Condensation in headlights

[domsz4]

So the car that keeps giving has dropped the next present and it appears that I am very low on headlight fluid. I have the xenon lights

Obvious culprit will be the seal on the rear of the units but any experience for getting them dry inside?

Am I looking at either new lights or having to crack them open I which car any advice ?

Mot warned the condensation was disrupting the pattern but not “bad enough” so I need to sort it, tbh it looks shitty so even just from the cosmetic front.

 

[kis]

Sure it’s been covered before but yes rear seal will be your main culprit.

Take the light off the car, dry inside near a heat source. I’m against using hairdryers or heat guns to dry. These can damage wiring if using from the rear, or damage the lens if using from the front.

Thoroughly inspect the unit for any cracks/damage. You want to be sure it’s not getting in from elsewhere.

New cover/seal, I’d opt for a tiny smear of red rubber grease. Some swear by vasiline. But red rubber is safe so won’t degrade the seal. Not sure about vasiline.

N.B. Don’t go drilling holes in the headlight, as this not a proper fix. The units already have 3 vent holes by design at the rear which will let some moisture escape and account for ambient temp changes.

I have xenon myself, I wouldn’t go down the 2nd hand route till you’ve exhausted all other options. The units are normally £300+ each. I say that, but I do have a spare set, strategic spares and all that.

 

[DMike]

No experience with Z4 headlights, but on some other brands…. Instead of using a hair dryer or a heat gun, I’ve used an old vacuum cleaner to suck out humid air from a light housing. On one where I couldn’t get good air circulation in the front chamber, I used a thinner silicone tube to reach. Works best on a dry day in direct sunlight.

 

[Jcm325]

I did this the other day and it seems to be holding up well...
Take the cover off the back
Look inside light make sure no pools of water just condensation
Hairdryer set on cool and plenty of patience, I also alternately warmed the front of the light with the hair dryer
It takes a while I had a couple of breaks in between
Reverse the rubber seal on the cover and a light smear of vaseline
I left the light open for a couple of hours for temperature stabilisation then refit the cover
Then sanded and polished the light afterwards.
I did it on a very cold but dry day

 

[chapeau]

Mine are standard headlights but i had a large pool of water inside them both. I used a wire coat hanger with some tissue wrapped around the end to soak up all of it and then just finished off with the hairdryer method to dry everything out , letting the air cool down inside before putting the cover back on (with the seal reversed) not had any misting up issues ever since.

 

[domsz4]

Cheers, guys
My drivers side is pretty bad so it really wouldn’t surprise me if there’s damage to casing somewhere.

 

[paddy wright]

Cheers, guys
My drivers side is pretty bad so it really wouldn’t surprise me if there’s damage to casing somewhere.

It’s amazing how much moisture can get in from bad seals. Certainly worth trying to cure rather than replace.