Headlight condensation pictures - is this normal?

[NOLATom]

Originally Posted by nijiue

Iam getting fogging on front lights but, it never goes away and there is water bubbles inside....

Its both sides...should be covered by warranty under condensation right?

Noticed the exact same issue last night on my car and took pics to post on here to see if anyone else was having this issue. When was your produced? Mine is a 2017 and was delivered at the end of October.

[Don Molina]

Have the same thing. Was at the dealer last week, and they told me that this amount is perfectly normal for the current weather.

[Naz24]

Originally Posted by Alvinized52

Not normal unless you had some aftermaket halos done to your lights... and the seal wasnt done correctly.

Interesting that its on both headlights. Usually a defect happens to one.. For two seals to fail....

[cwhands]

I have this issue on my LEDs, although it seems to fit the description of "Permissible Fogging"

[bily]

They will tell you it is normal and it maybe if you park outside it is. The 'heat' from the lamps is supposed dry it out, but most bulbs xenon I believe does not burn hot. I saw it on my 2 previous cars but only when left outside overnight at house. On current car,even when left at airport overnight no condensation. On one vehicle it left water spots which drove crazy and that would be enough for me to fight replacement, but car was totaled by ins company for other reasons.

[vanm3]

So update on status...for anyone who is wondering

I took it to the dealer they had the car for a good 2 days... which was fine because they put me in a fully loaded 340...which is by the way a very fast car...cant compare to an m3 tho...

So about the headligts...With the kind of problem I had they needed to take steps required by bmw which is drying the headlights from outside...if that doesnt work drying from the inside re sealing them and if the fogging and condensation happen again thats when they can replace it.

The dealer was pretty good about this and said they'd be happy to replace the headlights if the condensation happens again.

With that noted, I guess the amount of foggig and condensation I had is definetly a defect and covered by warranty.

The headlights are clean and has no fogging or condenstion and its currently around 2degrees here in vancouver.

Good to keep in mind just in case anyones lights start fogging up!

happy with their service!!

[AustinGelbM4]

Originally Posted by nijiue

So update on status...for anyone who is wondering

I took it to the dealer they had the car for a good 2 days... which was fine because they put me in a fully loaded 340...which is by the way a very fast car...cant compare to an m3 tho...

So about the headligts...With the kind of problem I had they needed to take steps required by bmw which is drying the headlights from outside...if that doesnt work drying from the inside re sealing them and if the fogging and condensation happen again thats when they can replace it.

The dealer was pretty good about this and said they'd be happy to replace the headlights if the condensation happens again.

With that noted, I guess the amount of foggig and condensation I had is definetly a defect and covered by warranty.

The headlights are clean and has no fogging or condenstion and its currently around 2degrees here in vancouver.

Good to keep in mind just in case anyones lights start fogging up!

happy with their service!!

[bb1857]

My M4 had some condensation in the lights when I picked my car up in September. I noted it to them on pickup and they told me to keep an eye on it. It went away a few days later and hasn't come back since so I'm guessing the long trip on the water, plus sitting in Germany for a couple months because of the diff issue was the culprit.

[DBACE]

OP, I briefly had some interior fogging of the light assemblies. It was right after a pressure wash and disappeared quickly. I have yet to see it occur again. As pointed out with the evidence of droplets and from SakhirM4's screen grab of the owner's manual , get it analyzed.

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

Here is what the owner's manual says:

Headlight glass
Condensation can form on the inside of the external
lights in cool or humid weather. When
driving with the light switched on, the condensation
evaporates after a short time. The headlight
glass does not need to be changed.
If the headlights do not dim despite driving
with the light switched on, increasing humidity
forms, e. g. water droplets in the light, have the
service center check this.

When I had first read this before getting my car, I was amused by the use of the word glass. While I am not 100% certain, I do not think there is much if any glass in the headlight module. Certainly the polycarbonate, or similar, is a shatter resistant and strong material. Does anyone know for certain?? Perhaps the heading of this paragraph should be changed to "Headlight Lens".

noun: glass

1. a hard, brittle substance, typically transparent or translucent, made by fusing sand with soda, lime, and sometimes other ingredients and cooling rapidly. It is used to make windows, drinking containers, and other articles.
"a piece of glass"

•a substance similar to glass that has solidified from a molten state without crystallizing.


2. a thing made from, or partly from, glass, in particular.

[ecf34]

I had this same problem last year:


Took it to the dealer and was told this is normal. I live in the South and only noticed this when it's raining very hard.

[gavinsan]

Had 2 M4'S and had a little fogging on the inside of both headlights

Normal and not interfering with light beam so not bothered

[vanm3]

So its been a few days since ive got the car back from the dealer and seems like the condensation is gone.. I would recommend who ever has condensation in their headlights to go and resolve it with the dealer cause its not normal shouldnt have any if its made right...

[tcharged]

I have mild condensation with mine and the dealer said if it goes away, they won't replace. Anyone else have the same feedback?

[M4FOREVER]

It's norma

[M4FOREVER]

It's normal. Had a brand new headlight replaced by BMW. the night I got home the light had condensation. Next morning it was gone. Never came back.

[Nardoom3]

Any update?

[1M4]

I have seen it with other brands and it’s most likely a seal.I would just take it in if I saw it last a long time . It’s not out of warranty and it’s covered if it needs replacement.

One thing is to make sure its not a crack from road debris or from someone hitting your headlight with a trailer hitch when they are backing up.Some trucks or suvs can back up and due to the height of their bumper,miss your front bumper and put a hairline crack in your headlight cover.It could even get hit gently and just break the seal around your headlight in which they might fix the broken seal under warranty.

[UkRays]

Received my BMW M3 F80 from BMW John Clark Aberdeen and the headlights look dreadful. Had condensation and water droplets for 2 weeks now. When I took it to a dealership closer to me and expressed my concerns they told me that the headlights were not covered under the warranty that the dealership sold me with the car.. The car will be going back for this reason. Headlights look dreadful.

[Eurosonly]

that sucks man my 2015 has started to do this also a little disappointing with only 6k miles. Im not fixing because I'm moving to cali. good luck

-euros

[RugbyBro]

Originally Posted by Eurosonly

that sucks man my 2015 has started to do this also a little disappointing with only 6k miles. Im not fixing because I'm moving to cali. good luck

-euros

It'll still happen in CA (NorCal specifically), mine do this when the weather gets cold and wet - moisture levels inside just need to adjust to the shifting weather

[swagon]

Just beware the headlights are NOT sealed

[getsituated91]

Originally Posted by swagon

Just beware the headlights are NOT sealed

Makes me wonder if we should begin taking preventative measures as a lot of our warranties are quickly ending.