How to Remove Moisture from Headlights

If you notice a small area of condensation building up in your headlight, there’s a few easy tricks you can use without breaking the headlight seal. Breaking the seal between your headlight lens and housing is relatively easy, but once it’s broken, you’ll need to be very cautious to create a firm seal once you replace it. If you aren’t comfortable working with sealants, it might be worth bringing your car to a mechanic who is.

Before removing the seal, check your headlight housing vent. The exact location of the venting will depend on your make and model of vehicle, but most headlight units have a vent to help prevent condensation buildup. A common cause of minor condensation is a blocked vent. This could be caused by debris, spider webs or dust. Carefully wipe the vent or blow it out with compressed air. Try not to blow or push any debris into the headlight housing, otherwise you’ll need to break the seal to remove it.

Major condensation requires more extensive tricks. There are a number you can try, depending on your resources, available time and the amount of condensation. For major condensation removal, you’ll need to remove the headlight unit. Refer to a service manual for instructions on removing the bulb, electronics, plugs, and any other components you can. Carefully remove the headlight housing and follow the removal strategy.

Use a hairdryer to dry out the moist air without breaking the seal. Use a hairdryer to blow hot, dry air into the vent or on the outside of the headlight unit. As it heats up, it should dry out. Wait for your headlight unit to cool off to determine whether this strategy was effective.

Finally, if you want to know how to get water out of headlights thoroughly, you’ll need to remove the seal. Before attempting this, check a service manual to figure out how to remove your seal. This route will be substantially more complicated and require a heat gun unless your assembly uses a replaceable seal. If you don’t have experience using a heat gun in these kinds of situations, your headlight assembly is probably not the thing to try it out on. These instructions assume you have a replaceable seal.

For this removal strategy, you’ll need hand tools like sockets and screwdrivers, silica gel packs, a lint-free cloth, and a sealant. It’s more time consuming than other options but should thoroughly remove any moisture buildup.

Carefully remove the seal and the clear plastic headlight cover from the housing. Make sure you don’t miss a screw or other attachment point. Wipe off the existing moisture with your cloth. Be sure the cloth is clean and dry before use. Drying off the interior with a cloth will remove most of the moisture, but it isn’t a perfect solution.

In order to soak up the remaining moisture, use silica gel packs. These can be placed in the headlight assembly and are designed to soak up any moisture in the air. You don’t want a pack bouncing around in front of your headlight beam, so be sure they aren’t blocking the light or exposed to the bulbs.

Check again to see if there’s any existing moisture or debris in your headlight assembly. Use the following steps to prevent further moisture and effectively reseal your assembly. This is the most important step, as improper reinstallation will allow more moisture to enter your headlight.

The key to preventing further moisture is creating a strong seal. There’s a number of products that can help you recreate a firm seal. First, inspect the seal for any damage or debris. If necessary, run a bead of silicone sealant around the factory seal area to ensure no moisture can enter the assembly, or replace the seal if your housing uses a replaceable seal. You’ll also want to check the O-rings that protect the electrical connectors, bulb, vent and other components of your headlight assembly.

Consider purchasing a few quality products to promote a strong seal. Silicone spray is excellent for protecting your O-rings, and silicone sealant gel can be used to repair any cracks or damaged portion of seal between the lens and housing.

After you’ve carefully inspected and sealed your headlight, it’s time to reinstall it. Check that you have the correct angle and that all brackets and electrical connectors are firmly in place. Test out your light to be sure it’s working properly and shining brightly. Routinely inspect your headlight for any signs that it may not have sealed properly.