Anyone else experienced this? I don't think this is normal. One headlight is completely clear while the other one is all fogged up with condensation to the point where you can't see the globes inside unless the headlight is on. It's been this way for a day or two obviously due to the weather. But it makes the beautiful VRX headlights look horrible and awkward, with one clear and one fogged up. Thoughts?

I believe there is a previous thread on this.

its normal
Very normal

Considering Melbourne had its biggest rainfall event in may yesterday I would expect it to occur

It will dissapate in due course

But obviously this means there is a leak in the seal. That can't be good. Over time could that not damage the electrics?

But obviously this means there is a leak in the seal. That can't be good. Over time could that not damage the electrics?

does it happen when you wash your car? Every time it rains? the best thing you can do is pull the headlight out and have a look at the seals. if you see something, get some waterproof adheasive and just dab it where the leak is.

My drivers foglight has a minor leak when it is REALLY heavy and yes it has stained but thats plastic. The VRX headlight might be glass (at a guess) if it bothers you try and source the leak

It doesn't happen when I wash it. It happened during the last few days of heavy rainfall and cold weather here in Melbourne. This was probably 3 or 4 days ago and the condensation sometimes goes during the day, but then at night time it will be full fogged up again. I'm just going to take it to a mitsubishi service centre (have a few other little things i want looked at) and see if they can either fix the seal or give me a new headlight. I don't want this to happen to me every winter.

I had the same problem but mine stayed that way for about a month. I didn't take out the headlight because to get to it requires removing the front bumper. I read an article somewhere that states that, the headlight is designed to operate like that due to a build up of atmospheric pressure inside the unit. I think that is correct because after I cleaned my car one day the fogging up ceased and desisted, so I probably unclogged the atmospheric breather for the unit

Hmm, interesting. Not sure I really understand what you mean though. I rang up my local mitsubishi service center and booked it in to get it looked at. They said they might be able to fix it, but i asked them the cost if i needed a new one and they said 375 bucks (brand new). So stuff that! I'll have to find one at a wreckers if i need one, but they seemed to think that shouldn't be the case.

Good luck getting a used one, most of the 380's I get are all front hits for some reason. New one I can do for about $340 or there abouts

The bar does have to come off to get the light off, also this is NOT a normal thing as in it is not something that is meant to happen. It does happen a bit on the 380's as I have seen a few like this unfortunately. Check near the bottom of the light that the vent has the rubber tube and that the tube is facing down

The headlight is not a sealed system therefore condensation is normal. It was even posted on here from Kif who even had MMAL investigate and say due to the headlight system not being a sealed unit condensation will occur. Also you can remove headlights without taking the bar off. I have done twice already

What Wazza said. I had both mine replaced under warranty. Even this set fog up a little with lots of rain and they're only 2 and a half years old. From my spare parts joint I've been quoted $280 a piece. That's at trade price, they're actually cheaper then the fog lights believe it or not...

Ok so far you this isn't making sense. If the VRX headlights aren't sealed from the factory and condensation is normal.... then that is shit headlight design... Even if they made the inside casing somehow water and stain proof and the condensation didn't affect any of the electricals, at the very least it ends up ruining the look of the headlight and reducing visibility...

If they were going to design an intentionally un-sealed headlight assembly why would they bother with a plastic cover over the headlight lenses and just remove it altogether, instead of creating something that wouldn't even pass a roadworthy test if detected?

And Kif, if you say this is normal, then why did they replace your headlights?

Not sure I understand.

I remember seeing an internal MMAL notice to their service centres posted on here about 9 months ago. It was an instruction to dealers that fogging and condensation in the headlight is normal and does not warrant a replacement light.

It would seem that MMAL were getting lots of warranty claims on headlights, so they have clarified with the dealers what is and isn't right.

Those who had them replaced under warranty would have been successful only because they had it done a while ago when MMAL had not yet issued the bulletin.

I think you've got buckleys.

Sealing it completely DIY style will not necessarily fix the problem either, because you might just seal the moisture in there, and as soon as it gets cold (overnight) it will condense into water again.

Perhaps try jamming a desiccant sachet (like you get in the box with new shoes) somewhere inside the light for a few days and allow it to absorb most of the moisture. Once it's been in there a few days and full of moisture, pull it out and try some DIY sealing.

Mine were replaced for two reasons, one being. There is a very light tiny/film on the outside of the headlights which was peeling off. As well as the moisture getting inside. My Mitsu service dept thought the peeling on the lense was just something foreign and attacked both lights with thinners and a rag. Making the plastic lense completly smeared and ruined. They looked at me once they realized what they did and said "I think we owe you a pair of head lights".

