sanjsanj

Quote:

Originally Posted by markrl

"... I only put it into the main beam cap as it then has..."

BTW great forum and first post so please be gentle

[font="'Comic Sans MS"]Obviously the main beam isn't used as much as well, again making it a more suitable place to put the silica gel.[/font][font="'Comic Sans MS"]
[/font][font="'Comic Sans MS"]On a side note, to the forum! This is actually quite a nice place, everyone's gentle here as it is. You might want to add your ride to your signature in case you need to ask questions in the future... enjoy your stay![/font]

SD5Series

I noticed that also on my xenon headlights (still trying to figure out all the lingo with the pre-lci and non lci talk, i have a 2007 525i) that the cover was forming spots on it. I was trying to find something to restore the outside look of it, but are all those spots on the inside?

markrl

That does seem like quite a bit of water residue staining and considerably worse then my problem which was a lighter misting which would overnight disappear without trace until the next time it rained and the lights were switched on. It looks like you may actually have a leaking lamp rather then just damp ingress. I think that the only way you could attempt to clean the staining off would be to remove the headlamps from the car and then the bulbs. Then gently slosh a little alcohol or methylated spirits around the front making sure it wasn't allowed to settle and hopefully it would dislodge any deposits on the lens. You will need a cleaner that evaporates without leaving a residue and you would need to avoid removing any grease from the lift motor moving parts for the headlamp levelling system. Not easy and not without some risk.

b00sted415

So this morning as I'm leaving the gym to head to work I noticed condensation inside my left LCI headlight ugh!! . I retrofitted my headlights to LCI about 7 months ago or so. I bought these headlights brand new from the dealer. How in the world could I have a leak any where? I've driven in the rain before with no problems until now.

Has anyone on here used the silica-gel-packets and if so where exactly did you place the packets?

markrl

50 gram bag of silica gel placed in the main beam bulb cover cap held in place with an industrial sticky pad.

b00sted415

Is this the one that can be accessed without removing the headlight or do I need to remove the headlight to get to the bulb cover cap?

AchtungE60

If you develop condensation take the bulb cover off for a while while in sunlight etc and allow the condensation to evaporate then once you're sure its all gone close up the bulb door tightly and you shouldn't have this issue. Unless there is some other entry point which there shouldn't be with a sealed light design.

b00sted415

I ended up doing this over night in my garage and condensation was gone in the morning. Let's see next time it rains if this occurs again.

markrl

This is the problem contrary to popular belief the lights are not a sealed design. If the lamps were sealed there would be pressure differential problems caused by the air inside becoming warm and expanding (with the heat from the bulbs) or if the car was used at a higher altitudes with lower air pressure outside then in. In order to equalise the air pressure they have to be vented and this is achieved by the two rubber tubes (or elbows) fitted at the back on either side. This can allow moisture to enter in some circumstances and in colder conditions cause some fogging of the lens. The outside rubber vent tube is right next to the drain route for the bonnet wing shut line hence its always very wet in this area in rainy conditions. This may well be the source of the E60's headlamp condensation issues if all the other seals are in tact. The indicator bulb seal is also in this area and presents another possible route if its not absolutely perfect. The tiniest little bit of moisture getting into the headlamp in cold conditions will cause fogging after switch off when the lamps are cooling down and condensation occurs.

This is a really annoying issue on the E60 which seems to be particularly susceptible but its not unique and afflicts many other vehicles. Most manufacturers (including BMW) have a lengthy explanation of the problem on their TIS system for the dealerships to print off and give to the complaining customer. The standard industry wide test appears to be to switch on the lights for 20 minutes and if during that time the condensation clears from the light beam area then the headlamp unit is to be considered serviceable and no warranty claim entertained.

b00sted415

This is what another board member told me as well.