Dim headlights? The cheapest solution actually works

Keeping a car's headlights clean enables drivers to see clearly at night. Experts at Consumer Reports say headlights on older cars might need some attention.

Sun and UV exposure cause the plastic coating on headlights to become clouded or yellowed, giving off far less light than they had when you first bought the car, experts say.

“You may find cars are more susceptible to this clouding if you are in an area where there is a lot of sun – like a hot state," said editor Jennifer Stockburger.

You can either replace the headlights, which can cost over $200 per headlight, or use a headlight restoration kit, which Stockburger calls a more temporary fix.

"They use different levels of abrasive to clear that clouding off of the lens," she said.

When Consumer Reports applied a restoration kit on one side of a car, it took only about 15 minutes, and the results were great.

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Experts say the kits restore brightness for about a year, and most are less than $25.