They did say they were going to replace the lights either way due to the fogging but thought they'd try their luck with the lense. That and I know the service manger down at mits so i suppose I was looked after....

99% of modern lights are not sealed units, the globe is replaceable and only sealed by a dust and moisture cover. This notice is just Mits shirking the issue as usual, no different to a recent situation with the ES tail lights which are supposed to have a red moulding on the back, this can be seen through the lower lens. Mits were supplied with black moulded lights in place of the red ones, instead of correcting they have simply superceded the part number now so if you have an ES you may end up with 2 different tail lights.....

Moisture is not normal and in most states will cause a roadworthy certificate to be failed. I know in SA and Vic it certainly will

It is simply a design issue, similar issue was present in the KL Verada, Mits actually redesigned the headlight to prevent this from happeneing but unfortunately did not make enough of the replacement lights thus they are no longer available new. The replacements were something like $1200 each side!!!!

So in summary, it is not normal, it should not happen but it does and you have sfa chance of getting a resolution for it. Sealing them will not really work either as you still have a point around the head light globes, I would suggest you check your seals around the globes are in properly, this may be where you are getting moisture in.

As for removing the head lights with the bar on, while it may be possible, it would be a prick of a job and personally I would not want to risk damage to either the light or the bar to do this

I checked recently at my local dealer as my LHS is fogging

They took pictures and said would try warranty and said criterion was fog/condensation still there after lights on for 20 minutes

Still waiting to hear the verdict !

I've been running around now for a few months with big holes cut in the hi/lo beam rear covers (the round plastic plate which screws onto the back of the light assembly), courtesy of my failed experiment with HIDs.

Not a hint of condensation inside my lights, ever.

Could look at this either of two ways:

1. The big holes let water vapour in, so why don't I get condensation?

2. The big holes let water vapour out, and that's why I don't get any condensation.

Or else I just got lucky with lights that are sealed properly and don't have this problem.

Or maybe it only effects VRX, GT, SX etc lights, ie the "smokey" 380 lights, and not clear pov pack lights like mine?

I have never had any issues with condensation inside my lights on my 05 GT for what its worth

Wow this is a very confusing issue. So far from what i've gathered, it's as i suspected. Faulty headlight unit design.

I spoke to two guys over at a Mitsubishi service center on the phone and none of the mentioned any of the MMAL bulletin stuff you guys have been talking about. I didn't mention it to them but they didn't make a big deal of it and just said to bring it in. So i'll post up what happens on friday when i take it in. I definitely won't be paying for a completely new headlight, but I'll be interested to hear what they have to say about it.

I took the caps back off overnight the day before yesterday and the light almost completely dried out. I put them back on the following day, and in the morning they were filled with condensation again. No heavy rain or anything, just 10 degree cold weather. So i'm leaving the caps off for now.

If you leave them off Mitsu will say there isn't a problem, cause they'll be dried out. When you take it there you want it to be wetter then Niagra Falls so you get a new set! ;)

If you leave them off Mitsu will say there isn't a problem, cause they'll be dried out. When you take it there you want it to be wetter then Niagra Falls so you get a new set! ;)

My 380 is 7 years old and second-hand. It's no longer under any warranty. I don't want a new set, way too expensive. And it's going in for a few other things also, anyway. What I really want is their professional opinion.

Apologies, I just assumed you were taking it back to Mitsu cause you still had warranty, they'll probably try and sell you a new set instead.

I took the caps back off overnight the day before yesterday and the light almost completely dried out. I put them back on the following day, and in the morning they were filled with condensation again. No heavy rain or anything, just 10 degree cold weather. So i'm leaving the caps off for now.

This is not going to work. They might have visually dried out, but the air inside them is still full of moisture. If you put the caps back on, and let the temperature drop (overnight or from driving in cooler air)... the water will simply condense out of the air in the headlight and fog the lenses again.

This is not going to work. They might have visually dried out, but the air inside them is still full of moisture. If you put the caps back on, and let the temperature drop (overnight or from driving in cooler air)... the water will simply condense out of the air in the headlight and fog the lenses again.

Oh of course. I didn't mean that taking the caps off was a solution. I just meant i'm leaving them off for the time being. It's a temporary fix. I might put the caps back on with silica gel packets wedged inside somewhere and see if that does the trick. Otherwise I'm going to get the official word from Mitsubishi.

Do you have access to dry, compressed air or gas, e.g. welding gas?
You could warm up the lights, to evaporate all the moisture, then using low pressure so it doesn't flap about, and a very thing tube that will let air out, feed it in through the breather hole and have the dry air blow out the moisture-filled air for a while, then replace the caps.

