Xenon headlight's misting up!

[sanj]

Do any other member's have a build up of moisture inside the headlight's when it rain's?Is this normal on GTI's with xenon's?Headlight's seem to be water tight but am I right in thinking the xenon's have some sort of breather hole somewhere?

[vRS_Pagey]

I have none xenons but the housing is the same and they mist up, seems a common occurence on the MK5.  Some members have suggested putting a couple of the gel silca bags in the headlight which I plan on trying, cheap enough to get off egay! 

[apples12]

shouldnt be misting up!

check that the main beam plastic cover is securely on then check that both rubber covers are in place

just below the main beam cover there SHOULD be a little tiny plastic moulded 4mm nut...if thats in place then thats all good, if it isnt (means its been removed to gain access to replace the adjuster motor) then there'll be a hole there about 10mm in diameter, VW do a 'plug' that you can buy that fits in that hole, ive had to buy one to fit in there as i was curious if that was a real nut or a plastic moulding.lol

otherwise...you've got cracked lights dude....

good luck with finding the leak....

[sanj]

Thank's for the replie's guy's,there was a lot less condensation today and it was on both headlight's(at the bottom and in the same place on both) which lead's me to believe that they may have been left somewhere damp when they were not in use and now fitted may take a few day's to settle down,I hope so!

[Gez G]

My non xenon headlights do this a bit too keep meaning to try the silica gel to see if it is effective.

[Boothy]

My xenons also do it. In the past I've run the lights on permanent l for a long journey and left the cover off of the rear and that seemed to dry them out for a bit button always returns.

[Russ_leeds]

yeah my non xenon lights do this, i tried to get them changed at the dealers under warranty but they said as long as it went it was ok

[sanj]

Look's like it's not just me then!I'm sure the headlight's are'nt completely sealed as my original GTI set had a small dead spider in one of them and my previous Mercedes has a wasp in one!It's been ok today as it's not raining so I blew hot air into them using my daughter's hair dryer and put a little vasaline onto the rubber cover's and onto the headlight adjuster's(small white screw's) just in case,i'll see how they get on as i'm sure mine were getting condensation as they were damp while in storage and when used for the first time the heat off the xenon caused the problem I had,I work for a computer retailer so we get plenty if not hundred's of the silca gel pack's with computer component's and i'll offer any member on here 4 small pack's if you can send me a stamped addressed envelope!PM me if you need me address!  

[alexperkins]

They aren't fully sealed - they have vents so they can breathe as the atmospheric pressure requires this.

Silica gel bags will greatly help the problem. Ive got two big ones in mine and its sorted it. You just have to dry them out every 6 months.