GM still hasn't got it right??

[dna_dan]

After all these years of making cars they still can't make a damn piece of plastic that doesn't haze?

I just noticed yesterday that the pastic covering on my headlights is hazing up and starting to become opaque. Is there an alternative to this cheap azz GM part? How much are replacement covers? $5000 each.. I swear this car is nothing but POS and a sorry excuse for anything AMERICAN.

[badassgrandam99]

...i haven't had this problem... could be caused cuz of the weather by where you live... but find out your part number and then check gmpartsdirect.com to see if they have the part... sorry you feel that way about your car, but mine has been great and one of the better cars we've ever owned... GA can't be too bad if it's Pontiac's best seller...

[action]

They are hazing because they are slowly being sandblasted by road debris. This is common here with all cars with new plastic headlights that are used in the winter. There is alot of sand on the road that is kicked up by other cars that hits your car with an impact equel to the speed your travelling. This is the same thing that causes rock chips, just with smaller particles.

I fixed mine a short time ago by wet sanding the lenses with 1000, 1500 and finally 2000 grit sandpaper. Took a couple hours but worked really well.

[Molson]

I fixed mine a short time ago by wet sanding the lenses with 1000, 1500 and finally 2000 grit sandpaper. Took a couple hours but worked really well.

how well did that work out? Mine are really pitted.

[badassgrandam99]

...so if it's road debris then not just GM cars would be having this problem... i would start complaining to the city and county about the damage being caused to cars b/c they aren't keeping up on the street cleaning... or something... i dunno...haha

[dna_dan]

I commute a lot but I don't think the exposure is a sandblasting effect. I live in CA not AZ or a state with severe snow. Besides, the hazing is on the top edge of the cover, not the front, as one would expect if it was indeed a sandblasting effect. I will try to post a pic soon.

[dearim]

I've seen that hazing problem on Fords, Hondas, Toyotas, Nissans, etc.

It's definitely not just a GM issue.

[ZakkWylde470]

My 99 GT's headlights are in great condition, just a few scratches here and there.

[dna_dan]

:mad:

Here goes. It almost looks like dried hairspray that is flaking off. I haven't tried to do anything to it for fear of making it worse. The car does get a substantial amount of sun exposure.

Does anyone know how difficult and expensive it is to replace these covers??

BTW, I understand that other manufacturers have these issues, but my car is a 2000. It hasn't even had it's 3rd year birthday yet. I would expect this after 5 or 10 years, but give me a break. It's almost like they make these cars to last just past the warranty period and then you are stuck with a POS.

[Jagey]

Maybe you are victim of some good ol' fashioned american acid rain

[luniz]

I have a 2000 as well. Mine haven't done that. Hopefully never, but I believe alot of it has to do with the environment. Cars are built to break, as much as I don't want to believe it, over time they break, and you know damn well most manufacturers will cut cost any way possible.

[ZakkWylde470]

Uh, polish them.

[koolZ71]

man alive..i think that is a 1 in a million problem..i have never seen or heard of anything that bad...my headlights have speckles in em..but its just normal wear but it looks no were near that, and hell as long as light goes through em i dont care:)

[2Dambad]

man alive..i think that is a 1 in a million problem..i have never seen or heard of anything that bad
Make that 2 in a million. My headlights are at LEAST that bad. I have tried everything to clean them, regular cleaner, clay bar, sand paper, dremel, vinegar. They just will not come clean.

[koolZ71]

hmmm wonder if it has anything to do with having aftermarket bulbs and making the plastic housings to hot

[STRMurphy]

Mine are like that too, but you know what, oh well. You can get the replacement pretty cheap on ebay, I see them all the time, its the whole assembly though. Havent been able to find just the cover, cause its all one piece. A new one will run you a couple hundred, but if you sweet talk the person at the dealership who does parts( as I did), you can get a used one from a junkyard for damn near nothing. There has never been a car produced that doesnt have some kind of problem... and if you hate it that much trade it in and buy a boi-racer or something...

[Jagey]

I don't know exactly where the states you guys live in, but if they are near the east or northeast coast, your cars are definately going to be affected by the crap in your rain.

[Panacea]

If you ask me it looks as if it's coming from the inside, not out! One of you guys take 'em apart and clean them. Then tell me if you still have the problem.

I'd say it's just a mixture of condensation and either A) dirt/mildew buildup or B) "rust" condensation.


Seriously, take apart your housing and clean the inside and see if that fixes it.

Have you guys had problems w/moisture getting into the INDISE of your housings?

[dna_dan]

It's not the lights in my case. I am 100% stock. I have been thinking more and more about when I first noticed it a couple of weeks ago..... I never saw them gradually change. They were fine one week then terrible the next. I looked at the weather over the past few days and there was a significant heat wave out here. I mean temperatures that were 100+

Perhaps once the plastic reaches a certain temperature it just goes all at once? I mean this seemed to happen overnight. I guess I will check ebay! It does disperse the light a night a little bit. I have noticed my lights aren't as bright as they used to be.

The problem is DEFINITELY on the surface. My wife can etch it with her fingernail, like I said it looks like dried hairspray or something. Perhaps I was sabbotaged? DOH!!! Should just have my wife etch away!:D

I wonder if any grand am owners in hot azz areas have this problem? Anyone here from Arizona or Nevada and park your car outside a lot?

