Volvo 480 Club Europe

Part 1 is under ‘Secret Life’.

The main route for rain into the car was the rear lights, as documented by others on the forum. Mine were cracked and crazed making them almost opaque, the usual scenario. Strangely, the reflectors and the centre section looked like new, I wonder why? I didn’t want the expense of new lenses if I could avoid it. I tried plastic solvent on the cracks without success, then tried cyanoacrylate (Supaglue). Capillary action pulled the glue into the cracks and appeared to seal them. I wiped off the excess glue with kitchen roll and noticed some of the shine had returned to the lenses, presumably by filling all the micro-cracks which had made them so dull. I proceeded to dose the lenses with Supaglue, a section at a time, and wipe over with kitchen roll. The lenses are much improved; it remains to be seen how long it lasts. The cracking had caused some distortion to the lenses so they no longer sat flat. I resealed them with black silicone window sealant. It took two tubes, but at least the car is now dry.

davekit wrote: ↑

Tue May 17, 2022 4:50 pm

I resealed them with black silicone window sealant. It took two tubes, but at least the car is now dry.

I was enjoying it until this part; You’ve committed what I would class as a mortal sin here. The lights should always be able to be removed - Always. Sealing them in means that you’re now either never going to get them out (bad), break them getting them out (bad) or struggle to seal them properly because of left over bits of sealant (also bad).
New seals are available and cheaper than two tubes of silicone.

One thing I keep meaning to try, particularly with rear lights that can’t be polished due to cracks, is to try covering them in headlamp film; it’s an even surface that gives the lights their “shine”, so a coating of film could potentially protect the plastic as well as give it an improved look; it could equally look appalling though!

jifflemon wrote: ↑

Fri May 20, 2022 7:16 am

davekit wrote: ↑

Tue May 17, 2022 4:50 pm

I resealed them with black silicone window sealant. It took two tubes, but at least the car is now dry.

I was enjoying it until this part; You’ve committed what I would class as a mortal sin here. The lights should always be able to be removed - Always. Sealing them in means that you’re now either never going to get them out (bad), break them getting them out (bad) or struggle to seal them properly because of left over bits of sealant (also bad).

sadly mine are secured with an invisible means and I suspect a previous garage has done so, I removed ALL the bolts (and the semi-hidden one high up next to the side repeater lens) and still no wiggle

I do have a receipt from the garage that has this text 'resealed rear lights' no mention of how this was done

Sorry if I upset you with the sealant. I was not aware of the availability of new seals, only the lenses (expensive, from France, I think). With the cracking and distortion, it may be difficult to seat the lenses onto new seals without further damage. I can only envisage removing them to put in new lenses, in which case a breakage would not matter. Admittedly, old sealant could be a pain to remove.

I did buy some clear lens film with a view to covering them, but 2 or 3 overlapping strips would be needed, as the film only comes in 50mm width. I then discovered that Supaglue improved things, so settled for that. I wonder if they might polish up further having glued them. At least the car is dry for now.