f355spider
$50 Site Donor 2025
Here you go, from YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=f10+headlight+condensation
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=f10+headlight+condensation
2016 BMW 535d in the shop; may sell it
- Thread starter wavinwayne
- Start date
ISTA-P works ok, on BMW and MB you really need a 100A power supply. You can make one easy enough from an old HP server power supply for less than $50.
For head light condensation I have had good luck by removing the unit, letting it dry and cleaning the seal area with a small stiff nylon brush and low pressure compressed air then going around the whole seal with flowable windshield sealer and leaving it overnight.
https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-Flowable-Silicone-Windshield-Sealer/dp/B01MS90CJU
Last edited:
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Parasitic drain has a quasi-recall. It's the EyeSite system constantly searching for 3G that no longer can be found. I believe I still have the letter from Subaru. If you'd like a copy let me know.
If a 3.6 the high torque CVT is pretty solid. I'm at 190K on my 17 Limited 3.6. According to a Subbie specialist by me the 2.5 CVT's he sees go, do so around 190k mark. For an Indy he sees a decent volume of Subbies and he's pretty honest dude.
Water is getting into your headlight unit. Most likely the seal around the edges is leaking. If you can stop that you shouldn't need to replace anything. Here is a video on how to locate the leak and reseal a Tesla tail-light. Resealing should be similar. And if it doesn't work you're no worse off.
I had a '00 BMW 528i M-Sport. I really liked that car. E39s were quite reliable. Mine was fairly reliable but any repairs were expensive. But it still cost quite a bit less to maintain than my '86 Volvo.
Hondas and Toyotas run circles around BMWs and Volvos for reliability. But we really liked our BMW and Volvo.
I had a '00 BMW 528i M-Sport. I really liked that car. E39s were quite reliable. Mine was fairly reliable but any repairs were expensive. But it still cost quite a bit less to maintain than my '86 Volvo.
Hondas and Toyotas run circles around BMWs and Volvos for reliability. But we really liked our BMW and Volvo.
That's a tough call. Modern diesel vehicles are even more complex and expensive than a gasoline one. I recently sold my BMW because I needed something to tow, but being able to DIY was key to successful ownership with my E90.
The headlight problems suck, but honestly that is more of a modern vehicle issue than a BMW specific one. I've had family members with almost identical issues on their newer Ford products. My uncle just went through this on his F150 with the LED tail lights. Somehow water got in and it fried a bunch of modules and the lights.
I would also research DIY fixes, usually the BMW community is good at coming up with work-arounds to "full replacement".
The headlight problems suck, but honestly that is more of a modern vehicle issue than a BMW specific one. I've had family members with almost identical issues on their newer Ford products. My uncle just went through this on his F150 with the LED tail lights. Somehow water got in and it fried a bunch of modules and the lights.
I would also research DIY fixes, usually the BMW community is good at coming up with work-arounds to "full replacement".
Hmmm, I guess its a sign to bail out?
For headlights though? Mid 4 figures is a low mile used transmission installed, on lots of cars...
It's like an addiction. As a former/current owner of BMW, Porsche and Mercedes vehicle, other than Audi and Alfa I can't include other brands on my future wish list. (Also owned Fords for a few years.) They drive so much nicer and seem to perform so much better (to me) than other vehicles, admittedly a very personal opinion - let the flaming begin!! Have driven many cars including actively searching for major US brands, sadly unsuccessfully. I think it's the heritage of narrow roads and twisty back roads that make these Euro brands so enjoyable to drive.
Currently drive a nine-year old BMW 328i F30 rear wheel (snow tires in winter) drive manual trans and love it. No major issues so far. Dreading the day I will have to replace. Plan to drive until no longer practical to maintain but anticipating maintenance cost will rise. Only about 73,000 miles now as a low annual milage driver. Please pray for me! Trying but can't shake the addiction.
Currently drive a nine-year old BMW 328i F30 rear wheel (snow tires in winter) drive manual trans and love it. No major issues so far. Dreading the day I will have to replace. Plan to drive until no longer practical to maintain but anticipating maintenance cost will rise. Only about 73,000 miles now as a low annual milage driver. Please pray for me! Trying but can't shake the addiction.
JHZR2
Staff member
True but this is an idiotic headlight… that much money for a headlight is absurd.
I’m curious why you couldn’t put a bit of sweat equity into it and find the leak. There are only so many locations it can happen at.
