How to Remove Condensation From Headlights

If you don't have a proper seal around your car's headlight assembly, condensation can collect on the inside of the lens and the outside of the bulb and wiring. This can cause electrical shorts, diminished headlight bulb life and decreased nighttime visibility. Fortunately, you can remove the condensation from the headlights without having to disassemble your headlight assemblies completely.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Screwdrivers
• Adjustable wrench
• Cardboard
• Baking sheet
• Oven
• Pot holders
• Vehicle owner's manual

1. Review the headlight assembly removal and installation instructions in your owner's manual. Removing and installing the headlight assembly is a quick and simple process on most cars, but the specific instructions will vary in the details from one make or model to the next.

2. Open the hood of the car and prop it open.

3. Remove the screws, clips or bolts holding the first headlight assembly in place. These may be obvious, but to find them more easily or make sure you see them all, refer to the manual for your car.

4. Slide the headlight assembly forward a few inches and unscrew the bulb socket assembly from the back of the unit. Again, checking the specific instructions in your manual will be helpful, but on most headlight assemblies this is done by simply grabbing the plastic component, twisting it to the left and pulling it out.

5. Grab the bulb by its socket and remove it from the socket assembly. Set it aside to dry out if necessary.

6. Repeat steps 3 through 5 on the other headlight assembly.

7. Tear off or cut a piece of cardboard that is roughly the size of your baking sheet. Soak this cardboard in water and place it on the baking sheet.

8. Place both headlight assemblies on the wet cardboard and slide the whole thing into a cold oven. Set the oven to 250 degrees.

9. Watch the headlights through the oven door if you can, and take them out after about three minutes or whenever you see the condensation fully evaporate. Use pot holders to handle them.

10. Lay the headlights out in the sun if they still have condensation inside. Wait until the condensation has fully evaporated.

11. Insert the headlight bulbs back into the sockets on the vehicle.

12. Slide each headlight assembly part of the way back into place on the car. Screw the socket assembly back into the back of each unit.

13. Push both headlight assemblies all the way into place and lock them back down with the original screws, bolts or clips used to hold them in place.

Tips & Warnings

• Condensation indicates that your headlight assembly does not have an airtight seal. You can fix this by applying silicone sealant around the seams on the assembly, replacing any rubber gaskets on the unit or replacing the entire assembly with a new one.

References

• Auto Repair for Dummies, Deanna Sclar, 1999
• AmericanMuscle.com

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