[simonparker]

Sorry if this is in the wrong place, but really stuck for help and can't speak to the locals due to the language problem. I live in Germany as my wife works here at the moment, and have a bmw 320d e90 tourer, 2005 model with condensation in the drivers side headlight. Left hand drive car. Local dealer wants €1500 for new light as says they can't be fixed. Are they available in the UK any cheaper, if so where. Are the UK ones any different from Germany ones? Lights pointing in wrong place etc. Sorry know nothing about cars, so just seeking cheapest possible replacement.

Recently (month ago) had the other light replaced under warranty as that had condensation in it and then lead to the adaptive headlight failure due to the moisture, so they said, so wary of it happening to the other light now this too has condensation in it. Far as I can see there are no cracks, loose connections, seals, covers etc allowing moisture in. They won't cover this one under warranty, expired anyhow.

Thanks guys

[mikeysix]

I'll probably be corrected mate as some of the other guys on here are more clued up but I think you can buy them for around 500-600 sterling.

[giotecno]

Mate you cant use the UK ones as they are for RHD cars yours is LHD as it needs to be for Germany, look on ebay.de in germany, You havent mentioned if its Halogen or Xenon. If its halogen I am sure you can find just one side for about 150 -200 Euros if its a xenon one then you probably looking at about 300 to 350 Euros. Check the ebay in germany. Dont get it from the dealer as they do you in on the price. Enjoy..

[giotecno]

Here I found you one on Ebay in Germany its a dynamic xenon which is what I think you got and its a great price at 350 euros. enjoy

http://cgi.ebay.de/Xenon-Scheinwerfe...item56332a189e

[kimble36]

I have a 2008 e93 320d and I noticed recently that I have condensation at the bottom of both lenses. Is this a common problem?

[marcm]

Simon pm'd you.

[jimbo0131]

I also have 320D 2008 with condensation in the headlights. Is this covered under warranty ?

[marcm]

No it used to happen on my 06 e91 and it was fobbed off as it just happens sir. You notice it more in the damp weather as the heat of the headlights and the cold temperatures outside cause more condensation. I also had it on my 08 e90 and fixed it by replacing the rear cover of the headlight. I think the rubber seal had perrished. After a few weeks of driving the condensation dissapeared. Hope this helps.

[ComputerKnowHow]

I recently bought my E90 with the AUC warranty and noticed lots of condensation in both headlight casings. Since I'd known the car had been on a dealer forecourt for a while (outside) I assumed it would eventually disappear but it didn't clear over a couple of weeks, mainly driving with the lights on for a few hours at a time. It never cleared so went back to the dealers.

I was told at the service desk that there's a "test" that they do... erm, it's the same at every dealer I've ever been to - they turn the dipped beam on for 20 minutes and if the condensation doesn't disappear then there's a fault.

I was surprised when they said they'd cover everything under the AUC Warranty - parts goodwill from BMW UK and labour goodwill from Used Car Sales.

All sorted over the course of a day, and car valeted in to the deal, so was impressed.

Driving home, a bulb fault indicator lamp came on, and so stopped and saw it was the nearside side/parking lamp. Booked back in to the dealer, who again didn't charge any money and sorted it this morning. Apparently there was a further bulb fault which was replaced.

I don't have an exact figure from the paperwork, but the parts were £124. 1.5 days labour probably not cheap though.

So if you're still under warranty (new or AUC) then you may be in luck at your dealers. As it was all goodwill, you may not be so lucky though.

[SoYank]

I had condensation inside my headlights on both the 330i and the 335i. To rectify it I merely drove with the headlights on and it would go away.

[Em135eye]

One of my foglights gets a bit of condensation - I just ignore it.

[simonparker]

The problem, as per my initial thread/post, was that i had condensation in one light, caused i think by a faulty seal on the back. The water didn't go and eventually caused the adaptive headlights to fail. BMW covered it under warranty, they wouldn't cover the condensation, but I got a new light.

Now the drivers side one is condensing up, so having argument, in my dodgy German that same problem will occur unless fixed. It may be the seal on the back also as there is a broken off plastic clip, but the cover is firm and not loose but I'm pushing them to replace that first, and if not will have a go at them about a new light. They want €1600 for a new one, course I'm refusing to pay as to have a problem only 1 month after the other one must mean a design fault. Well that's my argument. We'll see

[xenon]

Drying them out by driving around with the headlamps on doesn't really work with xenons as they give off hardly any heat.