Stopping Water in Headlight

X3BMW · 09-24-2020, 08:55 AM

Anyone figure out how to stop water from getting into the "sealed" headlights.
I was thinking of drilling small holes on removable covers in engine bay to allow water to at least to evaporate. When I take those off the lenses dry out quickly at least. Ridiculous design, tired of replacing led modules.

pungo · 09-24-2020, 09:20 AM

Weren't you having all the trouble with your Xenon not coming on and kept taking them apart in attempt to diagnose them? Maybe you're not putting the covers back on properly or the seals have been compromised and they're not really a "ridiculous design", but user error. You're saying you have to keep replacing the LED modules, are these for the Halos? or the Xenon bulb or ballast for the low/high beams? Which is it?

X3BMW · 09-24-2020, 04:33 PM

Light fixed and caps go on perfectly and tight, but as is written all over the web and in BMW service bulletins the design for our headlights is flawed and water will get in. There are videos and comments all over about how to remove the water, that's easy, take off the caps and use a hair dryer, however eventually it will corrode the electronic modules. Trying to head it off happening again.

X3BMW · 09-24-2020, 04:37 PM

Never said I ever replaced modules before. Every mechanic that works on BMW's has said exactly the same thing, water gets in even if caps are on correctly. BMW originally told owners it was normal, after numerous annoyed owners they put out service bulletin and replaced modules but that was only within warranty periods. So those of us keeping older x3's alive are stuck with the problem.

pungo · 09-24-2020, 04:48 PM

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Originally Posted by X3BMW

Ridiculous design, tired of replacing led modules.

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Originally Posted by X3BMW

Never said I ever replaced modules before.

I read "tired of replacing led modules", now you say you never replaced modules them? You're talking in circles

X3BMW · 09-25-2020, 11:08 AM

I've never had a problem conversing on any forum and this is the second time you and I seem to be talking 2 different languages.
So my suggestion and request is you don't need to respond to my inquiries and I won't respond to yours.
It should facilitate stopping this useless banter.

e30lover318i · 09-25-2020, 11:12 AM

Never had a problem with water or moisture getting in my lights. On the older cars there were seals for the ballast at the bottom maybe check them ?

pungo · 09-25-2020, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X3BMW

I've never had a problem conversing on any forum and this is the second time you and I seem to be talking 2 different languages.
So my suggestion and request is you don't need to respond to my inquiries and I won't respond to yours.
It should facilitate stopping this useless banter.

Sorry, I thought English may not be your native language since it's hard to understand when you attempt to describe a problem. You don't use the correct terminology so no one can understand what you're talking about. I can only think you may have a mental disability and if so, I'm sorry about that.

Here's 3 separate posts for the same exact headlight issue and now it's leaking, hmmmmm, whoever worked on your headlight probably caused the leak.

https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1704491
https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1729551
https://x3.xbimmers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1736838

Here's how our PM went the last time I attempted to assist you until at the end, you said, you don't even work on cars

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Originally Posted by pungo

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You were helpful and I had another question, my led bulb is out, not the bulb one of the modules. I am also getting adaptive lights malfunction. Would that be one of the same modules? Do you know which module that would be?
Thanks

Are you referring to the halos? There's a module with LED on it for those. What are the error codes?

First, thanks so much for responding.
I started with low beam malfunction, which I checked and its not the bulb. Halo lights all working fine.
From time to time I am getting a second malfunction light that says adaptive driving light malfunction. This started after the low beam malfunction light and only happens from time to time.
The driving lights work fine when I engage button on dash. When button not engaged those lights are supposed to come on when wheel is turned. They don't come on even when malfunction light is not lit.

You didn't list any error codes, which can make diagnosing your problem easier.

If you're talking about the fog lights, they're also used as corning lights when the turn signal is used and or the steering is turned passed a certain angle. For the cornering and adaptive lights to work, the light switch needs to be in auto "A". This is all explained in the owners manual.

I'm not sure why you used PM instead of posting your questions in the general forum where others can both answer and learn.

I didn't post on forum because I thought it was the right thing to do to post privately. Didn't know forum protocol. Other forums I have been on if one person answer we go to private.
I don't know how to get codes.
I know how the fog lights/driving lights work and I am set on Auto A. It has stopped working and I was wondering if it was just a coincidence or tied into the low beam malfunction.

If this were in the general forum, others could chime in to help.

Without error codes it's hard to diagnose. Learn how to read the error codes.

I don't know where to start since I don't fully understand the problem. You said a led bulb is out, though never said which one, just that all halos are working and those are the only leds in the headlight.

Sorry meant to say HID bulb, the low/hi beam headlight bulb is the original low beam malfunction. And now asking about adaptive headlight malfunction which is intermittently showing up. Question was is it perhaps the same module or just coincidence that these malfunctions are coming on at same time.

