{"id":507679,"date":"2021-07-23T13:17:23","date_gmt":"2021-07-23T19:17:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/?p=507679"},"modified":"2022-06-15T09:11:11","modified_gmt":"2022-06-15T15:11:11","slug":"moisture-in-headlights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Get Moisture Out of Headlights"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Maybe you just got back from your state&#8217;s motor vehicle inspection and need to figure out how to get the moisture out of your headlight assembly to pass your inspection. Or perhaps you noticed you can\u2019t see as well at night as you need to.<\/p>\n<p>Either way, excessive moisture in the headlight assembly is a big deal. Determining how the moisture is getting there plays a significant role in what you need to do to get it out, which is why we dove into every potential cause and solution here.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t worry, you\u2019ll get your headlights dried out and your vehicle back on the road in no time!<\/p>\n<p><em>See Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/types-of-headlights\/\">11 Types of Headlights<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_39 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" area-label=\"ez-toc-toggle-icon-1\"><label for=\"item-639b052edb9be\" aria-label=\"Table of Content\"><span style=\"display: flex;align-items: center;width: 35px;height: 30px;justify-content: center;direction:ltr;\"><svg style=\"fill: #23627c;color:#23627c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #23627c;color:#23627c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"item-639b052edb9be\"><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-visibility-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#What-Causes-Moisture-to-Get-in-a-Headlight\" title=\"What Causes Moisture to Get in a Headlight?\">What Causes Moisture to Get in a Headlight?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#1-Headlight-Vent\" title=\"#1 \u2013 Headlight Vent\">#1 \u2013 Headlight Vent<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#2-Headlight-Seal\" title=\"#2 \u2013 Headlight Seal\">#2 \u2013 Headlight Seal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#3-Damage-to-Headlight\" title=\"#3 \u2013 Damage to Headlight\">#3 \u2013 Damage to Headlight<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#Is-Condensation-in-the-Headlight-Assembly-Bad\" title=\"Is Condensation in the Headlight Assembly Bad?\">Is Condensation in the Headlight Assembly Bad?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#How-to-Get-Condensation-Out-of-Headlights\" title=\"How to Get Condensation Out of Headlights\">How to Get Condensation Out of Headlights<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#Cracked-Headlight-Assembly\" title=\"Cracked Headlight Assembly\">Cracked Headlight Assembly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#Bad-Seal\" title=\"Bad Seal\">Bad Seal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#Blocked-Moisture-Vent\" title=\"Blocked Moisture Vent\">Blocked Moisture Vent<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/#What-If-Water-Continues-to-Get-in-the-Headlight\" title=\"What If Water Continues to Get in the Headlight?\">What If Water Continues to Get in the Headlight?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-Causes-Moisture-to-Get-in-a-Headlight\"><\/span>What Causes Moisture to Get in a Headlight?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_507684\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-507684\" style=\"width: 710px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-507684\" src=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/headlight-vent-clogged.jpg\" alt=\"clogged headlight vent\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/headlight-vent-clogged.jpg 720w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/headlight-vent-clogged-200x112.jpg 200w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/headlight-vent-clogged-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/headlight-vent-clogged-213x120.jpg 213w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-507684\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">headlight vent hole<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There are three significant causes of moisture inside of your headlight. Any of these can also apply to other exterior lights such as fog lights, tail lights, and side markers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1-Headlight-Vent\"><\/span>#1 \u2013 Headlight Vent<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The second potential cause is a blocked moisture vent. This is the best-case scenario because you won\u2019t need to break the seal and repair the headlight if you do everything right.<\/p>\n<p>A blocked moisture vent causes your headlight to fill with water because as the halogen bulb heats up and cools down, it creates condensation \u2013 and without anywhere for that condensation to go, you get moisture in the headlight.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2-Headlight-Seal\"><\/span>#2 \u2013 Headlight Seal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The first is a faulty headlight seal. If this is the case, you\u2019ll need to either repair the seal or replace the headlight.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3-Damage-to-Headlight\"><\/span>#3 \u2013 Damage to Headlight<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Finally, you could have a cracked or damaged headlight assembly. If this is the case, you\u2019ll either need to get creative with repairs or, more likely, you\u2019ll need to replace the headlight assembly.<\/p>\n<p><em>Read Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/hid-vs-led-vs-laser-headlights\/\">HID vs LED vs Laser Headlight Comparison<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is-Condensation-in-the-Headlight-Assembly-Bad\"><\/span>Is Condensation in the Headlight Assembly Bad?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-507686\" src=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/water-in-headlight.jpg\" alt=\"water in headlight\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/water-in-headlight.jpg 720w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/water-in-headlight-200x112.jpg 200w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/water-in-headlight-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/water-in-headlight-213x120.jpg 213w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It definitely can be. There are several reasons condensation in your headlight assembly is bad. For starters, it\u2019s water around electrical components, which is always bad. You can short out the system, corrode wires, and create many problems that will require additional repairs.