Headlights Condensation

[Igor73]

Hello everyone,

I'm new to the forum and apologies in advance if the question has already been asked. I've collected yesterday a Superb Estate 2.0tdi DSG Elegance. First registered in April 2015, 6k on the clock. After driving the car for an hour or so, once I got home I have noticed there is condensation in the headlights. The dealer told me is quite common and nothing to be worried about, is this true? So far I have had quite a few cars but never experienced this kind of issue.

Many thanks in advance for your help.

Igor

[cnc]

Quite normal, they all seem to do it, have a read here http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/331102-xenons-steamed-up/?hl=%2Bcondensation#entry3979481

[KenONeill]

Not hugely familiar with the Superb, but I'd think anyone who says that condensation is "normal" in a semi-sealed headlight is talking out of an orifice not normally used for the purpose and/or making excuses for poor build quality.

[Igor73]

This is what I thought as well. 

 

Thank you for the link, I will keep an eye on it and go back to dealer if the condensation will not go away. I have used the car today with the lights on but the problem seems to get worse...

[peterposh]

There shouldn't be any condensation in them, they have a leak somewhere.

[Gizmo]

The problem is they are not sealed... they are vented, so when you turn them off in the winter they cool down and moisture forms on the inside, a bit crap if you ask me.

[peterposh]

Vented means insects get inside looking for the light, the water should be negligible, you could check the covers are on the rear? If that didn't involve dismantling the front of the car that would be the easiest

[Igor73]

I've checked the car this morning and the condensation is almost gone. Still a tiny triangle is visible on the corner of the headlamps next to the grill. It's weird though because if I had to drive the car now, with the lights on, the condensation would come out straight away...
I will take few pictures today and then I'll go back to the dealer. Don't want to be too picky but we also have a Roomster and the headlamps are perfectly dry (and in every other car we have had never came across the same issue)...feeling confused 

[essexalan]

Often caused when the dealer pressure washes the vehicles. It should clear up quickly if you drive with your headlights on, mine did. Of course if it happens during normal use then I would say that is a problem.

[silver1011]

As has already been said, this is perfectly normal, it is even mentioned in the owners manual.

 

It's been wet recently, if the car has been driven through deep puddles or sat on a dealer forecourt for a prolonged period of time, or (as suggested above) the car or even the engine bay has been jet washed (yes, dealers still do this!) then water and moisture can get into the headlight via the venting tubes.

 

The best way to cure it is to run the car with the headlights on all the time for the next few days or so, this will get them nice and warm and burn off any condensation.

 

Only if the condensation (mist) turns into water droplets that are running down the inside of the lens should you worry.

[akop4040]

@silver1011

 

In my case the condensation starts only after the headlights are switched on. Please help here

 

https://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/457687-condensation-issue-in-headlights/

Edited 5 November, 2018 by akop4040

[silver1011]

That would suggest that the heat that is being generated from the headlights being turned on is evaporating the moisture inside the headlight and causing it to condense on the lens. This would suggest to me that there is excessive moisture inside the headlights.

 

Have you driven through deep puddles, or experienced a prolonged period of wet weather? Do you jet wash the car, or the engine bay? Have you checked the back of the headlight for crash or impact damage, blocked venting tubes or missing parts?

 

I would imagine that if the source of the heat was maintained the moisture would eventually dissipate completely from out of the venting tubes. Have you tried driving with the dipped headlights on during a long journey?

 

Was the issue evident over the summer months, or has it just appeared now the temperatures have started to drop?

 

If you've exhausted all options with Skoda and the dealer I'd be tempted to remove the headlights (a big job, as the front bumper also needs removing) and take the headlights inside the house and keep them close to the boiler or radiator to properly dry them out.

 

As you've seen, small amounts of moisture are normal and is stipulated in the manual. The moisture in your headlights looks close to forming into droplets, which would suggest a leak.

[akop4040]

20 hours ago, silver1011 said:

That would suggest that the heat that is being generated from the headlights being turned on is evaporating the moisture inside the headlight and causing it to condense on the lens. This would suggest to me that there is excessive moisture inside the headlights.

 

Have you driven through deep puddles, or experienced a prolonged period of wet weather? Do you jet wash the car, or the engine bay? Have you checked the back of the headlight for crash or impact damage, blocked venting tubes or missing parts?

 

I would imagine that if the source of the heat was maintained the moisture would eventually dissipate completely from out of the venting tubes. Have you tried driving with the dipped headlights on during a long journey?

 

Was the issue evident over the summer months, or has it just appeared now the temperatures have started to drop?

 

If you've exhausted all options with Skoda and the dealer I'd be tempted to remove the headlights (a big job, as the front bumper also needs removing) and take the headlights inside the house and keep them close to the boiler or radiator to properly dry them out.

 

As you've seen, small amounts of moisture are normal and is stipulated in the manual. The moisture in your headlights looks close to forming into droplets, which would suggest a leak.

 

 

20 hours ago, silver1011 said:

Having the moisture appear only after the headlights are turned on might suggest that the heat that is being generated from the headlights being turned on is evaporating the moisture inside the headlight and causing it to condense on the lens. This would suggest to me that there is excessive moisture inside the headlights.

 

Have you driven through deep puddles, or experienced a prolonged period of wet weather? Do you jet wash the car, or the engine bay? Have you checked the back of the headlight for crash or impact damage, blocked venting tubes or missing parts?

