Water Condensation In Headlight? Eliminate It Easily Without Removing Headlight!
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- Опубликовано: 31 мар 2022
- Sometimes water condensation (moisture, mist, bubbles, etc) will suddenly appear in one or both headlights on a vehicle. This is usually not caused by a crack. It is actually normal. Modern headlights are designed with vents in the back to allow air ventilation, which can sometimes allow moisture to enter the headlight. That moisture can condense if the headlight gets hot and fills with warm humid air and then the vehicle suddenly moves to a spot with cold air. Eliminating the moisture is easy, does not require special tools, and should not require you to remove your headlight, bumper, or any other such shenanigans. All you need for my technique is a vacuum cleaner, some tubing, some duck tape, and a hair dryer. And if you like the Fahren LED "bulbs" I brag about in this video, you can buy your own at Amazon.com using the link below. Just make sure you select the correct bulbs for your vehicle! (Mine are for a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan R/T, a.k.a. "The Man Van.")
amzn.to/3DynFA3 
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The crying and swearing part got me laughing. Same here brother
It worked! Y’all should definitely try it. Wish I could’ve shared photos.
Very informative information plus your in depth instructions on where and how to do. Thank you Sir 4sharing, much appreciated.
Glad to be helpful. Good luck!
Thankyou for this! My son has a Renault Twingo RS hot-hatch and you have to pretty much take the front of the car off to remove the headlight. We watched your video and set to work armed with a piece of hose pipe, wet & dry shop vac and a hair dryer. All we had to remove was the bulbs. Now the headlight is completely dry 👍
So glad the video helped you! If the moisture comes back, just try it again. But I find people rarely have to repeat the process, if ever, and, if they do, it is not often.
After returning from the carwash, I noticed one of my headlights got flooded.
This had never happened before and happened right after I had had some serious maintenance done on on my car (timing belt most importantly).
The kind of maintenance where the entire front end of the car has to come off (its a 2001 Audi A6) in order to access those belts.
After taking my car back to the garage and them telling me they were too busy to help me right now(typical client service here in France), I decided to do more investigating and found out that the cup sealing the rear of the headlight hadn't been put back on correctly(there are two clips and only one was on).
After watching this video I only had to go to a hardware store to buy a tube that would fit (the aquarium one I had laying around was too big) as well as some gaffer tape to make a good seal with the vacuum cleaner.
So THANK YOU for this video and the fact I no longer have to be driving around in a car with one the headlights full of water.
So glad the video helped you! Thank you for sharing.
Very helpful video, thanks mate! My warrant failed cos of condensation and they said I need $6000 new headlights. No. Im gonna try this and get the warrant somewhere else.
I bought a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan two weeks ago, and drove it in the rain for the first time today. When I got home after being out for a half hour, there was some fogging inside the bottom half of the passenger side lens. This video has the perfect solution. Thank you for sharing this and letting me know where the vent was located. Each housing actually had two, one at the top and another at the bottom. I'll make sure they aren't clogged and will use your method if the fogging doesn't disappear by tomorrow. Thank you!
Glad I could help!
ok you people need to learn to update hahah, did it fog up the other day? or did it go away on it's own?
Thanks for the video. My wife has a hair dryer that can be adjusted to put out just very lukewarm air. I duct taped a small funnel over the hair dryer output and pushed the other end into a short piece of plastic tubing. Then just blew this warm air into the headlight hole. I had a lot of condensation and it cleared out in about an hour. I actually had a small amount of pooled moisture inside of the head light assembly. This dried out as well. It looked like water might be getting in at the top of the assembly at the connection between the clear plastic and the black housing. I ran a bead of silcone sealant over the intersection. We’ll see how this does.
Good thinking! With the funnel and some tape, the hair dryer is probably enough, and even easier! Combining the hair dryer with the vacuum would just speed up the process. I say use whatever you have at your fingertips, but, one way or another, the key is to get fresh, warm air moving through the entire inside of the assembly, and it sounds like you did that. And the silicone can't hurt! Kudos!
Wow. I am amazed that so few videos have been posted with the correct easy method on this fix. I have searched off and on passively for about a year now on the subject. Thanks for helping me end that search finally. I knew there had to be a better way
Damn a year is crazy
You tried this method? How’d it go?
Thanks do much this is the best video i have seen so going to try it out
2008+ Grand Caravans have four vents on each headlight assembly: one near low beam, one near high beam / DRL, one near the turn signal lamp close to the centerline, and one near the outside turn signal lamp. All have the same rubber water redirector.
I just got new headlights and not even a week on and my right headlight did the same thing I'm going to try this trick today and see how it goes! Thanks for the video great job in explaining as well!
Good luck!
Yep me too it's bs mine are like a month old though smh
Thanks for the help!
Youbetcha!
That's cool video. Your seal around the head light possibly give I live in humid area 😂 . But hopefully it the trick.
I have the same issue on my 1999 Lexus SC400. The left light has ventilation issue. Filled with condensation and water bubbles. I will try this tomorrow, and let you know. Thanks for the tips!
Same here w my Lexus
Very good Video, thanks.
This worked phenomenally well for me. Thanks!
Glad I could help!
It worked! Took 3 hours but a lot of condensation in there. Checked both vent boots and there was a bit of spider web in both. The light with condensation had a red spider in it. I used hair dryer on low also!
So glad you had success!
WOW, only 3 hours of wasted time and electricity…use my method. It takes 5 minutes and is 1000% easier.
@@danburgess1514 what’s your method?
