# Headlights **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** contour, ford, headlights\ **Created:** [February 15, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights/44514 "2010-02-15T15:02:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![terris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@terris](https://community.cartalk.com/u/terris)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights/44514/1 "2010-02-15T15:02:41Z")
The headlights on my daughters '98 Ford Contour SE are yellowish. To get new ones would cost $650. Can’t I just replace the lenses or lens covers? Is it worth the money to buy new headlight assemblies? ---
**Author:** ![orangevega](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@orangevega](https://community.cartalk.com/u/orangevega)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights/44514/2 "2010-02-15T15:11:51Z")
The lens cannot be replaced by itself. You will have to replace the entire headlight assembly. Check at your local auto junkyard. You can most likely find a replacement unit there. Hopefully, with a less yellow lens. Just checked Ebay, there is a pair available for $168 new. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights/44514/3 "2010-02-15T15:24:04Z")
The lenses can be “reconditioned.” You’re not going to get them to new but you can polish them and make a significant difference. Go to an auto parts store & check out the products made for this. I typically just use a thing called Maguiars Plast-X. It works well enough and is just a paste-type polish. More intensive polishing can be done with things like polishing compounds and very very fine sandpaper (grit measured in the thousands - wet sanding only). BTW, anything you find in a junkyard will likely be just as bad or worse. ---
**Author:** ![Joe-Guy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joe-guy/32/124_2.png) [@Joe-Guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joe-Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 3:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights/44514/4 "2010-02-15T15:33:37Z")
You might try [THIS](http://www.shopwiki.com/Turtle+Wax+T-240KT+Headlight+Lens+Restorer+Kit) Just an FYI - the owner’s manual for my RAV4 says to not wax the headlights because it will make them turn yellow. I don’t know if it is an issue for all cars, but it seems to me that unless they’re made of glass, the warning would apply. ---
**Author:** ![TPainter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@TPainter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TPainter)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights/44514/5 "2010-02-15T16:10:19Z")
Cigroller is right. Lights on my 01 Civic were yellowish as well. I wet-sanded them with 1000 grit paper (tape off the hood/fender/grill around the light first with some masking tape) and then with 2000 grit paper. Then finish off with the Plast-X and they’ll look brand new. It only took me about an hour to do them both and cost me about $15. After you’re done, polish with the Plast-X once or twice a year and they’ll stay clear. ---
**Author:** ![terris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@terris](https://community.cartalk.com/u/terris)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights/44514/6 "2010-02-15T17:30:11Z")
Thanks for the info! ---
**Author:** ![terris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@terris](https://community.cartalk.com/u/terris)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights/44514/7 "2010-02-15T17:32:47Z")
Thanks!