<\/p>\n<p>Not only that, but condensation in the headlight leads to foggy headlights. When you turn on the headlights, tons of light will get obstructed by the condensation, which means you won\u2019t get as much visibility. It\u2019s not hard to see why this is a big deal.<\/p>\n<p><em>See Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/mold-in-car\/\">How to Remove Mold From Your Car Interior<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How-to-Get-Condensation-Out-of-Headlights\"><\/span>How to Get Condensation Out of Headlights<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_507685\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-507685\" style=\"width: 710px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-507685\" src=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/how-to-fix-headlight-moisture.jpg\" alt=\"how to fix headlight moisture\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/how-to-fix-headlight-moisture.jpg 720w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/how-to-fix-headlight-moisture-200x112.jpg 200w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/how-to-fix-headlight-moisture-100x56.jpg 100w, https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/how-to-fix-headlight-moisture-213x120.jpg 213w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-507685\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W7p1AC1_jjg\">Credit<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you have condensation in your headlight assembly, you need to get it out. There are a few different ways to do this, and it all depends on how the condensation is getting in and how much condensation is there.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Cracked-Headlight-Assembly\"><\/span>Cracked Headlight Assembly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the worst-case scenario \u2013 a cracked headlight assembly. We\u2019re not talking about a faulty seal or blocked vent here, but a full crack. In this case, you\u2019ll need to replace the entire headlight assembly to prevent future water from getting in.<\/p>\n<p>For short-term fixes, you can try using a hairdryer to dry everything out, but it\u2019s going to be hit or miss if this works well enough. But even if it does, the next time there\u2019s morning dew, rain, or any other condensation, you\u2019ll end up right back where you started.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bad-Seal\"><\/span>Bad Seal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The next problem is a faulty seal. This is a pretty big deal since the seal isn\u2019t a super easy fix most of the time. You need to start by removing the headlight assembly and gently prying the assembly apart at the seal.<\/p>\n<p>Start by drying everything off inside. After that, you\u2019ll need to either get a hot glue gun and run a new bead around the entire assembly, or if you\u2019re lucky, use a seal for the headlight from an <a href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/best-online-auto-parts-stores\/\">auto parts store<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>But most headlights don\u2019t have seals like this, so you\u2019ll likely need to do it yourself. You need to get an airtight seal, so take your time and do it right the first time.<\/p>\n<p><em>Read Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/water-leaks-in-car\/\">How to Dry Out a Car Interior After a Water Leak<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Blocked-Moisture-Vent\"><\/span>Blocked Moisture Vent<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The final potential problem is a blocked vent. This allows the condensation that builds up from the changing temperature caused by the bulb to escape. All kinds of debris can block this vent, so check that it\u2019s clear before removing any seals.<\/p>\n<p>If it is, do your best to get the debris out of the headlight instead of pushing it in. If it does get stuck inside the headlight assembly, you\u2019re right back to needing to break the seal to clean everything out.<\/p>\n<p><em>See Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/tail-lights-dont-work-brake-lights-do\/\">Tail Lights Don&#8217;t Work But Brake Lights Do<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What-If-Water-Continues-to-Get-in-the-Headlight\"><\/span>What If Water Continues to Get in the Headlight?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If water continues to get into your headlight after your repair, chances are you still have a faulty seal or a blocked vent. You can either reattempt repairs or replace the headlight assembly.<\/p>\n<p>While replacing a headlight assembly isn\u2019t always cheap, it\u2019s a better outcome than shorting out the system and starting a fire or losing visibility at night and getting into an accident.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever you do, don\u2019t accept moisture in the headlight assembly. It\u2019s only a matter of time until the minor inconvenience turns into a big problem.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maybe you just got back from your state&#8217;s motor vehicle inspection and need to figure out how to get the moisture out of your headlight assembly to pass your inspection. Or perhaps you noticed you can\u2019t see as well at &#8230; <a title=\"How to Get Moisture Out of Headlights\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/moisture-in-headlights\/\" aria-label=\"More on How to Get Moisture Out of Headlights\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1009,"featured_media":507680,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no"},"categories":[314],"tags":[100406],"modified_by":"Mark Stevens","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/507679"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1009"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=507679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/507679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/507680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=507679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=507679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cartreatments.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=507679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}