Headlights

[Chris Be]

just to let you all know for your piece of mind. RECTIFICATION: as long as your avensis is not the updated version (55-08) your headlights are under maufactures extended warranty to either 100,000 or 7 years for this condensation problem. CAUSE: water ingress into both front headlights is caused by the back cover of the headlights not having an adequate watertight seal hence causing water ingress and sometimes the bulb and bulb holder to burn out. Toyota Have modified headlights for this problem so cantact your franchised toyota dealer. mark (Toyota technician)

Hi Starensis, I would be very interested in seeing a copy of the extended warranty for 7 years. I thought it was only for 5 years? I have had both my headlight units replaced under warranty in the last 21 months and to my horror I have condensation in one of them again. Surely it's about time Mr T sorted this problem out once and for all or do they just replace the faulty headlight unit with another faulty one. Can I go back to my dealer and ask him to replace the unit he has already replaced free of charge. Cheers Chris.

[drdanny]

hello

please forgive my ignorance ... i bought a 2004 avensis through a dealer

in march and my headlamps have gone dull as described above ...

am i still entitled to the 5 year guarantee not having had the car from new?

many thanks for any help,

danny

[Chris Be]

hello

please forgive my ignorance ... i bought a 2004 avensis through a dealer

in march and my headlamps have gone dull as described above ...

am i still entitled to the 5 year guarantee not having had the car from new?

many thanks for any help,

danny

Hi Danny,

I,m not sure that they would be replaced just because they are dull. If it is because the bulb holder has melted or that they are full of condensation you should not have a problem. I would suggest contacting your local Toyota dealer in the first instance. Chris.

[drdanny]

am i still entitled to the 5 year guarantee not having had the car from new?

[drdanny]

My 03 Avensis has just passed Warranty and it's now developed the condensation problem, anyone know if Toyota will change them anyway seeing as how this is a know design fault?

Thanks

Just purchased a 53 reg T3X first registered 19/9/03 and the day after I bought it home I had condensation in the passenger side headlight, and i'm talking lots. Anyhow I have written to Mr T and will keep you posted when I get a reply. After all even if it's out of warranty they should surely replace them FOC given it's a known design fault.

hello

can you please tell me where exactly you wrote to mr t?

cheers

danny

[chassenave]

My 03 Avensis has just passed Warranty and it's now developed the condensation problem, anyone know if Toyota will change them anyway seeing as how this is a know design fault?

Thanks

Just purchased a 53 reg T3X first registered 19/9/03 and the day after I bought it home I had condensation in the passenger side headlight, and i'm talking lots. Anyhow I have written to Mr T and will keep you posted when I get a reply. After all even if it's out of warranty they should surely replace them FOC given it's a known design fault.

hello

can you please tell me where exactly you wrote to mr t?

cheers

danny

Danny

I just rang my local dealer, they will tell you if you headlights are still under warranty and should replace them FOC

good look

Dave

[Chris Be]

My 03 Avensis has just passed Warranty and it's now developed the condensation problem, anyone know if Toyota will change them anyway seeing as how this is a know design fault?

Thanks

Just purchased a 53 reg T3X first registered 19/9/03 and the day after I bought it home I had condensation in the passenger side headlight, and i'm talking lots. Anyhow I have written to Mr T and will keep you posted when I get a reply. After all even if it's out of warranty they should surely replace them FOC given it's a known design fault.

hello

can you please tell me where exactly you wrote to mr t?

cheers

danny

Hi Danny, it doesn't matter that you bought the car second hand. As long as it's less than 5 years old and has covered less than 100,000 miles the warranty still stands. I wrote to Mr.T at the following address. Chris

Toyota (GB) PLC

Great Burgh

Burgh Heath

Epsom

Surrey

KT18 5UX

Danny

I just rang my local dealer, they will tell you if you headlights are still under warranty and should replace them FOC

good look

Dave

[drdanny]

thanks to everyone for their help!

