Smoked glass in the fog lights?

[ianoliver57]

After a good clean, I noticed the glass in the fog lights looks almost smoked inside while all the other lights are crystal clear. Are they supposed to be like that? If not, how do you clean the inside of the glass, or, does it need new lenses?
Any ideas? Pics attached which hopefully show the problem.

[PaulGover]

Not sure I can see the fogging from the photos, but I broke the glass on one of mine, and bought a replacement light (I don't think the glass is available separately). It was much clearer than the other original. The difference was that the old one was frosted as a result of stone chips and the like over 15 years of driving - no smoked or fogged effect, but decidedly harder to see through than the new one.

If that's the problem in your case, it might be possible to grind and polish the pits out, though you'd have to dismantle the light to get at the glass, and spend a long time with some sort of polishing tool to do it. Probably cost-effective to buy replacements.

[ianoliver57]

Thanks Paul. No, the frosted / smoked effect is definitely on the inside. Hardly any chips on the front of the car and none on the lights. It’s had very limited use averaging only 2000 miles per year (before I got it). What sort of job is it to remove the fog lights?

Regards

Ian.

[PaulGover]

Dead easy. The plastic grill has 3 retaining clips that the workshop manual says "release" without saying how. I forget what it was, but it was clear after inspection. I suspect it was "push a suitable screwdriver into the gap to spring the clip out of its seat". Then remove the three obvious bolts and unplug it. Installing a new lamp requires removing the drive train and passenger seat.
Just kidding

[ianoliver57]

Thanks Paul. Wicked sense of humour…..