@@danburgess1514 your method??
this guy is either trolling or he made a comment somewhere in the comment section @@danburgess1514
GOOD IDEA! THANKS
With the Renault scenic it took about 120 min.
Because the hose couldn't get to the front because I couldn't get past the reflector but it DOES work.
Thank you for this great tip 💯👍
Glad it worked!
Stupid drawn out method
Thank u very much, I did your method because my car failed on mositsure in the headlight , I did this took a little while got it done and passed THANK U
Fantastic news! So glad it helped. Can you tell me the state where you're located that has such stringent inspections?
@@Lookie-Lookie ireland 🇮🇪 lol
@@Michael33342 We don't have such stringent inspections here in Wisconsin. We probably should.
Good ole U.K. I’m guessing
Thank you that's very helpful!!
It worked as you illustrated! Thanks!!
Glad it helped!
@@Lookie-Lookie I used a hairdryer on the drivers light but couldn't get behind the passenger light so switched to a heat gun to heat up the outside glass. This turned out to work even faster then from behind with a hairdryer.
@@IceManOregon I can imagine that would heat it up quickly. My only concern is that the moisture is still in there, just vaporized due to the higher temperature, and may condense again when the air cools. That's why the vacuum (pulling air) combined with the hair dryer (pushing air) to move air through the assembly gets a good result-because it replaces the moist air with fresh dry air. Hopefully your heat gun method got the job done though.
@@JohnVieth don't get me wrong but I used the vacuum with the heat gun
@@IceManOregon Ah! Got it. Smart!
Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was going to spend $150.00 ish for a New Lamp
Glad I could help!
In this particular example, condensation might be caused by a small leak path. Droplets inside is a sign of water intrusion.
The other problem might be tortuous path and tinny gaps that prevent moisture to travel from inside to outside environment, which often is a design issue.
Membrane patch vents tipically are the most effective to prevent condensation but can not solve all the problems if design issue are detected... anyway, it's a nice way to save some money and not replace the headlights, but very likely, this problem will be back once again!
Mother's Mag and Aluminum Polish works great on cloudy headlight lenses ($7). Mine look like new. No special buffing equipment needed.
That worked well on my Mazda 3! I hope it stays clear. Thanks!!!
Great to hear!
This did the trick for me. I used the hair dryer and vacuum. Let’s see if it will return. Thanks! 🙏🏽
Thank you for letting me know! That makes me very happy!
Did it ever return?
Its return?
@@AmfibijaONE no, it never came back.
@@TimeGallon no, it didn't.
Thanks for the vid. I have a 2012 Town and Country with aftermarket headlight assemblies and found 4 vents on each side. But they had a rubber grommet and a plastic cap on each vent. Now these grommets are designed so the caps allow air to vent. The problem was the grommets were sealed with some kind of soft plastic. I’m assuming this plastic had to be removed before installing the assemblies. 🤦🏾♂️. Now I will do the tube/vacuum/hairdryer thingy and see if they stay vented. Thanks again.
If the vents were plugged, but condensation still accumulated, that suggests that moisture was still able to get in there SOMEHOW, which does not surprise me. But if you are able to improve airflow through those vents, then you should see moisture issues fix themselves a little better, going forward. You may have to clear the moisture the first time with the help of a vacuum and/or hair dryer, and hopefully it will be good after that. Good luck! Hope the video helps you!
First time I replaced the headlight assuming the housing was cracked. Pricey! New headlight later filled with moisture. Found this video. Followed the procedure, it worked. Today, a year, maybe 2, later I am doing it again. Always the left side headlight, never the right side. Vents not plugged, no cracks I can see without removing it from van (2010 Chrysler). I live in northern WI. Just humidity changes causing the problem?
Yes, the procedure does need to be repeated from time to time, but it's not a big deal. Better than replacing a headlight. In fact, even when a headlight is cracked, if moisture gets in there, this solution might be the best way to go, perhaps with a little silicone seal.
Thank you.. I tried it and it worked
Great 👍
Superb video. Better than Chris Fix. Makes perfect sense. I hope it works out for me. Dealer wants $3k to replace entire one driver side unit. Says bumper fender and front end has to come out of Toyota Avalon.
Edit. I followed you on this and it worked perfectly. Thank you for your time and effort.
There are how-to videos that show people replacing their own headlight units on a Toyota Avalon. Doesn't look like it takes that long. Parts should be $200 to $300 max. Regardless, I'm glad to hear you liked the video!
Compressed, dry air and a heatgun was what I used based on the tips in this video. It worked a treat! Dry headlights on my S4 now :) Thank you!
Nice to hear the tips helped! So instead of pulling the air with a vacuum, you pushed the air with a compressor. That works, too! Careful with that heatgun, though. If you're using that on the headlight plastic, I would make sure the plastic doesn't get too hot to touch. Just a gentle warming should be enough to evaporate that moisture.
@@Lookie-Lookie Yes you are right, I used my heat gun on its lowest setting. I just figured replacing the air is what removes the moisture. Dry compressed air soaks up the moisture very quickly when heated up. I could literally see the droplets evaporate. I had a lightbulb moment while watching the video. It helped me figure out why and how😀
@@aukanmeister Glad it helped.
Thanks going to try this on my 2010 catalliac, 10/27/23
Thanks so much for this video. I just bought a used vehicle with a lot of condensation in the headlight. At least I understand a simple way to fix it. While you were in there, did you check to be sure the vent wasn't clogged?
I did not notice any serious clogging, and there was certainly no clogging by the time I was finished, as I was moving quite a bit of air through the headlight unit. Glad you like the video!
