Contents
Introduction
So you have tried to restore your BMW headlights by buying a kit and cleaning its outer lens but you still experience foggy headlights. Well, that must mean something must be wrong and there is still work needed to be done. The good news is that you can do one more thing before you decide to have it replaced. After all, your headlights are one of the most important features of your car and that is why you would need to have it working as soon as you can. To help you out, you need to learn how to clean BMW headlights from inside. It is not as complicated as you think it is and you can learn how to do it by yourself. Below are some of the things and steps that would be useful for you when it comes to doing just that.
Why clean your headlights?
Having foggy headlights is probably a car owner’s worst nightmare because you would not be able to see the road ahead of you properly. It can cause you to get into an accident and it risks your safety. It can lead to a collision or more when it comes down to it. This is why you would need to make sure that your headlights are working as well as they possibly can be. Now, when it comes to that, a lens restorer might be your first option. However, there will be times when it is not enough to have just that. You would also need to clean the inner part of your headlights to ensure that they will be up and working. However, cleaning the inside might be a little more challenging than cleaning it from the outside. Nevertheless, with the right steps, you should be able to figure it out and do it right.
Different types of car headlights
Before you decide on learning how to clean BMW headlights from inside, it would be great to learn more about the different types of car headlights first as this would help you to get a better grasp on what you need to do. One of the popular kinds would be the sealed headlights that come with a single to around four lights inside of them. It is something that can give bright or low light beams depending on how many bulbs are inside. If you want to know if your headlight is of this type, what you can do ist o open your hood and see if the bolts are holding a flat metal that is covering the headlight itself. If the answer is yes and you see it, then you are using a sealed headlight.
On the other hand, there is also a composite headlight. This one has a replaceable lighting feature. The lens is usually made up of plastic and it can be quite easy to use. The next type would be the high-intensity discharge headlights or the HID which is known for its very bright beams. It has Xenon gas and it is known to be about 4 times longer in lifespan compared to the composite lights. The downside is that they are far more expensive and thus it can be quite a hassle to have them replaced. There are projector headlights that are built to help you focus on the road. It would easily be able to keep on lighting a specific path so that you can drive easier. However, it is far more expensive than all the previous types of headlights mentioned.
Steps
Remove the housing
To know how to clean BMW headlights from inside, the first thing that you need to do would be to remove the housing of the headlight. You will need to remove the trim, bezel, or any possible signs of chrome that can be covering your headlight. For you to be able to do this, you will need a special type of screwdrivers like a Philips head one or a pozidriv type of tool. The metal ring that is used to hold the headlamp itself will need to be unscrewed so you need to take note of that. In case your headlight happens to be round in shape, you will need to remove three screws. Rectangular ones are held together with four screws so it will take a little more work. The screws are mot the ones that are aiming screws which are located on the top or bottom of the headlight and in two pieces. You need to make sure that you do not tamper with that part because it can cause your headlight damage.
Spray on the screws
Before you try to remove the screws that are holding your headlights in place, what you can do would be to grease them up using oil. You can also find sprays that have penetrating solvents to make things easier for you. This helps to reduce the friction so that when you are unscrewing them, you can easily avoid widening the holes that are where the screws go through. After greasing them or spraying them out, you can hold the headlamp and remove all the bolts that are remaining. When you are done with this, slowly lower your headlight from where it is from. You should be able to see the wirings that are in there which are on the back of your headlight. What you need to do is to detach them so you can set your headlights apart.
Wash your headlight
The next step on how to clean BMW headlights from inside, once your car’s headlights are detached and unsealed, the next thing that you need to do is to wash it. Find your sponge and make sure that you have a good automotive soap so that you can wash the surface as well as the inside of your car’s headlights thoroughly. This is going to ensure that you will remove all the dirt, debris, and soap that remains off of your headlight. Once you have rinsed it out, the next thing to do is to grab your microfiber towel and then wipe it out. Try to leave it for 5 minutes to dry it out completely before moving to the next step.
Lens restorer
Once you are done with everything else and the headlight has completely dried, the next step would be to get a good lens restorer. If you have bought a kit before, then you can use the one that is included in it. Wipe the inside of your headlines to clean it and then use a paper towel that can be found from your kit. Once you are done applying, let it dry for a few minutes before you open your second packet. Then you just need to wipe it gently and then wait for about 30 minutes to let it settle. You will be wowed for sure on how much it would clean your headlights look. Once you are done, make sure to leave it for at least an hour without it getting wet for the best state.
Reassemble
Last but certainly not least, you will need to reassemble your headlights so that you are sure that you can use them. Make sure that you will use a contact cleaner to wipe any signs of corrosion on your socket connector.
