Condensation and water droplets inside headlight

Faults and Technical chat for the Volkswagen ID.3
TheJimster
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:49 pm

Post by TheJimster »

Lundqvist_Zed wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 6:06 pm Hi all, I've just read down this thread, most intriguing. The issue has happened on more than one vehicle and there is an assertion that it constitutes a failure of MOT. If the issue affects more than a certain percentage of vehicles surely there should be factory recall to replace the headlight units and address the root cause of the issue on all ID3s. If you have an accident because of poor visibility related to this then will VW end up in court?
LED lights are common on multiple vehicle models now, is this a problem elsewhere or unique to the ID range?
Ask for your dealer to provide details on the number of customers with the same issue, it might nudge their thinking. Or get onto Fully Charged or Which.
It certainly feels like potential MOT failure territory to me. I found that the light output from the affected headlight was noticeably affected by all the condensation and drips.

Interestingly, I see that Which have removed the ID3 from their best buy list, on the basis of below average reliability.
71 / 2021 ID.3 City Pure Performance, Moonstone Grey. Get a £50 bonus when you switch to Octopus energy: http://share.octopus.energy/best-moose-515

DumfriesDik
Posts: 456
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2021 7:56 am

Post by DumfriesDik »

andrewparker wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:35 pm I think condensation in the headlights has happened on nearly every car I’ve owned.
And yet I have never had this issue on any of the many cars I've had! :o

I'd be hacked off at being given the run around by the dealer and/or VW. It is disappointing to learn of this kind of attitude is in any car group yet alone VAG.
Motability Customer
VW ID.3 Max
monkeyhanger
Posts: 1273
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2021 1:33 pm

Post by monkeyhanger »

andrewparker wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:35 pm I think condensation in the headlights has happened on nearly every car I’ve owned.
That used to be fine on cars with halogen headlights that put out enough heat to evaporate that condensation, and to a lesser extent, Xenon (putting out about half as much heat as halogens).

LEDs are much more efficient, and convert almost all of the energy in to light, with very little heat generated as a byproduct. No heat = no evaporation.

VW UK always take the side of the dealer if they've given a poor report of the issue that doesn't strongly suggest its a warranty claim. Go to a different dealer group. In my area, Lookers are poor for this, so I always go to Pulman.
Cupra Born V2 e-boost 230ps Aurora Blue, replaced ID3 PP Family

Audi S3 - because I hate rapid charging for long distance driving.

Octopus referral: https://share.octopus.energy/lush-fawn-565
andrewparker
Posts: 419
Joined: Sat Oct 09, 2021 1:14 pm

Post by andrewparker »

DumfriesDik wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 5:03 am
andrewparker wrote: Thu Jan 20, 2022 8:35 pm I think condensation in the headlights has happened on nearly every car I’ve owned.
And yet I have never had this issue on any of the many cars I've had! :o
To be fair it's never been close to as bad as some of the examples posted here. It's certainly never impeded on the function of the lights themselves. I looked at our 2019 BMW X3 this morning, and it's headlights have a few small areas of condensation, and I'm sure all of the four MK7/7.5 Golfs I had suffered from it. The only cars that I can think of that haven't is my Porsche (Bi Xenons) and my Up GTI (halogen bulbs).
Polestar 2 / Midnight / Plus / 20s
VW up! GTI / Tungsten
User avatar
snagglepuss
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2020 4:42 pm
Location: ireland

Post by snagglepuss »

This was my original post and FYI the dealer replaced the complete housing without hesitation.
It appears to be a fault on many iD3's and it occurs on the passenger (near side) headlamp.
Hope this helps.
iD3 1st edition Plus 58kWh Glacier White Metallic - Black Roof
TheJimster
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:49 pm

Post by TheJimster »

Same here. I booked mine into the dealer today, they've just called to let me know that a replacement headlight has been ordered.

I also had a niggling piece of loose trim underneath the infotainment screen, which wouldn't quite stay clipped in place properly, that's getting replaced as well.