Thank you!!
Youbetcha!
I appreciate the video!
I’m having the same issue, only on the right side. I had spiders living in the headlight. There were cobwebs all over inside but the condensation did start till a few weeks ago. So upon checking it out, I found 3 vents full of the spider nest/webbing and even spiders. I cleared them all out but I’m back to condensation again. I’m figuring it’s still in the body of the headlight.
Sometimes clearing the condensation lasts a long time. Other times the process must be repeated right away. But if it's important enough to you, keep clearing the moisture. Driving with moisture in the headlight will not harm the vehicle. So it's a matter of person preference.
It’s actually causing my LED light to rust.
@@kthax308 Well, now that you mention that, I would say it definitely is a problem. In addition to the technique I've demonstrated, I also highly recommend checking all headlight vents on the back of the headlight assemblies to make sure there are no blockages. Sometimes spiders make webs, and insects come in, and clog those vents. Surprising to many, these assemblies are not supposed to be sealed. They are supposed to let air (including moisture) in. But over time, the moisture should reach an equilibrium so it does not condense. So I would check for blockages, continue this method of clearing the condensation, and also consider sealing the plastic seams of your headlight assemblies with silicone, as it could be that moisture is running right into the assembly, which would take too long to evaporate, and you'd never get ahead of the problem without silicone.
@@JohnVieth Hey John, So I cleared out the actual holes that the three rubber vents attach to and replaced the LED’s with new ones ( a much better snugger fit) and the headlight is clear! 👍🏻
Thanks again for your video.
@@kthax308 Awesome! Good to hear. New lights (LED or not) help, too, because they come with new seals. If the seals are bad, puddle splashes can splash directly in the assembly. Depending on the vehicle, the bulb adapters may have their own seals, which means they would have to be replaced as well to get the best fit. They're probably $20 a piece or something. This surprises people, like, "I thought you said headlight assemblies don't have to be sealed to keep water out, and that's why they have vents!" Yes, that's true! They have vents, so they're not sealed! BUT… The vents are splash-proof. The bulbs/adapters with bad seals are not splash-proof. This also explains why sometimes people replace an entire assembly, the whole huge thing, and they still get condensation. Why? …because the bad seals are part of the bulbs/adapters, not the new assemblies. Lots of ways to go wrong with this stuff!
Just remove the vents and park up with the engine running. This is the official KIA TSB fix.
It works too.
the best solution
Wonderful Job!!!
Bro when i see that vacuume cleaner i nearly spit my coffee everywhere😂
It works!
@@Lookie-Lookie gotta do what you gotta do😂
Thank you. I bought a bmw and changed the halogens lights to led and I guess I badly closed the inputs of the bulbs. So my left one is condensed. I will use this technique.
It's easy to leave them less than tightly sealed. Another factor is LEDs are not as hot, so water condenses more easily. That's when I first had my condensation problem-after "upgrading" to LED. Since then, I have had to clear condensation twice. Not a big deal. Love the brightness of the LED, so it's worth it.
@@Lookie-Lookie yeah Im gonna do this and use the silica gel bags method right after cleaning the headlight. you put two or three bags of silica balls next to it and it will very likely not create condensation again in the future.
Brilliant
Best and easiest way to fix this problem is drill 2 small holes in the back of the light. One in the bottom of the light and one in the top. The high temperatures draw in cool air through the lower hole and expell hot air out the top hole creating air circulation. Drill the holes in the back of the light not the front .. works great. All condensation will vanish in a few days.even faster if you drive with your headlights on...lights get very hot.. holes should be about 4-5 mm. Just enough for air to enter. Forget about dirt getting in.it won't. And when you change the bulb you can wipe inside with some kitchen tissue. I've done this to a few cars and as well as fixing the water problem it has never had any negative effects.like dirt getting inside the light unit.
Thanks for sharing this
Yep this is the best way. I’m lazy and didn’t feel like removing the headlight assembly so I just drilled the hole in the front in the bottom of the lens. Never had condensation again
Led lights don't generate heat. I have a Ford mondeo estate and so far the condensation has destroyed 3 of the four rear lights(the moisture destroys the circuit boards) . Expensive to replace at £100 a go.
I'm going to try this method then place silica bags where the air flows in and around the light units.
Led lights are so bad.
@@Stranger_In_The_Alps top tip my man I'm lazy as well. Have no condition because now there's no lens. Could have been the 45mm masonry bit in the hammer drill?
Damn yall two thumbs up
OMG, around the time my headlights fogged up permanently, I noticed dead spiders inside. My vents were plugged with dead spiders! 😂
Probably! I should do a better job in my video to emphasize that the vents not only help you fix a condensation problem, but they may have have actually caused the problem in the first place by being clogged. Just cleaning them could potentially fix the problem, although it would probably take a lot longer for the condensation to clear.
By chance, do you think HIDs would help keep them dry since they discharge plenty of heat? I have one that's cracked as it is (accident), but the bulb has been out for a while and it's gathered a lot of condensation since the bulb went out. I'm getting the replacements soon anyway, just wondering.
"Lotta dudes walking around in there breathing heavy" lmao that was good
I'm not sure about HIDs, but I imagine they wouldn't hurt. Might be worth trying.
If your explanation about it not being hole how do you explain it not happening on the other light. I have a caddy where the left light is fine but the left got so bad it had a pond inside. I replaced it with a used one (no new ones available) and it did the same thing. I'm going to remove it dry it out and seal it with silicone caulk.
