Headlight Condensation.

[Auris James]

I have a 2015 Toyota Auris Hybrid estate.

Now that the damp weather is around, I notice my headlights have condensation in them. They partially clear but not fully. Just done a 120 mile drive and still have condensation to the inside of the headlights. Headlight on all time due to the weather.

Is condensation inside normal? Never had it on my other old cars, but all glass headlights.

MOT on Tuesday at Toyota.

James👍

[furtula]

Condensation in headlights is never normal. Even a tiny hole is enough for the damp air to get in and fog it up.

If you still have warranty, take it back to Toyota to fix it. 

If not,  you can try taking them off, try to find some faults, tiny cracks where they damp air might be getting into them, if nothing, run a slim bead of transparent silicon all around the joints. That's what i would do anyway.

[Auris James]

Just now, furtula said:

Condensation in headlights is never normal. Even a tiny hole is enough for the damp air to get in and fog it up.

If you still have warranty, take it back to Toyota to fix it. 

If not,  you can try taking them off, try to find some faults, tiny cracks where they damp air might be getting into them, if nothing, run a slim bead of transparent silicon all around the joints. That's what i would do anyway.

Thanks, thought they shouldn't have dampness inside. I have a 12 month used approved Toyota warranty expire on 10th of January and bought 2 years extra on top so warranty runs out on 7th Jan 2023.

I'll inform them of the issue when they do the MOT next week. 

James.👍

[mrpj]

"Temporary condensation build-up on the inside of the headlight lens does not indicate a malfunction."

From my handbook. However, if it persists and doesn't fully clear with sunlight/heat or use of the lights then, as already advised, not normal.

Both my headlights have always suffered from internal condensation inside some silly double skinned part at the top. I did take pictures and send them to the dealers and they said that it was "quite normal" because it did clear.

Oh for those old sealed beam units!

These are not totally sealed anyway where the H4 (in mine)lamp is fitted. Only a rubber cup which in no way makes a 100% airtight seal. Moist air in, cools down, condensate released.

[TonyHSD]

Hi James,

that It’s normal condensation in headlights, at least for Toyota cars 😂, joke many more makes and models. The lights usually are not air tight and the condensation it’s the reason for to escape and clear off. There are some rubber breathing tubes on each headlight and if any of these gets clogged the condensation remains for longer period or when weather is dump then it’s normal occurrence. It’s not an MOT issue as long as it’s not on the front of the light cover itself and stops or change the light pattern. Nothing to worry about.👍🚙🏁

[Hamish Maccuish]

Hi folks;

Regarding the rubber breathing tubes - are they accessible without removing the headlight and/or tail lights from the car body (and all the other bits - like bumpers 😕 etc)?

I have a slight condensation issue with all light housings. Going to monitor what happens pre and post drive tomorrow and see if it clears after a 20 minute run to work (after reading the other posts). If access to the breathing tubes is simple enough - I'll  clean them before trying other things.

Also - does anyone know if the round fog light lens' on a 2008 t25 Avensis are glass or plastic? Pretty sure it's the OEM part. They too have a funny white clouding going on...doesn't look like condensation, but doesn't feel like oxidising either and its there all the time...so not sure how to go about fixing it....if I can find out what they are made of; I'll maybe go down the refurbishment route first as I need to de-oxy the headlights anyway; before I start trying to pull off underbody panels to get in at the fog light housings. 😯 

 

Thanks in advance for any help 👍

[furtula]

Fog lights are a replacement part, as a whole, that does not say they cant be cracked open, clouding fixed, and then glued back together, but not really worth it. If it's on the outside, you can fix it with some uv resistant clear coat.

I don't know if it's worth the hassle tho, they will function just fine even when slightly clouded.

[Hamish Maccuish]

Someone on FB suggested removing the fog light bulb and drying the back of the lens that way...I think that involves taking under panels off to get access to the fog light bulb housing...a better weather job I think...They do still work perfectly fine...just not pretty to look at 😁

Any ideas where the headlamp air vent pipes are hidden on the main headlight box? 

Tried to find them tonight; but can see anything that is vent-ish or pipe-ish in nature...

The condensation I have, doesn't go away after running with lights on...and doesn't appear to be getting worse so far...

 

[Gerg]

12 minutes ago, Hamish Maccuish said:

Any ideas where the headlamp air vent pipes are hidden on the main headlight box? 

Is this for the headlamps on an Avensis or an Auris?  I have a headlamp for a gen2 Auris stashed away in the garage somewhere to look at, but haven't seen it for a while.  Avensis - sadly, no can do!

In the past, to try to get rid of condensation, I've removed the rubber access cover (that's used for headlamp bulb replacement) and left a hairdryer on a lower heat setting playing on the front - it's not very quick though.  So I now clamp the hairdryer on a lab-style retort stand, and then I don't have to keep watching it all the time.

If all your lamps are getting misted up then I guess it's environmental rather than blocked vents, or have you been through some deep fords recently?!

[Hamish Maccuish]

For an Avensis bud. Thanks though.

It's very annoying that Haynes don't do a manual for my particular car 😣 so I can make an educated attempt at fixing stuff 😂

As an aside; my fog lights both have an odd white haze inside them. It's definitely not water vapour and it's always there...any idea what that might be? (The exterior of the lens feels smooth enough and nothing scrapes off with my nail)

Ha! 😄 No ford's...but the previous owner hardly used it. Believe it sat all last winter which goosed the Battery. When I got it, ran it for a day and came back to it the next day I had SERIOUS condensation inside on the windows. As in it soaked a bath towel...so I guess from lack of use it had quite possibly been starting to get damp...perhaps that's the reason for the light housings to all be getting some varying degrees of condensation...i'm going to try the hairdryer method when I'm off work...

Seen a guy on YouTube using a funnel to help concentrate the warm air into the bulb socket-hole-area so less mild-heat was being wasted around the headlight externals and focused into the internals; should speed up doing all four lights!! 

Finger crossed that'll do it...unless it find the enegmatic vent-pipe first 😂😂

 

Ps. Tried to attach a photo of the white haze; forum errors out and won't allow the upload. Why's that? 

[furtula]

I usually just make a screenshot of a photo, and paste here, never had issue with it, so maybe try like that.

[1.8 hybrid]

there is a tsb regarding the headlights on the Auris mk2

mention to your dealer that the head lights dont light the

road very well you can have a free upgrade of the headlights then.

[1.8 hybrid]

have a look through the tsb's here there are a few references

to headlight fogging, you'll be able to get a free repair if your car

has the same issue

1265532891_toyotaTSBs.pdf