Why do my headlights get yellow over time?

 

When you look at older cars, you can notice that their headlights are yellow and foggy. Unfortunately this happens as your car ages due to a few conditions. The first being oxidation. Oxidation is when your headlights get foggy and cloudy due to the UV rays  from the sun. From the manufacturer, your headlights come with a clear coating to prevent oxidation, but over time it does wear off. Once it is worn off, the sunlight turns your plastic headlights yellow. Other things that can affect your headlights are:

• Debris: Rocks, road salt, and other road debris hit your headlights as you drive. Over time this wears down that protective coating and creates scratches. 
• Dirt: Dirt will collect on your headlight causing the light beam to appear dim. This can alter the way you see as you drive down the road. 
• Water Vapor: When headlights are made, they are manufactured with a watertight seal. Unfortunately, over time this seal can break causing condensation to form inside. This cannot be wiped away unless you take apart your headlight. The water that is inside will scatter the light, making it even harder to see at night. 

Fortunately there are some things you can do to keep your headlights clean and clear. 

1. Try to park your car in shaded areas to limit the exposure of the sun, thus slowing down the oxidation process. 
2. It is important to wash your car often, and when you do, make sure you hit those headlights. Washing them with regular car soap will remove any dust, dirt, and debris causing your headlights to appear foggy.
3. You can polish your headlights with a polishing agent and cloth. This will remove yellowing. 

Unfortunately, yellowing of headlights comes with the aging of your vehicle. Fortunately there are several ways you can slow down this process. We here at Jerry Noonan’s Auto Center hope you found this helpful and stay safe on the roads!