Take Apart Those Headlights
- Thread starter fxlr8
- Start date
Quick question but when you place the headlights in the oven, wgatdo you do with all the wires? Are those removed also?
Might give it a try this Monday and see how it goes.
- Location
- Brooklyn New York/Queens
- Car
- 2007 FX35 AWD
Some use a heat gun and slowly heat up where the glue is. Pry up as you go along.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 2
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 2
I have been baking my headlights in a 350 degree preheated oven, turn off the oven, stick the headlight in for 5 minutes. Take it out, using a flat head and gently pry and separate all the tabs/clips that keeps the cover and housing together and then pulling it on the side maker end. There should only be the red wire in the headlight that cannot be taken off when you bake it. Just roll it up so that its not come in contact with any metal surface.
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Car
- 2007 FX35
Just did it at 225 for 8 minutes. Read that on some other forums. It felt slightly safer than 400 or even 350. Lights came right apart, no broken tabs. And the oven doesn't smell.
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Car
- 2007 FX35
I get the method of 400 and turning it off; lots of people do it that way. When I was doing research, it seemed the consensus these days was to go 225 (and leaving oven on) and bake for 8-10 min. I was more comfortable with it; that's the only reason I did it. I thought about heat gunning, but then read stories about people heating it up too much and browing parts of the lens.
FX4BR
Member
Thank you for this 
I just took my extra pair apart with a preheat of 350, turning the oven off, putting them in the oven, and peeling them apart after 5min in the oven.
I just took my extra pair apart with a preheat of 350, turning the oven off, putting them in the oven, and peeling them apart after 5min in the oven.
- Location
- Dallas, TX
- Car
- 2007 FX35 RWD
Does this method work on headlights have already been taken apart and resealed? I've got a loose lens it seems, plus other cosmetic work I might as well do at the time.
Yup pretty much you can do it to soften up the sealer/adhesive and wether take the lens off to see if you're missing sealant somewhere or just do it to press it firmly against the housing.
- Location
- Atlanta, GA
- Car
- 2007 FX35
If you're pulling the lights apart multiple times, I would get some more butyl sealant. Good insurance against future leaks.
- Location
- Dayton, Ohio
Usually people do that when they want the shrouds a different color (or stay chrome) while the rest of the housing a different color. Or, like me, I did when I put Halos on.
- Location
- Dayton, Ohio