Yes, it's a fault with Tesla's supplier and I've had a few comments which say just get it replaced under warranty so I wanted to pin this comment and remind everyone why I made the video. 1. Even once replaced under warranty the new unit can suffer from the same fault. This is still happening as of January 2021. 2. When the light unit is replaced by Tesla, it isn't repaired, it's thrown in a bin. The contents of that bin hopefully will be sent to a recycling plant, but I don't know for sure. Even if it is, that's thousands of light units being recycled needlessly. 3. There are older cars out of warranty suffering from this and owners might want to avoid an expensive repair now or in the future. 4. The more we publicise this issue, the more likely Tesla will fix it once and for all. Tweet it to Elon, spread it on forums and link it on FB groups. 5. Some of us actually enjoy doing stuff to our cars rather than hoping someone else will fix every problem. As you may have realised from watching this video, my first car wasn't new and didn't come with a warranty. I learnt a lot about cars from working on my Cortina and it means I can still fix simple car problems without visiting a service centre or paying someone to do it. It's becoming a lost art, but I think it's still worth considering even if you are lucky enough to own a new Tesla. Thanks for all the positive comments and supporting the channel! John
You have more faith in your diy skills than I have in mine! End of day the cars do fab I don’t mind some condensation. At nearly 4 years old I will get them changed. Now, phantom braking is a priority to fix, they can’t sort that out which seems odd. I forget all my Tesla hate when I nudge the pedal👍
@@Ifyoudonttakeitucantfakeit if you push pedal inside, it will go and when you dont push it will go red after it goes on the ramp. you should always check the pedal if the ramp is going red or green when you drive. fog is inside only when the door is closed and when you drive on the green
Nice video. I went to Tesla SC to ask them to check the tail light as it has condensation. They refused saying that it's mentioned in the owner's manual and it's normal. This is the excerpt from the owner's manual: "Condensation in Head or Tail Lights Due to weather changes, humidity levels, or recent exposure to water (such as a car wash), condensation may occasionally accumulate in your vehicle’s head or tail lights. This is normal- as the weather gets warmer and humidity decreases, condensation often disappears on its own. If you notice water buildup within the exterior lenses, or if the condensation affects the visibility of the exterior lights, contact Tesla Service." It's anti-consumer. They want to get rid of their responsibilities.
@@TeslaGurus has the issue ever recurred on this repaired unit? I did a cursory scroll through comments and read video notes but didn't see any follow up.
That's 100% correct. The seal is the problem. The caseworkers like a balloon, if the air gets hot inside the case will expand. Once the air inside cools down it will suck wed cold air in the case. And yes the GORTEX pat is there to compensate for the airflow. GORETEX can let air in and out but will prevent moisture get inside. So if the seal haves a bad spot, moisture will find its way into the case. A long time ago I have designed waterproof polyester TL light cases for home use, we had the same problem if the seal was bad. GOOD JOB MAN ! And thank for saying it is not only TESLA ;-)
Well done! Nice job on correcting the gasket mistake as well! Tube was a great idea. One tweak might've been to use tube and gentle vacuum to draw sealant into voids. All in all, an amazingly patient, wise and thorough video; 5/5 stars!
This video is really helpful even if you don't have a Tesla as it shows you things about headlight construction and how to identify and correctly fix the problem. In older cars you would have a ventilation valve, but my car didn't seem to have one , after watching this video I noticed that similar to the Tesla it has a white ventilation patch.
What a godsend!!! Stopped at the charge point at the Tesla Manchester service centre and asked a technician about condensation in the B pillar and tail units and was told that was due to being LED and that's it! Brilliant to know that one can actually fix it. Great video and feeling confident about tackling it myself following your instructions.
Excellent presentation. Very reassuring for anyone looking to tackle this issue on their own vehicle. Thankfully mine have only misted on a few occasions and the Gore breather has been sufficient to clear them. However, it's great to know that there's a ready DIY solution if needed.
Great video. I like the suggestion to fix it rather than consume so many more resources to have Tesla replace it and dispose of the faulty unit. Hopefully Tesla can improve this soon though.
Great job in diagnosing this issue. It's the first real explanation I have seen. I bought a used 2022 Model 3 and the taillight had condensation in it. The dealer I bought it from agreed to install a new taillight and I have not had any problems with condensation forming in it. So, it is possible that Tesla has corrected this manufacturing defect. It appears that is the case. It only makes sense because it would cost Tesla a huge amount of money to repair these under warranty. Again, you did a superb job in diagnosing and fixing this issue. You did an amazing job!
What a fantastic video! Thank you so much for showing us how to fix this problem once and for all! I also hate to see resources being wasted and I can’t see Tesla taking the time to glue all of these and to replace the goretex patches.
