Headlight Condensation/Water Ingress.

ZK_FR150

Active Member
Apr 16, 2016
221
32
During a period in time maybe only in the past, SEAT used to fit tamperproof stickers across the headlight rubber covers, certainly back in late 2009 the Ibizas were delivered with stickers on them - this nonsense has been going on that long, if stickers are longer fitted it can only be due to cut backs???

Mine had the sticker on the cover too, at the time dealer was like the stickers half come off so you must have had the back cover off, which I never did.

Could it be possible that these stickers have the same amount of sticky as a post-it note and after over 100k of miles and engine heat and other elements that half the sticker had possibly lost its tack and just come away.

No way the dealer couldn't ever fathom that happening :s

Guess the £5-600 cost of a replacement unit at the time wasn't in their best interests.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
Got the car back from the dealer today. They've replaced the nearside headlight. They say that the amount of condensation in the other light is 'normal'. They've also changed the venting in the fog lights so that they won't mist up.

Not too bad I guess eh?
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
That's a pretty good outcome. Those lights aren't cheap so fair play to you for standing your ground.

Well I'd just paid ten grand for the car so! I was annoyed because I flagged up the lights before I bought the car and the sales kid told me they'd be fixed. When he called me during the week to say the car was ready I asked him if the lights were fixed and he said yes.

I didn't even check when I picked up the car, idiot. I didn't exactly go off on him when I realised they were not fixed but I did let him know that I was not happy as he's an hour away and he told me they were fixed. Got a call from the after sales manager telling me that he'd come to my house, give me a courtesy car and take my car to be fixed. Can't really ask for better than that?

However, just realised that one of the fog lights is not working! Bulb is in place so I reckon they've forgot to plug the cable in when refitting the bumper. Thankfully, I can sort that myself. Might get LED bulbs while I'm at it.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
Good enough, maybe when you are in there you might notice or work out what they have done to improve the fog light venting.

Edit:- your location has changed to Denmark, lucky you!
 

Dr.Dash

Active Member
Aug 30, 2015
342
73
Midlands
Edit:- your location has changed to Denmark, lucky you!
Mr.Pig may disagree...:scary:

Mmmm bacon.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: RUM4MO

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
Good enough, maybe when you are in there you might notice or work out what they have done to improve the fog light venting.

He told me. They remove a rubber bung and replace it with mesh. It's a service bulletin. They've forgotten to hook up one of the fog lights so I'll see if I can take a picture of what they've done.
 
  • Like
Reactions: RUM4MO

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
He told me. They remove a rubber bung and replace it with mesh. It's a service bulletin. They've forgotten to hook up one of the fog lights so I'll see if I can take a picture of what they've done.

I'm just considering this as I'm the only one that would check or add that to my daughter's Leon Cupra - I wonder when SEAT started fitting that as I've read roughly about this in the past, though I'm not sure if it was a SEAT car or a general improvement rolled out over all VW Group marques.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
I wonder when SEAT started fitting that..

I think it must be recent. I bought an Ibiza FR last year, one of the fog lights had condensation in it and they replaced the light. This time, same issue and they've put 'mesh' in it.

Hopefully I'll get a look at it if it stays dry at the weekend. Has to be fairly simple. I would imagine there can't be too many holes in the unit you could put mesh in.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
VW Group used to fit longish bendy pipes to act as vents and not to let any water in through these designs of vent pipes.
 

KXL

KXL
Dec 15, 2016
1,581
197
London, UK
When I had my Leon Mk3 pre-FL, I had some minor (like not more than 1/5th of the front headlights sometimes condense (but no big beads of water). They tended to go away after the sun comes up. My rear right signal, always had condensation in them rain or shine. When my dealer saw this (when I went for my included 'free' service) they ordered a new unit, and replaced it no questions asked. When I had my Ibiza, the front lights had condensation (but only in the extreme corners) the Bi-xenon which generated heat, would clear most of the plastic anyway. No condensation whatsoever in the rear lights. Fast forward today, with my Volvo V40 with LED headlights, sometimes there might be small condensation in the extreme corners, but I had to look to see it, but 99% of the time, it was condensation free, same can't be said of my windows though!
 
Adrian Flux insurance services - discount for forum members.