Replace fog light lens?

[hofffam]

When I washed my Ridgeline yesterday I noticed one of the fog light lenses was cracked. Looked like a rock hit it. After I relaxed from being pissed about it.....

Do I have to replace the entire unit? Or can I replace the lens? I'm sure I'm not the first one to experience this....

Do I have to remove the front bumper cover to repair it?

[Beaullieu]

Unfortunately, you have to replace the entire unit and you do have to remove the entire front bumper. Removing the bumper is actually fairly easy and replacing the foglamp is also. The most painful part is having to buy a whole new lamp. I think they are available at H&A for $96 or you may find one on e-bay for a bit less...

[hofffam]

I've taken the front bumper off before - when I installed the optional front grill. But definitely an annoyance. Plus ~$100 for a lamp!

[Chuck]

I just did this job a couple weeks ago, definately an all around pain. I was able to do it without removing the entire bumper cover. If you remove half the screws along the bottom and the one self tapper in the wheel well, you can un-clip the cover on one side. I also removed a couple clips from the bottom of the wheel well liner to help open things up a bit. This method worked, but still tedious. You have to feel for a couple of the screws and remove/re-install them blindly, a stubby magnetic screwdriver would be very helpful, although I was able to tape the screws to my screwdriver then remove the tape once I got them started. Honestly, I'm not sure if I saved any work by doing it this way, took me just over an hour. When I was shopping around online for the best price (shipped) Bernardi won the battle. The glass lens is sealed to the reflector, I assume to keep it water tight. Good luck!

[hofffam]

When I do this I'm thinking of finding a way to shield the lenses. Anyone done this with some kind of semi-transparent rock guard?

[schwejo]

I asked in another post and no one thought it was good idea, but they also didnt seem to have first hand experiance.

You have probably seen the Weather Tech ones and you can also buy smaller pieces of the material to cut out your own shapes.

All I know is that my folks who live on about a mile dirt road and a friend who lives in a new home development in Arizona both swear by these things after breaking $100 foglights.

They dont seem to have any problems, but I'd still wonder dirt and moisture eventually come between the film and the lens, but I guess that is the question at hand? I have seen them both installed, one on a Lexus and the other a Mazda suv and optically you cant tell until you look really close or tap the lens surface with your fingernail.

[VoicesInMyHead]

Originally Posted by schwejo

I asked in another post and no one thought it was good idea, but they also didnt seem to have first hand experiance.

Well, Honda makes fog light covers for the Gold Wing motorcycle - I had them on. Yes, they get dirty - same as an unprotected lens would. Yes, they get scratched - a bit more than a glass lens would - but, when they get really bad... just replace the covers.

I have not installed my Honda fog lights yet, but I got them from H and A. When I do install them, I will insert something to protect the lenses. Here in Az, they are more for the elderly to see you better and less for actual fog.

[hofffam]

I'm not convinced the clear plastic film will prevent the glass from breaking in when a typical rock hits it. So I was thinking of some kind of metal grill. I'll have to look around for something that might work.

[carly]

Be very careful with the bumper clips. Take it from one who was not. If you bend the clips, your panels will never, ever stay flush again. Ever.

[schwejo]

Originally Posted by hofffam

I'm not convinced the clear plastic film will prevent the glass from breaking in when a typical rock hits it. So I was thinking of some kind of metal grill. I'll have to look around for something that might work.

I'm not sure either. 40 mil may not provide much. How much would certainly be a question. At one time we had an 82 Toyota Landcruiser- long before the cushy ride that it is now. Anyway after a broken head lamp I installed guards that were made of probably about 1/4 hardware cloth that stood about 1/2 in. off the lens. Not sure they ever saved additional broken head lights but I guess thats something you may never know. The whole concept seems like its aimed a minimizing exposure because a BB size rock at highway speeds could pass through an opening in the screen anyway and could certainly beak a lens, and it seems a much closer weave might limit light output more that is acceptable. I guess you pay your money and take a chance