 

I would imagine that if the source of the heat was maintained the moisture would eventually dissipate completely from out of the venting tubes. Have you tried driving with the dipped headlights on during a long journey?

 

Was the issue evident over the summer months, or has it just appeared now the temperatures have started to drop? If I'm reading your post correctly the issue appeared during the summer in temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius? This might suggest that the headlights are sealed, thus preventing the moisture from escaping. I was on the understanding that they're vented, hence the allowance of some small amounts of temporary moisture build-up. Condensation at those temperatures would be enough evidence for me to pursue the dealer again. Swapping lights from another car (an older model) is unacceptable. You have cause for a genuine warranty claim for a set of the latest brand new headlights.

 

If you've exhausted all options with Skoda and the dealer I'd be tempted to remove the headlights (a big job, as the front bumper also needs removing) and take the headlights inside the house and keep them close to the boiler or radiator to properly dry them out.

 

As you've seen, small amounts of moisture are normal and is stipulated in the manual. The moisture in your headlights looks close to forming into droplets, which would suggest a leak. 

 

 

Thanks for replying.

 

Having the moisture appear only after the headlights are turned on might suggest that the heat that is being generated from the headlights being turned on is evaporating the moisture inside the headlight and causing it to condense on the lens. This would suggest to me that there is excessive moisture inside the headlights.

 

 

But they did change the headlights twice, although the first time they replaced it with the demo car’s headlights and for the second time they did install a two year one. So, I think the moisture is somewhere else. Right?

 

Have you driven through deep puddles, or experienced a prolonged period of wet weather? Do you jet wash the car, or the engine bay?

 

No. Infact I have not washed the car since the past 4-5 months, just cleaning it with ONR. The problem is occurring from day one.

 

Have you checked the back of the headlight for crash or impact damage, blocked venting tubes or missing parts?

 

The dealership checked it for damages once I looped in Skoda. About blocked venting tubes they didn’t check. Missing parts as in? Sorry didn’t get that.

 

I would imagine that if the source of the heat was maintained the moisture would eventually dissipate completely from out of the venting tubes. Have you tried driving with the dipped headlights on during a long journey?

 

How can we maintain heat in this case? Are the venting tubes inside the headlights?

Yes once, as I tend not to because if the condensation covers up the whole headlight and blocks the view so it would be bad. It covers up the headlight as shown in the photos and it completely vanishes the next day.

 

Was the issue evident over the summer months, or has it just appeared now the temperatures have started to drop? If I'm reading your post correctly the issue appeared during the summer in temperatures in excess of 40 degrees Celsius? This might suggest that the headlights are sealed, thus preventing the moisture from escaping. I was on the understanding that they're vented, hence the allowance of some small amounts of temporary moisture build-up. Condensation at those temperatures would be enough evidence for me to pursue the dealer again.

 

I am from India. I got the car in January. The temperature during that time of the year is around 10-20 degrees Celsius. I was thinking that it might be due to the weather so kept on ignoring it. But it happened during summers, autumn also. It happens every time we switch on the headlights despite the weather.

 

Swapping lights from another car (an older model) is unacceptable. You have cause for a genuine warranty claim for a set of the latest brand new headlights.

 

You have no idea about the dealership here. They are the only Skoda dealer in my state and all they do right from the sales phase is harass customers. We got out of that phase, thanks to good people in Skoda. But their harassment didn’t stop, did you read their excuse that we need to get more knowledge as in how to use the headlights? Then swapped headlights from the demo car saying that they are the new one’s. Skoda India isn’t willing to take strict action here because like I have mentioned there is no other Skoda dealer in my state.

 

 If you've exhausted all options with Skoda and the dealer I'd be tempted to remove the headlights (a big job, as the front bumper also needs removing) and take the headlights inside the house and keep them close to the boiler or radiator to properly dry them out.

 

I was given the same advice somewhere else. Again the same question, they did change the headlights twice, although the first time they replaced it with the demo car’s headlights and for the second time they did install a two year one. So, do you think removing headlights and drying them out is the solution here?

 

As you’ve seen, small amounts of moisture are normal and is stipulated in the manual. The moisture in your headlights looks close to forming into droplets, which would suggest a leak.

 

The manual also says that if there is mist/condensation it should go away after we switch on the headlights BUT in my case the mist/condensation forms after we switch on the headlights and goes away after some hours the headlights have been switched off.

 

Since the headlights have been replaced and the condensation is completely gone the very next morning so I think that the issue is in some other part/component. The dealership is not interested in finding out. What should I do?

P.S. Once I was driving at night after it stopped raining. There was some water on the road and by the time I reached home the headlights looked like this

 

 

When I explained them the issue for the first time and shared the photos, they said how can I prove that the photos belong to my car as the license plate is not visible. What a shame. People here love Skoda and its cars but these kinda dealerships are ruining the brand's image.

Edited 6 November, 2018 by akop4040

[akop4040]

https://www.carlightblog.com/2014/06/24/fogging-the-ultimate-guide/

Read his point 5, now check the manual photo which I have posted above. It means that the condensation should go away after the headlights are turned on, but in my case it shows up only after they are switched on.

[silver1011]

Let's keep this to the MkIII forum...