratches from newer headlight lenses?

A) Yes, this system will remove scratches from newer lenses. However, in order to have consistent clarity across the lens, the entire surface will need to be sanded, removing the UV resistant coating. This does compromise the UV resistance of the headlight lens as a refinished lens will likely yellow sooner than the original lens. This decision must be considered when removing scratches from an otherwise new condition lens.

Q) How do I know when I am done with the first sanding step (P500 grit) (3M 00712)?

A) This is the most important step, if the defects/yellowing are not completely removed in this step, it will show in the final appearance of the headlight lens. Before moving to the nest sanding step (P800 grit), (3M 00710), the lens should have a white , evenly sanded surface that appears to look "frosted". If any portion of the lens looks clear or glossy, continue sanding with the P500 grit before moving to the next sanding step (P800 grit), (3M 00710).

Q) When should I change to a new abrasive disc?

A) When the abrasive disc is no longer removing material or making dust it is time to change to a new disc. Also, if the disc becomes loaded or clogged with residue it is time to change to a new disc. Sanding with a disc that is no longer working will generate excessive heat on the headlight lens and can cause smearing on the surface of the lens that can be difficult to remove.

Q) How much water is needed with the 3M Trizact P3000 (3M 02077) abrasive disc?

A) A mist of water from a spray bottle  on the lens surface and on the abrasive disc should be sufficient. If the surface becomes dry while sanding, apply a mist of water to the lens surface and/or the abrasive disc. Avoid over-applying water; too much water will reduce the effectiveness of the abrasive disc.

Q) Does extra sanding with the 3M Trizact P3000 (3M 02077) abrasive disc improve lens clarity?

A) Typically yes, extra sanding using 3M Trizact (3M 02077) P3000 grit abrasive disc will further refine sand scratches. This reduces the depth of the sand scratches and makes the polishing step faster which in turn will improve the final clarity clarity of the lens.

Q) How much Plastic Cleaner (3M 39017) is needed on each lens?

A) Apply and add Plastic Cleaner (3M 39017) in dime-sized amounts as needed to the white compounding (3M 05721) pad until the lens clarity has reached the desired level. This will minimize the amount of sling which reduces waste and clean-up. The amount of Plastic Cleaner needed will vary with each headlight lens. 

Q) How much Plastic Polish (3M 39010) is needed on each lens?

A) Apply and add Plastic Polish (3M 39010) in dime-sized amounts as needed to the black foam pad (3M 05722) until the lens clarity has reached the desired level. This will minimize the amount of sling which reduces waste and clean-up. Most headlight lenses will only require one or two dime-sized amounts of Plastic Polish.

Q) What should I do if I see sand scratches remaining in the lens when I am finished with the Plastic Polish step?

A) Return to the Trizact P3000 (3M 02077) sanding step and repeat the process. It is necessary to return to the Trizact P3000 (3M 02077) step to remove and sand scratches that were not removed the first time the first time through the process.

Q) What can I do to maintain the lens clarity over time?

A) Periodically re-polish using (3M 39017) Plastic Cleaner and follow up with (3M 39010) Plastic Polish to maintain lens clarity. The frequency needed for this will vary significantly depending on many factors including the environment and the specific headlight lens.

Q) Can I refinish taillights using this system?

A) Yes, this system works equally as well for taillights. Taillights typically don't see the abuse of headlight lenses, therefore you may be able to start with a much finer grit than you would start with on a headlight lens.