Condesation in lights

galwaydude18

Hi my car is due its NCT and we are waiting for an appointment for it. I have a problem with the lights in the front of the car in that they are permantly full of condensation and don't know how to get it out. We live on the side of the estate that doesn't much sunshine and I think this might be part of the problem.

Would this be a NCT failure? If so is there any way to get rid of it?

It's a fiat punto 1.2 2002 reg

Slidey

I could be a failure if the condensation was affecting the beam pattern.

If there is a rubber boot or a cover on the back of the lamp take it off and leave the full beams on for a while. The heat will evaporate the water and it will escape then with the cover off.

BrianD3

Take off the cover at the back of the light and stick a hairdryer in, don't leave it too long as the light will get very hot after a while.

galwaydude18

Ok I'l have a look at that tomorrow if I get a chance. Thanks lads

biko

I had this problem with a car (was brake lights on mine). It was actually a inch of standing water I never noticed I just got some tubing for aquariums and fed it into the light from the back and sucked the water out (try to avoid getting it in your mouth). Done.

Some headlights can be separated, for others go with above suggestions.

Btw, tubing for aquariums works for bleeding brakes too.

galwaydude18

Well lads got the lights sorted out this evening. Took the back of the lights off and put the hairdryer on full blast with the bonnet closed down (not fully) and they are dry as a whistle now.

Got the appointment for next wed aft noon so hope it passes. Will let ye know

Tropheus

Condensation is generally one of two problems, either the cover at the rear of the headlight unit isn't fitted correctly or there is a crack in the lens. The crack could be very small making it difficult to see with the naked eye.

I have the same problem on my wife's Audi A2 and I am guessing it's the cover which isn't fitting snugly. One solution that was suggested to me was to use silica gel sachets like you get in shoe boxes. A couple of them in the light unit are supposed to sort it. However, I'm guessing it gets hot in there so you'd need to make sure they don't come into contact with the bulb.

focusowner

supposedly a rag or small piece of cloth soaked in wd40 and shoved into the rear of the light will eliminate all dampness too

Esel

focusowner wrote: »

supposedly a rag or small piece of cloth soaked in wd40 and shoved into the rear of the light will eliminate all dampness too

Sounds illogical, and definitely dangerous.....

focusowner

esel wrote: »

Sounds illogical, and definitely dangerous.....

sounds it but just saying what ive heard !

focusowner

it says on the can displaces moisture so thats a possibility !? i dunno a mate has 2 small pieces in the headlights of his focus rs and so far they are damp free

shamwari

If there is a back cover on the headlight, just remove it and drive the car around. That will clear out the condensation.

focusowner

shamwari wrote: »

If there is a back cover on the headlight, just remove it and drive the car around. That will clear out the condensation.

providing that the weather is dry or else ul end up with more in there

shamwari

focusowner wrote: »

providing that the weather is dry or else ul end up with more in there

I removed the backs from one of my headlights when a similar problem occured, and the condensation disappeared by itself. Assuming the lens is not damaged, it would take a pertty weird set of circumstances for the lamp to fill up again!

af_thefragile

I had this problem in my Puma's rear light.
Now the lamp is pretty much sealed so it was a crack that was letting the moisture in and it couldn't go out.

The solution was to drill a small hole through the lamp. The hole let all the condensation out (it took about a week) and now my Puma's rear lamp has no condensation in it!