Condensation in tail lights...

[YellowBird]

I'm not sure if this had been covered previously, but I have the problem and would like to know how to fix it.

If disassembly is required, please provide correct how to's.


Much thanks......

[Seraph]

I've taken it apart and dried it and put it together with a new gasket. Try that.

As for taking it apart, that's a little tricky. I'll have to do another photo howto.

lwin

[svxjoe]

Well, from my expereince with these tail lights the condensation is unavoidable. I bought a set of tailights to replace the ones that had condensation in them...thinking that some seal had worn out or something in the lens. But....after putting the new ones in (ordered through Subaru) and after the first rain the condensation appeared in the new ones. I went back to the dealership to tell them that the lenses were defective, but before I went to complain....I saw even the new 2002 Legacy's (all of them on the lot) had condensation in the brake lense. The condensation has something to do with the rainy weather (or a dewy night) and the humidity, which causes it not to dry up. But a week of nice cool dry air and weather should clear up condensation in the tail lights.

-SVXJoe

[Seraph]

Originally posted by svxjoe
Well, from my expereince with these tail lights the condensation is unavoidable.

Joe,

If you are trying to dry the there is no way you can dry them. Like many things I've done, you need to have some guts to do some work to get rid of the moisture. You HAVE TO OPEN the lights apart. You will need 2 pairs of hands for the center combination light cluster. The reason why you have to open the lights apart is because there are 3 layers of stuff before you hit the outer light shell. There is the black part you see from the back (a), then the inner (white diffusing) shell(b), then a clear plastic layer (look closely at the coners -- notice that black dots. they are on that plastic transpant shell)(c) then the outer shell (d). The water is usually in between "c" and "d". You need to get rid of it before you put a new gaskard in otherwise you will run into the same problem.

a) =========||== =====
/O\
b) xxxxxxx|xxxx|xxxxxx
c) -------------------
d) ===================


Lwin

[SHISVX]

drill tiniweenie holes in the bottom, i did, you can't see them, they work great and they are cheap to do!!!

Kelli

[ensteele]

I put mine in a box with a hair dryer for 30 to 60 min. and this dried them. Then I put new gaskets on (leaving the old ones on so it would be thinker)and I have not had any problems after that. Many like Kelli have drilled holes in them, and that has been a good fix too. Good luck.

kelli
did you drill the itty bitty teeny weenie holes in the front/bottom of the lens thru the clear part
or thru the bottom/bottom part??
Squiggy

[SHISVX]

the red lights in the back...underneath...on the bottom....inferior to the top and on both parietal cuts....um wait been studying the human body to long....lol, on both sides and one in the middle. i had to get the angle which was the hard part...you can't even see the, i fwas so proud of myself!!

Kelli

[Aredubjay]

I simply replaced all the gaskets in all my rear lights and panels. Condensation has not reappeared. I am having the same problem with the "new" SVX. I'm going to try swapping the gaskets to see if that helps. Sometimes, when people replace their gaskets, they overtighten the lens assy, which does a "cookie cutter" job on the new gaskets, rendering them ineffective. If you replace the gaskets, don't overtighten.

1. Wait for a few days after the last rain so that the taillights dry themselves, or remove them and dry them according to the previous recommendations.
2. Once the tailights are removed, wash off the gaskets.
3. Apply gasket sealant on BOTH sides of each gasket. You do not have to apply sealer to the bottom of the gaskets, I did that on purpose so incase it did fill up with water at least it had an escape.
4. Reinstall

If you use gasket sealer, you don't really need new gaskets. My gaskets were in bad shape, had the "cookie cutter" effect and also some tears around where the bolts go through.

Alright, I have a bunch to write about this. My old car (neon) did this, so what I did to fix it was to remove the taillights, take off the gaskets, coat them with black silicone sealant, then reinstall. Worked awesome. WELL, I was producing a how-to for the how-to section, and I took out my tails, dried them with a hair dryer, and cleaned the gaskets with windex. After doing this, I was running out of daylight so I only had time to silicone ONE taillight. Since it was dusk already, I took the 'windexed' gasket (WITHOUT ANY SILICONE) and reinstalled it, and installed the otherside with the silicone. So I "THOUGHT" I had one 'fixed' taillight and one leaky taillight. I was right. BUT COMPLETELY MIXED UP.... the taillight with the clear silicone is now filled with condensation, and hte gasket that I just cleaned with windex seems to be working awesome!

Why? I have NO idea.

HOWEVER, I am going to DISAGREE 100% with Kelli's advice about 'drilling little holes'. This will hurt you more than it will help you; let me explain. By drilling the holes, yes, you allow condensation to get out, but you do NOT prevent moisture from getting in. IF anyone has ever seen the inside of one of these lenses, they're plastic coated with an EXTREMELY thin shiny surface. If these keep getting moist, they'll corrode. Corroded shiny surface= dull ugly looking lights. If you look at 80s minivans you'll see what I mean, especially in their headlights. SO DO NOT DRILL HOLES.

- Ca$h

[ensteele]

One other trick someone mentioned on an earlier thread about this is to swap left to right and right to left. This way they it will give you additonal thickness on the gasket. It might help.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by $VX
HOWEVER, I am going to DISAGREE 100% with Kelli's advice about 'drilling little holes'.

I wouldn't disagree 100%. Though it is not the route I would take, nor, necessarily recommend, there have been many members over the past few years who have tried this method and proven that it works. The preferred method of creating the small holes, as I recall, was by heating a needle. Again, not my route, but, proven to work by many members.

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by ensteele93
I put mine in a box with a hair dryer for 30 to 60 min. and this dried them. Then I put new gaskets on (leaving the old ones on so it would be thinker)and I have not had any problems after that. Many like Kelli have drilled holes in them, and that has been a good fix too. Good luck.

Earthworm had a great way of removing condensation from the brake light assys. A vacuum cleaner at one bulb hole, and a hair dryer in the other. Helps to pull the warm air through the fixture and effectively clear the condensation very quickly.

[YellowBird]

My husband has decided to just remove the lights and try new gaskets, if they are real bad, and add silicone at this time.

The idea of putting small holes in the lenses makes sense and if the above does not fix the problem, we can try that ... I guess.


Thanks alot guys and gals.