Cars are not symmetrical. Pop the hood and you will see that some things are on the right and other things are on the left. Therefore the airflow to the headlight units is not the same on both sides, and water splashes from underneath are not the same. Also it's possible for a vent to get clogged which would cause one unit to have different moisture/air than the other. That having been said, yes it is also possible that a unit can crack, but, when that happens, it is pretty easy to notice upon inspection, and also easy to fix with silicone.
It’s a seal that can be hair line seam that’s open. My Prius is holding water condensation and I have HID headlights and it blew my headlight out. At $70 apiece I want to vomit. I noticed since I was taking it through those car wash washes that you put on a chain and pull you through. that’s when I started having a lot of problems.! It’s not worth it to wash your car that much I guess but I work for Uber and I like to have a clean car. my friend is a manager of an auto parts store. He told me that before he would put HID headlight back in REMOVE the headlight and heat the entire headlight in an over to heat it up split the seal clean it and re-seal the cover. I’m going to try it on one side then make a video on it!
Great solution, I’ll try it on my Dad Grand Caravan. And yes, lots of swearing changing out high beam bulbs.
i like the blowing hot air pun tho
I'm doing this right now...hair dryer and vaccuum at work!
whelp...it did work, but didn't last....
@@jamailrandle1769thanks for coming back
I tried to blow a hair dryer into the hole and it overheated. So I have to find other route to fix this. I’ll try this later. Thank you for the info 🫡
A piece of tube taped around a vacuum "crevice tool" will still suck the air out, forcing fresh air in. It will take longer if you're not using a hair dryer to push new warm air in, but it should still work. Good luck!
Don’t do his method, it’s idiotic and a waste of time and electricity
Clean those leaves out of the wiper plenum or you will have a lot more to worry about than moisture in the headlights, after cleaning run some water and make sure it drain properly 👍
I am happy to report the leaves were cleaned out long ago. I have 203K miles on the ol' Man Van, and it's not going to die anytime soon.
I have been thinking of doing some samekind of solution to my accord. It also has this condensation problem after buffing the headlight.
After all these weeks, the solution is still working for me. I haven't had to do it again. The condensation is still gone.
All you have to do is buy some silicia gel packs from Amazon and put 2 or 3 packs into the headlight housing, it will dry / absorb the moisture..
I just took my car through the car wash and got home and saw my driver side light had water in it. Idk if this is a humidity problem or something with the light. I feel like it’s gonna happen everytime I get a car wash. Any tips? Or tricks?
If the problem is recurring, you might have a crack in your headlight unit, or an open seam, that is allowing water to enter too easily. When the problem recurs too frequently, replacing the headlight unit might be a better option. Cost can be surprisingly low, and installation can be surprisingly easy, but it depends on the year, make, and model, of your vehicle. Search RUclips for "replace headlight" and the year, make, and model, and you will get an idea for how easy it is. An Amazon search for "headlight" and the year, make, and model, will find aftermarket replacement options that can be as low as $50 or lower, but it depends. My solution shown in the video is for occassional issues and would not be convenient for constant recurring issues. If you can identify a crack or open seal, you also might try sealing with silicon, but personally I would rather replace the unit at that point.
Haven't tried this yet but I will give it a go as it certainly looks like a viable method. Can I use a regular vacuum cleaner? Thanks for the tip!👍
Use whatever vacuum you like. Regardless of the vacuum, the vent hole will likely be too small for the vacuum tube, so you have to convert the vacuum down to a small hose that you seal to the vacuum with duck tape, like the video shows. That will suck air out of the vent. Even better, while sucking out that vent, you can also PUSH air INTO another vent, creating a circular flow. That "pushing" is best done with a hair dryer. That will keep a nice flow of warm, dry air swirling around the inside of the headlight unit. 10 minutes later, it will be dry as a bone. If 10 minutes later you still have moisture, you will at least see a reduction, and that will help you know about how long you will need to continue to run the vacuum/dryer. Just make sure the hair dryer is not TOO hot. Good luck!
@@Lookie-Lookie Thank you but I had a look under the bonnet a couple of days ago and the light units are super-sealed. No access. The headlight units will need removing and that's way past my skill set. Looks like it will need to go to our local garage. Thanks all the same.☹️
@@48Nugget Look a little closer. They are hard to spot. You may just have trouble accessing the vents. What make/model/year is your vehicle?
@@Lookie-Lookie I'm in the U.K. so don't worry. I really had a close look and it is a very sealed unit...
A hairdryer on its own also works!
I usually drill holes in the bottom before installing them my both Silverados and except for the s10 and ranger brandnew headlights from Amazon they leak water and turn yellow, crack fast
I have though about adding holes for more ventilation. The problem with that is there is a lot of water splashing from below when we drive over puddles, etc. That is why the vent holes designed by the manufacturer often have rubber boots in the vent holes so that water cannot splash directly into the holes. Your mileage may vary.
@Lookie-Lookie leaked water regardless if I had the truck parked for a week the water be splashing around in there.
Works 100%
Thanks for the good report, @keng8063 !
Awesome man! I have this issue on my bmw 1 series. Gonna try it on the weekend!
Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
@@Lookie-Lookie thanks man, will do. Cheers!
@@rbemuscle6058did you fix it ?
I have had this ongoing for two years now. Today I used a shop vac with a thin tube to suck air and a compressor to insert air. I got it dried out completely. It's now 5 hours later and the lens is fully covered with condensation again. The temperature is about 45 to 50 degrees outside and sunny, no rain. I don't don't get it. What you say about a vent makes sense because there is that u-shaped rubber boot, which I took off to examine. It's not clogged. After all the work to get it dried out and to have it reappear in a matter of hours has me really upset.
