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Head light restoral

3K views 28 replies 16 participants last post by  Tweezer 
#1 ·
I have tried 3M and Diamondite head light restoral treatment on my vehicle with the results ending up with them very clean on the out side and I know that is what those products are designed to do but my headlights seem to have a film of grime on the inside of them . I was wonderng is there an way to clean the inside ? :confused:
 
#2 ·
I think the only way to clean the inside is to open them up which is virtually impossible on the E60. If it's really bad it may be time (unfortunately) for new headlights. I wouldn't do that if you just 3M'ed the outside though.

That picture looks like a Camaro that was modified to look like a BMW...
by the way.
 
#3 ·
I had great results by using the $10 kit from Harbor Freight, simple sandpaper pad that attaches to a drill, some elbow grease and then the polishing compound and my headlights looked new for over a year (until a carsh meant new headlights were in order anyway)
 
#6 ·
I have an 04 and cleaned mine up again this past weekend. I wet sanded with 2000 grit, then I polished with rubbing compound (Turtle Wax brand) then I buffed with plasti clear plastic polish. Turned out quite nice.

You say you have something on the inside though. I would remove each head light, remove all the electronics from the lamps and try washing out, then let dry real good and re-assemble.

You must have a bad seal or a missing bulb cap at the rear for stuff to get inside???
 
#5 ·
Boramkiv is right, the only way to clean the inside is to open the headlights, but they are VERY difficult to close up again afterward. You will most likely end up with moisture inside the headlights and short circuits later on as the moisture corrodes things.
 
#8 ·
you either lives close to the ocean (area like Florida) or have a broken moisture barrier on the headlamps, the latter is unlikely if happens on both headlamps. I am talking about a rubber flapper that allows moisture to escape but not in.

You can always buf the outside, that usually improve the condition of the headlamps. I don;t have guts to open it, I heard older headlamps like prior to 2004 can be baked and opened. but my concern is how are you going to regulate the temp(even if you know the exact temp to soften the seal/glue) in home oven, it can be off as much as 10% then cycle up-down, too risky.

How about just remove the headlamp, use micro-fiber sprayed with glass cleaner around a tongue and buff it slowly, insert the tongue through the H7/DS1 xenon bulb opening.
 
#10 ·
Never tried toothpaste, but I guess it would leave the headlights "minty fresh" and prevent gingivitis. :thumbup::D:rofl::rofl:
 
#12 ·
When i was in Jr high school ( back in 1973 }we used to make projects out of plexy glass,, we used 1500 wet sand paper and then 2000 wet sand paper on the cut edges and it comes out lookin like glass after polishing ..

What Hogie said will work,,, and look like new...
 
#14 ·
Just a FYI..

The first time that I cleaned was about 3 years ago and I just taped round the lamps and buffed in place. This past weekend I actually took the head lamps out when I cleaned. For my 04 e60 it was very easy to take out. Just two torque screws on top and then just loosen two torque screws at bottom of lamp's backside.

I also had to change a burned out angel lamp.
 
#20 ·
Just do a google search for 2006 530 headlight assemblies. Several places carry them, but everywhere I've seen them, they were $600-$900 EACH. So your looking at $1,200-$1800 to replace both assemblies.

Your best bet is to try some of the restoration methods mentioned here. There was a thread here with photos and step by step from another member who made his very oxidized headlights look brand new.
 
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