Condensation in Your Headlight? (Here’s How to Fix It)
You go outside to start your car one morning and notice that your headlights are getting condensation and foggy. That’s a total loss, right? Well, not completely.
There are a few reasons why your headlights might have condensation, water, or fog. Some of these are completely normal occurrences and nothing to worry about.
What causes condensation inside your headlights?If you notice condensation on your headlights after a rainy or foggy day, or if you only notice it occasionally, it may be a completely normal phenomenon. Water can get into your headlights even after a car wash.
There are several components in your headlight assembly that, if they fail, can periodically allow moisture to get inside the headlight assembly. 1) Bad Headlight Seals
Headlights typically use rubber seals to keep dirt, water, and debris out of the headlight housing. As your vehicle ages, the rubber in these seals can wear down. This can cause micro-leakage and allow condensation to get into the headlight housing.
Also read: 9 Reasons Water Gets Into Your Car
2) Clogged Headlight Vents
Most headlights heat up when you use them. Warm air is less dense than cold air. Headlights have small vents that allow air pressure to equalize inside and outside the headlight housing.
These vents allow air to flow into the headlight, and potentially water.
Condensation can form on the inside of your headlight if the inside and outside of the headlight cool at different rates. It’s similar to taking a cold drink out of the fridge and setting it on the counter. At some point, water will form on the outside of the container. 3) Broken Headlight
If your headlight has a crack, it could expose the inside of the headlight housing to even more moisture than usual. This depends on how big the crack is and whether it’s deep enough to penetrate the entire plastic housing.
Is moisture in a headlight bad? Generally, a little moisture, fogging, or condensation in a headlight is not a big problem. This happens from time to time, but may happen more frequently depending on the weather and climate in your area. If you notice water pooling under your headlights, it’s time to take action. This usually only happens if the headlight housing is badly cracked or the headlight seal is leaking.
Excess water in the headlight can cause corrosion to the wires and other connections in the headlight housing.
Will the condensation go away on its own? In many cases, condensation will go away on its own with a change in weather. Condensation may also disappear if you drive with the lights on.
If the condensation doesn’t go away on its own, it may be time to find a way to repair your headlights so that condensation doesn’t happen again.
How to Remove Moisture from Headlights
1) Clean the Headlight Openings.
Sometimes, headlight openings can get clogged with dirt, preventing proper ventilation. Try removing the headlight assembly and cleaning these small openings. This should solve the problem and the repair will be free of charge. 2) Replace the headlight gasket. On some vehicles, you can disassemble the headlight housing to replace the headlight gasket. If your car is more than 10 years old, this may be a good course of action.
This is especially true if the car has been left in the sun for years. The sun can cause rubber parts to crack and dry out.
When you pull out the headlight housing to replace the gasket, be sure to use a hair dryer or heat gun to dry out any moisture you find. If you use a heat gun, be sure to keep it far enough away so you don’t accidentally melt the plastic.
3) Replace the headlight housing.
In this case, it’s best to replace the whole case. This can happen if the plastic cracks and damages the seal, allowing more water into the headlight.
4) Install a vent.
If all else fails, you may be able to install special vents in the headlight housing that will allow moisture to escape while keeping moisture out. What happens if water gets trapped in your headlights? If you notice water getting trapped in your headlights, you may be noticing corrosion in your headlights over time. This is especially true if you live near the ocean or in an area where the roads get salted in the winter.
Corrosion will only get worse over time. When do headlights need replacing? Headlight replacement is usually only necessary if there is an issue with the housing or excessive damage.
Bottom Line
Getting water in your headlights isn’t the end of the world. There are some simple steps you can take to fix the problem, and sometimes fixing the problem won’t be expensive. Headlight fogging is more common in some parts of the country than others, so ask your neighbors if they know of any good solutions to prevent headlight fogging and condensation. Maybe they know a trick to make it even easier.
