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Headlamp Housing - Condensation

jomuehlbauer

By jomuehlbauer
in Troubleshooting & Recalls

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JayClark79 Enthusiast

JayClark79

Posted
Posted

I had to drill holes in my dust cap for the wires of my led kit..... I wonder if the dealer will warranty them.... I feel like an idiot lol..... for the record I tried blowing a shop vac in the headlight with the bulb removed to dry it out, the drops didn't even budge, I then tried 2 silica packs and that hasn't helped at all..

 

Are these headlights actually vented?... Or are the fogging headlights not vented and should be?

  • 2 weeks later...
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MotoMedic
MotoMedic

When I removed my headlights and mounted my HID ballasts to them, I didn't see any vents or openings. In fact the round cap to access the bulb has a rubber gasket to make it seal when closed.   If t

EastCoast HD
EastCoast HD

Skeet, I think your on the right track.   I know I probably sound like a broken record by now, but I'll repeat what I've been saying all along.   The headlight housings require a proper venting

jomuehlbauer
jomuehlbauer

Also, new to the site. Here is my truck so far.   Crew cab, standard box, SLT, 20% tint on front sides, 20% over factory in rear slider.   This week - 6" oval side steps and color matched GM mud f

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Willshire Enthusiast

Willshire

Posted
Posted

Ok. i am a little confused because this sounds like basic science to me. I have double pane, argon filled windows in my house. When the temp outside is below 32F and the furnace is on, my window on the inside condensates. Isn't this a reaction of a cold window meeting warm air? For guys with HID or regular halogens, the inside of the light gets hot from the output of the bulb so the inside of the light housing is now warmer than the air outside the housing. When you park the vehicle, the outside temp cools the warm air inside and creates a foggy appearance. I'm an electrician not a scientist but this seems to be how warm and cool air mixing tends to work.

 

From Ricart website

 

Getting water or condensation buildup inside of your headlights can be a very common occurrence and could happen for a number of reasons. As you drive with your lights on, the bulbs continue to heat up. Once you stop, the cooler, moister air outside can trickle into the housings of the headlamp. The housings, on most cars, are vented at the top and bottom to allow for pressure differences that keep your bulbs and lamps from cracking and failing. When the lens of the headlight is cooler than the air inside the housing, droplets of moisture will condense inside, leaving you with water on the lens. When the outside temperature rises, the moisture usually evaporates.

akkrezz Enthusiast

akkrezz

Posted
Posted

Didn't feel like reading all 14 pages to see if someone has mentioned this or not, but I read awhile back that some guys put dehumidifying packs into their headlight housings to see if it would clear up the condensation and they said it worked. They just changed them out whenever they thought it needed to.

 

I was also thinking anti fog strips, like what go pro uses for their camera housing, may work. Haven't tried it out though since my condensation isn't bad at all and it only comes up sometimes. Probably cause its winter right now.

  • 1 month later...
scottl1346 Enthusiast

scottl1346

Posted
Posted

same issue on my 2015 silverado after washing it tonight i had moisture in both headlights and rear cab brake light didnt notice any in the taillights

  • 1 month later...
Sarge13 New Member

Sarge13

Posted
Posted

I have a 2016 GMC Canyon and have condensation in the headlights and tail lights, I've spoke to the dealer twice about this and they brush me off saying that there is nothing they can do, it's normal. So I called GMC and spoke with someone, they informed me that they will be looking into this farther for me and contact me back within 48 hrs. Circle gmc in highland Indiana keeps brushing me off. I've bought 6 of my last 8 vehicles from them, but no more

WLC Enthusiast

WLC

Posted
Posted

I have a 2016 GMC Canyon and have condensation in the headlights and tail lights, I've spoke to the dealer twice about this and they brush me off saying that there is nothing they can do, it's normal. So I called GMC and spoke with someone, they informed me that they will be looking into this farther for me and contact me back within 48 hrs. Circle gmc in highland Indiana keeps brushing me off. I've bought 6 of my last 8 vehicles from them, but no more

Loyality means nothing to GM and the dealers. They rehearse the reasons our trucks don't work right. Blowed me off on my radio reception issues .Nothing they can do. Working as designed.SAD
  • 1 month later...
roheboy18 Enthusiast

roheboy18

Posted
Posted

Anyone have any news yet or ideas to fix the issue? It seems like every storm or good wash that the truck goes through, the condensation gets worse and leaves watermarks on the inside high beam lense... very irritating.

