Headlight Restoration Kit? Huh!?
 

Alright brought my 8 in for her first Oil Change today and for 2 other problems. The first was my drivers side visor was broken and needed to be replaced, they had none in stock so one was ordered. The second was I had some "film" in my headlights, looked like technicolor waste on the inside of the housing.

Well when I was talking to the service rep I was hoping he was gonna tell me "and your headlights yeah we are just gonna replace them because of the film." nope what I heard was "and your headlights we ordered a headlight restoratoin kit since we dont have that in stock either." Now what the hell is a headlight restoration kit.. beyond the obvious but thing is I have never heard of this or such a thing. I did some research on my headlights on this forum so as to not be railroaded but this "restoration kit" is a definitive curveball. Anyone ever have this done to their headlights via Mazda?? Any help would be well helpful I'm just confused here since I though the headlights where a two peice unit that couldnt be taken apart without breaking anything.

Sounds like Mazda have gotten jack of replacing headlights. Plan B is to send a kit to the dealers that allows them to service them on-site. Split, clean, reseal is my bet.

Fill us in when you find out what the restoration entails.

Clavius:

What dealer did you bring your 8 too? Next time I'm in for an oil change, I'm gonna inquire about the replacement of my headlights also as I have the "technicolor" issue also.

Headlight Restoration kit = usually fine sandpaper, compounds, and yeah thats about it... not really a kit.

yeah... that's probably what it is.. and maybe soap and water for lube when they're sanding it. I did that on an old mazda 929 once... worked like a charm!

most of the problems people have with headlights is the haze and condensation on the inside... so this might not work.

Yup, you boys are missing the point. This film is on the inside of the lenses.

This is what I got.. should of posted this along with my orginal post but I was some what rushed at the time. Oh also it now looks worse on both sides whee!

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b2...avius/Film.jpg

I hope its not just some soapy water and sandpaper grit b.s. maybe new seals along with it or sumthing. All I know is after this they better look close to brand new. ><!

only when you have leaking headlights. worn headlights with worn seals or fairly new headlights with faulty seals.

yes, which is most of the problem people have. i would figure that the exterior damage is more caused by the environment than by something a dealer must fix.

I just got both my headlights replaced due to the same thing, and I also had some moisture in them so no problem they swapped them, also I am pretty cool with the service mgr and he said that if you notice Mazda took down that SB, it is not posted so they must have gotten beat up on the headlight ordeal.

why did you not ask THEM what the restoration kit was and what they were going to do?

Take it into the dealer and get them replaced. I complained that mine had the same problem and they swapped em out no questions asked. Also make sure they are properly aligned before you leave, I had to take mine back to get that done and it was annoying.

Because with them I'd get a 'round 'bout answer.. and from you guys I'd get the real answer. I'm starting to think its gonna be a sandpaper/cleaning solution mix. If it looks like crap afterwards trust me I'll be asking for new headlights. Still not sure how that odd film happened, I just noticed after we had a heatwave so I think that was part of how it happened. Well I'm just hoping by Saturday I get a call saying my stuff is in. My vacation is next week and if they have to have my car for a day or so I'm demanding a nice frigging rental! I think Enterpise had cadi's hehe

If they give you a hard time, point out to them that film on the inside of the cover constitutes a safety hazard. It could scatter the light into oncoming drivers' eyes. The DOT specifications for beam cutoff are strict. If you're shining more light outside of that zone because of fogged lenses, that's illegal.

If anything Nubo I think I'm getting less light out onto the road because of the film/haze.

Mazda Headlight Restoration Kit part number 0000-HL-5178. (sorry no pics to post) To summarize:

1.Remove the front Bumper from vehicle. Remove both headlight assemblies (be careful not to break the mounting clip, made of plastic if you break the clip you can not remount headlights, will need to buuy new mounting brackets as the clips are not available seperately, not warrantable for the clips either because they broke. part number for mounting bracket BKL3-65-7586 $85.00 each (need 2 per headlight)

2. remove light bulbs/sockets from both headlight assemslies.


3. mix the Headlight retoration solution (Liquid Glass) 3 diferent bottles of very thick liquid that gets mixed together.

4. pour the mixture into the lens, careful not to spill on outside of lens. swirl misture inside lens covering all of the lens, let set for 15 minutes. then swirl every 15 minutes for 2 hours to have even coating inside lens.

5.after film has set for 2 hours leave the lens out for 1 more hour for solution to harden (will harden like glass, ie Liqud glass)

6. replace headlight assemblies and front bumper back in place. if vehicle has HID headlights DO NOT TURN ON HEADLIGHTS FOR 24 HOURS or else the liquid will ignite and catch fire from ther heat (fire damage not covered by warranty).

