Tried a search but couldn`t find anything as my Karoq taken delivery of on Friday has misted up LED headlights and fog lights have just been out for about 3/4 of and hour with lights on but still misted up surely that cannot be right are they faulty as Halogen bulbs or HID`s in the headlights would heat up and burn the condensation off but LED `s do not get hot and certainly the fogs will not clear until used.

 

Not a cheap car so not at all impressed with my new Skoda!

It's normal for headlights to become slightly misted when the weather is damp as they aren't sealed. It won't help if your car has been sat around waiting for delivery though...

 

LED based headlights still produce heat so should be able to demist the lenses eventually but not as quickly as a halogen based headlight.

 

From the owners manual troubleshooting section:

The headlights are misted up on the inside

Inside the headlights, moisture may occur. This is not a defect.

I know that is mentioned in the manual but a friend has a new Mazda CX5 with LED headlights and he has never had condensation in those lights, surely with condensation on the lense it distorts the beam and even after 3/4 hour driving with the lights on the condensation is still there.

 

31 minutes ago, Delanor said:

Tried a search but couldn`t find anything as my Karoq taken delivery of on Friday has misted up LED headlights and fog lights have just been out for about 3/4 of and hour with lights on but still misted up surely that cannot be right are they faulty as Halogen bulbs or HID`s in the headlights would heat up and burn the condensation off but LED `s do not get hot and certainly the fogs will not clear until used.

 

Not a cheap car so not at all impressed with my new Skoda!

Just think what Audi owners with the same lights are thinking   

There has been reports of faulty headlights with cracks that have been replaced under warranty.

Can you post a pic of how bad it is?

Edited 11 November, 20196 yr by Kenny R

There are lots of variables that affect the level of condensation in the headlights.

 

Just because your friend hasn't noticed any on his Mazda doesn't mean it doesn't suffer from the same issue.

 

If you've driven through puddles, washed the car, it has been sat in the shade, is garaged etc etc. all contribute.

Some days I see condensation in the units......some days not......it comes and goes.

I know my 2016 Kuga with HID headlights suffered no condensation from the day I took delivery until 3 years later when I sold it.

As mentioned above HID lamps run a lot hotter than LED’s so hardly comparing apples with apples.

Interestin...as they changed headlights on my Karoq  under warranty (due to “cracking”/ice-like formation issues) didnt noticed any condensation. 

Ours are misting as well.  We've had it for under a week.  She took it back into the dealers yesterday and they said it was normal.  If it persists, I'll get a hair drier onto them and then if it comes back it'll need to go back to the dealers again.

Just been back to the dealers and looked @ 5 Karoqs and 3 Kodiaks outside inc` one new one and none of them have any condensation in any lights.

mine do the same clears when weather changes or lights get warm. its the same as when the windows mist up inside when weather changes

When my wife picked up her new Karoq 190 TDI SEL I noticed some condensation in both headlights. Her car had been in the country for a few weeks & sat at the dealers for several days in wet weather. Since she has had it though (about 6 weeks now) I haven't seen any return of condensation despite the amount of rain we've had. I assume the heat of the lights once in regular use burn off any condensation.

12 hours ago, Delanor said:

Just been back to the dealers and looked @ 5 Karoqs and 3 Kodiaks outside inc` one new one and none of them have any condensation in any lights.

 

When were their headlights last used?

 

When were they last washed?

 

Did they use a hosepipe or pressure washer?

 

How long have they been outside?

 

Were they in the shade, or in direct sunlight?

 

When was the last time they were driven at normal road speeds, and in what weather / road conditions, and for how long?

 

Right now my Kodiaq has no condensation in the headlights, last Saturday, after washing it, not driving it and as the temperatures dropped before sunset, condensation appeared. By sunrise it had gone.

 

There are so many variables that affect the level of condensation, we're all going to see it at varying levels.

 

Come the summer you'll have forgotten all  about it.

Had the Karoq for 3 days not been washed etc it has been stood out in the rain but after and hour drive last night this morning this!

Wouldn`t call that misting.

£25k+ are reasons why I cannot forget it.

Your car has likely been...

 

- sat in a compound outside the factory

- sat on a train

- sat at the docks

- sat on a ferry

- sat at the docks

- sat on a car transporter

- sat in the dealers yard

- pressure washed as part of the PDI

- driven in unseasonably wet conditions ever since.

 

...over several months. They 'll take some time to dry out.

 

By all means, approach your dealer, but I'm almost certain what the response will be.

 

"It is normal sir."

 

SEAT...

 

 

BMW...

 

 

Audi...

 

 

Mercedes-Benz...

 

 

Even the manufacturer says it is normal...

 

 

Edited 13 November, 20196 yr by silver1011

Just had my car cleaned by the dealer, a small amount of condensation seen, a bit dark now but if I get a chance I will photo it, not worried about it as per comments above.

 

Mind you it is galling after handing over close to what I paid for a new house many moons ago... So I would be upset but I am sure there will be bigger issues...

 

😉

Interestingly my brother in-law has just been round he is a Development Engineer for Jaguar Land Rover and it is part of his job to sort out faults with vehicles when customer complaints come in and he says  that misting of LED headlights just doesn`t happen certainly not in his experience like he said when the lense is misted it is masking the light beam reducing efficiency and lights should not be designed to do that he looked at my Karoq and said you need to take it back and complain!

He obviously doesn’t know his products then

 

Edited 13 November, 20196 yr by Kenny R

On 13/11/2019 at 20:32, Delanor said:

Interestingly my brother in-law has just been round he is a Development Engineer for Jaguar Land Rover and it is part of his job to sort out faults with vehicles when customer complaints come in and he says  that misting of LED headlights just doesn`t happen certainly not in his experience like he said when the lense is misted it is masking the light beam reducing efficiency and lights should not be designed to do that he looked at my Karoq and said you need to take it back and complain!

 

Given that the Range Rover and Discovery Sport have just been declared the least reliable cars on sale in the UK, I'm guessing a small amount of condensation in the headlights of the cars he is developing is the least of his worries 🤣

 

And they're a lot more expensive than your Skoda!

All I know is he reckons its not been an issue that has warranted any action to deal with the problem and his E Pace is OK as is his daughters Evoque - he does have some interesting stories though  for example apparently the Chinese don`t accept the warranty period on a new Land Rovers and when a customers Range Rover broke down out of warranty he towed it with a team of donkeys to a new motor show and parked it outside claiming it was defective and should be fixed.

After 3 weeks ownership there is still a small amount of condensation in the very bottom of the RH lamp in two places over the DRL  I gently dried it out completely with a hair dryer but it is back again and the lamp does mist up which disappears after the lights have been on but the condensation remains in the RH lamp.

 

Does anyone else get this continual condensation in one lamp?

 

 

Been out early today in the frost, came back to the car park with motor sitting facing bright sunshine and all 4 lamps had lots of condensation.....not a good look.

 

Just been out check the situation and after 40 odd miles with the head lights / cornering fogs on.  

 

Attached is offside but the nearside is just the same. 

Edited 29 November, 20196 yr by Berisford

Was that misting or actual condensation ie water droplets?

Misting I would accept but continual condensation will begin to leave watermarks from any minerals in the water.

 

This I call condensation. 

Edited 29 November, 20196 yr by Delanor