That sucks. I have had "experts" tell me "it's just going to come back, because you must have a cracked headlight." But it never did for me. Then others told me cracks don't cause this, because the vent is basically the same effect as a crack-it lets air in. I think what can happen with some vehicles is the headlight gets cracked/damaged in a place that allows moisture easy entry. The headlight gets warm, so, if moisture gets in there, it's going to fill the headlight with vapor that will then condense when the headlight cools. In my case, I think this originally happened because I paid for a headlight restoration service, which is basically a process of buffing/polishing the plastic until it's clear. That process heats up the plastic, and, in my case, it was in a shop with multiple people working, perspiring, etc, probably much more moist air compared to the cold outside. Then, when the car was parked outside after the service, it was very cold. So there was a quick change in temperature and humidity. I'm so glad this technique of mine fixed the problem. If it had not, I was prepared to order two new headlight units which would have not only solved my moisture problem but also given me nice, clear plastic, better than any restoration service. As is is, the restoration service was a huge improvement compared to the cloudy plastic before the service, but they're still not like new. But, since I got rid of the moisture, I'll call it good enough for now. New headlights can cost anywhere from $25 to $200 per side (or more for luxury vehicles with expensive parts). Toyotas are always nice and inexpensive. But this Dodge Grand Caravan of mine was going to be $100 to $150 per side, which I'd rather avoid.
Another thought… Compressor air can have a lot of moisture in it, and it can be cold air. When I did it, I replaced the vacuumed air with warm air from a hair dryer. Maybe that made a difference? Temperature can have a big impact on condensation. Might be worth trying a hair dryer on the warm setting instead of a compressor.
Drill a very small hole into the top left and bottom right of the bulb housing which will allow air to cross flow in and will dry it out as you drive, once condensation is gone simply seal the drilled holes with clear silicone.
That’s because the idiot’s method doesn’t permanently fix the problem. Read my method in the comments and you’ll understand why it’s a better fix.
Thank you for your video sir👊 Its an Infiniti so who knows how much they would of charged me at the dealership probably in the thousands. It worked well
So glad you found the video useful!
I recently changed my halogen headlight bulb to an LED bulb, and ever since, there has been condensation inside of the lens. Could water have seeped inside of it if I had not turned the bulb enough to seal it?
One possibility is your new bulbs don't run as hot, and the heat of the previous bulbs helped clear the moisture. People see this issue sometimes when they switch to LED bulbs which run cooler (albeit usually brighter). You should still be fine. Just locate the vents on the back of the headlight units. There will be at least one, maybe multiple. Consult the service manual for your vehicle for clues. But you should be able to find them by visually inspecting the back of the headlight units. Make sure all vents are clear of debris. Having clear vents helps the air flow in and out of the headlight unit to clear condensation. And, of course, to help hurry the clearing of the condensation, watch this video for tips on how to use a vacuum and/or a hair dryer to speed up the clearing of the moisture.
Never saw a vented headlight before. Most of them are sealed with a rubber glue. The seal gets bad somewhere and leaks a drop of rain water into the light. Reseal around the top and sides will usually fix this and just remove the bulb for a day with the car facing the sun. Vacuum cleaner would be a last resort. I just remove the entire light on GM stuff.
Yup. Every headlight unit is vented. Not 100% sure about some of the newer LED units, but definitely halogen units. The vents are on the back of the headlight assembly. You can't see them unless you pop the hood, and even then they are hard to spot. Sometimes there is more than one. You are also right about the seals going bad. That is a separate problem. When the seals go bad, no vent is going to let that moisture escape, because more moisture just reenters. Vacuum might fix it temporarily, but then the leak lets in more moisture. When that happens, resealing with clear silicone can help. Or just buy replacement units. I think this was covered in previous comments. But yes, I agree, seals are often to blame, too. On the other hand, seals are often wrongly blamed, also. That's why it's nice to try this technique first before resorting to more time consuming/costly measures.
I bought new headlight housings for my dodge journey. The passenger side housing already has a bunch of condensation inside. Do you have to keep repeating the process? Im in florida so its humid 99% of the time.
Might be your environment. If you move from warm/humid to cold A/C a lot, you will tend to get more condensation. The vents holes in the back of the headlight units allow warm/humid air in, and then, when you get to a cool environment, the moisture comes out of that air and condenses to form droplets. Is your garage air conditioned?
all I needed was my heat gun, amazing, but I bet it will come back, we just had massive cold rains in PA and my pass headlight fogged up.
Be careful with that heat gun. You can melt the plastic with a mother-f***ing quickness.
@@Lookie-Lookie haha, yeah I know how to use heat guns, I do vinyl wrap work.
Nice clean headlights, I agree, but why couldn’t you clean out all the leaves around your hood hinges?
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace, and a time to clean out all the leaves around my hood hinges.
My 2018 Dodge Journey has the same exact issue on the driver's side headlight.
Well, let us know how this works out for you!
I did something like this and got a few water spots. Any idea how to remove those with taking the housing apart?
Do you mean water spots like, not actual water anymore, but mineral deposit rings where the water drops used to be? Or do you just have a few lingering water drops of actual water?
Deal with it “ JUNIOR “
I have a 2017 used Hyundai Accent. The kids were spraying the garden hose on it and it was very hot outside. Light condensation appeared in both headlights. I started the car and left the low beams on. That helped dry them and then the hot weather made it disappear. It has been gone for almost a week now. Fingers crossed.
