Condensation in tail lights...

[svx_commuter]

A little condensation is not a big deal as this will come and go with the weather. A tail light half filled with water is something to correct. RTV and the old gasket even if it is cut will work fine. Even the new gaskets will dry out again at some point.

[Paisan]

I also have this problem. I've heard and will try this week to do what some others do. You take a little pack of silica that comes in electronics and vitamin packs and attach it to some dental floss or fishing line, then drop it in the back of the light fixture and tie it off so that you can pull it out if need be. This will absorb the excess moisture and keep them condensation free. I also heard that a few grains of rice works well too.

-mike

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by SVXsomeday
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.

The only problem I've heard with the "drilled hole" method is, to make sure you keep the holes clean. The holes will fill up with road dirt, so, clean them occasionally to assure they are doing their jobs.

NO! DO NOT DRILL HOLES! The mirror like chrome finish on the inside of hte lenses will CORRODE and leave you with a dark, dull light. DO NOT DRILL HOLES. TRUST ME. I'll take pics of some 'drilled' lenses I have on the neon, to show you how FABULOUS that works. >:\

- Ca$h

[SHISVX]

Originally posted by $VX
NO! DO NOT DRILL HOLES! The mirror like chrome finish on the inside of hte lenses will CORRODE and leave you with a dark, dull light. DO NOT DRILL HOLES. TRUST ME. I'll take pics of some 'drilled' lenses I have on the neon, to show you how FABULOUS that works. >:\

- Ca$h

and just like little bob here, i can show you pics of what little holes can do to help with moisture...

you make your choice of how you want to do this, i was just offering and idea that worked for me. i didn't mean to start a little "I AM RIGHT AGAIN" thread. and when drilling holes into head lights, it usually works out better than backs because the heat from the engine helps the moisture to evaporate...

good luck and i hope the choice that you make to fix your problem works out. let us know!

Kelli

I'm not saying you're wrong or I'm right. I'm saying that IF you drill holes, YES the condensation will leave, but so will your reflective coating! I'll upload pics later tonight so you can see what I'm talking about.

- Ca$h

[ensteele]

Originally posted by Paisan
I also heard that a few grains of rice works well too.
-mike

Is this what you do to "RICE" your car?

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by $VX
I'm not saying you're wrong or I'm right. I'm saying that IF you drill holes, YES the condensation will leave, but so will your reflective coating! I'll upload pics later tonight so you can see what I'm talking about.

- Ca$h

Did you ever stop to think that they MAY not have used the same material for the "reflective coating" in the SVX that they used in the Neon? That, perhaps, just perhaps, it is of a superior quality and will not do the same thing as with the other car? That, in the three years we've heard of this "fix" that no one has complained of losing their "reflective material." Don't say what "WILL" happen until you have an apples to apples comparison. It's fine to say, "look what happened to my (insert car name here), it might happen to yours if you do this."

Now, if anyone out there has done the holes and lost any reflective material, please speak up. Otherwise, consider this a viable (again, not my choice of options) option for dealing with condensation.

It doesn't happen for years! It doesn't matter WHAT kind/brand/marque/model of car it is, the reflective coating is all produced the EXACT same way. The naked plastic parts are shoved into a chamber, all the air is removed (Vacuum) and the chromium piece is basically 'exploded' onto the naked plastic parts, covering them with an EXTREMELY thin and EXTREMELY even coat of chromium stuff. NOW AREDUBJAY, since you accuse me of being a moron on this subject I ask you to go look at any 80s Chrysler Minivan. These vehicles had a faulty gasket around the headlight BULB. Since this rubber 'gasket' dried out it allowed moisture to get in the headlights. Know what happens then? Lets see...thin metallic coating + moisture= corroded ****ty ugly looking lights.

- Ca$h

[Aredubjay]

Originally posted by $VX
NOW AREDUBJAY, since you accuse me of being a moron on this subject I ask you to go look at any 80s Chrysler Minivan. These vehicles had a faulty gasket around the headlight BULB. Since this rubber 'gasket' dried out it allowed moisture to get in the headlights. Know what happens then? Lets see...thin metallic coating + moisture= corroded ****ty ugly looking lights.

- Ca$h

First of all, If I were going to call you a moron (which I didn't -- that seems to be one of your favorite terminologies), I would call you a moron across the board. Not just on this particular subject. But, since I didn't and I haven't -- I may save it for a later post.

All I'm saying is, that if it has been tried and proven without ill effects, you cannot defiinitively discount it - which is what you seem to do in ALL cases. I'm saying that it's okay to tell us your experience with whatever car you have and to use it as an example, but not to use it as a definitive for all applications. It's like saying, "The paint is peeling off my Caravan, so the paint is going to start peeling on every car."

Not to mention, the holes that were drilled in my '95 Caravan are taking care of the condensation in the right front headlight just fine, without ill effect on the reflective material. And, if it takes "years" then, i'll be ready for a new ASSY in "Years" anyway, so, no loss.

[Seraph]

Originally posted by $VX
I'm not saying you're wrong or I'm right. I'm saying that IF you drill holes, YES the condensation will leave, but so will your reflective coating! I'll upload pics later tonight so you can see what I'm talking about.

- Ca$h

Rob,

Let me be the first to say you DON"T know what you are talking about. I have taken apart the lights of the SVX every other week. I assume that at this point, I KNOW what I am talking about. How is drilling holes going to kill your reflective coating? The clear coat is done on the outside. There are 3 layers of stuff between the back shell and the front shell. If you don't believe me, take the damn thing apart. I have. SVX is not like a neon here bud. This is a whole new creature. The so called reflective edge is done on a clear plastic layer between the difusser and the red lense. So drill all you want that will not kill your reflective layer. PERIOD.

Thank you very much for listening.

Lwin

ps. there are no other reflective coating on any of my SVXes. I have opened the lights of EVERY SVX I've owned. Let's compare notes. How many SVXes have you done so far?

[mohrds]

Having opened up many SVX lights, I can assure you that there is no reflective material on the taillight housing. There is grey paint on the brake light housing, but that is only to even out the light, not focus it.

Subaru used concentric prism inserts to focus the light and a cross-hatch material to blur the focus resulting in a very effective taillight unit.

In fact, here's the proof. By the way, these housings had holes drilled in them in 1994 and were in service until this past June without any degradation.

Also, Chrysler does not use Polycarbonate on their headlights, neither does Ford. They use a modified strain of Acrylic. You can't fix the Acrylic yellowing, it travels through all the veins of the material. Polycarbonate only tarnishes on the surface of the material.

The painted housing


Doug

[mohrds]

The prisim inserts

[mohrds]

The waffle panel

[Seraph]

Thanks doug, I was just going to post them.

Lwin