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Condensation in the headlight

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oodLes said:
This has been discussed to death in the threads regarding it, as LED's don't make anywhere near the heat of a traditional Halogen bulb they can't evaporate the moisture inside the headlight very quickly, so in cooler climates like the northern hemisphere is now experiencing this impact will be greater.

It is by design and there really isn't anything you can do except go back to halogen bulbs if this is such a big deal to you. As has been discussed in other threads (which is why the moderators have advised you to search...) brand new supercars have headlight fogging as well as it's simply that the headlights don't get hot anymore. Here in Aus that's a really really good thing for us. Less heat is welcome.
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We’ll have you read s.arhangelov post above, anyway I’ll say to the dealership on Tuesday as I’m having the gearbox sorted synchro rings replaced you see you might not have Police so fussy in Australia like we do in the UK as over here the Police are pretty strict with motorists we have very strict MOT laws regarding cars road worthiness in the UK any garage can submit a MOT certificate where I live in Northern Ireland I have to go to a government run MOT test Centre who are as tough as nuts everything has to be 100% or it is a fail. I know 100% if my car was going for an MOT test with my current fogged up front headlight it would bloody fail it’s mot test so it is something to worry about and I would rather Hyundai paid for the headlight replacement under warranty than me having to spend hundreds of pounds replacing a headlight just so I can obtain a MOT test certificate of road worthiness.

It may have been discussed to death ok, and may not be a problem for you but over here in the UK we do not have the luxuries you seemingly have regarding a fogged up headlight now I could not care less if the front headlight was filled with water and gold fish swimming about inside it with coral decoration as an added accessory with blue flashing lights but we have very strict road laws and when those road laws mean come MOT test time and you take your car for its yearly certificate it would mean a good old fail so will impact drivers who find their headlight is fogged up there is no way on earth our Government run test facility will pass any car withy fogged up headlights as they actually do a beam spectrum test which has to be very accurate or it is a fail, Hyundai UK will know this, also the Police will hammer you with 3 penalty points and a court appearance for having a defective front headlight as being fogged up would be classed as defective in the eyes of the law.

That is my concern it is an automatic fail if the headlight has condensation in the lens that affects the beam pattern or spectrum. So of course, Hyundai will have to address the headlight lens fogging up situation as it is stated in Law and is prosecutable by a fine or prosecution if you are found driving with a defective front headlight. So I would not be so disregarding of this problem as you think any way you don’t live in the UK so how would you know these things.
 
I highly doubt that headlight fogging will cause a car to fail MOT, and if it does, then it's Hyundai's problem to fix and reimburse you for any lost time and expenses in remedying the problem. Until that time comes I think you need to relax about this.

It's obvious that replacing the headlight doesn't change anything as it's again just the same LED globes that can't heat up the headlight to remove the condensation. It's been over a year now that the N has been on sale in all markets and nobody has reported any such problem getting the car MOT'd/Roadworthied.
 
oodLes said:
I highly doubt that headlight fogging will cause a car to fail MOT, and if it does, then it's Hyundai's problem to fix and reimburse you for any lost time and expenses in remedying the problem. Until that time comes I think you need to relax about this.

It's obvious that replacing the headlight doesn't change anything as it's again just the same LED globes that can't heat up the headlight to remove the condensation. It's been over a year now that the N has been on sale in all markets and nobody has reported any such problem getting the car MOT'd/Roadworthied.
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Yes but new cars registered only go for mot on the 3rd year or when it reached 3 years old so no Hyundai’s I30 will yet have to pass an MOT and you are wrong it will not be Hyundai that will be prosecuted it will be ultimately the drivers responsibility as the UK road code book states the driver of the vehicle must test the following for road worthiness before taking the vehicle on the public road and you have to test for brakes, lights, steering, & tyres.

I think this conversation has come to it’s conclusion as discussing this with you will not progress mans knowledge any further. As my old Professor would say to us and I quote. (Nuclear physics is interesting in particular the structure of deuteron it is unlikely to help society .) I dont think us talking about this subject will help either you or me any more.
 
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Ah right. It's similar in Australia, if the car is 5 years old it then requires a roadworthy (MOT) check.

Regardless of the MOT pass/fail, Hyundai has developed the car and tailored it to every market, they understand the rules for each market and putting a car on sale which then fails these rules would be a massive blunder. They would have to issue a recall and I would expect them to compensate anyone with a vehicle that failed to pass these tests with factory installed components.

I would ask you to research LED headlights and condensation yourself so you can see that this is a simple case of thermal physics and again nothing to be worried about.
 