Awesome! More than one way to catch a frog. That was probably easier than my method.
Just an update. The condensation never came back.
I have a 2012 accent, so I believe we both have the same headlight syst design. Few years ago I started getting condensation and it ultimately ruined the headlight, got it replaced professionally. It's starting again on the new headlight, I live in a hot area and leaving outside during the couple instances in the summer worked. However, I would caution you to keep an eye on it for the winter that's when the real problems persisted for me the first time around and significantly reduced the function of the light.
@@bigahr-gu7ei Yeah it's the same headlight design and same car. I got it in the fall of 2021 so it's been through winter and no issues. It never came back since I wrote this, thank goodness.
@@bigahr-gu7ei Yeah they are the same headlights and car. I got it in the fall of 2021 and it's been through one wi ter under my ownership. Never happened then. It never came back since J wrote this, thank goodness.
2020 dodge journey has little piece of sponge in the vent watch when pulling vent tube. Thanks for the short cut .
Good to know!
What happens if u take out sponge?
@@Mircea1997 I put it back after I dehydrated the light.
@@jweaver7170 Can the silicon gel catch fire? in headlight?
@@Mircea1997 No, silicon was only on the outside.
I also have a dodge and have same issue and i live in California. Ill be trying this hack hoping it never happens again
Good luck, my friend! Let us know how it works for you.
= Wisedry 10 gram x 30 packs moisture absorment pack, problem solved.
Much easier save yourself all the trouble.
= 10 $ fix stuffed 3 bags in the back and never had this problem ever again
Surely follow this tip and mure sure the vents are cleaned through. haha
Brilliant idea! …especially to avoid reoccurrence!
Can it catch fire with xenon??the silica gel??
I need an update lol, did you have to redo this later on? Or did it stay cleared up for good?
Only one time, shortly after my initial condensation problem was solved, I saw a LITTLE condensation reappear, but it cleared itself. I think the original problem was just SO bad that, although it was evaporating, it would have taken forever. I think the original cause was an intense humidity situation in a shop where I was getting some maintenance done in the winter. It was warm and humid in the small shop and very cold outside. As soon as I drove away, all the moisture condensed. Fixed it with my method, then had one minor "relapse," which fixed itself. Been good every since. Some people have additional issues, like headlight unit cracks that need to be sealed, but all that takes is a little bit of silicone or JB Weld or flex seal or whatever you prefer.
@@Lookie-LookieI appreciate the update. Basically I had work done in the summer but I’m in GA where it’s humid as hell during the day and cold most nights. 2020 Malibu and I’m gonna give this an attempt before buying a $600 housing. I didn’t buy the car that way, and it only occurred after having service done to it so that’s why I’m happy you mentioned that’s how it can happen because it makes a lot of sense now. Gonna give it a shot this weekend and I’ll post an update.
@@nathanflanagan3854 Looking forward to hearing how it works out-good luck!
Haha! Nice trick!!
I see you have genuine, original WI DOT license plates. I have three WI cars with plates just like those.
You mean complete with missing paint so you can barely read the plate? 😂
For sure! A WI cheesehead pride symbol.
These cars have issues with the head lights I personaly have had 2 that both did these and a friend had one with the same issue.
Brilliant!
I replaced passager side headlamp assembly on 2016 chrysler 200C AWD $680 just for Part another 200 installation, front facia had to come off, replace headlamp assembly.
Tried internet for information on moisture inside headlamp not really much information.
Water droplets inside at bottom where daytime running lamps are never went away, got part back I could not see any reason for moisture not evaporating vents were not clogged. Seal around headlamp seam I think was good, got whole headlamp assembly back, week ago looked at no moisture been in my house since last week.
Driver side is fine no moisture at all
Mine was the opposite. Driver's side has moisture that would not go away, but passenger side was fine. Not sure why most of the time moisture leaves on its own but sometimes it lingers. Perhaps there was something in the air that mixed with the moisture, raising its boiling point (evaporation point)? All I know is this worked for me. Some have said the cause is a broken seal. But how could that be the cause when they are deliberately vented? One would think a broken seal would only let moisture leave more easily. Sure, a broken seal would allow moisture in, but eventually it should leave. I wish you could have tried my method. Our headlights are still moisture-free to this day. I have a theory… Did you happen to switch to LED bulbs recently? I had switched just before the moisture problem. I am wondering if LED run cooler, so less heat to help moisture evaporate.
Does this work on a 2014 mercedes benz e63s amg? The left light is a common issue of fogging up.
Should work on any vehicle that has a condensation problem because headlight units are all designed based on the same general principle, and I have yet to see one that does not have at least one vent in the back. The trick is finding the vent openings so that you can get air moving in and out. Move air into one and out the other. And warm, dry air is the best, so combining a hair dryer (pushing warm air) with a vacuum (pulling that air out) works best. Good luck!
Yea I was gonna say might be a bit trickier to find it on a Benz. Thank you tho! Hopefully when the condensation occurs I can fix it with your method!
How many vents does the x3 f25 have???please help fast...
I have no idea. Hopefully someone will chime in. Maybe you can find them by visually inspecting the headlight unit. Pop the hood and look behind the headlight. Headlight vents typically have a rubber or plastic boot covering them, with a turned downward shape. Ideally, you will find 2 vents so that you can blow air in one and suck out the other. If you can't find 2 vents, then, instead, you can just remove two bulbs where they connect to the headlight unit. Typically they turn counter-clockwise a quarter or half turn and then pull straight out, but you should refer to the owner/service manual to be sure. Often a person can Google keywords "how to remove headlight blub [INSERT MODEL AND YEAR OF VEHICLE]" and find an answer on the Internet. Anyway, if you can find two bulbs to remove, then you can remove them temporarily and use them to add/remove air. Ideally you'll have two holes to work with so you can get a nice air flow going. Hope this helps!
