Thread: Black Headlight Modification

Having done a brief search of the forum and not had much success, does anyone have any info on painting the chrome surround on the inside of my S3 headlights??

Hello mate.

You need to carefully remove the clear lens by gently heating up the complete edge as these are bonded on. Once heated it should come apart easily. As for painting the chrome this is not the case. You need to use something like T-cut to remove the chrome coating. This is certainly the case in other cars and I'm sure Audi can't be much different. I'm wanting to do my A4. I'll get round too it soon I'm sure. Let me know how you get on

Originally Posted by TorqueTerrorist

Hello mate.

You need to carefully remove the clear lens by gently heating up the complete edge as these are bonded on. Once heated it should come apart easily. As for painting the chrome this is not the case. You need to use something like T-cut to remove the chrome coating. This is certainly the case in other cars and I'm sure Audi can't be much different. I'm wanting to do my A4. I'll get round too it soon I'm sure. Let me know how you get on

Surely, if you paint over or remove the chrome background inside your headlights, the beam will be next to useless? Also if it was done would it be an mot failiure?

If you look inside most modern headlights they have a few components within. The idea is to make black the outer part to give the smoked look. Obviously the insides differ from car to car but some look really good. I've got xenons so they have the projection lenses so this mod is possible. Not sure whether to yet as not seen my model with it done

I've got a '98 A3 1.6 so I'll have to have a proper mooch at it when I get it back from the surgeon.

i have done this to corsa b headlights stacks of times, to heat the bonding that holds the glass to the headlight place the light in boiling water, then gently prise them apart after 5 mins or so and place back in water if necessery. the first time i tried it i was told to put them in the oven on a low heat but after sevral headlight lens's and trips to the scrappy i reverted to water and it works a treat!!

My lights aren't the projector type. There is however a separate piece around the front of the lamps inside and obviously the piece that separates the two sides of each lamp that I could paint but like TorqueTerrorist said I'd rather see my type of lights done before I leap in and rip mine apart.

Originally Posted by Davsurfa

My lights aren't the projector type. There is however a separate piece around the front of the lamps inside and obviously the piece that separates the two sides of each lamp that I could paint but like TorqueTerrorist said I'd rather see my type of lights done before I leap in and rip mine apart.

After, little deliberation, I've decided it's too Chav/boyracer for my Audi! If there is every smoked lights made then possibly but I cannot bring myself to ruin my xenon lamps....It's no corsa b....

Cover with some Lamine X film which is a lot quicker and easier to do plus if you ever don`t like it just heat the film up and it will peel off.

Originally Posted by devonmikeyboy

Cover with some Lamine X film which is a lot quicker and easier to do plus if you ever don`t like it just heat the film up and it will peel off.

That crossed my mind. A friend does tints graphics etc

My car with lamin-X on left and normal on right.

OOh, I like that!! It makes a lot more difference than I thought it would.