A couple of weeks back following some heavy rain, I drove at around 20mph through about 10 inches of water. Somehow it seems that water has managed to find it's way into the underside of the front headlamp unit, and 2 weeks later it's still there, showing no signs of evaporating. (See photo attached below)

I personally won't be able to fix it (as anything I touch tends to break) but I was going to get my Main Dealer to do it next month at time of service....... To avoid me getting robbed, please can someone give me an indication as to whether or not this is repairable (I would guess by opening the lamp and drying), or will it need a new a new unit? In 3 years of ownership, this has never happened before!

If repairable, please can someone let me know roughly how long this should take to fix, so I don't get massively overcharged for labour by the main stealer?

Many thanks

Click image to enlarge

It's relatively easy to remove the headlamp - take the front grill off (3 screws) and then undo the 3 screws that hold the lamp in place. Lift out and disconnect the plugs remove the caps on the back of the unit where you access the sidelight bulbs and drain the water out from there. The headlight should be sealed but if you've got a cap missing that would be your possible way in for the water.

Lamp covers number 10 in diagram - open and drain.

Click image to enlarge

Now you've given me such a detailed solution, I've got to have a go haven't I....... Thank you for taking the time out to send me this NobbyC, it's very much appreciated.

All the best

Allister

Does it clear when the lights have been running for a while? Alex

2018 Skoda Kodiaq vRS
2009 Caterham Supersport Race car
2007 M5 Touring
2005 Range Rover Vogue SE Supercharged
2004 SL55 AMG

Hi Alex

No I'm afraid not, it seems that the sheer pressure from when I hit the water, has somehow managed to push it into the unit and now it can't get out - The heat from the lights also doesn't seem to be burning it off. There's no fluid or moving water as such, it's appearance is almost looks like condensation.

Allister

So remove as above and use a hair dryer to dry it out, then leave it overnight at room temperature!
Worked for me with one of my rear light  2007 VOGUE SE 3.6 TDV8

I had an old headlamp (2003 model) which had a broken bracket so needed a new unit. There are a number of metal clips which hold the headlamp glass onto the casing, if you are very careful you can prise these clips off and remove the glass from the unit itself. If you can do this it may be worth running a bit of clear silicon sealant around the glass when refitting it.

Cheers guys, will investigate this weekend

chefkenmore wrote:

So remove as above and use a hair dryer to dry it out, then leave it overnight at room temperature!
Worked for me with one of my rear light

I know what you mean about them being fitters...... That's my fear, they're all sharks, they'll just do what's easier and more profitable for them.

Also there's obviously not much of an issue with the headlamp unit itself, if there was even a small air inlet, the condensation would have cleared by now - It was obviously just sheer pressure that pushed the water through the seal.