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Ok my friend peace, love and happiness. No harm done. Was lovely chatting with you over this touchy subject. If you don’t mind can I reply next week when I have a further update on the headlight subject. And let you all know what Hyundai say I’ll mention what you said about Hyundai being responsible if law says otherwise on the matter.
 
Nothing touchy about it, I would be interested to hear exactly what Hyundai has to say as well as they built the car to the letter of the law to enable it to be sold in the UK, if there is as big a problem as you say there is you may be the first person to start a worldwide recall on the headlights.
 
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I have passed, as you call it, MOT less than a month ago with fogged headlight!
Anyway, I will be fitting a new one tomorrow under warranty.
I have already changed right one, also under warranty.
Tomorrow I will be getting new left headlight.

75627382_10157938718102022_6688239127642505216_o.jpgfog.jpg
 
I really don't think it will fail the MOT with fogging in the headlight, unless they change the MOT to specify that.

It doesn't have any effect on the light pattern, it's just aesthetic.
 
Bigmon said:
I really don't think it will fail the MOT with fogging in the headlight, unless they change the MOT to specify that.

It doesn't have any effect on the light pattern, it's just aesthetic.
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With a headlight like yours my headlights were the exact same. I noticed my headlight today has totally cleared of any condensation, so result.
 
speedking said:
For reference, during 18 months of ownership I have had not a drop of headlight condensation across the full range of temperatures and torrential downpours with the car kept outside.
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Seems like I spoke too soon. Thought the lights were a bit poor tonight, assumed road salt. Turns out to be condensation about 3 cm wide across the bottom of the nearside. Oh well.
 
Well my car is in the Hyundai garage having the gear box taken apart and new synchro rings replaced, along and a few other niggling problems anyway. When I was up there, I thought to have one last moan to the service manager that one of my headlights were fogged up and this morning the fogging had come back on the driver’s side, passenger side was totally clear as drivers side was sweating just like your picture. I did not say a word and let the service manager make up his own mind he looked at both headlights and asked me how long has the headlight been like that I said approximately 3 weeks it sort of fogs up totally the whole headlight will be steamed up and then it disappears like it is now I noted how there were water droplets and is now what I would call heavy sweating along the bottom edge .

His thoughts were yes it should fog up and even if it was really bad and is totally natural but then it should definitely clear as there are small vents in the headlight to let moisture out he had a Hyundai company car same headlights as mine he said his headlights were like mine all fogged this morning but then it clears up certainly the headlight should not have moisture in it as the fogging has turned into sweating and it should definitely have cleared not unless the vents in the ehadlight are are totally blocked so they are contacting Hyundai and if Hyundai agree they will change the headlight unit with a brand new one, he stated also if both headlights were the exact same then that would indicate normal acceptance but as one headlight was perfectly void of any fogging or sweating and the other headlight was sweating then there is a problem with one of the headlights or both should be the exact same you would imagine his words not mine, and is not something they would agree is not a normal occurrence..
 
From the amount of replies to this thread of other owners with fogging headlights I would call it the norm at this point. You sure he had exactly the same headlights in his company car and not the same shape but using halogens?
 
s.arhangelov said:
Here are my headlights (one brand new and the other factory). I won't even bother having them replaced again. It is what it is....
View attachment 10433
View attachment 10434
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I feel exactly the same way, though I'm having a seal replaced in the light which I have moisture in.

Every car I have had has had issues. But, for me, the plus points of the i30N far outweigh any negatives.
 
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Who! Me. said:
Well my car is in the Hyundai garage having the gear box taken apart and new synchro rings replaced, along and a few other niggling problems anyway. When I was up there, I thought to have one last moan to the service manager that one of my headlights were fogged up and this morning the fogging had come back on the driver’s side, passenger side was totally clear as drivers side was sweating just like your picture. I did not say a word and let the service manager make up his own mind he looked at both headlights and asked me how long has the headlight been like that I said approximately 3 weeks it sort of fogs up totally the whole headlight will be steamed up and then it disappears like it is now I noted how there were water droplets and is now what I would call heavy sweating along the bottom edge .