And while I don’t want to come across like a hack, or ruin the required parts, I’d say that I can count on one hand how many times I’ve used the adaptive function on my 135i. If it didn’t work, would it matter for the core functionality of the headlight? I think the projector in my 135i moves for high/low beam, so the answer may be maybe… I’d look into it. If you can get high/low beams successfully, I may be less inclined to deal with adaptive headlights…
Of course you need to stop the water entry regardless. Can only be but a few locations.
Ivan From Pine Hollow just did this repair
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Headlights are getting really expensive. My Sequoia has sealed headlights and fog lights, and they're running $900-1100 a piece, and they are just a bit stronger than lighting two candles on my hood.
Yikes! So far I just get ones from the local wrecker for dozens of dollars if needed, or do some wet sanding on the existing ones, and carry on, but maybe the Outback ones might not as easy to find.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Hella is running around $500 cheaper for F10, around $1,200-1,300. Interestingly, regular assembly is $20 cheaper than adaptive one.
For that lighting, considering how much assembly costs for absolutely crappy headlights, it is about the right price.
Not that OP should just go and buy new ones.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Yep, used ones are way to go.
I can pay that price for absolutely good lights that BMW has. For Toyota? There is no way. Would go something aftermarket.
Thanks for posting. I've been down that rabbit hole deep before I started this thread. After watching several "fix" videos, I've decided not to try it myself. Success rate would depend heavily on my patience and ability, neither of which I have much confidence in when it comes to this particular issue. I'm going to eat the cost of repair this time, and decide after a little while if I want to keep the car much longer.
As others have stated, I'm aggravated not so much by the HIGH cost to repair BMWs in general as I am about the cost to replace a headlight. A HEADLIGHT!! It just seems outrageous. Oh well, nobody wants to hear a BMW owner complaining about repair cost (even though I am
), so I'll shut up now.
I told my shop that ECStuning has the Hella headlight assembly for $1000, and they said they would look into it. They normally get all their parts from the BMW dealer in town, so in reality the only $$$ you save by using the indy is on labor. But something is better than nothing I suppose.
My indy shop did offer to source a salvage part if that's what I wanted, but I think the chances are too high that it would suffer the same problem in short order, so I advised them not to go that route. They are supposed to investigate the issue today and give me a call later this afternoon.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Headlight replacement is no big deal. If shop did not know about that before, I would question their expertise on BMW's.
They should check price at Worldpac. Sometimes they as a shop can save there 15%. So if Worldpac carries Hella or ZKW (OEM on many BMW's) it might go below $1000.
I would still try to fix it, if not, get used one from dry states like AZ, CA, CO.
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At a bbq met a gentleman who spent $9000 on a repair for the gas I6 version, because trunk was not shut overnight
And got wet. If it’s a few thousand sounds crazy but maybe worth fixing. Do we really think a GM Or Ford isn’t the same? We need to get past this “can’t drive a bmw out of warranty” mystique. I did 7/100 foolishly and that expired in Dec 2013, 11 years ago.
My luck did run out in Dec I paid BMW $950 for what could have been $500 at an indie. But I didn’t want to have to order online and make 2 more appts. That was the first time in 18 years that I paid a dealer more than $160 for anything.
And got wet. If it’s a few thousand sounds crazy but maybe worth fixing. Do we really think a GM Or Ford isn’t the same? We need to get past this “can’t drive a bmw out of warranty” mystique. I did 7/100 foolishly and that expired in Dec 2013, 11 years ago.
My luck did run out in Dec I paid BMW $950 for what could have been $500 at an indie. But I didn’t want to have to order online and make 2 more appts. That was the first time in 18 years that I paid a dealer more than $160 for anything.
My indy has been wrenching on BMWs for decades, and has run his own shop since 2017. His shop has a good reputation in town. I'm confident he's aware of all the different places he could source parts if he needed to. Regarding fixing it myself, I can appreciate the DIY enthusiast spirit behind what you're saying, but it's not something I think I could fix to my own satisfaction. A lot of jobs I'm willing to take on but just not this one.
Honestly this is an pretty easy fix, remove the light housing, get it in the house and let it dry out then do the flowable silicone routine, just a thin bead (don't get it all over the place) all around the mating line, it will find the leak and flow into it sealing it for good. Don't mess around trying to separate the lens from the housing, you will have to reseal the whole housing. If the light is working okay fix it for under $10. I have sealed many lights and old MB 123 windshields under the rubber with this.
If the same failure happens to the passenger side headlight and I still own the car, I will give serious consideration to this method.