I owned a 2009 Hyundai Sonata for 8 years in Canada (so lots of extreme temperature fluctuations). NEVER had any fogging of any light fixtures AND the headlight lenses looked like new (i.e. Crystal Clear) when I traded that vehicle. Another thing I liked was that THEIR windshield wiper blades lasted for about 4 years as opposed to annual replacements required on my other vehicles.
Excellent step-by-step to root cause and repair the leak path areas! The lamp supplier should be performing a 100% air pressure decay test on the manufacturing line to buy-off on the process they are using to adhere the outer lens to the housing of the lamp. This is a quality control issue that Telsa should be working with the supplier to correct.
Thanks for a thorough and informative video on how this happens and how to fix it! As well as showing how this happens to the B pillar cameras, too! Both have happened to my 2018 Model 3 and now I understand it completely. Good work, guys!
Very nicely done! Over 3-years now of ownership I've had Tesla replace 3 taillights when, if I had seen your video, I could have saved the wasted plastic and fixed the lights myself. Next time! Thank you!
@@beyerch It is different approach. You put in oven if you want all moisture out (like this lamp), hair dryer can work on flat, easy to reach surfaces. I had experience in the past, that oven works wonders.
Cool little trick to find the leaks. Thanks. The fog lights on the front bumper also have some water condensation after a rain, but then they get cleared a day later.
Oh, if only I had seen this sooner! I was bound and determined to fix my tail lamp with condensation -- car is out of warranty so cost would be nearly $400, or $230 if I self-installed the part. This is a complete and excellent diagnosis and repair guide. Now I will add some plastic cement to the holes I drilled through the plastic, and remake this time with a proper repair :-)
@@tydlig No it didn't. They have a 4 year warranty. In fact Tesla replaced my rear light unit due to serious fogging on my 2019 Model 3 only last month.
As your placing the glue along the seam, I would also create a negative suction using the vent hole so it draws some of the glue into any other gaps to fully seal it.
....great vid with an excellent relaxed presentation style. I have a late 2020 M3 that had a fog lamp replaced due to water ingress. I agree with repairing rather than dumping and always enjoy the challenge. It's just a shame that a £50k car needs this sort of remedial work.
Without doing any research I just drilled vertically up into the affected light on the bottom so the water would run out. I used probably 1/8th inch bit. I had a half inch of water in it after a year of ignoring it. It didn't clear the fog right away but now that it's warm weather it's clear and hasn't fogged up since. I didn't need to remove it.
I used to repair lens moisture professionally. Excellent video! You’re right that it’s a pretty common problem. A couple things I can add: - I’ve also seen leaks occur from underneath the screw heads on the back. In addition to resealing the main seal, it doesn’t hurt to also put some sealer around the perimeter of those screw heads. As a practice I would also put some sealer around the border of the gore tape in case it ever came unstuck. Be sure not to get any sealer on the center of the tape - it NEEDS to vent, like you say in the video. Also, you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck air through or blow air through the lens. The airflow will evaporate the moisture surprisingly quickly (maybe 15 mins or so). I’m assuming there’s a decent sized hole in the electrical connector that will allow air to flow through that. Really, once you fix the leak, the drying step isn’t 100% necessary because the lens will slowly vent the water on its own. Again, great video! Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
That's what I was assuming the issue to be but wasn't sure how to fix. Thanks! I really like the idea of fixing it myself rather than having to waste personal time going to a service center and knowing the old highlight would be thrown away/recycled when it could easily be fixed.
one of the best explainations and fixes I saw on this issue! I could also „force“ to get moisture and water into the lights by simply using a pressure washer and pointing it on top of the light welding and see if water gets in. Greetings from germany 😊
Thank you mate we bought a set of extreme taillights for the model 3 from Hannshow and as soon as we would wash the car the lights would fog up so thank you very much for showing us how to fix the tail lights never seen 1 ounce of fog since. Which we fixed 6 months ago after watching your video.
Great video, thank you! While I'm glad to have a warranty, sometimes with little things like this I prefer to just fix things myself instead of get into the hassle of making appointments for service.
Do you not think that this kind of quality control issue can and should be tested by the manufacturer so end users don't need to deal with it. I am all for fixing problems that I introduce and fixing problems when out of warranty, but it's having the manufacturer see the number of calls they get is what causes a revision B and revision C.
@@ronb4633 That is a good point, but this is already a well known issue, mine isn't that bad and only a handful of people in the whole world will actually do this.
After putting the light unit in an low oven, I then used a Hair dryer-fan -for finishing up putting air in the gore Tex hole as well as in the electrical connection hole. That cleared it up.