It is clearly a manufacturing /sealing problem as my RHS is fine but LHS fogs in very wet weather when both lights exposed to identical moisture conditions

When i had water in my headlight i just took the rear off and put a hairdryer off and on them for about 1 hour then put them back up and sealed them shut lol, this isn't a 380 headlight though.

found it

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=239&pictureid=1325

found it

http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=239&pictureid=1325

Yeah. Mine doesn't clear within 20 minutes and consistently reoccurs. And I still don't understand how they can just consider this as a natural occurrence and brush it off. Condensation damages electricals over time and research from multiple sources online say it is not normal in any headlight. This seems incredibly suss.

Honestly I think you are over reacting.

I have had mine fog up maybe 5-7 times total in the time I have owned it and 3 times was for driving through either a creek/river, once for cleaning the engine bay, and some from a heavy rain events.

I think my concern is valid if my headlight is consistently doing this over a several-week period in which the only thing the car was exposed to was cold and wet weather (not a monsoon, and not a flood...lol). Do a quick google search on this issue, compare it to the service bulletin above and take a second to ponder what is going on. Something is up.

Interesting thread this one

A custom set of lights i had in my KF were completely open at the back. They were still in the design stage for projectors etc Had them in my car for weeks during freezing cold weather, fog, rain pretty much everything. While i did notice bugs got in as i knew they would there was not one hint of condensation. Reason being they were completely open so there was no chance for them to heat up and moisture evaporate.

Other thing is. NO headlight condensation is normal! This was a design flaw from what i can tell from the lights i have worked with already. They do have breathers on them but if they are pointing down should not be an issue. They are particularly hard to open as the glue sets really hard. Also brittle and i did notice gaps in stock headlight seals so it explains alot. I put this one down to design flaws and last of QC. I think you should be entitled to new ones IF under warranty. As you are not the only real sure way to do it is open them up. Blow the lot out with the heatgun then reseal them properly using proper sealent and yes the breather tubes to

Well keep up the fight and take down the corporations man!

I will continue to just enjoy cruising in my flawed car in comfort.

Molehill made into a mountain IMO

Well as an example i just had to restore a set of S15 headlights. The car was in an accident and a headlight was replaced. It wasn't sealed properly from factory and over time the moisture has rot the inside of the light, metal fittings and screws had rusted. The adjustment screws were rusted and there was a film in the inside of the lens that had gone yellow and rotten. They were an absolute mess and i pretty much had to replace the internals on the light that needed doing. So just from that experience alone i know the importance of a good headlight seal.

If you have LEDs, HIDs or even halogens in there the moisture can also corrode the terminals and circuits so its really subjective as to if you want to fix it or not. Cost this owner a bit to repair the damage but it was time consuming and still alot cheaper then getting a second hand light!

Well keep up the fight and take down the corporations man!

I will continue to just enjoy cruising in my flawed car in comfort.

Molehill made into a mountain IMO

I find it a bit ironic that you make that comment on a forum specific to a certain car model in which people continuously post about every single bit of minutuae and aspect of design and perfomance.

Mr SPL, with your headlight projector mod, do you think you'll be able to seal these headlights so no moisture gets in again?

I find it a bit ironic that you make that comment on a forum specific to a certain car model in which people continuously post about every single bit of minutuae and aspect of design and perfomance.


EVERY car forum you visit will point out "every single bit of minutuae and aspect of design and perfomance." of the car model in question

Honestly I rate this car and I have alot of knowledge about this car the history behind the car and so on,
but you already would know that.

@ Kif Good question bro!!

EVERY car forum you visit will point out "every single bit of minutuae and aspect of design and perfomance." of the car model in question

... that was my point. Every car model-specific forum will contain topics in what you may think is minutiae or situations you might consider molehills while the owner considers them mountains. Your post was moot. That's the point of these forums, to rant about tiny (or big) details about that certain car that you love...

Back on topic: Does anyone know if Mitsubishi will even bother to do any maintenance or repair on headlight electricals and seals at a service centre?

Mr SPL, with your headlight projector mod, do you think you'll be able to seal these headlights so no moisture gets in again?

I will be making sure of it. One set i have ever done has had a moisture leak and i fixed that happily. So i will be sealing off every part possible

... that was my point. Every car model-specific forum will contain topics in what you may think is minutiae or situations you might consider molehills while the owner considers them mountains. Your post was moot. That's the point of these forums, to rant about tiny (or big) details about that certain car that you love...

Back on topic: Does anyone know if Mitsubishi will even bother to do any maintenance or repair on headlight electricals and seals at a service centre?

Actually I dont think it the point of these forums is to rant. Most threads here are to inform the community of modifications, fixes or advice on products to fit.

as for MM looking at the headlights if you request it they would but you will be charged