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UV Damaged Headlights

Yahoo Message Number: 5584
The '98 Intrigue we recently bought is in amazingly great condition. But the headlight lenses are no longer clear ... they're opaque, apparently 'cause of UV damage (body paint is outstanding).
I've noticed that many older cars and trucks with plastic lensed headlights are exhibiting the same headlight lens problem, but a CCI rep told me today that there's no recall on their headlight units. Despite the rep telling me that the units were reportedly purchased from Ford Motor Corp, the units appear to be *copies* of '93 Ford pickup truck headlights, since the lenses are marked "TYC" instead of "Ford." Sounds like Ford might've put one over on CCI, if what the rep says is true.
Is anyone else experiencing the same problem with their CC's headlights?

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
Intrigue #10571

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5587
Sounds like you have the Chinese copies. Get some that say "FORD" on them. We have them on the 1996 Beaver and they are still clear as a bell!

Glen R. Fotre - Tucson, AZ

1996 Beaver Patriot/Toyota 4x4 Xtra Cab/Toyota RAV-4 AWD/Miata/VW Sandrail FMCA #F36478 Good Sam #043833367 BAC glen@...
glen@...

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5591
I have a 99 Intrigue and have been told the headlights are from a Ford Bronco, but that CC would probably sell them cheaper than a Ford dealer.

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5592
From: Geneclend@...>

Quote
I have a 99 Intrigue and have been told the headlights are from a Ford > Bronco, but that CC would probably sell them cheaper than a Ford dealer.
Thanks. But if the ones that CC has in stock are the same "TYC" units, I think I'd rather replace with Ford units. And I think I can get 'em for a decent price. In addition to poor lighting efficiency, their foggy appearance is the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding motorhome.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
Intrigue #10571

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5595
The headlamps that are not glass, but some acrylic or plastic material can be made to look like new with a light compound or plastic polish. I recently polished my daughter's Toyota Sienna van's headlights that were all frosted from road rash. I used a rubbing compound that I bought at the local hobby shop. It was designated as plastic polish. I also have used it on my coach armor. It requires a bit of elbow grease but he lamps should look like new. No need to replace unless broken.

Larry

Intrigue 10762

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5597
My coach is a 2002 Allure and the headlights are okay, but my amber clearance lights on the front and sides are almost clear from the UV rays. Macke

Quote from: Dick\[br\
Campagna"] > The '98 Intrigue we recently bought is in amazingly great
condition. But

Quote
the headlight lenses are no longer clear ... they're opaque,

apparently

Quote
'cause of UV damage (body paint is outstanding).

I've noticed that many older cars and trucks with plastic lensed

headlights

Quote
are exhibiting the same headlight lens problem, but a CCI rep told

me today

Quote
that there's no recall on their headlight units. Despite the rep

telling me

Quote
that the units were reportedly purchased from Ford Motor Corp, the

units

Quote
appear to be *copies* of '93 Ford pickup truck headlights, since

the lenses

Quote
are marked "TYC" instead of "Ford." Sounds like Ford might've put

one over

Quote
on CCI, if what the rep says is true.

Is anyone else experiencing the same problem with their CC's

headlights?

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5607
We have a 99 Allure with the same lenses and had the same fogging/fine cracking condition. At last years rally in Eugene, a tech gave us a fix rather than replacing the expensive Ford lenses. Use Mequiar's Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Cleaner # 17 and Polish #10. I purchased it at a NAPA store. I applied it and it works.
I've always thought that the fogging on our lenses is caused by the bra we use. It has plastic on plastic rubbing together.

Tom & Joyce Newman, 30288

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5617
Dick

Let me know what you find out. I have one that is clouded and the other one is cracked. Very cheap!

Thanks
Gene

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5618
From: Geneclend@...>

Quote
Dick

Let me know what you find out. I have one that is clouded and the other

one

Quote
is cracked. Very cheap! Thanks
Tom Newman suggested using several Meguiar's products to polish the lenses.
I'll try that first, since I can always use the products elsewhere, and I'll report how it works out.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
Intrigue #10571

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5621
I think we all need to keep in mind that there is very little that goes into a motorhome that CCI or anyone else for that matter manufactures. These coaches are conponent vehicles unlike cars and buses. There are not enough coaches manufactured to justify making all your own parts. Many of the parts are from cars and if you have purchased a headlight assembly lately, nothing is cheap. If the coach sits in the sun the plastic fades. All our clearance lights faded in two years. We park the coach in SC on the coast in plenty of sun. The same thing will happen to your tires, they will gone in 5 years does that mean they are cheap tires?

Bill G. 2001 Magna #5998

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5635
From: gablerwh@...>

(snip) > If the coach sits in the sun the plastic fades. All our clearance lights faded

Quote
in two years. We park the coach in SC on the coast in plenty of sun. The

same

Quote
thing will happen to your tires, they will gone in 5 years does that mean > they are cheap tires?
While the lenses on our '98 Intrigue's "TYC" headlights are severely faded, its amber overhead clearance light lenses (which are original equipment) haven't noticeably faded at all. This, despite the lenses being exposed to the same amount of sun as the headlights.
I tried to polish out the fading and the pitted headlight unit chrome trim today, to no avail. So I'll buy original replacement "Ford" headlights to replace the "TYC" copies. I seldom drive at night, but if I do ... I want good headlights.

Dick (& Geri) Campagna
Intrigue #10571

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5639
We use 303 UV Protectant Spray on our headlights, tires, marker lamps, and just about everything rubber, plastic, leather, ultra- leather, etc. It is a superb product that eliminates 100% of the UV damage. I especially like it on tires - just spray it on, no wiping, no rubbing, mo mess and it dries to a satin shine finish that looks great. Great toxic-free product with great protection against UV damage. I know of several RV owners who safely extended their tire life by several years by using this product regularly. I use it on just about everything exposed to the sun from the roof to the tires, and it doesn't turn yellow and sticky like that other heavily advertised protectant.

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5641
Larry: If you please, tell me what product brand name you used on your coach armor. Mine has scratches from too much rubbing to get bug splats off.

Dick Stearns
CCAllure2000

Quote from: larry hanson
> The headlamps that are not glass, but some acrylic or plastic material can be made
to look like new with a light compound or plastic polish. I recently polished my daughter's Toyota Sienna van's headlights that were all frosted from road rash. I used a rubbing compound that I bought at the local hobby shop. It was designated as plastic polish. I also have used it on my coach armor. It requires a bit of elbow grease but he lamps should look like new. No need to replace unless broken.

Quote
Larry

Intrigue 10762
 

Re: UV Damaged Headlights

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 5825
Had a foggy headlight on my coach. Purchased one at CC in June and it was in a Ford box labled early 90's Bronco. Cost was $85.71. Mine was kind of warped from the heat. Other side fine. I tried several polishes, but none helped mine.

Steve

Intrigue #10673