XPEL Installation Instructions

Headlamp Protection Kits

NOTE: Written instructions are no substitute for hands-on training. If you are not comfortable attempting installation yourself, use our Dealer Locator to find an installer in your area.

Dry Installation

IMPORTANT: Please read before attempting installation Clean the surface of the headlamp being certain to remove all grease, wax, tar and dirt. Dry the headlamp with a lint free cloth. DO NOT REMOVE THE BACKING PAPER AT THIS POINT! For best results, both the headlamp and the XPEL™ Headlamp Protection Kit should be at or slightly above room temperature during installation. It is best to perform installation in a controlled environment. In colder environments it may be helpful to turn on the headlamp and wait until the headlamp becomes warm to the touch, while also being certain that the kit pieces are also at or slightly above room temperature. Before removing the protective backing paper, dry fit each piece to be certain that you are applying the proper piece on the proper light. Remove the backing paper being careful not to touch the adhesive side of the piece. Handle the kit only on the edges prior to installation. Handling the adhesive side of the piece will leave marks that will not go away. After applying the piece to the light, use the enclosed hard card to smooth the piece onto the light from the center out. This should remove all air that may be between the piece and the light. If an air bubble happens to become trapped, merely peel the piece back from the edge nearest the bubble to a point past the air bubble and then smooth the piece back down onto the headlamp using the hard card. The adhesive should cure for at least 48 hours before washing your vehicle. If you have any questions, please call (800) 447-9928 for technical assistance.

Wet Installation

Required Hardware & Ingredients:
  • 1 Quart Spray Bottle
  • Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
  • 70% Isopropyl Rubbing alcohol
  • Ordinary Tap Water

Mix 25% Alcohol and 75% water in a spray bottle. Use the mixed solution to thoroughly clean the surface of the headlamp being certain to remove all grease, wax, tar and dirt. Dry the headlamp with a lint free cloth. DO NOT REMOVE THE BACKING PAPER AT THIS POINT! For best results, both the headlamp and the XPEL™ Headlamp Protection Kit should be above room temperature during installation. It is best to perform installation in a controlled environment. In order to achieve a higher installation temperature, turn on the headlamp high beams and wait until the headlamp becomes warm to the touch, or use the heat gun or hair dryer to gently warm the light surfaces. It is best if the kit pieces are also slightly above room temperature. This may be accomplished with the heat gun or hair dryer. Before removing the protective backing paper, dry fit each piece to be certain that you are applying the proper piece on the proper light. Wet your fingers thoroughly with the alcohol solution. It is important that you not touch the exposed adhesive surface of the kit with dry fingers. Handling the adhesive side of the piece with dry fingers or hands will leave marks that will not go away. With hands and fingers wet, remove the backing paper and immediately spray the now exposed adhesive side of the piece thoroughly with the alcohol solution. Spray the warmed headlamp thoroughly with the alcohol solution. Apply the piece to the light and use your hand to smooth the piece onto the light from the center out. Then use the squeegee provided with your kit to force the solution out along the edges of the piece by using firm, continuous strokes, from the center out. On contoured surfaces, the adhesive will not stick to the lens immediately. In this case, use the heat gun or hair dryer to gently heat between the lens and the plastic. This will soften the plastic and evaporate some of the moisture allowing for better contouring of the material. DO NOT OVERHEAT THE PLASTIC. The material needs only to be warmed. You may notice a hazy appearance between the lens and the plastic within an hour of installation. This is caused by residual moisture that has become trapped between the kit and the light. This is a normal occurrence and it should last no longer than 1 week. Heat accelerates the dissipation of the moisture. Driving with lights on at all times is helpful. The adhesive should cure for at least 48 hours before washing your vehicle. Please call (800) 447-9928 for technical assistance if you have any questions. We are not responsible for the improper application of your XPEL™ Headlamp Protection Kit.

Paint Protection Kits

NOTE: Written instructions are no substitute for hands-on training. If you are not comfortable attempting installation yourself, use our Dealer Locator to find an installer in your area.

