[SomeRandomer123]

Every X3 owner I have spoken to has discovered condensation in their headlamps. Even Xenon lights!!

Why does the BMW X3 have this issue? What is causing it?

[BIMMER UK 76]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomer123

Every X3 owner I have spoken to has discovered condensation in their headlamps. Even Xenon lights!!

Why does the BMW X3 have this issue? What is causing it?

Not me

[SomeRandomer123]

Originally Posted by BIMMER UK 76

Not me

You're my first without then! Lucky you.

[sfax]

Not the majority of people on this forum, including me. And if you weren't an XBimmer member and you had the problem, you'd be more likely to come here and post, so I'm guessing it's a very small number of cases. Less than 1%. Pure conjecture but there are 100s of F25 owners already and two (I think) have reported the problem on this forum.

[gareth12468]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomer123

Every X3 owner I have spoken to has discovered condensation in their headlamps. Even Xenon lights!!

Why does the BMW X3 have this issue? What is causing it?

Mine doesn't....

[tuco44]

Originally Posted by gareth12468

Mine doesn't....

Nor mine.

[robwoods]

Nor mine

[Itchywasabi]

I think this is common to all cars (very expensive cars included) especially if the humidity level is high or rainy, couple that with a sudden shift from warm to cold temp. Even my expensive divers' watch that says “water resistant up to 50m” gets this occasionally.

[SomeRandomer123]

Well this makes me feel much better anyway!

[colton_matthias]

I don't think I have it either...

[Radioactive]

None for me and believe or not San Diego is a high humidity area! To add to the controversy here's what I just wrote on the other thread.

May I humbly suggest that the condensation buildup is caused by being too "sealed" and not by being "sealed" up enough. Unless of course if you have obvious areas where water can penetrate. Condensation is natures way of "heating". There is too great of temperature difference between the cold outside temp and the warmer headlight housing. By increasing the amount of air going into the housing you can reduce the temp difference. Therefore reducing the need to "heat". Also increased venting would allow greater evaporation of the present moisture, which probably now exacerbates the problem by providing more available moisture.

[Beyu]

Haven't gotten condensation with xenons yet. Seattle is beyond humid, it just rains like 9 months out of the year. We've also been getting some crazy weather the last couple of weeks, rain for a day or two then high 70s almost 80s this weekend.

[Sabian]

When I picked mine up last week I drove it home in a complete down pour, and was stuck in a long commute because of it. When I got home there was only a very slight condensation on the edges maybe the size of a dime or smaller, but that has gone now and I haven't seen it come back since even after driving through very rainy weather the past week.

I suspect that might have been humitity inside from when it was built and that has evaporated now since using the headlights... When I drove home last night I hit some light rain and the car was wet when I parked it in the garage last night. I just went out to check the headlights after reading this thread this morning and there is absolutely no condensation that I can see.

[SomeRandomer123]

Ahh thanks for that Sabian! Im sure the UK should be okay then. Although when Fifth Gear did a (shite) review of it, the condensation did appear in low humidity wet weather.

[raleedy]

The condensation inside the headlamp covers is caused by moisture. This part of the unit isn't airtight.

[Waffle]

Originally Posted by sfax

Not the majority of people on this forum, including me. And if you weren't an XBimmer member and you had the problem, you'd be more likely to come here and post, so I'm guessing it's a very small number of cases. Less than 1%. Pure conjecture but there are 100s of F25 owners already and two (I think) have reported the problem on this forum.

... and one of those was me! I posted the picture below approx two weeks ago but I'm happy to report it's now disappeared. I drove everywhere with main beam lights on until it went.

[ssn007]

Originally Posted by SomeRandomer123

Every X3 owner I have spoken to has discovered condensation in their headlamps. Even Xenon lights!!

Why does the BMW X3 have this issue? What is causing it?

I haven't had it on mine. Did have it on my 335i the first couple weeks I had it. Condensation occurs when the temperature on the inside of the housing is below the dew point of the air in the housing. If moisture was trapped in the housing during manufacture it will occur until it drys out assuming there is no other source such as a bad seal or something. If it's heavy and continues for a prolonged period might have it checked out?

[Nahoa]

Not mine.

[Lotus7]

What's all the whining about?
Condensation is half of the classic distillation process: Evaporation and then condensation of the evaporated fractions. Just consider your X3 a "still" on wheels.

[sfax]

Originally Posted by ssn007

I haven't had it on mine. Did have it on my 335i the first couple weeks I had it. Condensation occurs when the temperature on the inside of the housing is below the dew point of the air in the housing. If moisture was trapped in the housing during manufacture it will occur until it drys out assuming there is no other source such as a bad seal or something. If it's heavy and continues for a prolonged period might have it checked out?

Makes sense. Could use a hairdryer to speed up the drying

[SomeRandomer123]

Well, that's cleared that up as far as I'm concerned! Thanks guys!

[MSport_Jon]

Back from the dead.....


I'm am lci owner and I had the x3 since June of last year. I had the car in storage for he winter and I have noticed today when i got it back that there is condensation buildup on both headlights. These are not the regular HID xenon headlamps. These are the more expensive led headlamps. Im really disappointed. Hope it goes away soon