Regular care not only makes your car look good, but also extends its lifespan. However, not every care is the right one. For example, did you know that you are not allowed to polish the headlights of your car yourself?
Having your car cleaned professionally can quickly become expensive. That’s why there are numerous tips and tricks circulating on the internet that you can use to clean your vehicle yourself for little money and effort.
In fact, you are not allowed to lend a hand everywhere. The Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) regulate exactly what is and is not permitted in car care. Among other things, how to polish the headlight.
Therefore, according to the StVZO, you are not allowed to polish headlights
Almost all car lights are made of polycarbonate plastic and covered with a fine, transparent protective layer. Now polish them, grind off the special coating, which changes the surface and the lighting properties of the headlights. The resulting scratches in the components ensure that the light is emitted poorly.
However, powerful lighting is one of the most important features of the car.
Section 22a of the StVZO states the following:
“The facilities listed below [unter Absatz 7 die Scheinwerfer]regardless of whether they are used on vehicles that are subject to registration or not, must be of an officially approved design.”
That means for you:
- When you polish the headlights, you change the texture of the surface and that is not allowed.
- As a private person, you will not receive an official type approval.
If you still polish the headlights, you can risk having the car registered at your next MOT. If your lights are yellowed or dull, we recommend having the headlights professionally polished.
Gentle cleaning is still possible
However, the fact that you are not allowed to polish the car lights does not mean that you are generally not allowed to clean the headlights. With the appropriate equipment, careful cleaning of the headlights is possible and makes sense from time to time; especially when the headlights have become very dirty.
Pay attention to the following things:
- Only use clear, lukewarm water and do not add any detergent. The risk of the ingredients attacking the coating on the lights is too high.
- Put the water in a spray bottle and only use a soft sponge – there are suitable products at Amazon.
- Also avoid rubbing movements. Grains of sand, gravel and other dirt can also damage the coating.
If you are unsure, we recommend visiting a car wash. Here your car and all its components will be washed with the right means and you don’t have to worry about potential damage.
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