Headlamp moisture/condensation

[T33GUE]

The near side headlamp on my e86 has moisture on the whole of the inside.
-How best can I get rid of this?
-Any idea why it's like it now and the other one not?
(The only post seems to be one from 10 years ago when similar cars had the lamps changed under warranty.)
Thanks
Robert

 

[rally-chris]

The seal has dried out and taken a set on the rear cover, allowing water or at least damp air into the light. You can take the rear cover off and pull the seal out to reverse it dry the light out with the help of a hairdryer and apply some silicone grease to the seal before reassembly, or else buy a complete new rear cover from BMW for about £15.

Chris

 

[rally-chris]

BTW - rear of headlight is accessible from the wheel arch once you take off a wheel and the removable panel in the wheel arch liner.

 

[paddy wright]

As above but do it sooner rather than later and in as warm an environment as possible to ensure all moisture gone- if you have xenons it is important to do this before you get moisture in the ballast unit.

 

[mjennings23]

As above but do it sooner rather than later and in as warm an environment as possible to ensure all moisture gone- if you have xenons it is important to do this before you get moisture in the ballast unit.

I can testify to the importance of this! A new ballast is not the best way to be spending your money

 

[RustyZ4]

I had this on my E85, I cured it by removing the back cover, using a hairdryer (not mine lol) to dry it out, not to hot setting and rested it on the tyre, then fitted a new cover and gasket to seal it properly, the cover with the gasket built in is about £15 from BMW so not an expensive bit to replace

 

[GregE85]

Hi, i also had this problem! Wheel on full lock, you can access the wheel arch panel. Took off the headlight cover, I had a lot of water in mine so used a spray head from a window cleaner bottle to spray out as much of the water as i could!!
With headlights on, I went for a drive with head light cover off (wheel arch panel in place and in dry weather!) moisture gone! replaced the headlight cover jobs a good'en!!

 

[AveZ4coop]

Did mine with a hairdryer at the weekend. Genuinely shocked at the amount of water in there (luckily not xenon's.).

 

[ErrErrminator]

Just done this to one of my headlights, which had fogged up badly after I washed it recently. Upon inspection I had trapped a wire in the seal as I fitted the rear cover. Reversed the seal, dried out the inside with a hairdryer and hopefully all the moisture has now gone.

The problem I am now faced with is that in drying out the moisture with the hairdryer I am left with some water marks/spots on the inside of the lens! :x How the heck am I going to get those off without cutting the unit open?