Installation

Necessary Application Tools:
  • Teflon coated squeegee (included)
  • 3M Detail Cloth (included)
  • Two (2) One Quart Spray Bottles
  • Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo (do not substitute other soaps)
  • Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol (70% solution)
  • Wax and Silicone Remover
General Instructions:
  1. Installation should always be performed in a controlled environment with a temperature range of 60° to 90° F. Application should never be performed in windy conditions or in direct sunlight.
  2. Prepare a "slip" solution in one of the spray bottles, filling it with water and adding 2 or 3 large drops of baby shampoo (0.5cc). When properly mixed, the solution should sheet off the hood, but not produce many suds.
  3. Prepare the alcohol/water solution using 1 part alcohol to 2 parts water.
  4. Contamination such as road tar, grease, oil, wax, dirt, and bug residue should be removed by cleaning the surface to be covered with the wax and silicone remover. WARNING: DO NOT ALLOW WAX AND SILICONE REMOVER TO COME IN CONTACT WITH PLASTIC HEADLAMP LENSES.
  5. Clean the surface thoroughly with the alcohol solution to remove any residual wax and silicone remover.
  6. Verify size and placement of all parts before removing liner.
  7. Clean hands thoroughly, even the smallest amount of dirt on your hands will transfer to the adhesive, causing an undesirable appearance. Also, always keep your fingers wet to prevent the adhesive from sticking to your fingers, and do not needlessly handle the adhesive side of the material. It will be necessary to handle the adhesive side of the material occasionally, but make any contact with the adhesive as brief as possible and with wet fingers. This is important, as fingerprints will show through the material.
  8. Multi-piece kits are shipped with all of the parts on one piece of material to help prevent damage. Before beginning installation, it is a good idea to separate the various parts from one another by cutting between them with a pair of scissors. Set the smaller parts aside in a safe, dry place until needed.
Hood Installation:
  1. Wet the hood liberally with the slip solution.
  2. Lay the part on the hood with the plastic side down just above the area where the kit will be applied.
  3. Wet your fingers with the soap solution in order to avoid leaving fingerprints in the adhesive.
  4. Peel the backing paper from the part, allowing the part to remain upside down on the hood. Spray generous amounts of slip solution on the part as you remove the backing to prevent anything from sticking to the adhesive.
  5. With the adhesive and the hood wet with slip solution, carefully lift the part by the corners, turn it over and lay the kit in place on the area to be covered.
  6. The material should move freely on the hood at this point, allowing the piece to be positioned easily. If the part will not move freely, lift the piece and spray additional slip solution underneath as needed to ensure the part moves freely.
Figure 1A

Figure 1A

  1. Position the kit 1/16 inch from the front edge of the hood and centered between the fenders. The part may not seem to line up along the entire length of the front edge of the hood. This is normal since stretching may be needed to relieve excess material caused by the compound curves in the surface of the hood. Rotate the kit so that it lies symmetrically as shown in Figure 1A.
  2. Once the kit is in place, spray a small amount of the alcohol solution under the kit at the center.
Figure 1B

Figure 1B

  1. Squeegee the center of the hood vertically starting gently and then increasing pressure with each stroke until a 4-inch wide area from top to bottom is free of solution.
  2. From the center to the edge, identify the first corner point in the kit with which the kit can be aligned as in the examples shown in Figure 1B.
  3. Place one hand on top of the kit and move the part into position at the alignment point, ensuring a 1/16-inch gap as shown in Figure 1C. The kit may require stretching to reach the alignment point. This is normal and is required to alleviate excess material around the contours of the hood. If the part will not move freely to the alignment point, lift the part and apply more slip solution.
Figure 1C

Figure 1C

  1. If the hood has no groove or valley between the center and the first alignment point, squeegee from the center of the hood out to the alignment point with one hand while holding the kit in place with the other hand until all of the area up to the alignment point is free of solution. Use firm pressure and overlap strokes to avoid leaving bubbles. If the part will not stay in place after squeegeeing, spray a small amount of the alcohol solution beneath the kit and squeegee the area again. Proceed to step 22.
  2. If the hood has a deep vertical groove or valley between the center and first alignment point, stop at the edge of the groove or valley rather than attempting to squeegee all the way to the alignment point.
  3. Identify the next alignment point (if any).
  4. Place one hand on top of the kit and move the part into position at the alignment point, ensuring a 1/16-inch gap. The kit may require stretching to reach the alignment point. This is normal and is required to alleviate excess material around the contours of the hood. If the part will not move freely to the alignment point, lift the part and apply more slip solution.
  5. If there is no groove or valley between the first alignment point and the second alignment point, squeegee the area between the first and second points with one hand, while holding the kit in place with the other. If the part will not stay in place after squeegeeing, spray a small amount of the alcohol solution beneath the kit and squeegee the area again. If there are any more alignment points, repeat this step until the hood is finished. Proceed to step 31.
  6. If there is a groove or valley between the first and second alignment points, spray a small amount of the alcohol solution under the material at the alignment point and squeegee the alignment point area down.
  7. Return to the area of the kit where the groove or valley was, and spray a generous amount of the alcohol solution beneath the kit. Continue spraying until all soap solution is washed away.
Example 1D