I think I’ll have to do this with my Model S. I washed it for the first time (I’ve only had it two weeks) and noticed that my outer light had some light condensation after washing. Luckily it dried out pretty quick but I just want to stop this happening again. Thanks.
Great video! I’ve had my rear passenger taillight replaced now 3 times and wondered if there was a way to fix these. Will be trying this method if it happens again!
Very good investigation and thanks for sharing but I am not a mechanic and will certainly not repair a 100k car by my own. I have a Tesla MS since 2018 and I am very happy with it. They changed the lights once and it’s fine so far. if they still have that moisture problem they should learn how to prevent this. Same with other automakers
Excellent video. Many thanks for shooting this episode. I don't have any fogging in the lights of my September 2019 Model 3, but if I do ... you've produced an first-rate demonstration how to fix it. I've subscribed!
Good tip to use a bubble test to locate the sources of water ingress. You misunderstand the function however of a Gore vent. These are not one-way valves; they permit air exchange while blocking water BOTH WAYS. If water gets in again, or is not removed, the Gore vent will not allow it to escape. The purpose of the vent is to maintain pressure equilibrium.
Yes, they equalize pressure and keep liquid water out, but also allow moisture to escape. This video made by Gore explains the process very well: ruclips.net/video/wLKSoO_3SRE/видео.htmlsi=3dxxqCeKXtb2S3EV
Thank you soo much for this very informative video!! I just baught a Tesla like a month ago and it’s been raining quit a lot here and I noticed my rear light started to get foggy so this video is definitely gonna show me how to fix it with out having to replace it thank you 😀👍
Excellent video thanks!! I suggest sealing with 3m 08578 strip calk. OEM grade semi rubber, semi goo, 100% awesome. We called it dumdum in the body shop I worked at when I learned about it. Fantastic product for many uses including sealing a lamp.
love the test! but I decided to just super glue the entire weld seam with no water testing. I cleaned it with a little rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush around the weld. I didn't bother taking the water out as it's summer and figured the sun would dry out the moisture. it's perfectly dry inside now ( a few days later) and the super glue was very easy. seems to have worked perfectly. it did not take on water last rain. I don't think liquid tape will last as well. plastic dip doesn't really chemically bond so if the tape glue is similar I don't think it will last. the super glue melts the plastic and seems to reinforce the weld. super glue is relatively thin as well and seeps right into all the little bubble holes in the weld. I use the loktite brand because it has squeeze control - so easy to apply. thanks!
Excellent presentation! The tail lights of our 3 months old Tesla model Y fog up both on rainy- and sunny days. Unfotunately, tesla will not replace them under warranty.
I am dealing with the same problem, Tesla says it's normal, they even incorporated this issue in the Model Manual and the manual says it's normal. How defective/bad quality product can be "normal" ?
Amusingly I did this same procedure for the headlight on my 30-year-old Nissan. I used JB weld instead of the liquid tape. Did the trick. Funny that brand new Teslas have the same issue as my old clunker.
Great video! I have condensation on my headlights, when the temperature creeps below zero, the inside of them becomes frosted and obscures the light. And oncoming traffic often flashes at me.
Thanks for this excellent video. I've ordered the liquid plastic and removed the inner RH tail light of my Model X, only to find no leaks at all. There was a lot of water inside the tail light and the gore vent was actually soaked. When I close the vent hole with my finger and blow on the electrical socket, there are no bubbles to be found. I don't believe the connector on my car is waterproofed like the one in the Model Ξ, but I'll double check that in the morning. Without a waterproof connector I don't think I'll have any chance of keeping the light fog free in the future.
Interesting. Both PC and PC/ABS is prone to crack due to either built-in stress or chemical stress corrosion cracking. You need to temper the plastic. Unsure if manufacturers know this these days. Thanks for nice video.
Im guessing but most people dont care. They bought a new car and its a "small" problem. Its cheaper to produce them like they are right now and change on the cars that have owners that care about the problem.
@@schade12 As we have seen in the video, its every brand. But Tesla has it very often. I think, the reason is they need a extra robot to do this, they need to apply a glue, or a seal that covers all potential holes. And that is expensive. Maybe Giga Berlin with all new machinery and equipment has finally fixed that problem. Lets wait an see, summer 2021 and we know more about the future production quality from Tesla. Teslas from China look extremely promising. They are flawless, absolutely perfect production quality. If thats the new standard with the new Giga factory, hell yes.
Great vid, straight forward and seems easy to follow if I ever need to. In terms of future videos... any way to do one covering hunting down rattles and their fixes? Maybe a compilation video with general guidance? It feels weird booking a service appointment for a rattle that I'm sure I should be able to fix.. if only I could find it's source...
