Condensation in Headlight After Bulb Change

[RyanMcCarthy]

Hey guys, I drive a 1999 Limited 4Runner and recently replaced my stock bulbs with some PIAA Extreme White Plus bulbs, which are awesome, but ever since the replacement, my headlights have been filling with condensation after every major rain or wash. They never did this before and I'm absolutely sure I've been putting the dust boot back properly every time I dry them out with a hair drier. I've tried 5 times to reseal them using lots of duct tape and it hasn't made a difference at all. It just doesn't make sense to me how suddenly, after changing the bulbs, all this water keeps coming in. Could you help me out?

 

[3rzrunner]

I have the same bulbs in my 99+ headlights and they don't do that! Check for a nice seal around the bulb or put some hi-temp silicone around the bulb then screw it in.

 

[bubbaleenc]

OP, still having this issue?

I recently washed one of my headlights internally (Long story short, the passenger light was replaced with a new unit due to a wreck, but the driver light was the same cruddy 13 year-old part. I'm just being cheap for now - will replace properly in the future more than likely). Naturally, I had some residual water in the housing even after using compressed air and a blow dryer to get the worst of it out. The morning after I reinstalled the unit, I noticed some fogging inside the lens (no surprise).

I left off the boot for the day (sunny, high of around 90) and ran the truck on the highway (to increase airflow around unit back) for about 20 miles with the high beams on (I used a Halogen bulb I still had from before the LED conversion to produce as much heat as possible). Use good judgment of course on where to burn your brights - doing it in right lane of interstate in broad daylight minimized chance I would blind any drivers. This looks like it has completely dried it out.

Now, a couple days later I still see no fogging or condensation. So I am re-installing my LED units and adding a custom-fab boot to keep out new dust.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Duck tape. Seriously?

It was never meant to be a perfect seal but if you want a full seal use clear silicone sealant.

 

[jgue467]

Save yourself the $ & trouble

I got the same bulbs for upper and fogs. NBD. They are absolutely No better than top end Sylvania Silverstars. They don't leak (but neither did my Sylvanias), are bluer/whiter but provide no improvement in lighting and set me back $100. Save yourself the $$$ and trouble. End of that story. :sad:

 

[bubbaleenc]

I got the same bulbs for upper and fogs. NBD. They are absolutely No better than top end Sylvania Silverstars. They don't leak (but neither did my Sylvanias), are bluer/whiter but provide no improvement in lighting and set me back $100. Save yourself the $$$ and trouble. End of that story. :sad:

I don't think the issue is with the bulbs leaking, but the housing. The bulbs are unlikely to leak regardless of their source (halogen or LED). As to value of LED versus Halogen (or versus HID for that matter), that's a topic for another thread...