Humidity in front lights

C

Color

Active member
 Oslo, Norway
Got some humidity in one of the front headlights.
Dealers tell me it's not that uncommon and they are not sure if they can get it fixed on warranty, according to them there has to be drops of water inside it in order to be an warranty item. No drops in mine, just a humidity haze over the lower part.
They would apply for warranty and give it a try they told me.

What do you guys say? Did anybody have problems with humidity in the lights?
Should something like this be covered by warranty?
The car's a month away from being outside the new car warranty window.
 
I have a date with the dealer in a week for just this problem. Condensation and droplets in passenger-side headlight. It's NOT normal because that fluid can get into the electricals. I can let you know how it goes.
 
Shipkiller said:
Squirt some water in it and take it back....

My drivers side does the same thing. I have not found the cause yet.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan to me...condensation in lights are a HUGE pet-peeve of mine. No amount should EVER be acceptable. What a load of s**t - have to have drops of water - what do they think happens when enough condensation occurs??? :headbang: . I would fight tooth-and-nail to get this fixed. I had to go into the dealership with a folder full of paperwork, others who'd been affected, regarding needing my steering wheel replaced. I was not going to pick up my Z without it replaced. Why do dealership visits have to be such a chore? :thumbsdown:. They fixed my steering, but not without having to make two appointments and doing a lot of research to back my suspicions.
 
With this crazy weather that we are having here lately in SD, from being hot and all of sudden then really cold, rainy & sunny etc. etc. I have not noticed this problem with my FL's, :| However, I will look more carefully....
 
Interesting that the dealer would try to set a level of 'drops' to entertain a warranty claim. If there were just the slightest amount caused by changes in air temperature and humidity then it would be vapourised off by use of the headlights. Indeed if you look on the rear then they have 2 small vents for just such a purpose

Unless someone has say jetwashed the under hood area then it's reasonable therefore to assume you have some sort of leak betwen the lens and body and for sure it won't self cure. It may dry up in Spring but will return worst next Autumn onwards.

As mentioned any condensation will over time destroy the lights. Some will settle on the lens as this tends to cool quicker with outside cold air but you can be sure righ now some is working on the step motor, bulb fitments and also less obviously dulling the silvered parts of the reflector.

Although not an advocate of inducing extra water it does seem a way to accelerate the processs, but you are talking minute quantities to induce drops. Personally I'd just tell the dealer 'it's far worst on a cold day and he's caught it on a good one/it's partially vapourised off today as I had the lights on'
 
I had 1 of mine replaced under warranty, it wasnt a haze, it was a river, when i tapped the glass the condense ran down the insire.
No probs with warranty either.

This was all on my 6k mile car
 
are they this bad

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=417&p=6308#p6308

when I spoke to the dealer over the phone I dont think he believed me when I said how bad it was, and said it's normal.

thant's till he saw the car.
 
Thanks for the tip, srhutch,

I have nowhere such a bad case as that. I only have condensation covering 1/3 of the lower half and only some tiny droplets in some places. I'll see what the condition is when the car is in for service tomorrow and judge how hard I can press this.
 
It doesn't matter how little condensation there is because it will eventually get worse, possibly causing more damage in the process. I don't care how tiny of a spot it is - any condensation is not good. To require a problem to 'get worse before fixing it' is completely insane :x
 
srhutch said:
are they this bad

http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=417&p=6308#p6308

when I spoke to the dealer over the phone I dont think he believed me when I said how bad it was, and said it's normal.

thant's till he saw the car.
Click to expand...
exactly like that !
 
Delivered the car to the dealers today. This morning there were no humidity, but I have some other things I want to get done so the visit is still valid. So why did the headlights clear up???

I'm guessing my 3 hour trip to Sweden & back this weekend (shopping meat at 1/2 the price in Norway!), with the lights on all the time and which also involved using the xenons as we returned in dusk conditions, has 'burned' away any traces of humidity. I did see several small droplets of water inside the headlight before the trip, and I did not check the lights afterwards. So hoping the problem has gone away by itself.
Let's see what the dealer has to comment on it.
 
Nope, did not expect it to go away like that.
Obviously with no humidity whatsoever to see, the dealer did not do anything about it.
Let's hope it got resolved, if not well, I'll just have pay them a visit.
 
Just took my Zed in to the dealer today. I still have a little residual condensation in my passenger side headlight, but not as much as a couple of weeks ago when we had the snowstorms.

They just ordered a new headlight for me, but I have to wait 2 weeks for it to be shipped from Germany. The tech said it was pretty common.
 
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