I think this is probably what they were talk about. If you can find the bulletin for it you can read the details, I just summarized it to make it easier.
Bulletin TSB 03-125/06

Hope this helps!

wow... then that would work. thanks robert

oh yeah I forgot step 7.

7. Ignore steps 1-6

LOL seriously though, I talked to the parts dept. and the techs here no such thiong as a "restoration kit" should just be a replacement lens, the "kit" might include bulbs if it is not a HID unit. but that is it no way possible to seperate lens, no way to get in lens to clean.

I guess I was too slow posting the first answer I was really hoping Clavius would have been on long enough to read it.

Grrr very funny lol.. I read it and was gonna respond then had to go back to make sure I read it right but you already responded. So pretty much no one has any idea what this "Restoration Kit" is.. hm think tomorrow durring my break I may stop by my service dept or call them up and ask what it is since I asked a "few friends" what it is and they had no clue.

lol, darn u robert!

i wish someone could open up the headlight lenses. i wanna work on the headlights.

Clavius, what year/production date is your 8?

its a 04 with a build date of (took some time to find this ugh!) Oct 2003. I only have 33k miles on her now also.

Wow...

Grrr....
 

Well so far its been close to a week (Tomorrow makes it offically a week ugh!) and no "headlight restoration kit". I went in today to possibly have my d.s. visor installed but had to schedule it for Thursday in the morning (yeah I dont get that takes less than 30min to do lol) and I asked about the "headlight restoration kit" and what it is since I posted about it and no one knows what it is.. and I noted I asked a few people who actually work for Mazda (otherside thanks for responding to that pm :) ).

Well he called around but couldnt find someone.. then he called someone else over.. but he wasnt the tech (I guess they give them number lol "Your 30 right...?" "No I'm 28 man..") and once they figured out who the Tech was.. you guessed it.. he wasnt in. I'm at a complete loss right now, my Evo-R eyelids are coming in possibly by tomorrow and I really wanted to put them on :(

I swear if they tell me on Thursday that "Oh the headlight restoration kit isnt for your vehicle sorry he didnt know what he was doing." I think I might flip.. and go off about Mulligan Gate. grrr... I'm really annoyed now since this dealership hasnt heard about this upcoming recall and called this board silly in few words or less.

Like anyone is gonna read this with all the recall threads floating around. haha ugh...

Anyways.. went in today to get my visor replaced, it didnt happen they ordered the wrong one. So I then ask about the headlights, the service rep tells me my "Issue" isnt covered under warrenty since its a natural occurance with dirt/pebbles/rocks hitting my headlights over time. He then told me that this "kit" entails sanding and polishing the headlights many times over and takes a day or so to do. I'm dumbfouded really since I told them twice the problem was on the "INSIDE" of the headlights not the outside. If it was the outside um yeah I have glass cleaner and I can figure out how to wetsand. But he pointed out there is a TsB for this issue and again its not a warrenty issue hence I'll have to pay for the service. So yeah I'm left with a pair of headlights that look like they got stoned at a greatful dead concert and need visine. I bought a thing of Meguires PlasticX (believe thats the name) supposed to take care of oxidization and haze from plastic so here's hoping this will clean it up.

Otherside or Ibfubar you ever hear of a TsB for this I checked Rosenthal but didnt see it listed. Well here's hoping someone reads this ><!

I have found no TSB related to this issue. Nor have I found a "headlight restoration kit". Plus, how could a kit that supposed to do the repair on the inside fix "rocks and debris stains" on the outside of the lens?

I read it.

Can't recall seeing a TSB, but plenty of people have had their headlights replaced under warranty....so there must be a letter at the dealership of some description.

^ Exactly Otherside. This weekend I'm going to a Car show with several other Rx-8 owners and I'm gonna get their opinions on my headlights. Its definatly on the inside of the headlights since I've tried a few of my "glass" cleaners to no avail. Going to try that PlasticX stuff from maguires in a few. Tomorrow when I get my visor replaced I'll ask him to show me and print me up a copy of the TsB for the headlights. I'm just not sure why they just dont say "Yeah those are messed up screw it.. We are giving you new headlights"

I've lived with it since Sept of '03

there is no bulletin or TSB. But it is fairly common to see some headlights with the film on the inside. We have replaced a few under warranty.

As I just told Otherside I just used PlastX from Maguiar's and it might MIGHT of done the trick going to wait a few hours to see if it comes back. Sad thing is I got the idea to find this kinda product from another Rep mentioning Toothpaste as a abrasive to use on the headlights. Well here is hoping ><! And also Thanks for the Help.. just wish the friggin' Service Dept didnt keep me waiting a Friggin' week on what this "kit" is which by the way still doesnt exsist ask Otherside lol... and then to find out I'd have to pay to have it done (but yet it doesnt exsist). Beers for you all who helped out!

:smiley309