S40 (New) Body : 2005 Headlight Condensation

[S4T]

Hi everyone
Can someone please give me some advice or feedback why both my headlight units show signs of bad condensation/fogging over. This situation is present when weather is wet and cold. It is very dangerous as it totally messes up the quality of light from the units at night resulting in shadows / not a clean clear beam. When climate is dry/warm this does not occur. The original headlight units were replaced 6 months ago by my local volvo garage before summer. But since weather has gotten cold and wet in the past week here in Ireland the new replaced headlights are fogging over again. The garage has told me that they have not encountered this problem before. I have not found any solutions on other forums with regards the new S40. I would greatly appreciate any person who has had a similar issue with headlights to give me some feedback.
I will have to contact volvo warranty department on parts to see if they can assist me if I get no replies here.
Thanking anyone in advance
Will

[7050man]

There has been a thread on this before. Someone I think has had success with resealing the lenses using vasoline.

Have a search through the forum going back about a year to eighteen months and hopefully you will find some answers.

regards.

[S4T]

Hi there
Thanks for the reply.
I did check on that old thread and will consider smearing a thin layer of vaseline around the seal on the back of the headlight unit.
BUT before I do has anyone else had issues with their S40 or V50 headlights fogging over? I just bought this 05 S40 6 months ago after upgrading from a V40 and had not planned on encountering such a strange and dangerous issue with a fundamental part of a car, especially with Volvo considered one of the safest brands out there.
I would like more feedback before applying vaseline to headlights, as I am not sure this is a definite solution.
And my bigger issue I have with this problem is that why is this problem occuring in the first place? Is it an issue / design fault with all new S40's (04 to late 07 when units changed) ?
Surely I am not alone with this problem..
Thanks in advance
Will
2005 S40 2.0D SE

[S4T]

Hi again...
No one is replying so I take it this is an unusual problem?
No one has similar issues......?
As i said before any input would be greatly appreciated.
Will

[7050man]

Sorry I can't be more helpful. My lamps generally stay clear and only once on a very damp/cold night when car left out did I notice a faint hint of fogging, which I did not see as a problem.

I suppose it is impossible to completely seal any unit as there will always be air gap around the bulb which may let moist air in and which , if conditions are right will condense on relatively colder lens.

If as you say there is a lot of moisture condensing in the unit, then there must be a sealing problem somewhere.

hope you get the problem resolved.

[S4T]

Hi
Thanks for replying...you seem to be the only one to do so.:-)
I hope to get it sorted soon and will visit local Volvo garage when symptoms will present themselves again.
I just thought more drivers might have been affected by this issue...I guess not.
Regards
Will

[Marmoset]

I've taken mine apart to clean the actual glass lens that has accumulated some deposited dirt from somemild form of fogging but nothing that is apparent on the inside of the plexiglass. It's worth noting that there is a little rubber tube on the side of the units that is a breather (I assume it is anyway) so any trapped moisture should be burnt off with the heat generated by the lights and escape throught this, I'd have thought,so the units are not totally sealed, from what I've seen.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Rich