Headlight condinsation - anyone else getting it?

[Hairy_Joe]

Just noticed I'm getting condinsation inside Matrix Headlight when driving in the rain. Car is only 8 weeks old. Before I go talk to the dealer, I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this?

Edited 5 December, 2022 by Hairy_Joe

[stephen1612]

Yeah, I'm getting it quite regularly now, the car is fairly new too. I've been told it's normal with the LED Matrix lights. Not enough heat to clear the condensation as quickly as normal headlights and units are not fully sealed.  Although I'm a bit concerned about the small water droplets I'm getting.

 

[HighlandBoy]

Happens on mine too, from other research on sites its normal on LED headlights to have condensation. 

[Hairy_Joe]

It's weird as the other Octavia with normal LED headlights and the previous Leon with LED headlights never got condinsation. Hence I don't really buy the "they all do that sir" line.

 

I'll report back what happens.

[T13]

I had condensation too in my vRS’s matrix headlights. Both sides changed for new ones under warranty one month ago.  I really have to thank how things work with my dealer here in Finland. 
 

 

[SkOmk4]

Left and right headlights on mine... (ignore the dirt on the car - it was a really ****ty weather)
It's the first car (in many I've driven on bad/rainy weather) that has this kind of condensation inside.

 

1 hour ago, T13 said:

Both sides changed for new ones under warranty one month ago

Was condensation the only reason for replacement? Because that would be a very interesting precedent!
However, I'm afraid the humidity that gets inside, doesn't get there via some mechanical defects (such as cracks or faulty seals), but through the ventilation holes at the back of the headlights. If that is indeed the case, I imagine the replacement is not helping, unless the design of the headlight is changed.

 

[Hairy_Joe]

Well, I rang the dealer and got the "it's common". I did email the pictures through. I'm getting condinsation almost half way up the light.

 

 

 

 

[HighlandBoy]

Oh that's quite bad, mine have little bits of condensation and I believe that's nirmal because the LED's don't get hot enough to evaporate it. Nowhere near yours, which will probably change the beam pattern at that level

[SkOmk4]

16 minutes ago, Hairy_Joe said:

I did email the pictures through. I'm getting condinsation almost half way up the light.

Wow, that looks impressive; badly impressive, not in a good way.

Is the condensation frozen too?

I'm suggesting a new standard feature for the LED headlights: heated front sides of the headlights.

[Hairy_Joe]

No, it's not frozen. It's the flash I'd say making it looks like that.

 

A small bit I'd understand, but not when it's making driving at night difficult 

[gumdrop]

Park facing the sunshine (on a day with sunshine forecast) 😀

[T13]

I had condensation inside the right side light. Looked just like in Hairy_Joe’s photo. All I know they checked the lights and then asked permission from somewhere factory/importer etc. When i went to collect the car both sides were changed under warranty.

[Hairy_Joe]

Update from dealer. Keep an eye on it and if it persists to get back onto them.

 

I'll report if I've any news 

[Hairy_Joe]

2 hours ago, gumdrop said:

Park facing the sunshine (on a day with sunshine forecast) 😀

 

Don't laugh but I did that today......

[crisdevis]

Please check your Owner's Manual (page 52, my version):

 

[gumdrop]

3 hours ago, Hairy_Joe said:

 

Don't laugh but I did that today......

As you get older you point the boot to the prevailing wind and the engine to the sunshine, automatically, can be applied to people as well! 😀

[luxdog]

I've also got it in the rear lights...

[Hairy_Joe]

16 hours ago, crisdevis said:

Please check your Owner's Manual (page 52, my version):

 

Not being smart, I'd call what Stephen1612 and Sk0mk4 showed as condinsation. I've a bit more that builds up when driving in the rain, reducing light output making driving difficult.

[T13]

Found a picture of mine. On the right side lot’s of fog and water. Fogging is normal but water is not. I had nothing on the other side. Maybe they change these in pairs who knows. I am getting impression that the dealer’s are handling warranty issues really differently depending on which country you live in. That is strange if you ask me. vRS I own now is my fourth Škoda and had 3 Fabias since 2015. I’ve had many issues with those but everything has been handled well under warranty without any hesitation from the dealer. If you have something broken or other problem and car has warranty left it should be fixed no matter where you live. 

[Photon321]

Mine had condensation within the first 24 hours. Both headlights and fog lights. 

[Jorgeminator]

1 hour ago, Photon321 said:

Mine had condensation within the first 24 hours. Both headlights and fog lights. 

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That's clearly unacceptable. I've had some very slight fogging of that part of the lens, but nothing even close to what would cause it to start dripping like that.

[SkOmk4]

😡

It's getting worse with worse conditions...
Today on a longer drive I had about 30 minutes of rain changing from drizzle to torrential (summer-like) rain, on an express way - so pretty high speeds, in temperatures just above 0 Celsius (1 to 3). You can see the outcome in the pictures below... It's the worst condensation I've seen so far in any of the cars I drove (there's been quite a few) on even bitter weather.

Thank God I forgot to check the fog lights!!! 🤣

 

[TheUltraRunner]

That is common. And not only with Škoda. Google it.

[SkOmk4]

13 hours ago, TheUltraRunner said:

That is common

That is poor-engineering...

I know it's COMMON - the manufacturers are covering the incompetence and design-flaws with "normal behavior" mentioned in the user/owner manual.

It was NOT common a decade ago, two decades ago... and with plenty of other cars I drove in similar or worse conditions.

[TomTom88]

2 hours ago, SkOmk4 said:

That is poor-engineering...

I know it's COMMON - the manufacturers are covering the incompetence and design-flaws with "normal behavior" mentioned in the user/owner manual.

It was NOT common a decade ago, two decades ago... and with plenty of other cars I drove in similar or worse conditions.

Those cars decades ago had halogen lights. Those make a lot of heat. Led’s dont do that. Hense the condensation.