Styling Do I need a new headlight?

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Styling Do I need a new headlight?

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My Panda has developed automotive cataracts!

I changed the sidelight bulb last week but I'm very sure the access panel behind the lens is fully secure so I don't know if I've caused this. It was a small bit condensates looking before I got the car but it's quite bad now as you can see.. IMG_1317.JPG
 
Rice works!
Sealed box with 1/2 inch rice in bottom.
Headlight in box with glass facing up.
Overnight in warm-ish place.
Then work out where the leak is and fix with silicone.

Worked for me.
Plenty of variations on this theme.

Haven't found a method that works that doesn't involve taking the light off the car though. Someone else may have....
 
Bumper bar needs to be out of the way to access the lower bolt on the headlight, you might just get it with the end screws out of the bumper/wheelarch cover and flex the bumper down.
Haven't tried it myself (bumper was broken on the car I removed headlamp from) but there may just be enough space to get a 10mm socket in :)
 
I dried the GF Corsa with a hairdryer from the back. Worth doing fairly quickly otherwise the reflector will tarnish.


If it comes back you will need to sort out where the waters entering. Visual inspection of the unit of the car might be the easiest.
 
It is a bit of a pain, but...
2 methods....
I've managed to do it without taking the bumper off a few times now.
You do need to take off the wheel arch liner to get at the bolt inside the wing. Screws may be rusted solid, and nut at rear may undo or snap the stud.
Basically, remove grille, wheel arch liner, 2 bolts on front and 1 inside the wing (make sure you don't undo the front wing mounting bolt by mistake - seen it done!).
Then undo the 2 nearest bumper top bolts to allow bumper to flex a bit.
Disconnect the wiring.
Manipulate the headlight out by process of trial and error. Fiddly, but will come out.

Or... take the bumper off and it's easier to get the light out, but the bumper bolts may be a pain, and you don't need to take the wheel arch liner off.

Your choice.

Enjoy!
 
You can remove the offside headlight (the one in your picture) without removing either the bumper or the inner plastic wheel arch protector.

Remove wheel, undo the front self-tappers (probably rusty) holding the leading edge of the wheel arch protector, and bend it back (if it is warmed up this makes things easier). You can then - just - get to the lower bolts holding the headlamp. It's a real arm grazing fiddle, but I have done it this way.

But do you need to? I think not. Remove the bulb and use a hairdryer as has been said. Leave it running for, say, half an hour. Take care when refitting bulb and holder - it is often this seal that gives the fault in the first place.

The hairdryer trick is a lot less hassle than headlamp removal! Try it first.
 
Has the rubber cover been left off the back of the headlight?

BTW the latest H4 spec LED bulbs really are very good and use less power than the old 50 watt halogens. Some types need to have the heatsink poking though the rear cover but its no biggie to do.
 
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Thanks for everyones replies. This is what I've done:

Remove the rear cover and each bulb with its holder, and put a hair dryer through each until the moisture completely evaporated.

Went to put the rear cover on, and heard a wet squashing noise. Moisture was between the plastic cover and its rubbery/foam gasket. Removed it. Dried it with tissue. Fitted it.

Hopefully the problem is gone! I will update this thread. So far, I think that could have caused the issue and now that its dried out perhaps it will stay sealed and dry.

The lens of the headlight is quite rough looking on the inside, possibly due to the water being there for a few days
 
Pack the seal with grease should repel any moisture.



Are you sure the wing inner liner isn't damaged. Shouldn't be much water hitting the back of the light ?
 
Pack the seal with grease should repel any moisture.



Are you sure the wing inner liner isn't damaged. Shouldn't be much water hitting the back of the light ?

Inner wing shouldn't be damaged. The other side of the car has had a bit of a knock and a new wing but not the driver side.

Must dry it out with hairdryer, and cover the seal in grease then to see if that'll work?
 
Headlight is wet inside again. No idea what to do now!


DO what's we've done for the past 25 years - drive with your dipped beam permanently on. Makes you more visible (though makes no difference).


I miss the old days, before DLRLs when people would 'flash' us to let us know the lights were on...........
 
DO what's we've done for the past 25 years - drive with your dipped beam permanently on. Makes you more visible (though makes no difference).


I miss the old days, before DLRLs when people would 'flash' us to let us know the lights were on...........

I always drive with sidelights on and turn to dipped if it's rainy. I'm not a fan of DRLs as they only light the front of the car. I'd like other drivers to see the rear of my car too. Those with the new fangled (to me anyhow) automatic lights don't seem to notice that their rear lights don't usually automatically come on in foggy conditions in daylight.
 
DO what's we've done for the past 25 years - drive with your dipped beam permanently on. Makes you more visible (though makes no difference).


I miss the old days, before DLRLs when people would 'flash' us to let us know the lights were on...........

Today was a boiling hot day. And over the past few days I've had full beam on.. even during the daytime when I had no good excuse to. (full. NOT high!)

Still there. Moisture. Droplets of water. Heat doesnt seem to make it go away other than another treatment of the hairdryer.

I'm willing to go out and dry it again with the hairdryer, but what else should I do? Grease around the seal and what else?

New headlights look expensive!
 
Put a cloth bag of rice inside the lamp overnight. Change every 24 hours for a dry bag.

If the lamps continues to steam up you will need to remove it and seal the leak or replace the light.

Is it on the same side that had the bent font wing?

Please don't be one of those plonkers who uses the rear fogs when the hilltops get misty. If you can see other car's rear lights you DO NOT need the rear fogs on your car.

In all but VERY serious fog, all they do is dazzle everyone behind you.

Most people over-use the damn things causing far more hazard than the slightly reduced visibility due to most UK fog/mist conditions.
 
Put a cloth bag of rice inside the lamp overnight. Change every 24 hours for a dry bag.



If the lamps continues to steam up you will need to remove it and seal the leak or replace the light.



Is it on the same side that had the bent font wing?



Please don't be one of those plonkers who uses the rear fogs when the hilltops get misty. If you can see other car's rear lights you DO NOT need the rear fogs on your car.



In all but VERY serious fog, all they do is dazzle everyone behind you.



Most people over-use the damn things causing far more hazard than the slightly reduced visibility due to most UK fog/mist conditions.



I'll give this a go now. Hasn't rained in well over a week and there's still water in it so I'm suspecting it's trapped moisture and not a leak. Well, i hope it's that.

I'll get back to you with the results of the bag of rice. I've heard that work miracles before for water sank electronics!
 
I'll give this a go now. Hasn't rained in well over a week and there's still water in it so I'm suspecting it's trapped moisture and not a leak. Well, i hope it's that.

I'll get back to you with the results of the bag of rice. I've heard that work miracles before for water sank electronics!
Watch out for sharp edges when inserting/removing bag. Almost impossible to remove rice grains from inside if they touch a damp surface. Something to do with the starch in the rice being very glue-like when damp.
There's a Peugeot 306 locally with some rice grains still in the headlamp from when I tried this way. Rice eventually goes yellow and ugly. And still doesn't shake out.

That was why I ended up with the complete removal method even though it's more work. Also easier to re-seal the casing and check the gaskets at the back are working.

You can get small sachets of silica gel quite cheaply - I think the sachets are made from Tyvex. Perhaps attaching one or two to a piece of string so you can get them out easily? Just a theory. Never tried it.
 
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