Need Help with Snow and Ice Build-Up on Bronco Headlights? $ to $$$ Tricks You Can Try

image: SlashRacer

Every winter, new owners – and owners new to snow -- find out that snow and ice can accumulate in a couple troublesome places on their Broncos. Many four-door owners run into chunks of frozen slush on their rear doors, and all owners can get it caked on their headlights, lowering their ability to see the road as well. Some report it building up so badly that they have to pull over and try to clear it before continuing their commute.

image: Ford Bronco Owners / Hector Mena

It's not just a Bronco problem, though the upright nature of the Bronco’s headlights doesn’t help shed the slush. LED headlights don’t produce enough heat to melt what collects. Before letting bad weather ruin your fun or make your trip dangerous, consider trying one of the following preventative steps.

Fixes to Try: Cheap to More Expensive

While I haven’t used any of these products personally and can’t recommend a specific product from experience, other Bronco owners have reported using them, with varying levels of success. Some will require more upkeep than others. Research a few and see which you feel would work best for how often you encounter winter weather and storms.

Under $10 to $20

Water and Ice Repellents:

• Rain-X Water Water-Repellent: This spray-on, wipe-off, no-buff product claims to repel water and help prevent sleet, snow, and ice from sticking. It lasts about two to four weeks before needing to be reapplied.
• DuPont Snow and Ice Repellant: Pre-treat your headlights with this silicone-based spray before a storm to help keep snow and ice from collecting. Those who have tried it say it works especially well for wet, sticky snow.

Wax or Ceramic Coating Spray of Your Choice: Turtle Wax, Meguiar's, Chemical Guys, Cerakote –– owners have used their go-to brands to repel water, snow, and ice.

$50 to $100+

Protection Films: Films like Lamin-x headlight covers or XPEL are available in pre-cut shapes made for Bronco. Many Bronco owners have used XPEL paint protection film on their entire vehicles or road rash-prone areas, and besides damage protection, clean-up is a breeze as the film turns surfaces more slip ‘n slide-y than grippy.  

Read: Intro to Wrapping Your Bronco | FAQs and Firsthand Experiences

$1,000+

Aftermarket Headlights: If you’re not trying to spend your winter days messing around with waxes and sprays, you could swap to aftermarket headlights with heated lenses, like Oracle Lighting’s Oculus Bi-LED Headlamp system.

What’s Your Solution?

Have you done any of these fixes to help prevent build-up on your headlights? How have they worked? Tell us about the longevity and quality, and how much snow and ice you typically get in a winter.

Side note: Is there anything more satisfying than knocking off those slushy stockpiles of dirty snow from your fender flares and having them fall off in one piece? Factually, maybe. For the sake of this article, no. Feel free to debate the best part about winter muck in the comments.