Hit-and-run dirtbag damages my right headlight.
 

I parked nose-in at a suburban mall lot for a short time the other evening. Noticed the next day there was an odd 9-inch-wide scuff mark on the bumper under the right headlight assembly. At first I thought it was just dirt. It took me days to figure out it was a lot worse than that.

In daylight, I noticed odd reflections just inside the right lens, which I gradually realized where smashed plastic just behind the bottom of the lens. Gradually I figured out what must have happened: A vehicle with a slightly higher bumper, undoubtedly an SUV or pickup, ran right into my front bumper, then kept right on going for a couple more inches – scraping the top of the bumper as it went, then pushing back the bottom of the headlight enclosure, bending back the lens and smashing the silver plastic behind it. Then they saw what they'd done, backed up and drove right away.

A couple nights later I saw my headlight beam pattern against the back wall of my garage, and realized the right headlight is now misaimed a few degrees downward. Obviously they hit it so hard that they bent the entire front of the assembly downward, which is why the overhead photo shows the bumper cover is puckering outward from the side of the assembly. That means a body shop has to disassemble all around the headlight assembly to bend it back up and forward to the proper position. A reputable local body shop told me this morning that even wthout any parts or any further undiscovered bumper damage, that's $200-$400 of labor. (Naturally my deductible is a lot higher than that, not that you'd ever want to actually claim on your insurance these days anyway.)

Since the bump-and-run, I haven't yet driven the car in any substantial rains. If the headlight enclosure leaks at all – which the body shop man told me is likely and, if so, can't really be sealed – then the whole assembly itself will have to be replaced. If someone out there knows if the lens can be disassembled or re-sealed from the rest of the assembly, please speak now.

Bad people suck.


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...9b815fb5b.jpegNote the smashed silver plastic behind the bottom of the lens, especially the horizontal bar of plastic that's cleanly snapped in the middle and has been pushed backward on its outboard half, just below the internal headlamp lenses.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...991e4d8d6.jpegAt lower left, you can see the bumper plastic bulging out, evidence that the bottom front of the headlight assembly has been pushed downward and rearward.

Yikes! That sucks... Hopefully this will prompt you to get a dashcam. Headlight lenses are opened and re-sealed for things like retrofits, I just don't know if that level of internal damage means the lens can't be properly re-sealed.

Paging @Carbon Legend He knows his way around RL headlights very well.

There is also a guy locally in Chicago who is selling front end parts for an RL if things end up going that way for you:

https://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/pts/6071873456.html

yes the headlight lens can come off and be resealed. Also the bumper is actually supported by a snap bracket that is bolted to the headlight assembly so that bracket could have been damaged and caused the headlights aim to be off. check for any broken tabs on the upper side of the headlight assembly.

Seriiously helpful info. Thank you kindly.

When you say the headlight lens can be resealed, is that done with a pre-formed gasket part or by applying sealer?

It come like weather strip except it alot sticker (almost tart like consistence)...

On the other note, I hope karma will kick the shit whoever hit your car. I was in the same boat as you except the bumper got super f*ck up so I decide to buy new replacement with paint matching. This lasted about 4 months before another ass hole hit me again in parking lot.

It is not like a weather stripping the headlight needs to be heated to 225 degrees for 15 mins then separate the lens, clean out the old sealant and new sealant put in

Thank you again, Carbon. That's more great info.

Do you know what kind of sealant is used? Is is proprietary Acura stuff?

That sucks double. I was thinking at least I was lucky there wasn't substantial paint damage. I don't understand how some people can look in the mirror to shave in the morning. (Except for the ladies, in which case if I were them, I wouldn't want to look either.)

If it was a mall parking lot, there are likely security cams. Contact their security office with the lot location, date and time frame window. They may be able to offer you a video clip which may identify the slime.

This happened to me at my local grocery market (driving Mom's car). I did as exactly as above and saw on the video it was a yellow Hummer that frequents that market. The driver (she) was seen driving at speed unsafe for a parking lot. Add to that she blew through a STOP sign and crosswalk (with pedestrians in the crosswalk) .After reporting to sheriff's office they reviewed the video and located the Hummer (same general community). A deputy was dispatched and found paint scraped that matched my Mom's car. She (the driver) immediately caved and agreed to pay the damages uncontested (which means she KNEW she had damaged the car and tried to get away with it).

End story: Mom's car is fixed and her (driver) body parts have not yet been found.

yeah i know, but still there dirt bag outthere. Here is the pics of aftermath








https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...5cd13261ef.jpg




New bumper.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...f25b1b67cc.jpg






Round 2 :(


https://scontent.fhou1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...3f&oe=598F2D1B




Both time was hit and run.

Damn, truong, that's infuriating. You have my permission to go all vigilante on their ass.

Tampa, that is an excellent suggestion. Unfortunately, I didn't discover the damage until after a round of errands that covered three or so different parking lots, so I wouldn't even know which store to ask. What's so annoying is that the three combined probably didn't exceed about 45 minutes of parking in the uncrowded parts of the respective lots, but I still don't remember which ones anymore. Glad it ended well for you, though – good tip to remember.

LOL here another one on my TL.

https://scontent.fhou1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...f1&oe=594EA53A


Yes all 3 times I have to pay out of pocket since the deductible is $500.



Now back to your situation, I would look at a used headlight. These thing get expensive since it contain the AFS motor, my Lexus has automatic headlight leveling system and I don't like it.

Agree, but even the used ones are $500. That's why I'm so eager to hear where CarbonLegend gets his sealant. https://acurazine.com/forums/images/icons/icon12.gif

I get my sealant through the retrofit source. Cost around 15-20 for a roll of it and its plenty to do a pair of headlights. but i find it is important to get the old seal out now that it has seen some abuse and possibly some effects of the elements.

If this happened to my RL, I would probably just make an insurance claim. I have a $500 collision deductible that I would have to pay since obviously I wouldn't know who did it. I've made claims for dings in the past, and my rates never increased. But I'm also older with a clean driving record which probably contributes to rates not raising.

Yeah, I'm also older with a clean driving record, but I set my deductible too high. With insurance rates, you spend it at one end or the other -- pick your poison.

How are your headlights so crystal clear? what's the trick to get them there?

Sorry to be of so little help, but the truth is I've never done a thing to them in my life. I think the key is simply that I've always garage-kept the car. No UV = no clouding.

On the positive side, there are threads on this board of people who've done a beautiful job of completely restoring the clarity to their headlights. You probably want to check them out.

Multiple stage of wet sanding, then polish and find a good sealant like opti coat or spray clear coat over the headlight.

Here is my recent work...

https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-p...stored-956752/

Same here. It's easy keeping a car looking like new when it's garaged. One of my cars has to be outside, and for that one, I had "paint protection" applied to the headlights, which is basically just a clear tint to protect against UV. You can't even tell it's there.

I've done the same, I've had XPEL headlight film on there. It's held up great.