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      01-10-2014, 11:26 AM   #23
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I don't have any condensation in my rears... probably cos my car has been spending its life in a nice dry service bay while the rest of you lot get rained on!
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      01-15-2014, 09:33 AM   #24
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Spoke to the Stealers this lunchtime about the condensation in my rear lights. And guess what, they're going to need my car all day Great! They say they have to do a leak test followed by leaving the car running for 15 minutes to see if the heat from the lights dries the lens, blah, blah, blah.

So my car's been booked in on the 28th.
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      02-05-2014, 08:13 AM   #25
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I had condensation recently appear in the nearside headlight and both tail lights side indicator area. The dealer changed all three units under warranty and i collected the same day (yesterday).

There was no explanation as to why it happened though, which is worrying.
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      02-05-2014, 11:52 AM   #26
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I noticed the front lights on the 4 series both had condensation on them, I cant even remember what my car looks like as the dealer still has it
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      02-05-2014, 02:32 PM   #27
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The problem with the lights is that the water gets in through the bulb seal at the back. It must be faulty or something! One light cluster had to be replaced as this seal was completely shot and the other one it passed the 15 minute run test so they just replace the seal.
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      03-17-2014, 01:41 PM   #28
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I picked up my nearly new f30 a few weeks ago and my neighbour spotted condensation in my left tail light.

Pics:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b1c0l38jad...310_131328.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s8dk19o7rn...310_131333.jpg

BMW replaced the unit under the 3 yr warranty.

-akburg
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      03-17-2014, 01:45 PM   #29
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Speak to the dealers, mine were replaced.

I had to take it in for a booked appointment, but then there were no questions asked. They just replaced both of them.
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      03-17-2014, 04:10 PM   #30
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My car is going back next week, I couldn't face going back to garage so just left it a few months. This will be my 3rd set of new rear lights, 4th if you include the originals! My car was a February 12 reg so I think my replacement lights were all from the same faulty batch. Need to get my rusty seat bases looked at as well!
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      03-18-2014, 07:23 AM   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by akburg View Post
I picked up my nearly new f30 a few weeks ago and my neighbour spotted condensation in my left tail light.

Pics:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b1c0l38jad...310_131328.jpg

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s8dk19o7rn...310_131333.jpg

BMW replaced the unit under the 3 yr warranty.

-akburg
Same as mine every time I wash it (which is a lot :-)). I need to get it into the dealer. Just a pain being without it.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nhiizavhl7...2014.56.28.jpg
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      11-24-2014, 04:20 PM   #32
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Just finished work tonight and noticed I have condensation in my rear lights again!!! This is the 5th time! Need to get on to BMW to see how to resolve it, my warranty expires early 15 so need to get it sorted once and for all or get rid of the car before it expires, it's a disgrace really.
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      01-21-2016, 05:23 PM   #33
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I've got the rear lights replaced already 5 times at dealers under warranty. Same like J2G!! It is just terrible! Last swap was middle of November last year. We are now 3 months further and today I've noticed condensation in both rear lights. NOT AGAIN! Will be calling dealer tomorrow.
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      01-21-2016, 06:09 PM   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pemzija View Post
I've got the rear lights replaced already 5 times at dealers under warranty. Same like J2G!! It is just terrible! Last swap was middle of November last year. We are now 3 months further and today I've noticed condensation in both rear lights. NOT AGAIN! Will be calling dealer tomorrow.
Excellent reply to a thread that was last contributed to in November 2014!!
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      01-21-2016, 07:12 PM   #35
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Holy thread revival!

But yes this is a massively common fault, I've already had both rear lights replaced last winter for this, and these ones are now dripping wet inside!