  • 2 weeks later...
Sir Dan Enthusiast

Sir Dan

Posted
Posted

Noticed moisture inside my driver's side headlight recently after a wash job. Just a garden hose, no high pressure wash. I knew about the issue with the earlier K2's but i guess it's still a problem. Not impressed at all with GM again. Brand new truck with mounting issues...seems like a repeat of my last one.

  • 2 weeks later...
bsprtsgrp Enthusiast

bsprtsgrp

Posted
Posted

My truck is a 15' but I purchased it new 7 weeks ago. Have 1400 miles on it now but my passenger side has condensation in it. These headlights are vented, it's in a TSB from GMC

  • 2 months later...
DIDZ Enthusiast

DIDZ

Posted
Posted

I had this issue when I first got my 2016 All Terrain. I had contamination in the drivers side headlight lens and a deep scratch in the passenger side headlight lens. I used to work at the dealer, last day was yesterday, and they changed them for me on warranty. The all terrain lights are expensive though! I checked my cars history the other day and pulled the warranty card of the system, the headlight cost to our dealer was $1657 per light! The total value of the warranty claim including labour was $4,000!!

 

 

  • 3 weeks later...
dbrohrer New Member

dbrohrer

Posted
Posted (edited)

I had condensation in both headlights of my 2014 GMC Sierra. Would really show during rainstorms or car washes.

 

I put a dry silica pack in each headlight, under my HID bulbs.This cleared my headlights right up. They have been clear for about 8k miles. I did recharge them once (take the silica packs out and put them in the oven at 280 for a couple hours).

 

These are the biggest packs that I could fit through the access hole. The fit is tight, but they will slide in and sit just below the bulb. Put a little 3M tape on the bottom to make them stay put in the headlight housing.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006L882NM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

(You need to purchase 2 of the above or something similar)

 

Hope this works for you guys.

Edited by dbrohrer
  • 2 weeks later...
SouthPawCO Enthusiast

SouthPawCO

Posted
Posted

Well like others, I had condensation the first week I bought my truck in 12/15. The condensation would come and go randomly but for the most part, would be very limited. After I installed my HID kit, it was building up quite a bit. I am planning on trying to get my lights warrantied through the dealer we use at my work but I am hoping I don't have to return everything to stock before taking it in. The service advisor noted that there is a bulletin out about this issue and that she would show the pictures to the service manager to see what they can do about it. Ideally, I would like to be able to take my headlights in and just do it myself so I can do my FXR kit while it is out. We will see what she comes up with and tells me tomorrow.

  • 2 weeks later...
6spdg37s Enthusiast

6spdg37s

Posted
Posted

i have the same problem... only driver side headlight. I am afraid that they will give me a hard time because I have HIDS but this is pissing me off...

  • 1 month later...
roheboy18 Enthusiast

roheboy18

Posted
Posted

I had condensation in both headlights of my 2014 GMC Sierra. Would really show during rainstorms or car washes.

 

I put a dry silica pack in each headlight, under my HID bulbs.This cleared my headlights right up. They have been clear for about 8k miles. I did recharge them once (take the silica packs out and put them in the oven at 280 for a couple hours).

 

These are the biggest packs that I could fit through the access hole. The fit is tight, but they will slide in and sit just below the bulb. Put a little 3M tape on the bottom to make them stay put in the headlight housing.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006L882NM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

(You need to purchase 2 of the above or something similar)

 

Hope this works for you guys.

How has this been going for you? working well? Let me know because I am all out of ideas as well and willing to try this.

 

thanks

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