Mobile Headlight Restoration

Crystal-Clear Headlights in San Diego, at Your Driveway

Foggy, yellowed headlights cut your night vision and make the whole car look older than it is. A pro detailer restores them to clear right in your driveway, water and power included.

Starting at $78
★★★★★400+ ReviewsGoogle·yelp·facebook·BookingKoala

Add it to any package while you schedule. Takes 30 seconds.

SUV with restored, crystal-clear headlights in a San Diego driveway at dusk

You Know This Moment

You notice it first at night

The road ahead just is not as bright as it used to be. Oncoming lights scatter across the haze on your lenses, and the dark gaps between streetlights feel longer than they should. Foggy headlights are not only a look. They cut how far down the road you can see, right when you need it most. In a coastal city like San Diego, sun and salt air haze plastic lenses faster than most people expect.

Why It Happens

Why headlights turn yellow and foggy

Headlight lenses are not glass, they are polycarbonate plastic with a thin factory UV coating. Years of San Diego sun break that coating down, and once it goes, the plastic underneath oxidizes: first a light haze, then that yellow, cloudy look that makes a well-kept car feel tired.

The damage is almost always on the outside surface, which is good news. It means the fix does not involve replacing anything. The oxidized layer can be sanded away in controlled stages, polished optically clear, and sealed with a fresh UV barrier, the same protection the lens left the factory with.

Home remedies like toothpaste or magic wipes can knock the haze down for a week or two, but they skip the sealing step, so the fog comes right back. A pro detailer restores the lens and seals it, right in your driveway.

The Process

How your detailer restores a foggy headlight

The same four-step sequence a shop would run, done at your driveway. Most cars take about an hour for both lenses.

Masks offthe paint and trim so only the lens gets worked.
Wet-sandsthe oxidized, yellowed layer off in stages.
Machine-polishesthe plastic back to clear.
UV seals itso the fog does not creep back in a month.
REAL SAN DIEGO RESULTS

Before and After, Real Local Cars

Both are real vehicles restored right here in San Diego. Nothing was replaced, just rescued.

BEFOREFoggy oxidized headlight before restoration in San Diego
AFTERClear restored headlight after professional restoration in San Diego
Moderate oxidation. Surface yellowing and light haze, caught early. A quick job that stays clear for a long time with a good UV sealant.
BEFOREFoggy oxidized headlight before restoration in San Diego
AFTERClear restored headlight after professional restoration in San Diego
Severe oxidation. Deep yellowing and surface cracks. More sanding, then a ceramic coating so the clarity lasts.

Badly oxidized headlights put out only about 22% of their original light. A proper restoration brings that back to roughly 70% (AAA), a real safety difference at night, when about half of all traffic deaths happen.

Read the full San Diego headlight guide: DIY methods vs a pro ›

More Than a Look

What restored headlights fix

Yellowed, sun-baked lensesYears of UV exposure bake a yellow tint into the plastic. Wet-sanding removes the oxidized layer completely instead of hiding it under a wipe-on shine.
Foggy, hazed plasticHaze scatters your light sideways instead of down the road. Machine polishing brings the lens back to optically clear.
Dim night drivingCloudy lenses cut how far ahead you can see after dark, right when you need the distance most. Clear lenses put your full beam back on the road.
Peeling DIY kit resultsStore kits often skip stages and leave the lens unsealed, so the fog returns in weeks. A machine polish plus UV sealant is built to hold for years.
Selling or handing it downClear lenses change how the whole car reads at a glance. It is one of the highest-impact, lowest-cost fixes before listing a car for sale.
When restoration is not the answerA cracked lens or moisture sealed inside the housing cannot be polished away. If replacement is the honest fix, your detailer will say so before any work starts.

Pairs Best With

Most people add this to The Bling

The Bling
Starting at $209
Full exterior hand wash, clay bar, wax and shine, tire and rim, interior vacuum, and windows. Clear headlights finish the front-end look the wash starts.
See what is in The Bling ›

Also pairs well with

Honest Expectations

Kit in the garage, or a pro at your driveway?

A $30 kit can work if you sand every stage patiently, polish with a machine, and add a UV sealant at the end. Most kits skip that last step, which is why kit results usually fade within months. The sealant is the difference between a weekend fix and years of clear lenses.

A professional restoration runs the full sequence: masking, staged wet-sanding, machine polishing, and a UV seal, all done at your home in about an hour. With the sealant, results typically hold one to three years depending on sun exposure and where the car parks.

Headlight restoration starts at $78 and takes about 30 seconds to add to any detail while you book. You see the exact price up front, nothing is charged until after your appointment, and the work is backed by the TLC Results Guarantee.

Good To Know

Headlight restoration questions

How long does headlight restoration last?
With the UV sealant your detailer applies, restored headlights usually stay clear for one to three years, depending on sun exposure and where the car is parked. Without a sealant the oxidation can return within months, which is why the coating step matters.
Is restoration cheaper than replacing the headlights?
Almost always. A single replacement headlight assembly often runs several hundred dollars plus labor, and many cars need both sides. Restoration brings the lenses you already have back to clear for a fraction of that.
Can foggy headlights fail a vehicle inspection?
In many places, badly clouded or yellowed headlights can fail inspection or draw a fix-it ticket because they cut down how much light reaches the road. Restoring them puts your light output back where it should be.
Is headlight restoration worth it?
For most cars, yes. Three professional restorations over about nine years run roughly $450 total, while one full headlight replacement often runs $800 or more. Restoring almost always makes more sense, unless the lens is cracked or has moisture trapped inside.
How do I know if I need restoration or replacement?
Run a finger across the lens. Rough and yellow on the outside is surface oxidation, which restores beautifully. Foggy but smooth usually means moisture is trapped inside from a failed seal, and that lens needs replacing instead. Your detailer checks this before starting.
Does headlight restoration work on all cars?
It works on the polycarbonate lenses used on nearly all modern vehicles, from daily drivers to luxury and EV models. The only lenses that need replacement are cracked ones or ones with internal moisture.
Why did my DIY headlight kit only last a few weeks?
Most store kits skip sanding stages and leave off the UV sealant, so the plastic is bare when you finish and the oxidation comes right back. A professional restoration machine-polishes the lens and seals it, which is what makes the result hold for years instead of weeks.
How long does headlight restoration take?
Plan on about an hour for both lenses, right at your driveway. If it is added to a full detail, your detailer folds it into the same visit and confirms total timing up front.
Will restoring my headlights help night driving?
Yes. Hazed plastic scatters your beam sideways instead of putting it down the road, which is why night driving feels dimmer every year. Restoring the lenses puts the light back where it belongs.
How much does headlight restoration cost in San Diego?
Headlight restoration starts at $78 as an add-on to any detail, covering both lenses. You see the exact price while booking, and nothing is charged until after your appointment.

Add it to any detail

No charge until after your appointment. Adding it takes about 30 seconds while you book.

Come Detail My Car ›
Backed by the TLC Results Guarantee