Fog in the headlight housing

[DoctorStiches]

I have not seen a post related to this issue.
If I am the only owner to experiance it, I doubt, I feel a bit bummed.

Fog in my headlight housing seen about 2 days ago while getting gas. It was below 30 out but beyond that nothing has come in contact with my car before. I've never had a car with headlights like the stinger. All previous cars (except my eclipse and talon) have had glass headlights. The DSM cars were old so i just drill holes in the base to let the condensation out.

2200 for a single headlight on this here stinger so that's not an option. Anyone experiance this? And besides the rant above I am fine... still bummed they couldnt seal the lights better I guess.....9

 

[nhcowboy28]

View attachment 16214 I have not seen a post related to this issue.
If I am the only owner to experiance it, I doubt, I feel a bit bummed.

Fog in my headlight housing seen about 2 days ago while getting gas. It was below 30 out but beyond that nothing has come in contact with my car before. I've never had a car with headlights like the stinger. All previous cars (except my eclipse and talon) have had glass headlights. The DSM cars were old so i just drill holes in the base to let the condensation out.

2200 for a single headlight on this here stinger so that's not an option. Anyone experiance this? And besides the rant above I am fine... still bummed they couldnt seal the lights better I guess.....View attachment 162139

I noticed this the first week I had my car... went away and hasn’t come back. The car was on the lot exposed for many months.

I’ve garaged the car since.

I believe all modern headlamp assemblies are vented to prevent permanent condensation.

 

[DoctorStiches]

I noticed this the first week I had my car... went away and hasn’t come back. The car was on the lot exposed for many months.

I’ve garaged the car since.

I believe all modern headlamp assemblies are vented to prevent permanent condensation.

Thank you for making me feel better

 

[MerlintheMad]

Doc, you're the only one I've heard about experiencing this. So imho it is very rare. But cowboy said he did too; so if you mention something, others will say something. Maybe it's not unusual to some people. If it comes and goes, some people might even think its normal.

 

[DoctorStiches]

Doc, you're the only one I've heard about experiencing this. So imho it is very rare. But cowboy said he did too; so if you mention something, others will say something. Maybe it's not unusual to some people. If it comes and goes, some people might even think its normal.

Comes and goes and I think normal is a good thing to call it =]

 

[DiabloStinger]

I would only be concerned if you saw condensed water droplets on the inside... Not just the fog. More than likely it makes it's way there the same way it vents... And the conditions would have to be just right. Maybe a cool damp evening where the assembly cooled very quickly.

 

[friss]

I had the same issue on mine the first few weeks. When I mentioned it to the sales guy he said it was just from them "washing the car with hot water" which seemed pretty far fetched given it only happens at night and days after I took it home. It was way more noticeable on the passenger side than driver side.

I just noticed today that the top left seal (in the second pic) around the light looks a little off and might be what allowed moisture to get in. I haven't noticed it after the first few weeks but haven't exactly been keeping an eye on it.

 

[robz32]

Same thing happens with mine and one other Stinger I know of.

I noticed that it started happening once the temperatures started dropping. During the summer it was fine.

 

[rocket23]

Well my experience with ''sealed'' headlamps...if air gets in (ambient air) then you will get fogging or condensation.....there is no venting........(my experience once again). Every time I replaced a assembly I sealed the seem again with flex shot and undercoat......thats right undercoat in a can!! Maybe kia vents there optics...but I doubt it, sealed assemblies are not an easy thing.....caught early enough it can be fixed or replaced.....but on kia's dime I would think.

 

[Crisis]

I have a different but somewhat related issue.

We're well into winter here, so my Stinger is often covered with frost in the morning. The UVO remote start works well for warming up the car inside and out (other than the heated seats that don't turn on remotely - grrr). However, driving to work in the dark this morning, I noticed that my headlights didn't seem to be providing the expected illumination. When I parked at work I noticed that my headlights were still frosted over. I knew that LED lights give off virtually no heat, but hadn't really thought of that as a downside to them. I really don't want to have to scrape the frost off my headlights on winter mornings, but I'm going to have to come up with something to clear the frost from them.

 

[rocket23]

I would try covering the lens...what else could you do??

 

[DoctorStiches]

I have a different but somewhat related issue.

We're well into winter here, so my Stinger is often covered with frost in the morning. The UVO remote start works well for warming up the car inside and out (other than the heated seats that don't turn on remotely - grrr). However, driving to work in the dark this morning, I noticed that my headlights didn't seem to be providing the expected illumination. When I parked at work I noticed that my headlights were still frosted over. I knew that LED lights give off virtually no heat, but hadn't really thought of that as a downside to them. I really don't want to have to scrape the frost off my headlights on winter mornings, but I'm going to have to come up with something to clear the frost from them.

That's something I've experienced too and dont hate or duplicate but I use a scraper or a damp cloth to wipe off the ice

 

[Crisis]

I would try covering the lens...what else could you do??

That's something I've experienced too and dont hate or duplicate but I use a scraper or a damp cloth to wipe off the ice

Hey, I don't judge. I'm not OCD about my car but not keen on taking a scraper to the headlights. Covering the lights would work but just seems like too much work (not really work, just more like a task). Though really not much less work, I'll likely just keep a cloth in the car to try to wipe off the frost in the morning.

 

[NoVAGT2]

I remembered I had seen something from Kia on moisture in the headlights, but it wasn't in the manual , but in Kia's VEHICLE FEATURE TIPS on page 7:

"CONDENSATION INSIDE EXTERIOR VEHICLE LIGHTS

Your vehicle’s exterior lights with clear lenses are vented to the atmosphere to release pressure as the air inside heats and
cools. When humid/moist air enters the headlight/tail light, the moisture may condense on the lens surface and appear
as fogging or water droplets. This is a normal condition and the moisture will evaporate when the lights are turned ON or
when the temperature increases."

https://www.kia.com/us/k3/content/m...ips/2018-Kia-Stinger-Vehicle-Feature-Tips.pdf

Cheers

 

[rocket23]

not much help with the led's.....with winter extremes you would be hard pressed to raise the temps for the moisture to evaporate.imho.....The base models have the halogen type which everyone knows get extremely hot, to the point where even the oil from your fingerprints would shorten the bulbs life.

 

[Mike W.]

I just bought my car today and the condensation is halfway up the headlights. I was worried too until I found this thread and see that others have the same issue.

 

[rocket23]

if moisture gets in there so can dirt and also yellowing........I see an aftermarket lens in the future.

 

[rocket23]

but in the same vane, if it doesn't fill up like a fish bowl I would think we have time.

 

[DrGCS3]

All of my cars (4 KIA/ 2 Toyota) have had vented headlights and done the same thing. I do hate that it happens, but I’ve never had a mechanical fault or yellowing due to this. Heat inside the housing will help to eliminate the condensation but the act of driving will equalize internal/external temps and resolve it too. If you notice it doesn’t, check to make sure vents aren’t clogged. I think vented headlights are very common now and I would think sealed headlights would need to maintain a vacuum inside.

 

[AV8R]

It happened on my optima a few years ago. Water gets inside from rear of headlight assembly. If you can on a warm day, open the lamp replacement area and let it air or blow a hair dryer in the hole to dry it out. Moist air gets trapped and unless it can escape it will keep re occurring.