Can a broken taillight cover be repaired?
3 Answers
Tail light cover damage can be repaired, and the specific methods are introduced below: 1. Temporary use: Simple repairs can be made using glue and plastic. 2. Long-term use: Replace the cover. When replacing the cover, ensure good sealing, especially to prevent contamination and damage to the reflector coating. Effects of a broken tail light cover: 1. Affects appearance. A damaged tail light cover detracts from the overall appearance of the car, affecting its aesthetics. 2. Rain exposure can damage the tail light bulb or plug. Getting wet in the rain may cause issues such as the light not working. Therefore, a broken tail light cover generally requires replacement.
My car was rear-ended before, and a corner of the taillight cover was broken. Actually, whether it can be repaired depends on the extent of the damage. Small cracks can be fixed. I once used special repair adhesive to patch it myself, and the result was okay, though not very aesthetically pleasing. If the damage is severe, like the entire cover being cracked or having a hole, then it basically needs to be replaced. I asked at the 4S shop, and the technician said repairs mainly rely on plastic welding and UV adhesive filling, but the sealing after repair is never as good as the original. Moreover, the taillight cover material is special, and ordinary glue simply won’t hold. I even checked the regulations—a damaged taillight cover counts as a non-compliant taillight and won’t pass the annual inspection. Now there are taillight repair kits available online for 30-50 yuan, suitable for emergency use. If you plan to drive long-term, it’s better to directly replace it with an aftermarket part, which isn’t expensive—around 300-400 yuan. Safety comes first—a non-functioning taillight increases the risk of being rear-ended.
Last time I accidentally scraped the wall while reversing, and the tail light cover cracked. I asked several repair shops, and they all said they could fix it, but with different methods. An experienced mechanic told me that the mainstream method now is plastic welding and polishing—melting the crack and then smoothing it out. If there's a hole, epoxy resin is used to fill it, followed by painting after it dries. I also visited a specialized car light restoration shop in the auto parts market, where the owner demonstrated the repair process: first sanding the damaged area, applying primer, then curing the resin with a UV lamp, and finally polishing. However, he mentioned this method only lasts one or two years, as the resin ages and turns yellow. Actually, aftermarket light covers are quite cheap now—for my Volkswagen Lavida, a replacement costs just over 200 RMB, which is more hassle-free than repairing. For high-end cars where original parts are too expensive, repair might be a temporary option.