I hope the LCI taillights are improved!
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      01-22-2016, 08:09 AM   #36
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The Z4 E89 model also suffers from this same problem... missus had hers both changed, although they only wanted to do 1 of them & 'see how the other goes' tight wads. Not that it helps you but just thought I would mention it

Seem to be OK now.
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      01-22-2016, 09:23 AM   #37
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I had mine swapped under warranty - noticed it after a jet wash - no drama, took em 15 mins after service.
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      06-10-2016, 02:45 PM   #38
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Condenation Lights - My DIY Fix

I thought I would open this thread again

After having my rear lights replaced 5 times, I took my car back in again for the sixth time to find out my lights were not covered under the extended warranty (that I got for free as the car has been a shocker)

Anyway I decided to live with the condensation in the lights until they got really bad and I decided to take matters into my own hands. I took the light units off the car and removed the plastic bulb holder and immediately found the problem..bad materials and design.

The bulb holder has a channel scalloped that runs round the plastic unit and it varies in depth as you follow it round. In this channel sits a sponge like seal that is porous and mine was saturated. Where the channel is at its shallowest, water seeps in the back of the holder (probably from water that drains down the boot lid and behind the light unit).

I took a hair dryer put it on cold mode and blasted air around the light units for 15 mins each side to remove the condensation. I then took the sponge seal dried it and bound it tightly in PTF tape...see the attached picture. It was slightly tricky and I needed a second pair of hands to hold the seal while I bound it tightly in PTF, overlapping to make sure there was no exposed areas of the sponge seal.

Hey presto eight months later and still no condensation!!!!

I don't normally work on cars but I fixed in an hour what BMW couldn't in six visits to the garage. A ridiculous design and must be why they changed the rear light design!
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      06-10-2016, 02:54 PM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J2G! View Post
I thought I would open this thread again

After having my rear lights replaced 5 times, I took my car back in again for the sixth time to find out my lights were not covered under the extended warranty (that I got for free as the car has been a shocker)

Anyway I decided to live with the condensation in the lights until they got really bad and I decided to take matters into my own hands. I took the light units off the car and removed the plastic bulb holder and immediately found the problem..bad materials and design.

The bulb holder has a channel scalloped that runs round the plastic unit and it varies in depth as you follow it round. In this channel sits a sponge like seal that is porous and mine was saturated. Where the channel is at its shallowest, water seeps in the back of the holder (probably from water that drains down the boot lid and behind the light unit).

I took a hair dryer put it on cold mode and blasted air around the light units for 15 mins each side to remove the condensation. I then took the sponge seal dried it and bound it tightly in PTF tape...see the attached picture. It was slightly tricky and I needed a second pair of hands to hold the seal while I bound it tightly in PTF, overlapping to make sure there was no exposed areas of the sponge seal.

Hey presto eight months later and still no condensation!!!!

I don't normally work on cars but I fixed in an hour what BMW couldn't in six visits to the garage. A ridiculous design and must be why they changed the rear light design!
Good work, I love a BIY fix!

Hopefully my LCI rear lights will be better, I also had both replaced on my last F30!
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      06-10-2016, 03:11 PM   #40
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I had condensation in all my light clusters. I took a hairdryer and dried them out from the inside and out. Re-sealed the units while the air inside was still hot. Problem solved.

I think part of the issue is simply that the units are not sealed in a dry atmosphere. Remember this if you need to change a bulb. Blast some hot air in the unit before you seal it up.
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      06-10-2016, 03:12 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nobby Clark View Post
I had condensation in all my light clusters. I took a hairdryer and dried them out from the inside and out. Re-sealed the units while the air inside was still hot. Problem solved.

I think part of the issue is simply that the units are not sealed in a dry atmosphere. Remember this if you need to change a bulb. Blast some hot air in the unit before you seal it up.
The problem is they're not sealed at all!
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      06-10-2016, 04:03 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by teaston View Post
The problem is they're not sealed at all!
Rears are, fronts not. Anyway, as said, I fixed the problem as above.
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      06-10-2016, 04:05 PM   #43
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nobby Clark
Quote:
Originally Posted by teaston View Post
The problem is they're not sealed at all!
Rears are, fronts not. Anyway, as said, I fixed the problem as above.
Pretty sure mine weren't sealed at all, or even attempted to be!
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      06-10-2016, 04:08 PM   #44
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Good bit of diy!
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