This was with Inchcape in Macclesfield. I've only used them a couple of times previously, with previous cars, but I've been using their Audi garage around the corner for almost ten years and have been very pleased with the service I've had from them.
71 / 2021 ID.3 City Pure Performance, Moonstone Grey. Get a £50 bonus when you switch to Octopus energy: http://share.octopus.energy/best-moose-515
fatman
Posts: 115
Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2021 8:53 pm
Contact:

Post by fatman »

I have noticed for the past couple of days both headlights are misted, with the passenger side extremely misted. The mist remains even after a long dry drive.

e mail from dealer,,

,, have received your images of your car. The lights in the newer cars are now vented and do cause misting in the colder temperatures. ..........so what i can do ,please advice
Max PRO Moonstone Grey August 2021. Software v3.2 [dealership]
User avatar
Utumno
Posts: 1727
Joined: Sun Jul 04, 2021 12:34 am
Location: Oxfordshire

Post by Utumno »

Tell them that the level of misting is unacceptable on the passenger side, and is considerably more than the drivers side.

And then tell them to book it in for a warranty replacement.

If they refuse, go to a different dealer and/or complain to VW UK. Rinse and repeat until they replace the faulty passenger headlamp unit.
Tesla Model Y Long Range
CANCELLED : ID.3 Tour (long story :lol:)

ID3 Build & Delivery Info Tracker : https://tinyurl.com/id3tracker
Octopus Referral : https://share.octopus.energy/aqua-foal-203
TheJimster
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:49 pm

Post by TheJimster »

fatman wrote: Mon Feb 07, 2022 9:27 pm I have noticed for the past couple of days both headlights are misted, with the passenger side extremely misted. The mist remains even after a long dry drive.

e mail from dealer,,

,, have received your images of your car. The lights in the newer cars are now vented and do cause misting in the colder temperatures. ..........so what i can do ,please advice
Can you post a photo here?

These are the photos I emailed to my dealer before bringing the car in, to demonstrate that the problem was severe and persistent. To their credit, they didn't ask for these, they booked the car in for an inspection straight away. I just figured it could do no harm to send them.

PXL_20220121_082317108.jpg

PXL_20220115_165320964.jpg

PXL_20220114_085052981.jpg

71 / 2021 ID.3 City Pure Performance, Moonstone Grey. Get a £50 bonus when you switch to Octopus energy: http://share.octopus.energy/best-moose-515
TheJimster
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:49 pm

Post by TheJimster »

Just to confirm, my headlight has been replaced now.

There was no fuss with the dealers, they inspected the car, got approval from VW to carry out the replacement the next day, and I took the car back in as soon as they'd had the new headlight delivered.
71 / 2021 ID.3 City Pure Performance, Moonstone Grey. Get a £50 bonus when you switch to Octopus energy: http://share.octopus.energy/best-moose-515
User avatar
Daveion
Posts: 881
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2021 9:24 am
Location: South Essex RM15

Post by Daveion »

👍
1st EV Life Pro Performance sold 2022
Born v2-Tech L Pack
White, 19" Typhoon Wheels.
Collected June 22
TheJimster
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:49 pm

Post by TheJimster »

Well, this hasn't quite gone to plan!

A few months down the line, the replacement headlight has failed in exactly the same way as the original one. It's not misted up quite as severely yet, but is clearly heading that way. The original driver's side one is still fine, with no sign of any condensation.

I've yet to report this to the dealers. Fingers crossed they'll just get on and replace it again. But it's a shame that VW don't seem to have made any improvements to the design of the unit, to stop this happening.
TheJimster wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 1:55 pm Just to confirm, my headlight has been replaced now.

There was no fuss with the dealers, they inspected the car, got approval from VW to carry out the replacement the next day, and I took the car back in as soon as they'd had the new headlight delivered.
71 / 2021 ID.3 City Pure Performance, Moonstone Grey. Get a £50 bonus when you switch to Octopus energy: http://share.octopus.energy/best-moose-515
thefordprefect
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2021 2:59 pm

Post by thefordprefect »

Noticed after some heavy rain nothing too significant but certainly in my mind should not be there!
monkeyhanger
Posts: 1273
Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2021 1:33 pm

Post by monkeyhanger »

Not sure why these aren't sealed units now. You needed venting on Halogen/Xenon, fortheheat produced, to prevent implode/explode on heating and cooling in operation. Is tgat necessary now? I suppose the unit can still heat up in the sun when the car's parked, but the LEDs will be putting out very little heat.
Cupra Born V2 e-boost 230ps Aurora Blue, replaced ID3 PP Family

Audi S3 - because I hate rapid charging for long distance driving.