Or maybe the Tesla Ranger should part exchange a pre repaired / polished unit, which will also save the world. I like how the sticker on the back of the light had Fog in its description. So it was acually functioning correctly then.
Pretty happy that our costumer can take care of their beloved Teslas, keep in mind Model S Tail lights- Rear Body Lights are a little bit different! You might need some clips and a little bit assistance on taking out the Rear lift gate plastic cover! If you need any more assistance please feel free to reach me out.
Agree with you. If the fix is that simple, Tesla should pack them up cheaply & give/sell them on to someone who could make a few £$€ repairing them & re-selling them..... A tube of sealer (the removal labour has already been done & on an exchange basis for private replacements).
Had a few lights replace and now the condensation is back and in every light assembly on the car. This was a great video, I think it would be great if you did a video for the other lights on the car. Fog, other taillights and headlights.,
I really appreciate this type of video. I follow Louis Rossman and his DIY channel. However, this issue has been linked to a warranty issue by Tesla Service. They've corrected this gasket issue with their latest build of this light. I had both my back lights replaced.
There is no gasket. It is a plastic weld which is failing from whichever supplier Tesla use. Brand new units in cars delivered in the last few days suffer from this problem as do new light units ordered from Tesla spares. Sorry, but your information is incorrect.
@@TeslaGurus you're right I watched until the end of the video. I'm not sure i understand the instructions - just rebake and reseal with the goretex tab?
3:22 It’s a critical mark where manufacturers liaise with type approval lab, as test and measurement reference mark prior to type approval and certification.
If you could let owners know the following. In freezing rain the windows freeze into place in the closed position. If you don’t pay attention you can pull door open, but it will not close until the ice is cleared. The door will try to open because the key is brought near the car, so to avoid the problem leave the key away from the car. There are various methods to clear ice, turn on precondition and wait for car to heat up. I was on street and didn’t have time to wait as I was also cold and wanted to be in car. My way to clear the ice is a scrapper but also use a credit card to clear ice at bottom of window at door, this is what stops the window from moving. Hope this helps others.
Manufacturing fault. Replace under warranty. Subscribed as a quality piece thanks,
Yes, it's a fault with Tesla's supplier and I've had a few comments which say just get it replaced under warranty so I wanted to pin this comment and remind everyone why I made the video.
1. Even once replaced under warranty the new unit can suffer from the same fault. This is still happening as of January 2021.
2. When the light unit is replaced by Tesla, it isn't repaired, it's thrown in a bin. The contents of that bin hopefully will be sent to a recycling plant, but I don't know for sure. Even if it is, that's thousands of light units being recycled needlessly.
3. There are older cars out of warranty suffering from this and owners might want to avoid an expensive repair now or in the future.
4. The more we publicise this issue, the more likely Tesla will fix it once and for all. Tweet it to Elon, spread it on forums and link it on FB groups.
5. Some of us actually enjoy doing stuff to our cars rather than hoping someone else will fix every problem. As you may have realised from watching this video, my first car wasn't new and didn't come with a warranty. I learnt a lot about cars from working on my Cortina and it means I can still fix simple car problems without visiting a service centre or paying someone to do it. It's becoming a lost art, but I think it's still worth considering even if you are lucky enough to own a new Tesla.
Thanks for all the positive comments and supporting the channel!
John
Totally with you but if 499 550 cars go back to get fix done Tesla will sort the problem out. Boats don’t have leaky welds🖖🏻 cheers.
@@Ifyoudonttakeitucantfakeit Lol, you have more faith in Tesla than I do.
You have more faith in your diy skills than I have in mine! End of day the cars do fab I don’t mind some condensation. At nearly 4 years old I will get them changed. Now, phantom braking is a priority to fix, they can’t sort that out which seems odd. I forget all my Tesla hate when I nudge the pedal👍
@@Ifyoudonttakeitucantfakeit if you push pedal inside, it will go and when you dont push it will go red after it goes on the ramp. you should always check the pedal if the ramp is going red or green when you drive. fog is inside only when the door is closed and when you drive on the green
Nice video. I went to Tesla SC to ask them to check the tail light as it has condensation. They refused saying that it's mentioned in the owner's manual and it's normal. This is the excerpt from the owner's manual:
"Condensation in Head or Tail Lights
Due to weather changes, humidity levels, or recent exposure to water (such as a car wash), condensation may occasionally accumulate in your vehicle’s head or tail lights. This is normal- as the weather gets warmer and humidity decreases, condensation often disappears on its own. If you notice water buildup within the exterior lenses, or if the condensation affects the visibility of the exterior lights, contact Tesla Service."
It's anti-consumer. They want to get rid of their responsibilities.
Bravo. Excellent video script, excellent shoot, editing, lighting, sound.
Thankyou!