His thoughts were yes it should fog up and even if it was really bad and is totally natural but then it should definitely clear as there are small vents in the headlight to let moisture out he had a Hyundai company car same headlights as mine he said his headlights were like mine all fogged this morning but then it clears up certainly the headlight should not have moisture in it as the fogging has turned into sweating and it should definitely have cleared not unless the vents in the ehadlight are are totally blocked so they are contacting Hyundai and if Hyundai agree they will change the headlight unit with a brand new one, he stated also if both headlights were the exact same then that would indicate normal acceptance but as one headlight was perfectly void of any fogging or sweating and the other headlight was sweating then there is a problem with one of the headlights or both should be the exact same you would imagine his words not mine, and is not something they would agree is not a normal occurrence..
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I think that's as good as description as I've read. My faulty one is 'sweating' inside it too.
 
Well maybe worth your while to take your car to your service centre and ask for the service manager to take a look tell them how long your headlight has been like this and ask them what do they think and what is going to be the solution what have you got to lose. Tell them you are not a happy camper with the headlights constantly fogging up in the way in which they are in their current state.

I'll let you know what my dealership have done for me regarding my headlight in fact maybe you should wait until I report back as maybe like others have said maybe Hyundai will do nothing regarding the sweating so let’s see what they decide, they are to phone me tomorrow as and when I will be getting the car back I’ll ask about the headlight tomorrow to see if they have swapped it with a new one or the old one will be left in situ.
 
Mine fog up inside too, although nowhere near as much as these pictures here (although that is most likely to do with temperature drops and rises in different regions).

Totally "normal" for LED lamps from my experience, seen it happen on wayyy more expensive BMWs. As long as it clears up after a few minutes, it's fine. If it doesn't, replace it :)
 
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iiNNEX said:
Mine fog up inside too, although nowhere near as much as these pictures here (although that is most likely to do with temperature drops and rises in different regions).

Totally "normal" for LED lamps from my experience, seen it happen on wayyy more expensive BMWs. As long as it clears up after a few minutes, it's fine. If it doesn't, replace it :)
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Yes, you are correct by my misting has turned into water droplets has been like that for three weeks now so I agree totally with your comment. Hyundai have not contacted me yet will be interesting to see what they say about changing it. I’ll post back here when I have an update.
 
I got may car back today and thankfully my 5th and 6th gears are now as smooth as butter no more 5th or 6th gear sticking any more. Headlight replaced and calibrated. Also got a bonus software update, result.



As for the headlight saga and I think this is my final reply by me on the matter puts to bed once and for all and to rest the saga of the headlight fogging up I will be replying no more on this subject. As I got my headlight replaced with a brand-new headlight.

(1) I asked the service technician & the service manager who were both present when I picked the car up, how did they come to the conclusion my headlight needed replacing.

Answer. We put your headlights on for two hours within the two-hour period of being on the fogging should evaporate and go away as my fogging which did not go away this means the headlight is defective. He stated my headlights were on for 4 hrs and the fogging did not disappear so it needs replacing and that is Hyundai’s stance on the matter.

I then elaborated for all you sceptics out there on n-cars.net forums not that anyone knew today at the service garage I was asking for that reason, all on n- car forums who state this is normal and acceptable get used to it as it is only cosmetic or a visual occurrence for the headlight to fog up, you all ignorant of the actual facts and when you all state this is normal well I got it from the horses mouth that it isn’t.

(2) The service manager stated if your headlight is switched on for a duration of two hours, he stated the led bulbs do heat the inside of the headlight lens. I asked, could you repeat that he replied the led’s inside of the headlight heats up and should evaporate any condensation. I screamed well those are led lights in there they don’t heat up service technician replied wrong they do get warm and do heat up the inside of the headlight. I then for the sceptics asked the technician so if this headlight or the newly installed headlight should fog up does that mean it is defective too, the reply was yes bring it back and have it replaced under warranty. If you have a headlight and it fogs up or sweats it is defective and if you bring it to Hyundai’s attention, we will test the headlight for 2 to 4 hrs and in that time if the fogging does not evaporate then we class it as defective. I asked do you keep defective headlights repair them and place then in cars and reuse them they stated no they are destroyed & thrown in the disposal bin. Headlights should not fog up and sweat and not go away, they should fog up but the fogging should nto be permanent and should disappear.

I do hope this has answered all your questions so if your headlights are fogging up and your car is under warranty do yourself a favour have them looked at by Hyundai or before you go to Hyundai take the car for a 2 hr drive and see if your fogging goes away if it does not then it is defective and needs replaced.

That is what A senior technician at Hyundai garage told me today and that also comes from Head office regarding permanently fogged up headlights.

And before you all get tore into me here is a quote taken from a fantastic film from 1975.


“All I know is this: nobody's very big in the first place, and it looks to me like everybody spends their whole life tearing everybody else down.”

The End
 
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