Headlight Fog

[ClayDee]

Was pressure washing my car earlier today getting ready to wash it thoroughly, and noticed both headlights were fogged up a bit. Did not notice this last time I washed it and was curious if this is normal? Washed my Termi dozens of times and never noticed the headlights fog up on it or any other vehicle for that matter.

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[SVTinAR]

Mine hasn't done that so far. I don't use a pressure washer and that may not be a good idea around the lights and underhood.

 

[ClayDee]

Mine hasn't done that so far. I don't use a pressure washer and that may not be a good idea around the lights and underhood.

Maybe caused by the heat from the engine and not necessarily from the water itself?.....

 

[ameapm2000]

I also noticed that fog yesterday when I was washing my car.

 

[ClayDee]

I also noticed that fog yesterday when I was washing my car.

Had you just recently driven your car when you washed it?

 

[ameapm2000]

Had you just recently driven your car when you washed it?

I just drove 3 miles from my house to the car wash. The front portion does dissipate a lot of heat even for short drives and not pushing the car.

 

[swamp_gas]

Pressure washing will not hurt anything as long as it isn't really high pressure(keep around 1600 psi or below), and you don't hold the nozzle tip near the paint or surface. Don't go 'full send it' on that dried bug carcass, rather get it softened up with the water and then take a wash mit or micro fiber towel to it. When headlights fog like that, there is likely a damaged seal or leak in the headlight assembly, and it should be covered under warranty. Fun Fact: When I was in high school, many moons ago, I detailed cars for a dealership. There was rumor of a damaged headlight one day, and I remember them bringing a car back to the detail dept. Since I was only a step up from lot shit, I had the honor of holding a hose to the headlight until it started to fog, and the light was then replaced under warranty. A healthy light should not fog.

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[NoXiDe]

I was going to say, on my other car forum. I found that dealers typically replaced the headlights if they fogged internally versus glazed on the outside due to natural sunlight exposure which overtime will create a glaze on the outside of the headlights that can be removed by using a porter cable to the headlight which made it look new. When it's fogging internally, like the above OP said it would be covered under warranty as a defect since the seal broke. Better to get it fixed now than to have electrical issues later down the line from a car wash and a overzealous person just hosing that headlight until it filled up. lol.

 

[johnny1]

And wouldn't want to do this on a new car thats under warranty. But on an older car like my 2005 Buick that the headlights fogged just from temperature changes after raining sometimes you can just find the lowest corner on bottom of headlight and drill a very small hole into the bottom of the headlight there and it will never fog up again. (doesn't necessarily need to be in the corner just in the bottom any where so rain can't get in) And the hole being so tiny no dust or dirt will collect either. Back in 1988 I bought a brand new Harley Softail. Every time I rode in heavy rain the front turn signals would fog up and the lenses were sealed tight to the chrome housing. And take days to dissipate. I finally drilled with a extremely tiny drill bit a hole in the bottom of each lens (not even noticeable) Rode that bike for years and they never fogged again. EasyRider magazine was still around at that time so I sent that simple FYI to them. They published it with my name and town and there was a lot of thank you remarks in the review section the next printing.

 

[ClayDee]

I won't pressure wash it next time, I'll just use the hose at the house and see if that makes a difference. If it fogs over from that light of a pressure it will be getting headlight assembly's replaced.

 

[Stunt1o1]

That happened to mine when I was washing it and I wasn’t using a pressure washer. It only happened once.

 

[SVTinAR]

Maybe caused by the heat from the engine and not necessarily from the water itself?.....

I only caution about the pressure washer as there are all types from 1500 psi electric jobbers up to 3500 (+) psi gas powered ones with all types of nozzles and adjustable nozzles and not everyone always uses common sense in their use - especially of the bigger ones. If you think you have a good handle on how to use it and it's roughly set for the equivalency of a car wash spray wand then it probably would do not harm.

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