[fschambe]

I am getting the same problem, but only on passenger side... Unless the driver side was so bad that the dealer had to replace that before selling me my 2k in march of 2k3... I found a plexiglass cleaner in a blue and white bottle that might work... I will post the TSB next for mods if they want to move it to the TSB section

[fschambe]

Polycarbonate Headlamp - Chemical Damage

File In Section: 08 - Body and Accessories

Bulletin No.: 02-08-42-001

Date: March, 2002

INFORMATION

Subject:
Chemical Damage To Exterior Polycarbonate Headlamp Lenses

Models:
2002 and Prior Passenger Cars and Trucks

The bulletin is being issued to make dealers and customers aware of chemical damage that may be caused to exterior polycarbonate headlamp lenses Most late model vehicles have these types of headlamp lenses. This material is used because of its temperature and high impact resistance.

A variety of chemicals can cause crazing or cracking of the headlamp lens. Headlamp lenses are very sensitive. Care should be exercised to avoid contact with all exterior headlamp lenses when treating a vehicle with any type of chemical, such as those recommended for rail dust removal. Rubbing compound and cleaner waxes may also attribute to this condition. This could result in the need to replace the entire headlamp housing.

[fschambe]

Sucks, it's just a FYI TSB

[swordfencer]

Lexan and the plastics they use for the headlight lens are very sensitive to chemical attacks. You trade off for what you want...something that is highly impact resistant and temperature resistant but would melt when you drip something on it, or something that is very chemical resistant but cracks because the UV from the sun. And actually, all plastics will eventually fall to the UV from the sun. It is a trade off. All brands of cars, not just GM.

And I have yet to see anybody market a plastic that does everything and stands up to the sun. Even with UV inhibitors, the plastic will yellow, become brittle, and crack over time. Look at your window gaskets, trim, etc. They harden up and crack. On all cars that happens.

[Scooter]

[i]
I wonder if any grand am owners in hot azz areas have this problem? Anyone here from Arizona or Nevada and park your car outside a lot? [/B]

Yup!! I'm from ABQ, NM and I have the same problem and I'm ****ed about it. The weird thing is that it only happened to my Drivers side headlight. From what I've read it's actually a UV protectant and scratch resistant coating that starts flaking off.

I wonder if all of us in the hotter areas of the country wrote in to the NHTSB about the problem maybe they'd open up a defect investigation for it. Honestly poor scattered/difracted lighting can become a pretty serious saftey issue especially in conditions like fog.

...I dunno

[dna_dan]

Scooter is correct. There is a coating on the covers that is "crazing" in high heat. I took some #3 steel wool to it today and completely etched off a portion of the coating. I then followed that up with "0" then "0000" steel wool. Most of the scratches came out. To finish the job, I used some polishing compound to buff out the surface. The grit is in between rubbing compound and wax. (microfine). It does look better, but not like new. I can believe I am going to get stiffed another 100+ dollar for this ****. I am already replacing the creaking ass calipers and warping cheap **** metal rotors.

And I have yet to see anybody market a plastic that does everything and stands up to the sun. Even with UV inhibitors, the plastic will yellow, become brittle, and crack over time. Look at your window gaskets, trim, etc. They harden up and crack. On all cars that happens.

I completely understand that. BUT .. The key word here is "Over time" How many plastics on other cars do this after 2.5 years?? Isn't that a bit short for the lifetime of a 100 dollar part? And if you happen to be Scooter or myself and just happen to live in a super sunny area, then oh well... you're just supposed to deal with it or move? THAT IS ****ING BULL****! Once again ****ed in the ass by the great GM ripoff.

[Scooter]

Well, this weekend I decided that I was tired of looking at a crazed and flaking headligt so I decided to do something about it.

1. Wet sanded the whole lens with 1000 grit paper and a soap/water solution

2. Wet sanded again with 1500 grit, then 2000 grit untill a nice consistent 'fogged' appearance was achieved

3. Polished persistently with 3M Perfect It III fine cut rubbing compound until a consistent transparent affect was achieved

4. Polished lightly with Meguire's step 2 polishing compound to clean it up.

5. Washed the lens with dish soap and water so as to not leave behind any wax/silicone residue from the meguire's


The final affect is not perfect, but it does look 100 times better. I'm going to talk to some guys at a plastics fab shop and see if there's any finer-grit polishing compound that can be used....maybe I can get it looking new again.

--Total Cost = $0.00 (I had the sandpaper and 3M left over from a paint job)
--Total elbow grease = approx. 2 hours and a really sore right arm.

[SikMindz]

That's weird man...I mean I only live like 20-30 minutes away from San Jo, dna and my headlights are perfectly fine. Maybe just a bad day for the line at the factory? *shrug*

Anyways, hit me up so we can meet up sometime when I'm back home in the Bay!

[dna_dan]

Don't hold your breath man.... Someone else just posted from Florida that they had the same problem. I checked ebay and apparently the resellers are on to the issue and the headlights go for 100+ Brand new they run about 150 EACH. I am still fuming about this.

This week my interior AC fan died in positions 1 and 2 so now I guess am replacing the blower resistor. The part is under $20 but still.... Seems like every week I have a new issue with the car. Getting to be a pain in the ass.