@@TeslaGurus has the issue ever recurred on this repaired unit? I did a cursory scroll through comments and read video notes but didn't see any follow up.
@@Muonium1No more misting since I repaired them. Permanent fix!
That's 100% correct. The seal is the problem. The caseworkers like a balloon, if the air gets hot inside the case will expand. Once the air inside cools down it will suck wed cold air in the case. And yes the GORTEX pat is there to compensate for the airflow. GORETEX can let air in and out but will prevent moisture get inside. So if the seal haves a bad spot, moisture will find its way into the case. A long time ago I have designed waterproof polyester TL light cases for home use, we had the same problem if the seal was bad. GOOD JOB MAN ! And thank for saying it is not only TESLA ;-)
Thanks for making this fantastic guide! I was able to solve the condensation issue myself by following your clear steps.
Well done! Nice job on correcting the gasket mistake as well! Tube was a great idea. One tweak might've been to use tube and gentle vacuum to draw sealant into voids. All in all, an amazingly patient, wise and thorough video; 5/5 stars!
Brilliant, video. Love not having to waste a Ranger visit or adding to a landfill.
Couldn't agree more!
This video is really helpful even if you don't have a Tesla as it shows you things about headlight construction and how to identify and correctly fix the problem.
In older cars you would have a ventilation valve, but my car didn't seem to have one , after watching this video I noticed that similar to the Tesla it has a white ventilation patch.
Thanks John, identified the problem, and come up with a cure!
What a godsend!!! Stopped at the charge point at the Tesla Manchester service centre and asked a technician about condensation in the B pillar and tail units and was told that was due to being LED and that's it! Brilliant to know that one can actually fix it. Great video and feeling confident about tackling it myself following your instructions.
Just found this channel. Some of the best quality content for Tesla owners
Glad you enjoy it!
Excellent presentation. Very reassuring for anyone looking to tackle this issue on their own vehicle. Thankfully mine have only misted on a few occasions and the Gore breather has been sufficient to clear them. However, it's great to know that there's a ready DIY solution if needed.
This video deserves 100,000 views
I agree!
Great video. I like the suggestion to fix it rather than consume so many more resources to have Tesla replace it and dispose of the faulty unit. Hopefully Tesla can improve this soon though.
Great job in diagnosing this issue. It's the first real explanation I have seen. I bought a used 2022 Model 3 and the taillight had condensation in it. The dealer I bought it from agreed to install a new taillight and I have not had any problems with condensation forming in it. So, it is possible that Tesla has corrected this manufacturing defect. It appears that is the case. It only makes sense because it would cost Tesla a huge amount of money to repair these under warranty.
Again, you did a superb job in diagnosing and fixing this issue. You did an amazing job!
Thank you ... just purchased my 6 month old Tesla 3 P yesterday and all four already now steamed up ... will do as your video stats ... 😀👍
What a fantastic video! Thank you so much for showing us how to fix this problem once and for all! I also hate to see resources being wasted and I can’t see Tesla taking the time to glue all of these and to replace the goretex patches.
I am not a Tesla owner, but I am sure it happens on every maker, include Mercedes. Now I know how to fix it by almost zero cost, Thanks.
I owned a 2009 Hyundai Sonata for 8 years in Canada (so lots of extreme temperature fluctuations). NEVER had any fogging of any light fixtures AND the headlight lenses looked like new (i.e. Crystal Clear) when I traded that vehicle. Another thing I liked was that THEIR windshield wiper blades lasted for about 4 years as opposed to annual replacements required on my other vehicles.
Great video for those living too far from Tesla SC and beyond Ranger reach.
Excellent step-by-step to root cause and repair the leak path areas!
The lamp supplier should be performing a 100% air pressure decay test on the manufacturing line to buy-off on the process they are using to adhere the outer lens to the housing of the lamp. This is a quality control issue that Telsa should be working with the supplier to correct.
Absolutely!
Tesla learn of customers how to work lol
Thanks for a thorough and informative video on how this happens and how to fix it! As well as showing how this happens to the B pillar cameras, too! Both have happened to my 2018 Model 3 and now I understand it completely. Good work, guys!
Very nicely done! Over 3-years now of ownership I've had Tesla replace 3 taillights when, if I had seen your video, I could have saved the wasted plastic and fixed the lights myself. Next time! Thank you!
A hair dryer should dry it out pretty quickly once you have the Gore patch off. Not a heat gun, just a regular hair dryer.
On LOW! That’s an important detail haha
Yeah, I was really surprised he didn't suggest this. Light would be dry before the oven is even done pre-heating.....
@@beyerch It is different approach. You put in oven if you want all moisture out (like this lamp), hair dryer can work on flat, easy to reach surfaces. I had experience in the past, that oven works wonders.
