On my 04 XKR the Driverside Headlight is collecting water. The Light fogs up and I have to pull a light bulb out to vent all the water vapor out. I can't find where the water comes in. Washing seems to be OK but driving in the rain causes a leak. Does anybody have any suggestions.

 

This is pretty common, few threads around about it. Check the access cover to make sure it's closed. Moisture naturally collects inside as well; turning the lights on for a while, or removing the access cover to let them air out will help. Changing the seal around the glass lens is an option, but it's very pricey.

 

Is this misting which, as pomosv explained, is a common issue or is water actually getting in past the headlamp glass seal in heavy rain?

If it's only misting, there's a number of solutions been posted to reduce this but none of which entirely eliminate it.

Water getting in is more serious and could cause expensive damage.



Although the headlamp looks like a plastic housing with a bonded glass on the front, it does come apart into two sections. The seal between the glass section and the main plastic housing may have failed allowing driving rain to get through.

Graham

 

This replay sure comes too late, but I am in the middle of a complete headlamp restoration process and will return with a full description. In the meanwhile I can tell that the bonding of the glass in the front is the cause of the leaks. On my left side only 2" of the bonding was sticking to the glass lens. If you place a thin piece of hard wood or plastic (no steel) between the glass lens and the plastic frame, you will probably be able to bend the glass a millimeter or so. This will indicate a worn bonding, letting the moisture in.

 

I have had this as an ongoing problem since I bought the car three years ago. Up until about 3 weeks ago, it was only on the driver's side headlight, but now has started on the passenger one as well. I don't believe it is a seal or just nightly condensation any more. The reason I say this is that a few days ago, I took a hair dryer out and from the outside heated the glass enough for about 30 minutes on each lamp to dry all of the droplets in both headlamps. I then covered my car with my weatherproof cover to make sure that little moisture could get to the lamps. By 6am the next morning both lights were filled with droplets and mist throughout. And by the way it has been in the mid 90's temperature wise in the San Fernando Valley for the last 3 days, and below you will see a photo of my headlamp taken less than 1 minute ago after sitting in the heat and sunlight for the last 8 hours. I am suspicious of the headlamp washers. I would guess that there is some kind of leakage with seepage into the headlamps that causes the considerable amount of moisture I am seeing in my lights. I am not quite sure how to get rid of this problem as many people I've spoken with say that drilling the holes (as has been suggested on the forum) actually aggravates the problem. Anyone have any other ideas?

 

You do not state whether you removed any bulbs or covers to allow the water vapour to escape. If you just heat the headlight, the condensation will evaporate, but the vapour will still be there and as soon as it cools down, it will condense again.

 

Condensation of vapor will always happen on the surface with the lowest temperature. The condensation will also depend of the kind of surface. Microscopic dust particles will always be the core of any moisture droplet. So when you have had moisture on the inside surface of the glass lens, you will always get it back as long as there are access for the moisture.
For those who have installed the breating T-adapter will have a 8mm hole to insert pressurized air through a modified rim valve. Be careful with the pressure! The glass lens may pop off. If the headlamp assembly leaks air, you will be able to dermine where to look for the leak by applying sopy water. No, don't immerse the assembly, use a brush.
Haven't tried yet, but will do the next couple of days.

 

Now the restoration process has been finished. I have tried to put the headlamp assembly under pression and discovered the originally installed breather. It is placed under the rear part of the assembly just below the direction signal lamp. It is a white "twin tower" piece letting air in and out keeping water out.
I will remove this breather and seal the opening. Then install a protective vent from Gore.
Please check this link: Vents for Lighting Enclosures

 

My '98 XK8 had condensation problem with driver side. Leaving top access cap open a little bit corrected this. Passenger side had a tangle with a pick-up trailer hitch (why do they need to have these things hanging out 2' when they are not pulling trailer) anyway got replacement lens. I was told this is the only year you can get just a lens. All other years you need to buy whole unit which is very expensive. The rubber gasket is different from the original. It's been in for 4 years without a condensation problem. Jack

 

Do you think that using something like a silicone sealant would work by smearing the stuff around the glass/plastic junction where you say it's bonded.??

 

There are two things that should be investigated in cases of moisture in the headlights of XK8 models.
The first is to be sure the water shedders above each lamp are intact. I don't have a really good picture, but you can see one at the bottom right corner of the attached pic. Most people think those things are extraneous, but if they are not there, that headlamp WILL have moisture inside.
The second is to see that each lamp has the "T" piece vent properly installed as per the attached bulletin.

If both of those things are intact and there is still moisture in there, something on that lamp is broken, the cover, the lens, the housing or the seal on one or the other.

***Edit***

In response to an inquiry I received, here are the part numbers for the mysterious deflectors I mentioned. [shedders]
LH – HJA3355AA
RH – HJA3354AA

*********

Cheers,

 

I just purchased a new, complete headlamp assembly for our '97 XK8 Coupe; Any "detailed" replacement instructions out there?
Steve11550@hotmil.com

 

I checked out the bulletin attached & finally got a part number (LJE4133AA) which is still a valid # as of 1/6/14 & ordered it from Gaudin Jaguar ... 2 pieces of the "T" vent. I had been looking for a part # for some time now. Thank you very much for the lead. Tommyzr '05 XK8.

 

I have made an edit to post #11 regarding the headlamp water shedders.

Cheers,

 

So these headlamp water shedders do not apply to my wife's 2006 XK8 Victory Edition with the auto-leveling Bi Xenon headlamps?

 

Every XK8, that is, X100, X103 and X105 should have a set.

Attached are better pics, one with and one without.


Cheers,

 

This was a Jaguar *Bulletin* from what I recall and quite common? They added the T piece above mentioned to earlier cars. We supply this part also..

 

Let's not start throwing the "R" word around here. There was no recall. The bulletin repair is simply advice to refit older cars with the vent tubes, IF the original lamps had the 'stub pipe' molded into the housing.

The shedders have always been there. It's just they get lost, or more often removed and never properly reinstalled, by inattentive techs, body shops or owners, during the course of other repairs.

Cheers,

 

What holds those shedders in place?

 

More instructions added to post #11.

Cheers,