dunnojack

i'm making a list of warranty repairs before my warranty ends in 5 months.

i see the recent rain and cold weather has caused condensation inside my driver's side headlamp.

also, there seems to be a layer peeling from the outside of both my headlamps.

I would love to get these costly items replaced at lexus' expense

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

I don't have condensation inside but I do have that oxidation on the outside that most Lexus cars seem to get. Actually, lot's of other brands have this problem. But I don't see Bimmers and Benzes get this as quickly as our Lexus cars. Both my GS have it.
Well, only one now. The body shop I use fixed wifey's lights. They wet sanded and then clearcoated them. They claim that with the clearcoating they will never get the oxidation again. We'll see.

I'd rather have this problem instead of condensation, though. Good luck with that.

passnu2

iTrader: (33)

Are our headlights plastic or glass? maybe this is the difference? I haven't had any issues with mine. I just wish they projected better.

CAK 500

A little over three years on my original headlights here with no condensation or oxidation issues.

I would definitely give it a shot with the dealer to cover under warranty.

dunnojack

the problem is that the condensation leaves gooey stains inside near the bottom, where the water drips down, after it evaporates. It's like dirty water got in ......... which makes me think that the glue seal around the lens has a slight defect.

as for the oxidation, I've waxed my headlights for the past 4 years, but I guess wax doesn't work. Needs clearbra.
yes, clear coat does work. But it's only as effective so long as the coating doesn't wear out.
I'd rather not spray paint on the GS though. Worst case, I think I'll just have to resort to PlastX polish every month.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

If I had water on the inside I would be demanding the dealer fix it. I would be at their door with a sign until it was done.

dunnojack

haha.

well, the owner's manual says that temporary condensation is normal.

but if you have large water droplets inside, then something is wrong.


it all comes down to how nice your advisor/dealer is.

http://www.lexus.com/models/GS/warranty/index.html
The lexus warranty states "Noise, vibration, cosmetic conditions and other deterioration caused by normal wear and tear" are not covered.

it's funny, because almost ALL of the GS problems fall under that category, and yet they still service it under warranty.

OhOneWS6

Funny you posted this today. Not more than 5 minutes ago I had my wife add condensation in drivers head light to our list of things to ask our dealer about. Post up if the dealer takes care of you. I'll do the same.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

This isn't good. To me it means Lexus knows this could happen and is telling us up front to fagetaboutit. That sucks.

dunnojack

lexus, hyundai, subaru, and many others mention it in their owner's manuals.

subaru even went into detail about how and where the condensation forms.....

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

this is a normal thing for BMW, the headlight never lasts always condensation, it seems they follow the footsteps of German vehicle's sometimes. But BMW always replaced so don't see why Lexus shouldn't.

dunnojack

The oxidation on the outside is easy to polish out. I could do that myself.

I was hoping the dealer would replace the headlights, but all they did was polish it.

turns out that after they polished the outside, you could see condensation stains on the inside of the clear plastic. It's a milky layer near the top edge/surface of the headlight.

However, after searching the internet, it seems to be a common problem with modern headlights.

i found a picture of a newer audi (below) with far worse condensation stains than I have.
look at this nastiness.... all those milky stains. Mine are along the top edge, and can be seen perpendicular to sunlight.

bigblack06

iTrader: (20)

ha thats terrible, yeah German vehicles are the same but I would expect Lexus to make this a thing of the past.

dunnojack

nope. no one can fix it. it's just a slight annoyance we have to live with. Headlights are vented, so water vapor will always exist under the right temperature.

it seems the only solution is to bake the headlight, and take the lens off. then clean the inside, and glue it back together.

oh well. this procedure should only be required once every 7 years or so. On my other car, the inside of the light is so milky that I can hardly see my reflection in the chrome.

One of these days, I'll take a heatgun to it, as it is too big to fit in the oven.

I wish there were a way to design these headlights so that they can be easily taken apart, but also easily put back together without water leakage.

Haole702

Anyone ever use that headlight cleaner kit that came out last year?