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Glass Headlight Condensation


BenRichardsFife

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Ok - I'm officially an idiot. I noticed my passenger side headlight misting up (which was wierd because the drivers side was clear as normal) so I had a look at the headlight - looked for any cracks etc and couldn't find anything. so I popped the hood and had a look around the rear of the light and hey presto - bens a tube and didn't put the back panel of one of the holes for the bulbs on properly, so now there is moisture all over the headlight.

I got a hair dryer and sat and got rid of all the moisture on the glass but there is some on the bit where the high beam bulb reflects from (don't know what its called lol) and after I got rid of the moisture by using the hair dryer - it just steamed back up about 30 minutes later.

 

I tried blasting the hair dryer through the hole for the bulbs but that didn't do anything

 

What can I doooo, its making my sup look tacky :( :( :(

 

Just to note - I have glass headlights, just incase you tell me I can't put plastic in the oven ;) haha, is putting my headlight in the oven the only real easy way to fix this?

 

Any advice is appreciated, Ben (silly Ben)

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How do I get the bag into there and back out? Lol

 

You would need some 25g bags and keep replacing them everyday. I am doing this with my facelifts but Toyota are replacing mine next week. I just want to see if it improves the situation before I take it back. My drivers side is fine, it's just the passenger one that has gone. The theory that you can take the high beam bulb out to let the lights "breathe" just makes the situation worse IMO.

 

Just pop the 25g bag in the hole so you can retrieve it later. If it drops in, you'll be Fubarred..!!

 

H.

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Stop any more getting in then have dip and fog both turned on for the next few days driving, including daylight journeys and it will sort itself out.

 

I even had the high beams on as much as possible the other night and it made sod all difference. My passenger one is now swimming in water..!!

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It takes about a week of dip+fog 30mins twice a day to dry out from this.

 

http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/attachment.php?attachmentid=150744&d=1335569191

 

I imagine that with glass you will get away with the staining effect once they are dry. My facelift now looks kack after the condensation got in there. These particular lights are only 3 months old. I can't see any way of avoiding this issue. I have order loads of bags of silica gel and if there is any condensation at all I will pop a bag in the hole for the high beam.

 

I took the last set of lights out and left them in the house for a week. They dried out but I could see run marks behind the lense and took them back to Toyota.

 

I cannot express how much this is getting on my paps...!!

 

H.

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I thought water was getting in past a bulb, but it turned out that the glass wasn't sealed to the lens properly, there was a patch of sealant missing right where the water runs out of the join between wing and bonnet.

 

It's a common fault with U.K. spec lenses.

 

I took mine back and Mr T. swapped it for a new one.

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I thought water was getting in past a bulb, but it turned out that the glass wasn't sealed to the lens properly, there was a patch of sealant missing right where the water runs out of the join between wing and bonnet.

 

It's a common fault with U.K. spec lenses.

 

I took mine back and Mr T. swapped it for a new one.

 

I am now on my second set of brand new lights and three of the four have been absoultely soaked.

 

May have made a break through today though with the silica gel. Are the headlight and foglight areas of the unit directly connected to the main area of the headlight? They both sit in a plastic dome but I am not sure if it is sealed?

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All one enclosure, water once it gets in tends to pool below the insert in the lowest part under the main beam reflector area (can't see it under the insert) only way to completely to get rid of moisture is to remove headlight, tip back and remove fog bulb and breathers

Then dry out with hairdryer

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All one enclosure, water once it gets in tends to pool below the insert in the lowest part under the main beam reflector area (can't see it under the insert) only way to completely to get rid of moisture is to remove headlight, tip back and remove fog bulb and breathers

Then dry out with hairdryer

 

Do you mean the "high beam" instead of the fog?

 

That is the only one on a facelift that seems to be open as such.

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I had my Dipped beam and fog light on for a good 4 hours today, and it started to clear the condensation near the lights, however, I had to turn them off before they killed my battery and after a couple of hours - the lights were back to misty city! :(

 

Is it easy to remove headlights? Do I need to take my bumper off? And I have an aftermarket HID kit so this will further complicate things won't it?

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I had my Dipped beam and fog light on for a good 4 hours today, and it started to clear the condensation near the lights, however, I had to turn them off before they killed my battery and after a couple of hours - the lights were back to misty city! :(

 

Is it easy to remove headlights? Do I need to take my bumper off? And I have an aftermarket HID kit so this will further complicate things won't it?

 

The problem you will have Ben is that you will have made the light warm inside. The first thing that will happen is that at night the lense will cool first and the hot air inside will condense against the lense. You will be going around in a circle forever. I would remove the lights (3 bolts, disconnect the bulbs and a lot of fiddling to get them out). I have had mine out about 6 times but be careful not to mark the bumper.

 

I would leave the lights at room temperature for a couple of days until they dry out and then fit them back in the car on a cool dry day.

 

I seem to be getting results with the Silica gel sachets but I need to go out and check them this morning. Yesterday they improved massively with a 25g sachet jammed in the hole to the light. I would get a batch of about 10 sachets and keep swapping them every day.

 

H.

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Ok, Removed the headlight, turned it upside down, drained a lot of water out of it, then took a hairdryer and sat for about 15 minutes straight blasting hot air through the high beam bulb hole haha, that seems to have taken of care of it (for now) I will update if this problem re-emerges,

 

On the bonus side - I fitted my LED sidelights that I bought ages ago but didn't want to fit because I though it would be too hard to reach the sidelight bulb holder, there's light at the end of the tunnel :D lol

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Ok, Removed the headlight, turned it upside down, drained a lot of water out of it, then took a hairdryer and sat for about 15 minutes straight blasting hot air through the high beam bulb hole haha, that seems to have taken of care of it (for now) I will update if this problem re-emerges,

 

On the bonus side - I fitted my LED sidelights that I bought ages ago but didn't want to fit because I though it would be too hard to reach the sidelight bulb holder, there's light at the end of the tunnel :D lol

 

That sounds like a lot of water in there. I would choose your moment carefully when you put it back as you will probably end up back a SQ1.

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You couldn't of put it better my friend lol, just had a look at the lights and there's a small amount of condensation starting to come back :( haha, looks like I'm going to have to do it again and dry it even more. What about putting it in the oven? How long should I put it in for? What temperature? Do I take any parts off the headlight?

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You couldn't of put it better my friend lol, just had a look at the lights and there's a small amount of condensation starting to come back :( haha, looks like I'm going to have to do it again and dry it even more. What about putting it in the oven? How long should I put it in for? What temperature? Do I take any parts off the headlight?

 

are these glass light still under warranty? When you are using a hairdryer are you taking the lights from a warm house out into the cold again to fit them? this will cause condensation. There are breather pipes on the back of the lights check they are not blocked.

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are these glass light still under warranty? When you are using a hairdryer are you taking the lights from a warm house out into the cold again to fit them? this will cause condensation. There are breather pipes on the back of the lights check they are not blocked.

 

i have no idea pal, they were on the car when i got them,

 

i put the lights on and this cleared up the remaining condensation... its been good for 4 hours+ - hopefully stays this way

 

i'll keep yous updated

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are these glass light still under warranty? When you are using a hairdryer are you taking the lights from a warm house out into the cold again to fit them? this will cause condensation. There are breather pipes on the back of the lights check they are not blocked.

 

i have no idea pal, they were on the car when i got it,

 

i put the lights on and this cleared up the remaining condensation... its been good for 4 hours+ - hopefully stays this way

 

i'll keep yous updated

Edited by BenRichardsFife
my bad grammer lol (see edit history)
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