[carinfront]

Might want to read the other thread that I wrote in, (click on my name to find other threads) Think its called "Headlights - I can now see"

i have had both my headlamps replaced under the warranty in 2006 and 2007 with the modified ones. Condensation and blown bulb holders happened again last couple of weeks. Mr T said that the replaced headlamps only have 12 months warranty - now expired, so I have to pay for new ones. I am speaking to Head Office on Monday about this.....

so, by all means get them replaced FOC, but keep an eye on them especially as you approach the end of the 12 month warranty for signs of the same problem....

Cheers

Mike

[drdanny]

hello

can you please tell me where exactly you wrote to mr t?

cheers

danny

Hi Danny, it doesn't matter that you bought the car second hand. As long as it's less than 5 years old and has covered less than 100,000 miles the warranty still stands. I wrote to Mr.T at the following address. Chris

Toyota (GB) PLC

Great Burgh

Burgh Heath

Epsom

Surrey

KT18 5UX

Danny

I just rang my local dealer, they will tell you if you headlights are still under warranty and should replace them FOC

good look

Dave

does anyone have an email address? does it have to be snail mail?

[arrowhead87x]

I am new to the club and I am having the same issue with my headlights. I have a 2002 celica with 70k and both of my headlights have condensation in them too. I called the dealer in Glen Burnie Maryland today and they said they did not know that Toyota extended the warranty for celica headlights. Any Ideas? Who Should I Contact now?

[Chris Be]

I am new to the club and I am having the same issue with my headlights. I have a 2002 celica with 70k and both of my headlights have condensation in them too. I called the dealer in Glen Burnie Maryland today and they said they did not know that Toyota extended the warranty for celica headlights. Any Ideas? Who Should I Contact now?

Hey this is the forum for Avensis owners. You need to check out the Celica forum for your problem.

[moonstone mart]

I am new to the club and I am having the same issue with my headlights. I have a 2002 celica with 70k and both of my headlights have condensation in them too. I called the dealer in Glen Burnie Maryland today and they said they did not know that Toyota extended the warranty for celica headlights. Any Ideas? Who Should I Contact now?

they havent extended the warranty for celica headlights.

Mart :)

[PMAP]

just to let you all know for your piece of mind. RECTIFICATION: as long as your avensis is not the updated version (55-08) your headlights are under maufactures extended warranty to either 100,000 or 7 years for this condensation problem. CAUSE: water ingress into both front headlights is caused by the back cover of the headlights not having an adequate watertight seal hence causing water ingress and sometimes the bulb and bulb holder to burn out. Toyota Have modified headlights for this problem so cantact your franchised toyota dealer. mark (Toyota technician)

Hi Starensis,

When it first ocurred to me on my rigth headlamp i thougth i was unlucky. Then this week it happened again on the left headlamp. I knew something was wrong here. Something that should not happen to toyota owners... So i found this forum !!!

Unfortunately, my 5 year warranty ended May 2008 ( i own a 2003 avensis 1.6). So can you send me or tell me where is it written that i have 7 years of warranty for the condensation problem. Many thanks!

Regards, Pedro Pereira

[Lyono]

Hi Starensis,

When it first ocurred to me on my rigth headlamp i thougth i was unlucky. Then this week it happened again on the left headlamp. I knew something was wrong here. Something that should not happen to toyota owners... So i found this forum !!!

Unfortunately, my 5 year warranty ended May 2008 ( i own a 2003 avensis 1.6). So can you send me or tell me where is it written that i have 7 years of warranty for the condensation problem. Many thanks!

Regards, Pedro Pereira

My driver's side headlamp is also suffering ('03 T4). Not knowing about this warranty (if indeed the 7 year warranty exists) I've bought a 2006 unit from eBay. However it doesn't seem to come with replacement seals and I presume these were part of the problem in the first place. Does anyone know where I can get seals from?

[j_jabbar]

The biggest fundamental problem here is that the headlamps are sealed units.

Sealed lamps of any sort never go down well in a british climate.

Sorry to say this, but it will help those who aren't covered under warranty; the best option is to drill a little hole, say 1 - 2mm in the bottom of the lamp. You won't have a problem again.

Hi, Where exactly should these holes be?

