Headlight condensation problem

[rm008]

Hi. Recently bought a 2003 1.9D van. The N/S headlight has started getting a great deal of condensation inside over all the lens, so much so it's running down and gathering at the bottom. Putting on the headlamps only makes it clear in a small patch in front of the beam. There must surely be somewhere water is getting in but I can see no signs of damage.

I was going to try the hairdrier trick but unfortunately it looks like the fuse box needs to be removed to get access to the headlight bulb on this side, as there isn't room without? (I can just about remove the indicator cover).

So, anyone any ideas please? Hope I'm not going to need a new headlamp unit...

[Coco]

You could use those little silica gel packets - the ones you get in cameras, phones, electrical goods etc.

Fix them to the circular rear cover and drill a couple of small holes in the side of the headlamp housing itself. Over time it will clear doing this, obviously using the headlamps will help.

[rm008]

Thanks, but the speed that this has occurred leads me to think water is getting in somewhere so even if dried out it would return in no time. If anyone is able to confirm if removal of the fusebox is necessary to get the N/S headlight bulb cover off I'd be grateful. And how is it secured? The Haynes book is (predictably) of no help. Thanks.

[Coco]

On the 2.0HDi it is a VERY tight fit and requires a fair bit of jiggling about - preferably with hands smaller than mine - but it is possible.......

It simply unscrews about a quarter turn then removes rearwards, be prepared to spend some time and skin doing it though.

[adam3rdcanvey]

If you take off the fuse box lid you should have enough room to get the bulb cover off.
Head light has one screw on top and two, I think beneath bumper.
This has to be unclipped at wheel arch which gives enough room to pry forward and remove screws.

Is worth removing to inspect, maybe dry in airing cupboard overnight? Or with hairdryer.....
New headlight unit about £80..... aftermarket..

Good Luck

[rm008]

It's the old 1.9D DW8 unit and I'm not sure how it compares to the 2.0. I would upload a pic but it's too dark till tomorrow... Basically there's a wiring loom right behind the headlight bulb cover, and right behind that is the fusebox, so I just can't get the cover off as there's no room at all to get in. (The O/S one is much easier to get at which is typical).

I think I will try silliconing the seem along the top of the lens tomorrow as this looks the most likely place for water to leak in. Maybe someone else has experienced the problem with these lights and found where water was getting in? Thanks.

---

Adam, thanks for that. I had feared the bumper had to be removed as the Haynes book says it does, but if it's a relatively easy job to remove the unit then I will have a go. I would think the join around the front of the lens must be the most likely culprit. Hopefully it's just a case of getting some sillicone in the right spot.

[j90xxx]

Headlight bulbs on an HDi are no easier to replace.
I have the scars to prove.

[rm008]

Well I've just changed the headlamp. £47 new delivered off eBay, so probably a heap of junk but cheap enough...

Not as much of a nightmare job as I was expecting (no snapped bolts). Biggest time waster being the plastic wheelarch liner clips which should be replaced but I'd got a set off eBay (mis-described as ever) - these fitting just the single large hole at the bottom corner near the mudguard, and too large for the other four small holes... usual headache. But just about managed to re-secure the thing with the remains of the old clips and some silicone as an adhesive...

Another time-waster was the fact that there is a separate little bulb for the parking lights which I had assumed to be a function of the main bulb. Thought I was getting no side lights till I twigged, and discovered the old bulb had in fact blown.

The line diagram images from Citroen's PDF were of no help at all. All I can say is that after removing the *entire* wheelarch liner, the bumper unclips with the aid of a screwdriver just under the bottom rear corner of the headlamp. With some pushing and pulling the bumper then fully unclips enough to get to the lower headlamp bolt.

Looking at the old headlamp I think it had sustained a knock which had cracked the back left corner of the unit badly, allowing moisture in?

Surprisingly, beam alignment appears to be OK. Hopefully will do until MoT time when no doubt a tiny adjustment (i.e at no extra cost) will be required.

HTH someone.

[adam3rdcanvey]

Thanks for the feedback..... am sure this problem will crop up again!

Is worth upgrading to some LED sidelight bulbs as they seem to last forever.

[rm008]

Just thought I'd post an update on this... About 5 months after I fitted this eBay headlamp, I noticed the lens colour was different to the opposite lamp. Basically, the cheap plastic was not UV stable, and was turning darker from silver to a shade of what I can only describe as gold.. It got worse and after 18 months looked awful, so I had to do something. Another search on eBay and I was the lucky owner of a new boxed genuine Citroen headlamp, which even comes with not just the back cover but all the bulbs too! And hardly any more expensive than the crap copy part I 'd fitted. And this one looks like new now 6 months on.

Did the whole job in about 90 minutes this time around, although the dealership robbed me with the clips I bought (approx £1 each for the tiny plastic wheelarch liner push clips, WTF!)

So moral of the story, avoid non-genuine eBay parts where possible!