Condensation in rear light cluster

[BramptonTrev]

I have condensation in my Karoq's offside rear light cluster - photo attached.  The karoq is 68 reg and has done about 38k miles.

 

So I followed the instructions in the Skoda Workshop Manual to remove the rear light cluster - many thanks to the forum member who published a thread with lots of links to workshop manuals.

 

I unscrewed the big spring loaded retaining screw and eventually the light cluster pulled out horizontally and away directly backwards from the body.  Something clicked and it sounded like a small part falling down into the bodywork hole behind the bumper - anyone know what this might have been or was it simply a spring loaded plastic clip making a noise when I removed the lamp cluster.  I shined a torch down the bodywork hole but was unable to see anything.

 

I detached the halogen bulb holder (two bulbs).  I was not able to disconnect the wiring loom plug - too difficult to work out which was the springy bit that needed depressing or whatever.

 

So I now have the halogen bulb holder assembley connected by its wire back into the body and and the led/lens body connected by a few thin black wire for the leds.  I was not able to disconnect the led wires - the plastic springy could be depressed but the connector was a very tight fit and would not pull put and I did not try some pliers or screwdriver or other implement.

 

On rotating the lens unit several times, a large amount of water drained out, seemed like 0.5 pint.

 

On attempting to put the halogen holder back into the led/lens unit, more water poured out.  So a bit more of rotating the various parts to ensure the led/lens unit was empty and eventually all went back together and into the car and it all seems to be working ok.

 

So, the following questions:

 

*  has anyone tried to unscrew the lens unit from the led holder part - there seemed to be 4 spider/torx screws holding it all together?  Does it come easily apart?

*  anyone know how all this water might get in? A bad seal between the lens unit and the led holder.

 

The Skoda workshop manunal does not include any details on further dismantling the rear light cluster - it only desecribes enough to change the halogen bulbs.

 

Apologies if what I have said are halogen bulbs are actually LED bulb looking like halgens. 

[BramptonTrev]

An update.

 

I found out what was the item that fell in behind the bumper on removing the light unit.  It is a small clear plastic spacer about 5mm wide, 15mm long and 1mm thick with self adhesive to stick to the rim.  There should be 2 on the upper side and 1 underneath.  Photo attached.  You can see one of the upper ones.  The other upper one did go on similar 'fins' at the opposite end - so I  improvised with a sellotape double sided sticky pad.

 

The 4 screws hold the inner reflector assembley in place but as the whole unit is sealed undoing the screws merely result in a loose internal unit.

 

A tip - when removing the grey bulb holder assembly from the lens unit, beware that the 2 halogen type bulbs can easily fall out if caught on the lens unit - they then fall inside the lens unit  which means a lot of rotating the lens unit to get a bulb to fall out.

 

The lens is now dryish.

 

I dont really know how the water got in - my guess it was using a hopepipe for washing the car and a lot of water got through the gap between the light cluster and car body - there is a 1mm gap all round - most of the water will have drained away down the back of the bumper but some may have got i around the halogen bulb opening.

[Viorel_92]

Had the same issue today. It was a really cold day and found the same condensation inside the tail light. I am assuming it happen because I had changed a few days ago the signal and  reverse with LEDs and I think I haven't mounted the seal in right way, maybe somehow the condensation got inside. I am planning to remove the tail light and use a hairdryer to remove the water. I will also inspect the seal. Hope I will get rid of the issue.

Skoda Karoq 2019 1.6 TDI

[BramptonTrev]

I would be interested to know which seal as there did not seem to be an obvious seal to me.  Picture perhaps?

[Viorel_92]

I had removed the tail light, dry it with a hair dryer, put it back and now everything is fine. The seal was a bit missplaced, I think that was the issue. It's been almost 2 weeks now, the weather was rainy but no condensation appeared. 

[BramptonTrev]

Viorel_92. 

 

Thanks for the photo. 

 

I took my light cluster apart agin today, and guess what, moisture on this particular seal.  So I now assume that is where it was leaking.

 

Photo attached of the seal on it's own.

 

 

 

[BramptonTrev]

As the seal had an impression of the lens unit pressed into it, I took the seal out, turned it over and put it back in, presenting a clean newish face to the lens unit.

 

Anyone know of a part number for this seal?  Looking at Skoda Karoq parts diagrams it is part of the light grey bulb holder unit and not listed separately.