Any permanent fix for headlight condensation?

truupR

Advanced Member
Messages
299
Been digging through the archives of threads trying to find a permanent fix for headlight condensation. It's starting to depress me that the passenger-side headlight is usually around 80% fogged (when the lights have been off its really bad, like water droplets are formed over almost all the inside) and looks absolutely appalling. If i can't find a fix for this I think I may start loosing sleep :( lol

So people say pop the headlight in the oven (never thought I'd see an image of someone baking their dc5 headlight with instructions of gas mark 6) but they always add 'it eventually comes back' where as there's a few posts saying they've permanently fixed it by re-sealing it but never say how they did it or what product(s) they used.

can't justify spending £350 on new headlights when 100% of people say it comes back within a week of fitting spanking new headlights!

any clues :<
 

Altecians

Advanced Member
Messages
458
Try sticking some rice in a coffee filter or some cotton and sticking that where the light socket would go in.
Ideally taking the headlight off and having it in a dry place to do this would be preferable.

Edit: Obviously tie it up well as you dont want loose rice falling about in there.
 

Coldfuse

Milano!!! :-3
Messages
2,983
I think the solution to this is pretty simple, take the head light out.... (you could buy a new one as the inside of your head light will be marked, i think they are £160 quid) and dry it off in a warm place for a few hours/days. and also if possible get a new seal for the back of the light where the bulbs enter the unit. As far as i'm aware thats the only place an undamaged unit will let water in if the seal has perished over time.
 

truupR

Advanced Member
Messages
299
Coldfuse said:
I think the solution to this is pretty simple, take the head light out.... (you could buy a new one as the inside of your head light will be marked, i think they are £160 quid) and dry it off in a warm place for a few hours/days. and also if possible get a new seal for the back of the light where the bulbs enter the unit. As far as i'm aware thats the only place an undamaged unit will let water in if the seal has perished over time.
any clues where I can get a new seal? Can see a few that were sold on the US forums for the RSX in the past but finding nothing on google/ebay etc.
 

wj51fut

Advanced Member
Messages
3,817
I think these lights are made to have air holes because of the high temperatures from the HID lamps. It's inevitable, hot lamp and a cold plastic cover or vice versa from the sun. I really don't think there is a cure but you could try Silica gel packs that you get from shoe boxes. Tie them to the light bulb cap. Might work.
 

truupR

Advanced Member
Messages
299
Gok (aka Chinese Adam) said:
I think these lights are made to have air holes because of the high temperatures from the HID lamps. It's inevitable, hot lamp and a cold plastic cover or vice versa from the sun. I really don't think there is a cure but you could try Silica gel packs that you get from shoe boxes. Tie them to the light bulb cap. Might work.
Yeah I understand that Honda have allowed like a 10% moisture in/out of the headlight but the passengerside light is REALLY bad. Heres some pics I took after the constant rain we've had over the last few days:



close up of what it looks like before the headlights are turned on



as you can see the majority of the headlight is very badly covered with a pretty thick layer of condensation. The drivers side headlight only gets the usual tiny amount of condensation build up which normally disappears within 10/20 mins of the headlight being on... Gona have to drop the bumper off when I get chance and try to dry the headlight out, just need this rain to stop -_-
 

Erm

Advanced Member
Messages
1,369
That ain't right! I'd take the bumper off and get the headlights out and check them properly. Do you have OEM HID's or is it an aftermarket ballast kit on? If its aftermarket you will need to check they've covered the hole where the OEM ballast normally sits/covers.

Mine have never looked like that in 10 years of being on the car. Something definitely wrong with it.
 

truupR

Advanced Member
Messages
299
I believe its all standard - could be wrong though. Aint had the car long and have never had the bumper off! I'll get the light off and dry it out in the airing cupboard/radiator for a day or 2 and get it resealed. Think the bulb or ballast pack is on the way out anyway as I'm getting flickering from the lights when cornering sometimes :<
 

Fallout460

Member
Messages
14
Ok this how to fix permanently... In the engine Bay there are Two large circular access to replace the headlight bulbs, on your high beam access there is a plastic screw cover remove that and remove the rubber booth from in there... DO NOT replace the booth and plastic cover.... I know this sounds crazy but it works condensation will dry out and never return... Hope this helps....
 

wj51fut

Advanced Member
Messages
3,817
Yes but you run the risk of letting water into the light and with such a high output with the HID you don't want to be doing that. I have also done this over the summer and it does seem to work but it's not a 100% fix.
 

MissMyDC2

Advanced Member
Messages
703
Quick bump for an old thread.

Suffering with the same problem my self. I rekon I could throw a goldfish in there and it would survive!
Just one light mind. Not even had a good look yet as I like to do a little research first, so any new ideas or remedies folks?
 

2ndy

Advanced Member
Messages
1,015
Mine steam up a good bit and even though the headlights are brand new it makes them look horrible.. Over summer it doesn't really happen thankfully but would love to know a permanent fix too
 

Rob R

Advanced Member
Messages
1,180
Honda have an official fix for this. Big packs of silica gel, got some in a box under my bed
 

Fahadl786

Advanced Member
Messages
460
Feed a straw through the main beam bulb slot and hold it to a vacum and allow it to suck for 5-10mins. But it will probably happen again if headlights not sealed properly
 

k20-outlaw

Advanced Member
Messages
152
might be a good idea to split the headlights in an oven, and coat the inside of the lense with a moisture repellent sealant.
 

Rom

Advanced Member
Messages
1,742
Rob R said:
Honda have an official fix for this. Big packs of silica gel, got some in a box under my bed
You a tech for them Rob ?

Could you get hold of the bulletin for that so i can have a read ?
 

MissMyDC2

Advanced Member
Messages
703
So taking all the above advice I peeled back the rubber protector caps and ran for a few days with them loose.
Condensation completely cleared up. Don't intend to leave it like this but it worked a treat. Bearing in mind mine were really bad with droplets of water forming from near half way up each lens.

Looks far better now happy man.
 

Zani

Advanced Member
Messages
497
I bought a pair of brand new head lights a couple years ago... they still got condensation.

As long as it doesn't build up to the point of large water droplets then it will clear by itself.
 

ben04

Active Member
Messages
59
i bought some of those small sillicone bags you get when you buy new shoes, threaded a strand of cotton through about 8 of them and put them in the back of the headligh housing, tied the cotton on the ouside for easy removal, worked a charm.I
 

Rob R

Advanced Member
Messages
1,180
Rom said:
You a tech for them Rob ?

Could you get hold of the bulletin for that so i can have a read ?
I can post a picture of the box...if I can find it.
 
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