Example 1D

  1. Hold the material down into the ridge or valley by pressing down into the deepest part of the groove. Squeegee the top inch of the kit from the left and right sides of your hand to seal the trailing edge of the kit as shown in example 1D. While maintaining pressure on the kit, slide your hand toward the front of the car to expose and squeegee the remaining section of material.
  2. Re-wet the remaining open area by spraying alcohol solution under the kit from the front edge.
  3. Drag your fingertips downward through the contoured area using firm pressure and hold. This will stretch the material down into this heavily contoured area and pull out the majority of the excess material along the front edge of the kit. Because of the fact that suction is the primary component that is holding the material down to the hood at this point, it is important to maintain a solid air seal with your hand. If air leaks past your hand, the material will pop back up in the area above your fingertips. If this happens, return to step 28 and try again.
  4. Once a proper seal can be maintained for a few seconds, thoroughly squeegee the area down toward your fingers until the material will stay down on its own.
  5. If any area around the edges has lifted back up, wrap a paper towel around your squeegee and go over the edges again.
  6. Repeat steps 18-31 for the opposite side of the hood.
Fenders Installation:
  1. For the smaller fender pieces, you can use the alcohol solution alone to apply the part. It is usually best to begin by lining up the front corner of the part with the front corner of the fender. However, depending on the application, the starting point may vary.
  2. Gently squeegee the aligned area of the kit to tack the part in place. Use increasingly firmer strokes until the part begins to adhere to the surface.
  3. Once the material is anchored at the starting point, align the opposite side of the fender, gently stretching if needed to achieve a 1/16 inch gap around the edges.
  4. Squeegee the remaining area using firm, overlapping strokes to avoid leaving bubbles.
  5. For vehicles that have heavily contoured fenders, wrap the squeegee with a paper towel to push out any stubborn wrinkles.
Mirrors Installation:
  1. Using the alcohol solution, thoroughly wet the mirror and lay out the material on the surface. Ensure there is enough solution present so the kit moves freely on the surface. Align the kit so it is positioned evenly around the edge of the mirror and squeegee in place around the inside edge.
  2. Now that the part is anchored in place, add a generous amount of slip solution beneath the kit, and then dry the top of the kit with a paper towel.
  3. Place a dry hand on top of the kit at the outer edge of the mirror, and stretch outward until the wrinkles in the mirror are removed. Due to the extreme contour, this will normally require a fairly long stretch.
  4. Using very firm pressure, squeegee from the inside edge of the mirror to the outside edge of the mirror.
  5. Wash out any remaining slip solution at the edges with the alcohol solution and squeegee any wrinkles from the center out. Use very firm pressure on the squeegee, leading with the blade. Wrap the squeegee with a paper towel, if necessary, to finish any stubborn areas.

Application Hints

  • Be sure to overlap strokes to avoid trapping air or solution under the material.
  • Bubbles tend to form most often at curves and contours, so pay special attention to these areas.
  • Excessive stretching is not recommended. However, some gentle stretching may be required to fit some curves.
  • The material may be gently pulled back up in areas if necessary to reposition the kit, or if you find that you have trapped dirt, air or an excessive amount of solution under the material.
  • If you are unsure about how to attempt any stage of the installation, be sure to call XPEL's toll free technical support number for assistance before beginning at (800) 447-9928 or (210) 342-7114.

Care Instructions

No special care is necessary for your kit once it is installed. You may wash and wax the product, just as you do the rest of your vehicle. You may experience a wax build up along the hood lines and other kit edges. Use a Q-tip or a soft brush to gently wipe away excess wax. Swirl or light scratches can be removed by gently wiping undiluted Isopropyl Alcohol onto the material and allowing it to evaporate. A layer of wax should be applied to the film as soon as possible after installation to close the pores in the clear coat. This will prevent bug acids and road grime from staining the kit. When using high-pressure sprayers, do not place the nozzle directly against the edge of the kit, or lifting may occur. Avoid picking at the edges or corners. Irreparable lifting of the material will result.