gentlemen, just wanted to ask if anyone has experienced this and how it was resolved... Scratches seem to be on the outside of the tail lights. What works best?

 

Are the scratches deep enough to catch a fingernail on or just surface marks? If they are just on the surface a good rubbing or polishing compound would do the trick. Anything deeper probably means replacing the lens.

 

Well you can't replace the lens...you would have to replace the entire tail light fixture - time for the aftermarket LED's??

To fix I'd first change how you're washing your car - it takes a lot of rubbing with a gritty rag to scratch. Then try using this stuff - I've had good success.
https://www.novuspolish.com

 

I treat all my plastics the same as my paint. If im doing a full paint correction, I correct the lenses in the same way.


Machine buffing is the way to go for me. by hand....aaaah, not so much.
If you can put your finger nail into the scratch, it likely will not completely buff out.... same as paint. With compounding/glazing,etc, it can feather the severity of the scratch to the point it is not as noticeable....

 

Obligatory warning about polishing headlights and frying the front control module. Not sure if tails have the same issue.

 

This is what I just did to my headlights. Link below:

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...min-x-diy.html

I haven't had to do anything to the tail lights yet, so can't say if the same approach would work, but I don't see why not.

 

Happened to me many moons ago and the new modules are better grounded to prevent the static of polishing from frying it. At least, that's what I was told.
But if it's similar to the headlight lens fine scratches, then yes, the headlight polishing kits should work.

 

Honestly I don't know how it happened. Jh I don't think it's through washing otherwise the whole car should be in the same condition. The scratches are only on the lenses and they have similar formation on both side which is a mystery to me. Here are some pics

 

Here is another view

 

Both lenses have same formations which are more pronounced on the edge by the engine hood and almost non existent on the edges towards the pointed portion by the rear fender. The scratches are so hairline that if you run your fingernails it seems that there are no scratches and you wonder if it's inside the lens. It outside and using novus plastic polish set helped a bit but still there. Question really is how it happened. Have been very careful with the lenses except that I made a mistake not putting plastic on it early on.

 

One should never buff head lamp lenses. They are made from polycarbonate which has terrible chemical resistance. They are, therefore, "hard coated". This coating process protects the material from washer fluid and other fluids. If you buff and remove the coating the lenses will eventually turn yellow and craze/crack. Polycarbonate is used in headlamp lenses to meet pedestrian impact standards. Tailamps, however, do not need t meet this standard as cars are generally going slowly when backing. Those lenses are typically made from acrylic resin and will shatter when impacted but are not hard coated as the resin has better UV resistance. However, all amorphous ( clear) plastics have poor chemical resistance and will crack/craze before you eyes ( in seconds) if exposed to isopropanol. Do not ever let that alcohol near your car. I am not sure, but the pictures look to me like environmental stress cracking, typically caused by molded-in stresses combined with exposure to sun and/or chemicals ( alcohol, brake fluid, other ).

 

Hi Fah, can't decipher how it happened, they don't look like scratches coming from dory rag cleaning which I can say never happened. Stress cracking?... Hmm it seems that the novus system jh suggested lessened the scratches a bit which leads me to believe they Are on the outside seriously it so difficult to ascertain if they are actually inside or outside the lens. They really look bad? Any case of defective production that could still be warrantied? Long shot after 5 years of ownership....