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I posted on the forum as you suggested. I hope its clear there. As I never said the original problem was fixed and repeated that both malfunction lights are on, the headlight always the adaptive intermittent I thought it was clear, sorry. As I do not do my own repairs and BMW is asking for $175 diagnostic fee I was trying to get info to lead someone to the repair. Both at the same time.

Ok, I see your post in the forum, though it's hard to understand.

I said you need to get the Bi-Xenon light working before worrying about the adaptive failure, that could be causing the adaptive error. I thought you were trying to fix the problem yourself, I didn't know you don't do your own repairs. You really need to take it to a professional who knows what they're doing since you've been at this for nearly 3 months now

If I needed the light working I would have had it done the first day. I enjoy learning about things, not just paying to get them fixed.
Thanks for all your help, much appreciated.

I tried helping when you 1st posted the light wouldn't come on. I told you what to swap to determine what component was defective, but I didn't know you were not going to do any of those steps, but rather just wanted to learn about things.

Not sure why you started a new post, rather than add additional information to your initial post so the whole saga was in one place. I'm not sure what you're going to tell the professional who will actually diagnose and repair the failure, but good luck getting it working again.

6MT_Addict · 09-26-2020, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X3BMW

I've never had a problem conversing on any forum and this is the second time you and I seem to be talking 2 different languages.
So my suggestion and request is you don't need to respond to my inquiries and I won't respond to yours.
It should facilitate stopping this useless banter.

Lol chill out dude.

Do some googling... headlights and water infiltration is not a new issue on aged BMWs. Get a new set of seals, remove and air out the headlights, install new seals.

94vtirozguy · 10-02-2020, 04:56 PM

i had water in one headlight, the one in question cap felt like it was tight (needed lots of effort) to put on right. i went to the other light to verify how much it needed to turn and direction to make sure i was doing it right.

09-24-2020, 08:55 AM	#1
X3BMW Enlisted Member 3 Rep 41 Posts Drives: 2013 white/black X3 Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Queens NY iTrader: (0)	Stopping Water in Headlight Anyone figure out how to stop water from getting into the "sealed" headlights. I was thinking of drilling small holes on removable covers in engine bay to allow water to at least to evaporate. When I take those off the lenses dry out quickly at least. Ridiculous design, tired of replacing led modules.
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09-24-2020, 09:20 AM	#2
pungo Colonel 880 Rep 2,547 Posts Drives: Z4MC-X3-35i-525i, Corrado G60 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: MD iTrader: (5) Garage List 2011 BMW X3 x35i [0.00] 2001 BMW 525i [0.00] 2007 BMW Z4 M Coupe [8.76]	Weren't you having all the trouble with your Xenon not coming on and kept taking them apart in attempt to diagnose them? Maybe you're not putting the covers back on properly or the seals have been compromised and they're not really a "ridiculous design", but user error. You're saying you have to keep replacing the LED modules, are these for the Halos? or the Xenon bulb or ballast for the low/high beams? Which is it? Last edited by pungo; 09-24-2020 at 01:30 PM..
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09-24-2020, 04:33 PM	#3
X3BMW Enlisted Member 3 Rep 41 Posts Drives: 2013 white/black X3 Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Queens NY iTrader: (0)	headlight water Light fixed and caps go on perfectly and tight, but as is written all over the web and in BMW service bulletins the design for our headlights is flawed and water will get in. There are videos and comments all over about how to remove the water, that's easy, take off the caps and use a hair dryer, however eventually it will corrode the electronic modules. Trying to head it off happening again.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-24-2020, 04:37 PM	#4
X3BMW Enlisted Member 3 Rep 41 Posts Drives: 2013 white/black X3 Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Queens NY iTrader: (0)	Never said I ever replaced modules before. Every mechanic that works on BMW's has said exactly the same thing, water gets in even if caps are on correctly. BMW originally told owners it was normal, after numerous annoyed owners they put out service bulletin and replaced modules but that was only within warranty periods. So those of us keeping older x3's alive are stuck with the problem.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-25-2020, 11:08 AM	#6
X3BMW Enlisted Member 3 Rep 41 Posts Drives: 2013 white/black X3 Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Queens NY iTrader: (0)	english is my first language I've never had a problem conversing on any forum and this is the second time you and I seem to be talking 2 different languages. So my suggestion and request is you don't need to respond to my inquiries and I won't respond to yours. It should facilitate stopping this useless banter.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-25-2020, 11:12 AM	#7
e30lover318i Second Lieutenant 79 Rep 211 Posts Drives: E30,E34T,E46,F48 Join Date: Dec 2019 Location: RI iTrader: (0)	Never had a problem with water or moisture getting in my lights. On the older cars there were seals for the ballast at the bottom maybe check them ?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

10-02-2020, 04:56 PM	#10
94vtirozguy Private 11 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 2013 X3 F25 (N20) Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: CT iTrader: (0)	i had water in one headlight, the one in question cap felt like it was tight (needed lots of effort) to put on right. i went to the other light to verify how much it needed to turn and direction to make sure i was doing it right.
	Appreciate 0 Quote