Headlight condensation

Roberltd2

Roberltd2

Active member
 Village of The Dam
Hi folks,
I know this topic has been covered loads of times before and I could have resurrected a previous thread but....
What is the best approach today to address the issue of headlight condensation on an E85 or E86?
This is for a car equipped with halogen bulbs.
A couple of weeks ago I replaced a sidelight bulb and last night as I was leaving work, I noticed that a lot of condensation had built up inside the lens.
By the time I got home (12.5 miles) it had cleared to some degree but there was still quite a lot left in there.
Reading up on old threads, most of the suggested solutions seem to revolve around:
1. Drying out the headlight shell with the covers removed and then replacing the covers.
2. Buying new covers because the original rubber seals have hardened.
3. Applying silicone sealant (non hardening / non adhesive?) which can then be removed and re-applied each time a new bulb needs replacing.
I'm just wondering if there are newer ways of addressing this problem.
Also, where to buy new covers which will have a new seal built into them I assume?
They are not the best lights in the world to start off with 🙁
Thanks,
Robert.
 
I have been using Vaseline on the seals which seems to prevent the moisture getting in, there are others who say it will damage the seals but I have not had this occur on mine.
 
New covers can be purchased from the dealer, I think I got mine from a dealer on eBay. Before investing in new covers however, check that the clip that the cover engages into is still intact - broken clips are common and there's no way to get an effective seal even with new covers if this is the case. They can be glued.
 
When I dried out my lights, I took the rubber seal out and flipped it over, then used silicone grease when I refitted, and they seem to have been fine since.
 
When I had my e85, I put a thin strip of butyl tape around the seal. That cured it for me.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I'll see how things develop between now and Christmas, maybe order new covers & try to rejuvenate the old seals for future use.
BenM said:
New covers can be purchased from the dealer, I think I got mine from a dealer on eBay. Before investing in new covers however, check that the clip that the cover engages into is still intact - broken clips are common and there's no way to get an effective seal even with new covers if this is the case. They can be glued.
Click to expand...
Which dealership did you get them from BenM?
 
I replaced the rear headlight covers in my 2007 with new BMW covers, completely dried out the headlights indoors over a week or two, and they still had condensation build up inside when reinstalled. I then silicone-sealed every nook and cranny I could find. The condensation still came back. I removed the silicone I had applied and added silica packets inside the bottom of the headlights, to absorb the excess water. That helps, but did not cure the problem. Make sure your wheel-well inserts are in place, to lessen the water thrown up by the tires (replacement inserts are cheap). Park in a garage when possible to avoid rain.

I love my car, hate BMW, and no longer believe in German engineering as being quality, or in the tooth fairy. It is nothing more than a marketing slogan. The headlights are a prime example. And the "waterproof" roof hydraulic pump. Etc.

I recently replaced one xenon bulb, the igniter AND the ballast. They were in a sorry state due to the condensation.
 
Last edited:
wiseguy said:
I replaced the rear headlight covers in my 2007 with new BMW covers, completely dried out the headlights indoors over a week or two, and they still had condensation build up inside when reinstalled. I then silicone-sealed every nook and cranny I could find. The condensation still came back. I removed the silicone I had applied and added silica packets inside the bottom of the headlights, to absorb the excess water. That helps, but did not cure the problem. Make sure your wheel-well inserts are in place, to lessen the water thrown up by the tires (replacement inserts are cheap). Park in a garage when possible to avoid rain.

I love my car, hate BMW, and no longer believe in German engineering as being quality, or in the tooth fairy. It is nothing more than a marketing slogan. The headlights are a prime example. And the "waterproof" roof hydraulic pump. Etc.

I recently replaced one xenon bulb, the igniter AND the ballast. They were in a sorry state due to the condensation.
Click to expand...
Thanks Wiseguy. New covers arrived today. I'll get them fitted as soon as I can and maybe do a post on the results.
 
.adam. said:
When I dried out my lights, I took the rubber seal out and flipped it over, then used silicone grease when I refitted, and they seem to have been fine since.
Click to expand...
Thanks Adam. I've just bought new covers from bmw_direct (£22.28 each) which I hope to fit in soon.
It's definitely noticeable how much more spongey the new seals are compared with the originals which are now over eighteen years old.
So, if I understand correctly, I should be able to remove the old seals from the shells, rejuvenate them as best as I can and then refit to the opposite shell for potential future use as they are mirror images of each other?
Also, with regards to applying silicone grease or Vasaline, I can see the reasoning behind it but is one better than the other?
Conventional grease would be out on account of both materials being organic compounds? Or something along those lines.
It's a been long time since I was in school :).
 
I just reversed the seal, didn't swap sides, it's only strip of rubber so it did go back in, but swapping sides should be fine as well, would most probably be easier. I thought it was worth a try before I got new seals/covers. I used silicone grease as it doesn't react with rubber like normal grease or Vaseline can. A quick Google says petroleum-based greases can make rubber swell or crack and degrade.
 
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