@@Lookie-Lookie i found it but inside the tube there is a green filter , i check on internet that its protection for insects...should i take it out??
@@Mircea1997 I think you could take it out temporarily to remove the moisture and then replace the filter/sponge when you've finished.
Would this work on a Chevy Equinox 2005?
Absolutely. And of course it's FREE to try.
how long does this sort of fix last for?
For many people, this process is a permanent fix and never needs to be repeated. Some people find this problem recurs from time to time, and then they just repeat the process. So far, for all the people I've heard from, no one has had to repeat the process more than once. And repeating the process is really not a bother once you know the solution. Personally, for me, it was a permanent fix. I did have condensation recur, but then it dried up on its own before I got around to repeating this process. So how long the solution lasts really depends on the vehicle, the condition of the headlight unit, and the climate/weather where the vehicle is located. When I first encountered this problem, my vehicle was in a warm shop with a bunch of hard working dudes exhaling moist air into the shop, and then, right after my tires were installed, I drove my vehicle out of that warm shop and directly into the cold winter air, like 10F or 20F. That moist air cooling very quickly caused a LOT of condensation, and it just never got a chance to evaporate. That situation might never happen again in my lifetime. So it really depends.
What size tubing did you use to go inside the headlight?
Doesn't really matter what size you use, as long as you can fit it into the vent hole. I used a tubing from Ace Hardware that is used for drain applications, like to drain water from a dehumidifier and route it to a drain, etc. It comes in various diameters. It's soft and flexible so it fits through the small vent holes. I would check out your vent holes and figure out what is the biggest tubing that would fit-the bigger the better. I think mine was like 1/2" diameter or some such. Let us know how it goes!
@@Lookie-Lookie yes thank you I will update you when I try your technique out this Friday I appreciate it so much and thank you for replying so quickly enjoy the rest of your day 🙂
@@Lookie-Lookie I was able to use the tubing and vacuum yesterday without the blow dryer and it worked very well all the water was out and fog gone within about an hour maybe a little longer.
However after returning home later I noticed a little water and fog back but I know when I use the blow dryer and vacuum this Friday the results will be much better with the flow of the warm air coming in from the blow dryer
So thank you very much for your video it saved me money and I was able to replace my low and high beam bulbs with new LED lights.
@@tinifutribe3274Glad it worked. If you continue to see condensation, look for cracks in the headlight unit. That could be causing moisture to enter more quickly. If you find cracks, seal them with silicone. If there are no cracks, and the moisture continues to return, it could be that your vents need to be cleaned out. So look for spider webs, debris, etc, that could be causing the vents to impede the flow of air flow. A little condensation from time to time is normal, but it should clear itself if the vents are open. Worst case scenario, you can sometimes replace your headlight units very cheaply depending on what car you drive. On a different vehicle, I replaced both headlight units for less than $200, and all I had to do was access a few screws with a screwdriver to remove the old ones and replace them with new ones. Do a Google search for the year, make, and model of your vehicle, and the word headlights, and you will find options. Do a similar search on RUclips to get how-to videos on removal and replacement. For some vehicles, it is not worth the bother because they are hard to remove and replace, but many vehicles make it easy, so it's an option.
@@Lookie-Lookie Thank you I will definitely look out for all of that and do my research please don’t stop the videos we all need it 😂 have a great day
I just use a hair dryer ..but this was cool
My method is fancier. 😂
Both effective 🤝
What kind of clear rope is that?
I’m trying to do it today
It can be found in the plumbing department of any big-box hardware store, like Home Depot. It comes in various diameters. But you can use any tubing you happen to have lying around.
Oh ok I’m at home depot now and I see the 100ft tubing but it’s all black I don’t see the clear one you have but I’m sure that doesn’t matter
@@tonylove4342 Try not to get 100ft. That would be a waste. If you go to a smaller outfit, like ACE Hardware, they will often sell it by the foot. Maybe try talking with a clerk and let them know you only want a short piece, not 100ft.
How many feet would you recommend?
I bought that 100ft tubing and I just cut the length I needed but your method worked I greatly appreciate you for taking the time to make the video you saved me thousands
no need to cry, just take a 15 minute break to recollect and go back and start again. sometimes going at it a second time, will be success.
You have aftermarket LED bulbs (nearly all of these are marked "off road use only" as they are not deemed legal on public roads), which do not create the correct thermal flow inside the lamp to clear condensation. The vent positioning is designed to flow the air inside the lamp properly to clear condensation over time, with OEM bulbs.
Standard TSB procedure is to run the lamps in an Ambient conditioned shop environment for an hour to "start" clearing the lamps. If the lamps don't "start" to clear, then you have a cracked lamp which needs replacement.
This is with OEM bulbs only.
Large water droplets are almost always a sign of a cracked lamp. Or, the lamp was submerged in water from driving through deep water. Or, one of the caps/seals on the back is leaking.
All lamps will have condensation. ALL. BUT, it should be small droplets, and will clear on its own.
Large droplets indicate this lamp as a Crack or leak.
I worked at FCA, and evaluated many warranty returns for Exterior Lighting. Large droplets = leak.
Since clearing the condensation using this technique, I have not had any new condensation accumulate in the lamps.
