Headlight condensation

Tosirius · 06-03-2018, 01:04 PM

My headlight has been getting a lot of condensation the past couple days and now my headlight went out. Is there a way to seal the headlight better or do I just need to buy a new one.

msan · 06-03-2018, 01:22 PM

How is the water getting in the first place? Did you change angel eye bulbs and not close the lid correctly?

///M Power-Belgium · 06-03-2018, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tosirius

My headlight has been getting a lot of condensation the past couple days and now my headlight went out. Is there a way to seal the headlight better or do I just need to buy a new one.

Blow with a hair dryer hot air in the housing and the condensation will be gone in no time .
Check housing sealing and check if the housing is closed properly...

Tosirius · 06-03-2018, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Blow with a hair dryer hot air in the housing and the condensation will be gone in no time .
Check housing sealing and check if the housing is closed properly...

Is there a video that shows the housing and seals. I want to make sure they are probably fitted. I used the hair dryer method yesterday and it worked. Today it came back just as bad and the headlight blew. So I'm not sure where it got worse.

Dubuang · 06-07-2018, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tosirius

Quote:

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Blow with a hair dryer hot air in the housing and the condensation will be gone in no time .
Check housing sealing and check if the housing is closed properly...

Is there a video that shows the housing and seals. I want to make sure they are probably fitted. I used the hair dryer method yesterday and it worked. Today it came back just as bad and the headlight blew. So I'm not sure where it got worse.

If it came back that means there's still water/condensation in the headlight, most likely the water is holding at the bottom of the headlight since you're blowing it with a hair dryer. I had this happen to me and I lost my drivers side ballast due to it getting wet. If there's condensation that means that there's a crack somewhere in the seal. Could be around the headlight or the doors of the headlight themselves. I fixed mines after I took the headlight off the car, resealed my headlight and replaced the ballast. There has been no condensation in my headlight ever since I did this, not even light condensation. If the headlights are sealed properly there should be no condensation because water/moisture would not be able to get in, except from the breather tubes. The breather tubes are there so that if there is moisture in the air they can help the headlight breathe to not cause condensation. If you're constantly getting condensation your door seals may be loose or your headlight seal may be deteriorating. I know for a fact that condensation in these headlights aren't normal, because I've fixed the issue.

R3dliner · 06-07-2018, 10:12 AM

Is it the passenger side headlight or both? I've seen a lot of just passenger side.

dparm · 06-07-2018, 01:25 PM

Most headlights have a drainage tube/valve. If that gets damaged, dirty, or blocked, moisture will build up.

BayE30 · 06-07-2018, 01:29 PM

my passenger headlamp showed some condensation after my last wash as well, but havent seen anything since. guess its time to check all the seals.

R3dliner · 06-07-2018, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dparm

Most headlights have a drainage tube/valve. If that gets damaged, dirty, or blocked, moisture will build up.

We don't have drainage valves but air vents to accommodate the fluctuations in temperatures.

Tosirius · 06-21-2018, 05:17 PM

Only in my passenger side. I think my seals are worn down.

lukass · 06-25-2018, 12:32 AM

It sounds trivial, but make sure the little door on the fender liner is sealed well.
The one in front of the tire where you would reach through to change your bulb.

Had crazy condensation in my headlight of my last car because one was missing and during car washes (with pressure washer) it would get moisture in through that. Worth a check.

Tosirius · 07-01-2018, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lukass

It sounds trivial, but make sure the little door on the fender liner is sealed well.
The one in front of the tire where you would reach through to change your bulb.

Had crazy condensation in my headlight of my last car because one was missing and during car washes (with pressure washer) it would get moisture in through that. Worth a check.

Thank you for the tip. I have never thought of checking there. For now I have an additional passenger headlight that I sent to a shop to have it sealed up perfectly so I can start from scratch.

kyoo · 11-24-2018, 06:49 PM

bumping this - ran my car through the wash and the driver's side headlight has a ton of condensation in it. It's going to get very cold tomorrow, what's the fastest way to remove this without taking the bumper & headlight off? the only bulb i have easy access to is the H8, should i pop that off and just run a hairdryer at the headlight?

i think the h8 may not have been perfectly sealed, which is how so much got in there in the first place

Helmsman · 11-30-2018, 04:20 PM

Top hatch (i.e under bonnet) off and let dry. Yeah, some apparently use hair dryer to speed up.

kyoo · 12-02-2018, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Top hatch (i.e under bonnet) off and let dry. Yeah, some apparently use hair dryer to speed up.

thanks - hairdryer did the trick, and surprisingly well. there was condensation covering every surface inside the headlight when i started. 45 minutes later, dry. now to only stop it from happening in the first place...

s14_kev · 12-02-2018, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyoo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Top hatch (i.e under bonnet) off and let dry. Yeah, some apparently use hair dryer to speed up.

thanks - hairdryer did the trick, and surprisingly well. there was condensation covering every surface inside the headlight when i started. 45 minutes later, dry. now to only stop it from happening in the first place...

