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Removing headlight lens

20K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  pjones18667 
#1 ·
hi all.

I have 2012 RR HSE. The headlight lens are clean from the outside but have become foggy and dusty from the inside.

I know I can buy replacement lens which means they should be able to come off but I'm still not 100% on it. I'd rather try to clean my existing ones, I'm just stuck on how to get the lens off.

1. Can the lens come off?

2. Do I need to remove the entire headlight, melt the glue etc etc.

3. How do I remove the headlight?

Thanks!!!
 
#10 ·
I appreciate it. I knew the video was of a sport model. I think if you cant tell the difference between the sport and full size, there may be some homework to be done lol. I dont know why I can't find ANYTHING for my full size regarding the lens. And particularly for my year.
 
#12 ·
How does dust get into your headlights? Maybe try canned/compressed air to blow them off through the back by removing high beam bulb?

To remove the headlights you have to remove the grille, belly pan & bumper cover. Look at the PowerfulUk videos for facelift and it will show you where all of the screws are. There are plenty.
 
#14 ·
Yes there are two bolts covered by top edge of bumper, so bumper cover must be released and pulled forward to get to them, I think you have to pop the front grill out also.
If you are trying to change complete headlight assembly it’s expensive, but easy. 4 bolts and 1 plug and you’re good to go.
If you are trying to replace ONLY the lenses. It is cheap, but very labor intensive. In MY10-MY12, they are held in place with a similar sealant they use on windshields (which is not very sensitive to heat). earlier model years could be separated easily with a heat gun.
to get these off I usually use a angle grinder and cut around the perimeter to remove the old lens, then dig the adhesive out of the groove. Then install new lens.
 
#16 ·
Yes there are two bolts covered by top edge of bumper, so bumper cover must be released and pulled forward to get to them, I think you have to pop the front grill out also.
If you are trying to change complete headlight assembly it’s expensive, but easy. 4 bolts and 1 plug and you’re good to go.
If you are trying to replace ONLY the lenses. It is cheap, but very labor intensive. In MY10-MY12, they are held in place with a similar sealant they use on windshields (which is not very sensitive to heat). earlier model years could be separated easily with a heat gun.
to get these off I usually use a angle grinder and cut around the perimeter to remove the old lens, then dig the adhesive out of the groove. Then install new lens.

Thank you so much! I can actually find the headlight assembly for around 100usd per light. Which right now just seems like the best option rather than removing the lens.

Perk of Dubai... cheap parts
 
#15 ·
Video that claims you can remove the bumper in 10min... It's not in english but it shows all of the related fasteners and gotchas. For me it would be closer to an hour plus a helper...


iLLuzion is right, the adhesive they use for the lens is crazy difficult to remove.
 
#17 ·
That Russian video is great. Just turn off the sound and watch. He shows where every hidden fastener is and the sequence to remove everything. It really does take 15 mins when you follow that. The only thing you need to be super careful of on an older truck are the black plastic clips where the top corners edges clip into the fender, these can get brittle over time and are more work to replace, and you typically need to order them.
 
#19 ·
Thinking about this more, if it's just dust on the inside of the headlights, rinsing inside with alcohol might do it for you. Process would be easy, remove covers and high beam bulb, put in a few ounces and swish it around then pour out? Alcohol is ok on electronic components, as far as I understand as companies use it to clean sensitive electrical components. And it hopefully would not leave behind a residue on the inside of the lens. Just a thought.
 
#21 ·
hi all.

I have 2012 RR HSE. The headlight lens are clean from the outside but have become foggy and dusty from the inside.

I know I can buy replacement lens which means they should be able to come off but I'm still not 100% on it. I'd rather try to clean my existing ones, I'm just stuck on how to get the lens off.

1. Can the lens come off?

2. Do I need to remove the entire headlight, melt the glue etc etc.

3. How do I remove the headlight?

Thanks!!!
Just a warning to those who might try this that the lens adhesive on my 2010 RRS HSE would not melt in the oven, (or even under direct flame). I made a big mess trying.
 
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