So now that it is finally raining here in California I see that I have moisture in my headlight. what is the best way to reseal them?

2001 XKR

 

You're going to love this...


Your headlights are a two part system. 1) The headlight bucket which holds the lights and 2) The headlight lens. In between the two is a foam rubber seal. Over time with the heat and vibrations of daily driving the cells (bubbles) in the foam eventually collapse, which makes the seal decompress and therefore no longer creating a tight seal between the two components.


The only way to reseal the headlights is to replace the foam seals with new ones. Not impossible, but quite the pain in the butt. SO, your best option, should you not want to replace the seals, is to unclip, but leave in place, the access door on the top of each headlight. This will allow the headlight to breathe and dry out the moisture. Yes, even in the rain.

 

This is quite a common issue with earlier models see post below:

http://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xk...oisture-28698/

 

A couple of times per year when the atmospheric conditions are exactly right (or exactly wrong), moisture builds up inside the headlamp assemblies of my wife's 2006 XK8. My solution ever since we've owned the car is to remove the two plastic oval hatches that permit access to the bulbs and either park the car in the bright sunshine for a few hours or run one of our heavy-duty canine hair driers into each open hatch for 15 minutes or so. Simple and inexpensive....

Some owners drill a couple of breather holes into their headlamp assemblies but I'm not willing to go quite that far as long as my relatively unobtrusive method continues to get the job done....

 

The foam tape on mine were so rotten than one of the lenses dropped off while I was pulling out of the driveway one day. The other came off in my hand when I touched it. Got lucky and neither broke.
I cleaned them up real well and removed the remains of the tape down in the ridges of the bucket and then glued them back with clear RTV. I left an inch opening at the very bottom in the middle so it can breath and there have been no moisture problems whatsoever since.



Dave

 

These all sound like good ideas, I will start working on it when the rain stops.

 

If you remove the lenses do not touch the reflective coating in the bucket. It is extremely fragile. Don't even think of trying to clean it.



Dave

 

This works!!
Find a small packet used in shipping electronic items to keep moisture down. Put one inside the light by taping it where you can't see it. This small packet will absorb the moisture.

 

I've used this system successfully for 18 months now. About twice a year I take out the silica gel and place it somewhere warm for a while to thoroughly dry it out.