The direction indicator within one of the front headlamp clusters on my 2005 XK8s has misted up. The misting is not getting into the main (Zenon) headlamp. Is this normal or is the unit failing?
Advice please.

Ray

 

I think that compartment is totally sealed off from the main/high beams (not totally sure). If I were you, i'd remove the turn signal bulb n socket, and make sure it has a good o-ring on it so it seals when you reinstall it...after it clears up, obviously.

 

Headlamp misting on my 2002 XK8 has been an issue for sometime and now into winter there was some serious ingress of water, together with severe misting into the headlamp lens.
After reading the many and helpful threads on the forum I removed he headlamp and (probably unwisely) split the lens+ front moulding from the rear moulding. After establishing that the gasket was intact I cleaned all parts and reassembled with a bead of silicone on the gasket just to be sure.
I then drilled the 9mm hole into the lens moulding at the indicator side and fitted a homemade T piece per the Technical Bulletin 417-05. Refitted the headlamp assembly and hey presto - nothing had changed and within hours I had exactly the same problem even now the unit was vented.
Removed headlamp again and then removed the rubber seal from around the actual lens at the front of the headlamp. I then sealed the entire joint between lens and moulding with clear silicon, and refitted the rubber seal by putting a bead of silicon on the inside and replacing it.(maybe an elastic adhesive may be slightly better here). After everything set I replaced the headlamp and 3 days later all is very well, so looks like problem solved.
Clearly the major problem is a failure of the bond between actual lens and the lens moulding rather than a venting issue.
Anyway hope this helps anyone out there suffering from the same problem.

 

Jaguar never resolved this issue on the XK8/XKR. Drilling a hole in the inner casing or even fitting the 'T' piece sometimes reduces the misting but never prevents it.

Splitting the headlamp shell is relatively straightforward after releasing the moulded clips around the perimeter.



The LH side on my 2001 XK8 had failed completely to the point where rainwater was getting in and it opened up easily but the other side took some persuasion to part. After resealing both headlamps, the subsequent misting was minimal.

Graham

 

I just remove the two plastic oval hatches and let the car sit in bright sunshine for a couple of hours to allow the moisture to evaporate. To speed up the process, use a hair dryer. The moisture will disappear in a matter of minutes....

 

FWIW, my '99 XK8 and my '04 XKR both developed condensation at times. I drilled two 1/8" holes in the plastic access covers and never had the problem again.

 

I drilled a 1/4" hole in each headlight body and covered the hole with a product called Frog Skinz. It is used on snowmobiles to let air in but not moisture. Been through some heavy storms and not a hint of moisture. Before was a fog up after a light wash.