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Headlight Condensation


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Hey gs4, I am a new member to the Lexus club so alot of these topics are new to me. I too have just switched from a SC 400 to a 99 GS400. I never had this problem with my SC, But when my GS was on the dealers lot as a certified vehicle I noticed a slight film in the head light lenses. After the first rain storm I noticed condensation in the headlights. By the time (3 days) I got back to the dealer the condensation was evaporated. I had them note the complaint in their records. The next time the condensation appeared I drove straight to the dealer to show the service manager in person. He made me a service appointment and noted my complaint along with warped rotors. to make a long story short I bought a "certified Vechile" and I expect these items to be covered. so after some haggeling they replaced all 4 head lights and both front rotors on a one time courtsey warranty. I did send the general manager a nice letter and thanked them for standing behind their warranty( a little !Removed! kissing never hurts ) I'm sure they will make their money back some day but for now I'm ahead of the game. Buy only New or certified and you should be taken care of.

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That is a decent policy. A cool head will always prevail. But you can buy from a private owner. Just note the problems. Foggy headlights - knock off 600$. Pull the headlights yourself. If it is just condensation, drill a 1/8" hole in a place no one will see it. Re-install. No more condensation. This is the fix for many headlights for many many cars in time. I did it to the last SC - worked like a charm. Foggy headlights, follow the procedures on cleaning them inside out. Save the money on new ones or the cost of new ones. There are always options. Who's to say you get new headlights when you ask for new headlights?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just bought a used 2002 gs 300. I have also noticed condensation in the headlights. Should I be concerned about this? It is a little annoying but I'm likely the only one who noticed it. Could this spell real problems later on?

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I think with the reputation and quality of Lexus, there should not be any noticeable flaws or blemishes in any Lexus products under 5 years old. I also would not want to drill any holes in a factory seald unit. Remember these headlights have a self leveling function, so any moisture and/ or contaminants would be an unwelcome addition. I sure would try (certified or not) pushing the local dealer to have the factory stand behind their product. See how that works, enjoy your new car.

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Obviously, if moisture is getting in - it is not sealed. The issue is that the moisture is not getting out. There are breather holes in these headlight units that get blocked by contamination of sorts. In my younger days I worked for a couple of dealerships in the service area. Nissan and dodge. There were TSB's about condensation in headlights and the fix was to drill holes.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I have a 02 GS that a bought new last summer and already I went through 3 pairs of headlights do to condensation... It is a reoccuring problems in almost all 2nd gen GS's... I'm sure Lexus knows about the problem because of all the lights they have to replace but for some reason they haven't done anything about it since 1998.. If your still covered under warranty they should replace them with no questions asked....

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm finally getting the hid's replaced. The first dealership I went to said they couldn't do anything for me so I just went to another dealership a bit further away and they were more than happy to replace them for me. Parts were ordered and i'm going back tuesday to have them installed.

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Like Mike said, it is a problem. Its also a problem on some LS units, but not nearly as widespread.

Big issue with me is nothing makes a car look older than yellow, condesated crappy headlights. You could have a gleaming 2003, and the headlights would still ruin the look.

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I have a 99 gs4 and noticed that my headlights both have condensation in them. Should the dealer replace them under warranty?

A friend of mine had this same type of proble. He was still under factory warranty so he went back to dealer to find out what they could do. The delaer said that they would replace them under warranty. The following staurday my friend had brand new head lights on his 2000 GS400.

Maybe go to the dealership you bought your car form and see what they could do. Hope this helps... :D

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