I'd get it taken care of ASAP. You could fry the ballast and that would be an expensive replacement. I was getting condensation and I had them resealed locally with new covers. Now they are just like new

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1548304

MJBO · 12-02-2018, 08:16 PM

Friend bought a 2009 M3 about six months before I did, spent AU$4000 on a new headlight as the original was rusted beyond repair.

kyoo · 12-03-2018, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin///mlee

I'd get it taken care of ASAP. You could fry the ballast and that would be an expensive replacement. I was getting condensation and I had them resealed locally with new covers. Now they are just like new

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1548304

i got it taken care of as I mentioned.

When you say new covers, is that the top, or the entire clear housing?

s14_kev · 12-04-2018, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyoo

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevin///mlee

I'd get it taken care of ASAP. You could fry the ballast and that would be an expensive replacement. I was getting condensation and I had them resealed locally with new covers. Now they are just like new

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1548304

i got it taken care of as I mentioned.

When you say new covers, is that the top, or the entire clear housing?

The clear plastic covers

06-03-2018, 01:04 PM	#1
Tosirius Private 12 Rep 88 Posts Drives: 2011.5 E92 M3 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Queens, NY iTrader: (1)	Headlight condensation My headlight has been getting a lot of condensation the past couple days and now my headlight went out. Is there a way to seal the headlight better or do I just need to buy a new one.
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06-03-2018, 01:22 PM	#2
msan Major 403 Rep 1,171 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 M3 / 2012 X5 35i M Sp Join Date: May 2015 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (16)	How is the water getting in the first place? Did you change angel eye bulbs and not close the lid correctly?
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06-07-2018, 10:12 AM	#6
R3dliner Lieutenant Colonel 935 Rep 1,930 Posts Drives: 18 M3 6MT Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: NYC iTrader: (5)	Is it the passenger side headlight or both? I've seen a lot of just passenger side.
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06-07-2018, 01:25 PM	#7
dparm Stop the hate, get a V8 3850 Rep 8,625 Posts Drives: C7 Corvette GS, AMG C63 S Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Frisco, TX iTrader: (1)	Most headlights have a drainage tube/valve. If that gets damaged, dirty, or blocked, moisture will build up. __________________ Now: 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, 2021 AMG C63 S sedan Past: 2011.5 M3 sedan ZCP
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06-07-2018, 01:29 PM	#8
BayE30 Lieutenant Colonel 1341 Rep 1,881 Posts Drives: 2011.75 E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (5)	my passenger headlamp showed some condensation after my last wash as well, but havent seen anything since. guess its time to check all the seals.
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06-21-2018, 05:17 PM	#10
Tosirius Private 12 Rep 88 Posts Drives: 2011.5 E92 M3 Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Queens, NY iTrader: (1)	Only in my passenger side. I think my seals are worn down.
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06-25-2018, 12:32 AM	#11
lukass Private First Class 92 Rep 189 Posts Drives: 2010 GT3 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: San Diego iTrader: (3)	It sounds trivial, but make sure the little door on the fender liner is sealed well. The one in front of the tire where you would reach through to change your bulb. Had crazy condensation in my headlight of my last car because one was missing and during car washes (with pressure washer) it would get moisture in through that. Worth a check.
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11-24-2018, 06:49 PM	#13
kyoo Captain 341 Rep 744 Posts Drives: Evo Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	bumping this - ran my car through the wash and the driver's side headlight has a ton of condensation in it. It's going to get very cold tomorrow, what's the fastest way to remove this without taking the bumper & headlight off? the only bulb i have easy access to is the H8, should i pop that off and just run a hairdryer at the headlight? i think the h8 may not have been perfectly sealed, which is how so much got in there in the first place
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11-30-2018, 04:20 PM	#14
Helmsman Major General 4441 Rep 7,101 Posts Drives: 2011 AW E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Stockholm, Sweden iTrader: (0)	Top hatch (i.e under bonnet) off and let dry. Yeah, some apparently use hair dryer to speed up.
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12-02-2018, 08:16 PM	#17
MJBO Major 2610 Rep 1,458 Posts Drives: 2023 G81 M3 Touring Join Date: May 2012 Location: Melbourne, Australia iTrader: (0) Garage List 23 BMW M3 Touring [0.00] 22 Toyota LC 300 [0.00]	Friend bought a 2009 M3 about six months before I did, spent AU$4000 on a new headlight as the original was rusted beyond repair.
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