[evil-avensis]

The biggest fundamental problem here is that the headlamps are sealed units.

Sealed lamps of any sort never go down well in a british climate.

Sorry to say this, but it will help those who aren't covered under warranty; the best option is to drill a little hole, say 1 - 2mm in the bottom of the lamp. You won't have a problem again.

Hi, Where exactly should these holes be?

Please ignore these statements that the lamps are sealed units. There are vent tubes on the back of all headlamps to allow for pressure equalisation due to heating and cooling of the air volume inside. Condensation is an issue on every headlamp of every car in existence (except for true sealed beams - circular 7 or 9 inch glass lensed lamps)

Geometry and moisture content (dew point) of air in the lamp are the main contributing factors.

If you have a "goldfish bowl" or considerable amount of water in the lamp and it is outside a warranty I agree that drilling a small hole in the bottom of the lamp is sensible and is probably due to the glue seal (between lens and housing) being compromised.

Headlamps are always launched to market with the "best guess" at positioning the vent tubes on the rear of the lamp. As time goes on lamp manufacturers play with the locations to optimise condensation clearing performance.

As a headlamp designer for 13 years I still see this problem today. We can replicate the conditions for generating condensation but I'm afraid it's trial and error.

You may find that a later version of lamp does improve the situation though.

In the UK this problem is more prevalent during April and September time when moisture content of air is higher.

[Beagh1958]

To concerned parties.

This is a regular posting in regards to CRAP Avensis headlights, MK11 ( earlier MK11 models ? ) only i believe. The headlamp bulb covers allow moisture into headlamp unit, thus after a while the moisture causes arcing at the dipped beam connection. This connection being made of plastic, which eventually melts. Should you have to change blown bulb under these conditions, the connection breaks when removing for bulb change, thus one scrap headlamp. Toyota have known about this problem for years. Also even with no moisture, the projector style dipped beam h/lamps on earlier models is pure rubbish full stop.

Later models may well have had an upgrade or design fix ?

Regards, Beagh.

[smithy4]

just to let you all know for your piece of mind. RECTIFICATION: as long as your avensis is not the updated version (55-08) your headlights are under maufactures extended warranty to either 100,000 or 7 years for this condensation problem. CAUSE: water ingress into both front headlights is caused by the back cover of the headlights not having an adequate watertight seal hence causing water ingress and sometimes the bulb and bulb holder to burn out. Toyota Have modified headlights for this problem so cantact your franchised toyota dealer. mark (Toyota technician)

Hi Starensis,

When it first ocurred to me on my rigth headlamp i thougth i was unlucky. Then this week it happened again on the left headlamp. I knew something was wrong here. Something that should not happen to toyota owners... So i found this forum !!!

Unfortunately, my 5 year warranty ended May 2008 ( i own a 2003 avensis 1.6). So can you send me or tell me where is it written that i have 7 years of warranty for the condensation problem. Many thanks!

Regards, Pedro Pereira

Hi Starensis, are you able to advise/send me details too on the 7 year warranty/100,000 miles warranty? My headlight bulb has just blown and when the light bulb was removed the plastic light holder broke and is black/burnt where it attaches to the bulb. As I bought the car from my dad who had it from new I have the full history and this is the first time the bulb has blown. Having found this site I note there appears to be a problem with the Headlamps. Mine is a 2003 Avensis. When I contacted the dealers where the car was bought from new they only advised/were aware of the 5 year warranty or 60,000 miles and they said that it only applied to certain vehicles and not to mine. When I contacted Customer Services at Toyota UK they denied there was any warranty of any sort on Headlamps!!! If there is a 7 year warranty I would just fall within in it as my car was registered in March 2003. Any information would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks.

[j_jabbar]

The biggest fundamental problem here is that the headlamps are sealed units.

Sealed lamps of any sort never go down well in a british climate.

Sorry to say this, but it will help those who aren't covered under warranty; the best option is to drill a little hole, say 1 - 2mm in the bottom of the lamp. You won't have a problem again.

Hi, Where exactly should these holes be?

Going back to this boring old subject.......should the holes be on the lense or the reflectors?