Cool little trick to find the leaks. Thanks. The fog lights on the front bumper also have some water condensation after a rain, but then they get cleared a day later.
Great vid, nice to see a UK Tesla tech vid.
Thanks for sharing this amazing knowledge! Going to fix mine tomorrow!
Incredibly simple and informative. Well done! Thank you
Oh, if only I had seen this sooner! I was bound and determined to fix my tail lamp with condensation -- car is out of warranty so cost would be nearly $400, or $230 if I self-installed the part. This is a complete and excellent diagnosis and repair guide. Now I will add some plastic cement to the holes I drilled through the plastic, and remake this time with a proper repair :-)
What car do you have this out of warranty? All Model 3's ever built are still under the 4 year warranty aren't they?
@@nickgilbert1264 My 2019 model 3 ran out of warranty 2020. Drive train and battery is for 7 years or 192000km.
@@tydlig No it didn't. They have a 4 year warranty. In fact Tesla replaced my rear light unit due to serious fogging on my 2019 Model 3 only last month.
@@nickgilbert1264 what does your app say for warranty? Mine says it ran out november 13 2020.
Btw. Thats 4 years or 80000km. What ever comes first. I'd guess my car passed 80000km november 13 2020 ;)
As your placing the glue along the seam, I would also create a negative suction using the vent hole so it draws some of the glue into any other gaps to fully seal it.
....great vid with an excellent relaxed presentation style. I have a late 2020 M3 that had a fog lamp replaced due to water ingress. I agree with repairing rather than dumping and always enjoy the challenge. It's just a shame that a £50k car needs this sort of remedial work.
I used Permatex and it is amazing too. Thanks for the idea.
Without doing any research I just drilled vertically up into the affected light on the bottom so the water would run out. I used probably 1/8th inch bit. I had a half inch of water in it after a year of ignoring it. It didn't clear the fog right away but now that it's warm weather it's clear and hasn't fogged up since. I didn't need to remove it.
I used to repair lens moisture professionally. Excellent video! You’re right that it’s a pretty common problem.
A couple things I can add:
- I’ve also seen leaks occur from underneath the screw heads on the back. In addition to resealing the main seal, it doesn’t hurt to also put some sealer around the perimeter of those screw heads. As a practice I would also put some sealer around the border of the gore tape in case it ever came unstuck. Be sure not to get any sealer on the center of the tape - it NEEDS to vent, like you say in the video. Also, you can use a vacuum cleaner to suck air through or blow air through the lens. The airflow will evaporate the moisture surprisingly quickly (maybe 15 mins or so). I’m assuming there’s a decent sized hole in the electrical connector that will allow air to flow through that. Really, once you fix the leak, the drying step isn’t 100% necessary because the lens will slowly vent the water on its own.
Again, great video! Thanks for sharing the knowledge.
That's what I was assuming the issue to be but wasn't sure how to fix. Thanks! I really like the idea of fixing it myself rather than having to waste personal time going to a service center and knowing the old highlight would be thrown away/recycled when it could easily be fixed.
Awesome timing. This week I've seen one of my tail lights go just this way. I can see what the weekend will have me doing!
one of the best explainations and fixes I saw on this issue! I could also „force“ to get moisture and water into the lights by simply using a pressure washer and pointing it on top of the light welding and see if water gets in. Greetings from germany 😊
water molecules are larger than air molecules ;-)
Thank you mate we bought a set of extreme taillights for the model 3 from Hannshow and as soon as we would wash the car the lights would fog up so thank you very much for showing us how to fix the tail lights never seen 1 ounce of fog since. Which we fixed 6 months ago after watching your video.
Thanks for this one. Even though I don't have this issue I like the approach to repair and imrpove
Very interesting. Thanks for the time you invested in this, I am sure it'll prove useful to many people in the future.
John, excellent video, thanks for the added encouragement beyond the DIY, to save resources and energy by fixing your own lights.
Nice spirit of repairing it yourself, love it 😁
One of the best instructional videos I have ever seen. Good job!
Outstanding video. Can’t wait to see what else you have out there.
Great video, thank you! While I'm glad to have a warranty, sometimes with little things like this I prefer to just fix things myself instead of get into the hassle of making appointments for service.
That's a great attitude! Sadly a lot of car owners don't want to look after their cars and expect the manufacturer to fix every little thing for them.
Do you not think that this kind of quality control issue can and should be tested by the manufacturer so end users don't need to deal with it. I am all for fixing problems that I introduce and fixing problems when out of warranty, but it's having the manufacturer see the number of calls they get is what causes a revision B and revision C.
@@ronb4633 That is a good point, but this is already a well known issue, mine isn't that bad and only a handful of people in the whole world will actually do this.
