Headlight condensation

[jenksy0198]

Hi all, looking for advice on this matter. Just noticed this am that I have a condensation build up inside of the headlight unit on my E64. Have not noticed it before.

I am assuming I have to replace the entire unit or is there a way to just replace the lens part and seal it up. Neither can I see any cracks or dings in the lens that would allow water ingress, so Im a bit stumped.

Appreciate any advice.

Paul 

[X5smw]

Hi Paul. 
Don’t get me started with bmw glue and headlights! 
we used to drill a little hole in the rear of the units to allow a little airflow to remove condensation. Not sure if your units are factory sealed? 
if you can get the lens off, then sealing them with silicone is easy. … getting the nuclear grade sealant off is the hard bit. 

[Greydog]

Hi Guys 

In 2001 BMW stopped using a "soft" adhesive to seal the lenses on Headlamps, you used to be able to use a heat gun to soften it and prize them apart. I fitted "angel eyes to many E53's and 3 series up until then, After October that year it was a Dremel used very carefully and a Hot glue gun to seal them up again.

With the condensation a friends Jag XF was suffering after a lot of Head scratching and to avoid Jaguars suggestion "fit new Lamp Units £££ (all dealers are the same) We got some small bags of Silica Gel removed the lamp units from the car and removed the bulbs and holders, then a heat gun was used to dry them out as much as we could then a soft cloth on the end of a Bike brake cable outer we cleaned the inside of the lens as best we could. A small bag of Silica Gel was attached to a piece of fine wire (Fuse wire in this case) and lowered just inside through the bulb access hole formed and trapped there by the Bulb Holder and bulb when in operation they cant be seen and he 'had condensation problems since

Worth a go

Dave

[jenksy0198]

all good boys and thanks for the advice. Seems I am not alone. Will take a look and plan a method and report back. 

[jenksy0198]

For anyone else, found a great youtube footage on a fix for this, which is to use a self adhesive foam pushed between the 'eyebrow' and headlight which seals that route for water. You can then get lamps out use hairdryer to dry light out an a wire rid with cloth to clean the inside of the lens before putting headlight bulb back and back into service. Looks like a good fix, needs patience but best I have seen.

Here is the link.

 

 

[Greydog]

Great find Paul

Hope its a success

Dave

[jenksy0198]

for info - I just put the fix in place as per the you tube vid above. You do have to wet the foam otherwise the adhesive side is just too sticky to locate it properly, but it all went in ok with a little fettling. Hoping this works now. Nice tidy job.

I used the 5mm thick and 10 mm width tape which seemed to be the right size.  

[jenksy0198]

I can confirm,  no more appearance of any condensation in headlights so this is a worthy fix.