Octopus referral: https://share.octopus.energy/lush-fawn-565
TheJimster
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:49 pm

Post by TheJimster »

TheJimster wrote: Wed Oct 12, 2022 10:03 pm Well, this hasn't quite gone to plan!

A few months down the line, the replacement headlight has failed in exactly the same way as the original one. It's not misted up quite as severely yet, but is clearly heading that way. The original driver's side one is still fine, with no sign of any condensation.

I've yet to report this to the dealers. Fingers crossed they'll just get on and replace it again. But it's a shame that VW don't seem to have made any improvements to the design of the unit, to stop this happening.
TheJimster wrote: Sat Mar 26, 2022 1:55 pm Just to confirm, my headlight has been replaced now.

There was no fuss with the dealers, they inspected the car, got approval from VW to carry out the replacement the next day, and I took the car back in as soon as they'd had the new headlight delivered.
Update on headlights. I took the car in for inspection quite a while ago, by which time the (already replaced) passenger side headlight was very badly misted up. The original driver's side one had also started to mist up less severely.

The passenger side one was approved for replacement, and the car has just been in to have it replaced alongside the 3.2 update.

VW wouldn't approve replacement of the driver's side one though. Frustratingly, it had cleared up by the time the car actually got to the workshop. Even though I had provided photographs showing how bad it had been, the technician told me that in order to get approval from VW for replacement, they have to provide photographs of the headlamps taken under specific conditions.
71 / 2021 ID.3 City Pure Performance, Moonstone Grey. Get a £50 bonus when you switch to Octopus energy: http://share.octopus.energy/best-moose-515
2021_ID3_T5
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2022 10:13 am

Post by 2021_ID3_T5 »

Just to add that here in ROI I'm on my 3rd or 4th headlight, can't remember now, passenger headlight and it's misting up again but not permanently, never a drop in the drivers side only the passenger.

The dealer has been great, says it's only my id3 that has had this issue, very strange. Mine is the T5.
2021_ID3_T5
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2022 10:13 am

Post by 2021_ID3_T5 »

I was in with the dealer this morning and they are arranging to have the 5th headlight installed.

This is beyond ridiculous, I am just glad this time around I bought a car with a dealer only a few miles away.

Always the passenger headlight, and they have said it's always me and only me that they have had this issue, not that they are meaning anything negative towards me.

The car has 3 year warranty or 90,000 Kms and I'm around 64,000 Kms I bought it in October 2021.

Unfortunately, the dealer has to go through the same process even though it's the same issue, they can't just replace the headlight.

I know the Matrix headlights are fantastic especially on my dark narrow country roads, they really are fantastic but in reality they are complex and very expensive to replace if they fail so on that basis I'd be inclined to get a car with these headlamps again, good o'l halogen never let me down even if I had to replace bulbs, this kind of hardship just isn't worth it especially if it starts costing me after the 3 years, I will probably have to fight them legally after that because there's an obvious issue and they need to do a recall, in my opinion.
2021_ID3_T5
Posts: 10
Joined: Thu Sep 15, 2022 10:13 am

Post by 2021_ID3_T5 »

Had the car in, they replaced some seals and the issue remains.

It's to go in in November for 4 or 5 days , not sure what they will do but I can't believe VW can't fix a fogged up headlight after 2 years..............
Mike Stratford
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2022 12:29 pm

Post by Mike Stratford »

Passenger side headlamp on July 2022 ID3 misted up, driver's side fine. Hoping that Listers are happy to replace under warranty.
Mike Stratford
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jul 09, 2022 12:29 pm

Post by Mike Stratford »

Condensation then water drops inside passenger side headlight of 2022 ID3, taken to Listers, Stratford and replaced under warranty no trouble,
Post Reply