Headlight Repair vs. Headlight Restoration: What Is the Difference
Headlight refurbishing can mean two different jobs. Restoration polishes the outside of a cloudy, yellowed lens; repair fixes what is inside the headlight or replaces the lens itself. We only do repairs, by mail anywhere in the U.S., with a free quote first.
From $400 per headlight — final price in your free quote
Headlight refurbishing by restoration: the outer lens only
Most headlight lenses are made of polycarbonate with a clear protective coating. Sun and weather wear that coating down, and the lens turns hazy or yellow.
Restoration works only on the outer surface. The lens is sanded, polished and usually given a new clear coat, by hand or with a kit.
It is a cosmetic job. It does not open the headlight or touch anything inside it.
What a repair fixes instead
Repair deals with faults that polishing can never reach. The headlight is opened, the failed part is fixed or replaced, and the housing is sealed again.
- Water or fog trapped inside the housing
- LED boards, daytime running lights and control modules that fail
- Cracked lenses and broken housings or mounting tabs
- Lenses that are too damaged to clear up, replaced with a new lens
You can see every repair type on Headlight Repair Services.
Why we do not offer restoration or polishing
We are a repair service. We do not sand, polish or buff lenses, and we do not sell restoration kits.
If the only problem is a yellowed outer surface and the headlight works fine, restoration by a local detailer or with a kit is the simpler route. Shipping a headlight for that would not make sense.
Send it to us when the problem is inside the headlight, or when the lens is cracked, pitted or cloudy on the inside.
When reconditioning headlights is not enough
Headlight reconditioning can make a lens look clearer, but some problems come back or never go away:
- Haze or droplets on the inside of the lens
- Cracks, chips or deep pitting in the lens
- A dark, flickering or partly working headlight
- A dull beam caused by a worn reflector
For a lens that is past saving, our Headlight Lens Replacement Service fits a new lens on your original housing.
Price of a repair by mail
From $400 per headlight — final price in your free quote
Repair starts only after you approve your written quote.
The final price depends on your vehicle and on the repair it needs. Packing and shipping instructions come with your quote.
Questions about repair and restoration
Do you restore or polish cloudy headlights?
No. We only repair headlights: moisture, electronics, broken housings and lens replacement. For a lens that is only yellowed on the outside, a local detailer or a kit is the better fit.
Is my headlight a repair job or a restoration job?
If the headlight works and only the outside of the lens is hazy, it is a restoration job. If there is water inside, a light that fails or a cracked lens, it needs a repair, and a free quote with a few photos will confirm it.
How do I send a headlight for repair?
You ask for a quote, then remove the headlight and ship it, and we return it repaired. How Mail-In Headlight Repair Works covers each step.
Is the problem inside the headlight?
Tell us your vehicle and what is wrong, add a few photos, and we reply with a written quote for the repair.