Headlamp condensation

[Chas]

I was driving home last night when there was an extremely heavy downpour. It was so heavy I had to pull in to the side as did other drivers.
When I got back I noticed the headlamps had condensation , about 2 inches all the way along the bottom. This was about 1 hour after I switched the engine off and it had stopped raining. The condensation had gone the next day, it was a dry windy night and the car was outside.
They are MB halogen projectors 1 year old. I didnt have this problem on my old headlamps.
I found lots of stuff about air circulation in the headlamp and vents at the back to allow air in and I found this post below.

Is this normal or just poor build quality?

ALLDATA Online - 1999 Mercedes Benz E 320 Sedan (210.065) V6-3.2L (112.941) - Lighting - Condensation in Headlamps
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1999 Mercedes Benz E 320 Sedan (210.065) V6-3.2L (112.941)
Vehicle Level Technical Service Bulletins All Technical Service Bulletins Lighting - Condensation in Headlamps
Lighting - Condensation in Headlamps
Date: December 30, 2004
Order No.: P-B-82.10/419
Supersedes:
Group: 82
SUBJECT:
Model 170, 171, 203, 208, 209, 210, 211, 215, 220 and 230
Moisture in Headlamp(s)
Note : For Information Only!
If you receive customer reports in the above model vehicles moisture or water inside the headlamp(s), please
offer the following explanations.Surfaces fog up whenever they are cold and come in contact with warmer, humid air. An example of this is
the mirror in the bathroom. It often fogs up after showering because it comes in contact with the warm
humid air from the shower enclosure. The same thing occurs to the headlamps. Moisture or water on or
around the engine evaporates and this vapor condenses on the coldest surface in the surrounding area.
This is frequently the headlamps since they are frequently in contact with cold air or cold rain.
The headlamps have ventilation holes on the back. Without these holes, pressure would be produced when
the headlamps are switched on damaging the headlamps.
A malfunctioning headlamp can be identified as follows. As a prerequisite, the headlamp(s) must be fogged
up when the vehicle is brought into the workshop.
1. Is there a puddle of water inside the headlamp? If yes, the headlamp is malfunctioning and should be
replaced.
2. Does the headlamp show signs of external damage? If yes, the headlamp is malfunctioning and must be
replaced. This is not covered by warranty.
3. If there is only an appearance of moisture on the inside surfaces of the headlamp and there is no external
damage, the headlamp is then okay.
Note :If the owner complains of fogging but the fogging is not present when the car is brought in, then this is
normal and not an indication of any malfunction.
OK
ALLDATA Online - 1999 Mercedes Benz E 320 Sedan (210.065) V6-3.2L (112.941) - Lighting - Condensation in Headlamps
Clearing fogged headlamps and/or fog lamps.
1. Drive the car into the workshop and connect the exhaust extractor. In dry weather, this can also be
performed outside.
2. Start the engine and switch on the low beam + high beam, front fog lamps and hazard warning lamps.
3. Leave the vehicle in this state for 20 minutes.
4. Switch off all lights and the engine.
5. If the headlamps and/or fog lamps are completely clear, the observed fogging or water is normal. If not,
the headlamp or fog lamp is not functioning correctly and should be replaced.
© 2006 ALLDATA LLC. All rights reserved.
Terms of Use
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[Chas]

Any comments ??

 

[portzy]

My SLK does this now and then and its more pronounced at this time of year, certainly more so after she's had a wash.

I tend to get the couple of inches along the bottom just like you as in this picture but the dealer has said its perfectly normal. What I do is leave the engine running with the headlights on for about ten or fifteen minutes and it dissapears completey.

HTH.

Portzy.

 

[television]

What is your car an E or S 211 or 220 or what

 

[GRAV888]

What is your car an E or S 211 or 220 or what

Look at his avatar and the description underneath

 

[television]

Look at his avatar and the description underneath

It looks like a 221 to me but the data he put up was for a E Class

But why have the headlamps been changed on a 221

 

[Diesel Benz]

The avatar talks about a W220 to me, although he tries to hide it to be an SL or something

Heavy rain and wind can always produce some fog into the headlights but there is some kind of an issue with W220, the sealing caps of head lamps and/or turn signals are to be replaced. This is for cars up to 9/99.

 

[pammy]

It would appear to be a 2001 S320

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=14904

 

[television]

If only fogged up, no remedy is possible, if letting water in the seals can be replaced

If I am going to look up things it is hard without knowing the exact car.

The lights on this one changed in Nov 99

On these lights the bulb cap seal can be replaced to stop the problem

 

[MBManInKen]

Note that the OP says that he has changed his lights - they are not the original ones.

On my V220 s-class, I have never observed any condensation whatsoever.

 

[television]

Note that the OP says that he has changed his lights - they are not the original ones.

On my V220 s-class, I have never observed any condensation whatsoever.

This is what made it a bit harder, when he said that his old ones did not, and as said no cure

 

[jaymanek]

all the new projector lamps do this, its completely normal as long as no water is settling inside..

 

[fredfloggle]

Look at his avatar and the description underneath

And apparantly it's neither:-

MERCEDES C220 CDI AVANTCAR

 

[fredfloggle]

all the new projector lamps do this, its completely normal as long as no water is settling inside..

Whilst I doubt it could happen, I also wouldn't accept any condensation on any reflective surfaces - so much for all the waffle about having to have headlamp wash etc with xenon's if there is any contamination of the lens ......

 

[television]

Whilst I doubt it could happen, I also wouldn't accept any condensation on any reflective surfaces - so much for all the waffle about having to have headlamp wash etc with xenon's if there is any contamination of the lens ......

MB have said that they will not replace headlamps that fog up

 

[DansSlk]

Condensation is normal (i think a better way of saying it is acceptable for short periods only) as far as the headlamps go.

As you can see from the TSB (ALLDATA is US based but the same TSB applies here) its just basically allowed to remove itself with a little help from the engine and lamp heat.

 

[fredfloggle]

MB have said that they will not replace headlamps that fog up

So long as it is only temporary , then all well and good - it would want someone to take a new car for an MOT test with fogged up lenses and get a fail for bad beam angle, then MB will be changing them.

 

[BTB 500]

Having changed the headlamp bulbs on all 3 of our vehicles yesterday, the rear covers are clearly intended to make a complete seal. So while a small amount of misting might be acceptable depending on temperature & humidity (and this would 'burn off' with the lights in use), more than that would surely be a fault. The manual for my Vito (which I've got in electronic form, so it's easy to quote from ) pretty much confirms this under "troubleshooting"

Problem: The headlamps are misted up on the inside.
Possible cause: The headlamp housing is not sealed and moisture has been able to enter.
Suggested solution: Have the headlamps checked at a qualified specialist workshop.

 

[Chas]

I just read that small silica gel dessicant satchets placed in each headlamp cover housing (3 covers on each of mine) will rectify the problem. I will give it a go and report back!

 

[Chas]

By portzy

"My SLK does this now and then and its more pronounced at this time of year, certainly more so after she's had a wash.

I tend to get the couple of inches along the bottom just like you as in this picture but the dealer has said its perfectly normal. What I do is leave the engine running with the headlights on for about ten or fifteen minutes and it dissapears completey."


Is there any clouding on the lense when they are dry Dave? I will send you some satchets for your headlamps if they work ( they are only about 1" x1")

cheers

Chas

ps the centre caps look good, thanks