After putting the light unit in an low oven, I then used a Hair dryer-fan -for finishing up putting air in the gore Tex hole as well as in the electrical connection hole. That cleared it up.
This is amazing. 1st class content.
Yess thanks for doing that test to see the bubbles !
I’m going to use black silicone all around the light .
Thanks good video !
Black Lights matter! :D
Just had mine replaced Yesterday! Now i see your month old video🙃
I think I’ll have to do this with my Model S. I washed it for the first time (I’ve only had it two weeks) and noticed that my outer light had some light condensation after washing. Luckily it dried out pretty quick but I just want to stop this happening again.
Thanks.
Great video! I’ve had my rear passenger taillight replaced now 3 times and wondered if there was a way to fix these. Will be trying this method if it happens again!
Brand new Model Y, same problem on week-1. Thanks for sharing the video. Good instruction in case Tesla service won't do anything to it.
Very good investigation and thanks for sharing but I am not a mechanic and will certainly not repair a 100k car by my own. I have a Tesla MS since 2018 and I am very happy with it. They changed the lights once and it’s fine so far. if they still have that moisture problem they should learn how to prevent this. Same with other automakers
Excellent video. Many thanks for shooting this episode. I don't have any fogging in the lights of my September 2019 Model 3, but if I do ... you've produced an first-rate demonstration how to fix it. I've subscribed!
Good tip to use a bubble test to locate the sources of water ingress. You misunderstand the function however of a Gore vent. These are not one-way valves; they permit air exchange while blocking water BOTH WAYS. If water gets in again, or is not removed, the Gore vent will not allow it to escape. The purpose of the vent is to maintain pressure equilibrium.
Yes, they equalize pressure and keep liquid water out, but also allow moisture to escape. This video made by Gore explains the process very well: ruclips.net/video/wLKSoO_3SRE/видео.htmlsi=3dxxqCeKXtb2S3EV
Great DIY video with good problem solving techniques.
Appreciate the workmanlike approach to the video. Cheers.
Glad you liked it
Thank you... got my left and right replaced several times. Hopefully there won’t be any next time. If not, I will follow your instructions.
Tesla is a dream for DIY. Other manufacturers fix it for you
Thanks John. Excellent stuff. This will be so helpful to so many of us. I've subscribed and look forward to future ones. Very professional 👍
Thank you soo much for this very informative video!! I just baught a Tesla like a month ago and it’s been raining quit a lot here and I noticed my rear light started to get foggy so this video is definitely gonna show me how to fix it with out having to replace it thank you 😀👍
Very informative. I know now how to fix if it happens to my 2022 M3 LR.
Excellent video thanks!!
I suggest sealing with 3m 08578 strip calk. OEM grade semi rubber, semi goo, 100% awesome. We called it dumdum in the body shop I worked at when I learned about it. Fantastic product for many uses including sealing a lamp.
Excellent video and workmanship!
love the test! but I decided to just super glue the entire weld seam with no water testing. I cleaned it with a little rubbing alcohol and a toothbrush around the weld. I didn't bother taking the water out as it's summer and figured the sun would dry out the moisture. it's perfectly dry inside now ( a few days later) and the super glue was very easy. seems to have worked perfectly. it did not take on water last rain.
I don't think liquid tape will last as well. plastic dip doesn't really chemically bond so if the tape glue is similar I don't think it will last. the super glue melts the plastic and seems to reinforce the weld. super glue is relatively thin as well and seeps right into all the little bubble holes in the weld. I use the loktite brand because it has squeeze control - so easy to apply. thanks!
Excellent informative video, beautifully produced. Looking forward to more from you. Thank you.
Much appreciated!
this is a really nice video. very helpful as out of warranty.
Excellent presentation! The tail lights of our 3 months old Tesla model Y fog up both on rainy- and sunny days. Unfotunately, tesla will not replace them under warranty.
I am dealing with the same problem, Tesla says it's normal, they even incorporated this issue in the Model Manual and the manual says it's normal. How defective/bad quality product can be "normal" ?
Excellent explanation - very thorough, and very helpful. Thank you!
What an excellent explanation and film. Thanks
Extremely clear and conclusive instructions
Amusingly I did this same procedure for the headlight on my 30-year-old Nissan. I used JB weld instead of the liquid tape. Did the trick. Funny that brand new Teslas have the same issue as my old clunker.
Great video!
I have condensation on my headlights, when the temperature creeps below zero, the inside of them becomes frosted and obscures the light. And oncoming traffic often flashes at me.
Thank you very much! Time to sort-out the light on my Model3.
