Moisture in headlight

[M3west]

Evening all,

Sent my car in for a valet and now I have moisture in the headlight.

Any suggestions? Can I take the headlight unit apart and wipe?

Thanks

 

[STaX@reflections]

You can try take it apart but be careful, a lot of headlights have a very precise seal which if you don't get it right, when re-assembling, you will battle with moisture forever.
What I would do is take the light off the car remove bulbs and as much of the backing as possible then put a cloth inside and move it around with a paintbrush or something that won't scratch the plastic. This avoids taking the unit to pieces.

 

[prospect]

If your car is still under MP you can take it in for a replacement headlight.

 

[M3west]

Thanks for the replies guys. Booked in on the 24th so will get sorted on motor plan.

Cheers

 

[calypso]

Not that I have tried myself, but I believe the e46 M3 headlight is very easy to open.

 

[Coisman]

imp:
If they replace the one headlight, won't it be clearly visable that the one headlight is new??
Reason I am asking is because then from the front the car might look funny, having 1 new headlight, and the other showing its age... :dunno:

 

[Dhp507]

Happened to a mate of mine though it was a new polo. He decieded to drive through water that was almost reaching the side windows.raise: . Had the car pressure cleaned & parked in the sun for two weeks. The fogs cleared but the headlights still had a some moisture

It has something to do with a vent in the headlights thats not doing its job. Had to have the lights replaced in the end.

 

[Legacy]

The headlights are very easy to open and just wipe the moisture. You have to be extremely careful with the actual wiping though since the inside of these lenses scratch almost if you look at them so you need a very very soft microfibre.

I would never take it to the dealer to do since if they decide not to replace and wipe the inside with some crap rag it will look good until you turn the lights on and see all the scratches.

 

[abmi0000]

The headlights are very easy to open and just wipe the moisture. You have to be extremely careful with the actual wiping though since the inside of these lenses scratch almost if you look at them so you need a very very soft microfibre.

I would never take it to the dealer to do since if they decide not to replace and wipe the inside with some crap rag it will look good until you turn the lights on and see all the scratches.

+ 100000000

Very simple to strip and micro fibre is your game. I use absolutely nothing else on my cars.

 

[Coisman]

The headlights are very easy to open and just wipe the moisture. You have to be extremely careful with the actual wiping though since the inside of these lenses scratch almost if you look at them so you need a very very soft microfibre.

I would never take it to the dealer to do since if they decide not to replace and wipe the inside with some crap rag it will look good until you turn the lights on and see all the scratches.

+1

Only problem is the car is still under motorplan, and thus if he does it himself, and after a week something else goes wrong, motorplan might say he was messing with the car, and they cancel motorplan... :dunno:

...anyway, I would take it in, but refuse to leave the car there, and instead demand to be present to see what ever they decide to do, gets done properly. :thumb:

 

[bybyM3]

Happen to me as well, but i changed my globes and did not put the back cover on correctly, maybe just check your back cover as the seals might be torn.

 

[M3west]

Thanks for the tips guys. I am loathed to try myself due to motorplan. It runs out 12 July.....after that I do as I please

Good thing and bad as I have to pay!

 

[Legacy]

+ 100000000

Very simple to strip and micro fibre is your game. I use absolutely nothing else on my cars.

Which microfibres do you use? I have not found any in SA that are actually soft enough.

+1

Only problem is the car is still under motorplan, and thus if he does it himself, and after a week something else goes wrong, motorplan might say he was messing with the car, and they cancel motorplan... :dunno:

...anyway, I would take it in, but refuse to leave the car there, and instead demand to be present to see what ever they decide to do, gets done properly. :thumb:

Well if you open the lights with a hammer they will probably notice but on a scale of 1 to 10, ten being very difficult I would say opening an E46 headlight is around a -100.