Thanks for sharing this!
@@littlewonderful Happy to help. Happy to report that, after all this time, the headlights on our van are still clear of condensation.
Liar
Liar
Wish I knew that before I removed both headlights.
Just me but I can’t put on a zip tie and leave the end on it. That was what I noticed about the video but I do appreciate the video and info.
You probably trim the excess off the ends of your guitar strings, too. 😂 I go au naturale! 😂
Did the moisture comeback?
Not yet. Still looking great.
So how does it hold up after this?
I only had to do it once on the van you see in the video. After that, there was one time when I got a LITTLE condensation, but it cleared on its own. It's normal to get a little condensation every now and then-that's why they design the headlight units with vents. I think mine wasn't clearing until I used this technique because of poor air flow in the vents. So this technique not only clears the condensation with increased air flow, but, I believe, it also clears any obstructions that might have been hindering ventilation.
@@Lookie-Lookiethanks!
How or why is water get in there?? Hope I get answer quickly because I see comente from one year ago lol
I answer most questions within minutes. If you see a comment that is a year old with no reply, please let me know which comment you are referring to. To answer your question… There are multiple ways water can find its way inside a headlight unit. The most common way is through condensation. All air has water droplets (humidity) in it. When the air is very humid (a lot of water content), that air can enter the headlight unity through the vents, which are little holes in the back of the headlight unity that allows air to move in and out. At first you will not see the water because it is vapor in the air. But if the temperature then drops significantly, that water content can precipitate, just like when rain droplets form from humid air when the temperature changes. That's how the water usually gets in there. But that usually isn't a problem because of the vents. The purpose of the vents is to allow air to move in and out. So, when there are water droplets, it should only be temporary, because eventually drier and/or warmer air moves in through the vents, and the water evaporates into that new air. However, sometimes that ventilation stops working if the vents are clogged with dust and/or spider webs. When vents are clogged, there is no way for fresh air to move in and absorb the moisture. When that happens, the water droplets take much longer to evaporate, and sometimes they never do. So the solution is to clear out the vents. Look at the back of the headlight units and you should find holes. Sometimes the vent holes have rubber vent hole covers. You dealer or repair shop can help you locate them, as can the owner's manual. Once the vents are cleared, the water will start to evaporate, but the process can be a slow one, and some people do not want to wait. So that's where my vacuum and hair dryer technique can help speed up the process. There are other ways moisture can enter the headlight units, too. If a unit is cracked, water can drain right into the unit. When that happens, you can either seal the cracks/seams with silicone, or you can replace the headlight units. There are replacement units out there made by third party companies that can be much less expensive than parts sold by the original auto manufacturer. Once I replaced both headlight units on a 2008 Chevrolet Equinox because the plastic was too hazy and yellow from the sun's UV damage. I found the parts on Amazon and replaced both for a total cost of only $92, and to this day both lights are nice clear plastic and look like new. So you have a lot of options.
If you were on the halogen bulbs the heat likely would’ve dried it up while driving.
I agree that could be a factor. Even the LED lights add heat to the inside headlight, which helps evaporate moisture, but halogen bulbs are hotter. I think the initial moisture from the headlight lens restoration (buffing the plastic) caused by rapid heating and then rapid cooling in a high moisture environment (enclosed shop with multiple sweaty dudes) added too much condensation for the LED light's reduced heat. All that condensed moisture needed some help leaving the headlight. Now that it's gone, the LED light's reduced heat is still enough to keep the moisture away. Going forward, when people have this problem, I'm going to ask them if they have LED lights and/or recently restored their headlight lens plastic.
I kinda agree with that but I’m only getting moister on the passenger side😖I’ve cleared the same (3) lil rubber vents and the moister came back. On both sides the vents were clogged with spiderwebs and actually there were spiderwebs all over inside the left side. I gotta do it again. The moister will ruin LED headlights if not taken care of.
Definitely not.
@@Lookie-Lookie I've tried that doesn't work
He’s too stupid to figure that out
Everything sounds good but it has to be a better solution for that because nobody will be doing that procedure everyday
There's no reason to do it every day. After doing this solution, I have not had to do it again. If you do have to do it more than once, it will not be that often. Once the condensation is gone, it tends to stay gone, unless you go through a weather change, like going from warm moist air to a cold snap.
Your tie wraps made me change video
I like keeping them untrimmed like a maniac.
Easier fix: just removed the access cap off off the back for the day
If that's all it took, then good enough. Seems like some people don't have any luck clearing the moisture until they run some forced air through the headlight.
@@Lookie-Lookie yeah. I couldn’t get inspected because of it. So I started looking at videos on how to remove it, and I found vids that say use a hair dryer, a blower, a vacuum, etc. But I’m thinking the entire time that I’ve never seen water not evaporate outside unless it was a cool day. However, two hours later I still had water in it when I looked. So I decided to take the cap off to make sure it was able to evaporate. When I did, I noticed that water was beaded up on the cap, realizing what I already knew, water evaporates on its on. My light assembly has no type of vent. With the cap on, it was shut tight. After an hour or so with the cap off, the water is almost gone already. Temperature here in VA today has been in upper 70s. Unless you are in a cool climate, just take the cap off
@@shaccooper4828 Good to know!
I think you need to replace the license plate next…🤣
I did. It's personalized now.
This can be done with the hair dryer alone
You are correct. It can also be done with only a vacuum. And if you use both, you get results even faster. I have helped people using only one, or the other, or both. Use what you have available.
That number plate is as illegal as it gets...well in Oz anyway