Thanks for this excellent video. I've ordered the liquid plastic and removed the inner RH tail light of my Model X, only to find no leaks at all. There was a lot of water inside the tail light and the gore vent was actually soaked. When I close the vent hole with my finger and blow on the electrical socket, there are no bubbles to be found. I don't believe the connector on my car is waterproofed like the one in the Model Ξ, but I'll double check that in the morning. Without a waterproof connector I don't think I'll have any chance of keeping the light fog free in the future.
Interesting. Both PC and PC/ABS is prone to crack due to either built-in stress or chemical stress corrosion cracking. You need to temper the plastic. Unsure if manufacturers know this these days. Thanks for nice video.
This is a problem that's been on the model 3 since the beginning in 2018.... why the heck isn't Tesla fixing this once and for all !
Im guessing but most people dont care. They bought a new car and its a "small" problem. Its cheaper to produce them like they are right now and change on the cars that have owners that care about the problem.
Not just model 3 it's all car tesla s and x too
@@schade12 As we have seen in the video, its every brand. But Tesla has it very often. I think, the reason is they need a extra robot to do this, they need to apply a glue, or a seal that covers all potential holes. And that is expensive. Maybe Giga Berlin with all new machinery and equipment has finally fixed that problem. Lets wait an see, summer 2021 and we know more about the future production quality from Tesla. Teslas from China look extremely promising. They are flawless, absolutely perfect production quality. If thats the new standard with the new Giga factory, hell yes.
Wow amazing guide, will try to fix mine.
Thanks, great advice for a common and annoying problem!
Great vid, straight forward and seems easy to follow if I ever need to.
In terms of future videos... any way to do one covering hunting down rattles and their fixes? Maybe a compilation video with general guidance? It feels weird booking a service appointment for a rattle that I'm sure I should be able to fix.. if only I could find it's source...
Big respect for for this video. Well done!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent video. 👍
Or maybe the Tesla Ranger should part exchange a pre repaired / polished unit, which will also save the world. I like how the sticker on the back of the light had Fog in its description. So it was acually functioning correctly then.
Very well explained. We have this problem. Many thanks. Keep up the good work.
Thankyou , I have ordered some liquid sealer , great video
Thanks for that, my S has had moisture in both rear lights for last 3 years, time to change that :-)
Pretty happy that our costumer can take care of their beloved Teslas, keep in mind Model S Tail lights- Rear Body Lights are a little bit different! You might need some clips and a little bit assistance on taking out the Rear lift gate plastic cover! If you need any more assistance please feel free to reach me out.
Wow! This was eye opening! 😅 Thank you!
Wow the detail in this video is amazing you guys are awesome well done cheers!
Agree with you. If the fix is that simple, Tesla should pack them up cheaply & give/sell them on to someone who could make a few £$€ repairing them & re-selling them..... A tube of sealer (the removal labour has already been done & on an exchange basis for private replacements).
Fantastic all round. Thank you!
thanks for the info
Very nice video and just may be useful at a later date. My M3 was just delivered and I'm in a pretty dry climate so the issue might never come up.
Thank you. Amazing.
Glad I found this, the same light on my is misty, wish me luck.
Had a few lights replace and now the condensation is back and in every light assembly on the car. This was a great video, I think it would be great if you did a video for the other lights on the car. Fog, other taillights and headlights.,
Great professional video thanks!
Excellent video. So useful. I don't have this problem at the moment but if it happens later I'll know what to do. Many thanks.
I really appreciate this type of video. I follow Louis Rossman and his DIY channel. However, this issue has been linked to a warranty issue by Tesla Service. They've corrected this gasket issue with their latest build of this light. I had both my back lights replaced.
There is no gasket. It is a plastic weld which is failing from whichever supplier Tesla use. Brand new units in cars delivered in the last few days suffer from this problem as do new light units ordered from Tesla spares. Sorry, but your information is incorrect.
@@TeslaGurus you're right I watched until the end of the video. I'm not sure i understand the instructions - just rebake and reseal with the goretex tab?
@@opl3sa Yes but you also have to seal around the weld because the bad weld is what's letting water in.
Very nice explanation.
Great video! Thanks!
3:22
It’s a critical mark where manufacturers liaise with type approval lab, as test and measurement reference mark prior to type approval and certification.
If you could let owners know the following.
In freezing rain the windows freeze into place in the closed position. If you don’t pay attention you can pull door open, but it will not close until the ice is cleared. The door will try to open because the key is brought near the car, so to avoid the problem leave the key away from the car.
There are various methods to clear ice, turn on precondition and wait for car to heat up.
I was on street and didn’t have time to wait as I was also cold and wanted to be in car. My way to clear the ice is a scrapper but also use a credit card to clear ice at bottom of window at door, this is what stops the window from moving.
Hope this helps others.