Tail Light Condensation

[superpig]

Originally Posted by wdninja

As someone who makes and sells aftermarket gaskets, I'll say that's not true. While my customer base is MORE 2013, it's not an overwhelming majority. Still lots of 2014 and 2015 models. Until the design of the trunk channel and tail light housing is changed, water will continuously assault the gasket. Depending on your area's weather or how you store your car makes you varyingly susceptible.

If you're buying a newer model year, or have an older one and haven't had any condensation yet, your best bet to prevent it is to put waterproof tape over the gap between the trunk channel and the housing so the water flows over/past it instead of down into the gap and directly onto the gasket.

I just bought a '13 with very low miles. Must have never been rained on long enough to collect water or condensation and get the fixes mentioned, but I have a minor pool of water in passenger side tail-light at this point. Out of warranty now, as car was sold over 36 mo. ago. Just bought some of your gaskets, looking forward to solution!

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by Cope52

Seriously guys, this is an even easier fix. 20 cents worth of duct tape. I am stunned at what I'm reading on theses 45 pages and people actually having entire taillight assemblies replaced multiple times.

Might be the stupidest fix ever, might as well spend the money on a gasket ninja kit to do it properly

[civicdrivr]

Originally Posted by FRSBRZGT86FAN

Might be the stupidest fix ever, might as well spend the money on a gasket ninja kit to do it properly

While the Gasket Ninja kit helps a ton, you do need to block off the flow of water to the gasket. My first choice wouldn't be duct tape, but he's definitely on the right track.

Sent from my XT1095 using Tapatalk

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by civicdrivr

While the Gasket Ninja kit helps a ton, you do need to block off the flow of water to the gasket. My first choice wouldn't be duct tape, but he's definitely on the right track.

Sent from my XT1095 using Tapatalk

I don't have the issue yet

[boston_errol]

Just took the car into Herb Chambers Scion in Boston for condensation in the taillight. Was told the taillight issue was NOT covered under warranty. I have the balance of the 3 year 36,000 warranty left on the car. Is there something I can point them towards because they are quoting me $400+ to fix something that I believe should be covered under warranty. TIA.

[yamsta]

I've had 3 tail lights (twice on passenger side) replaced under warranty so far from the Toyota dealership. If they give you a hard time search for the TSB and show them. They should replace it esp if its within 3 yrs/36k miles.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by boston_errol

Just took the car into Herb Chambers Scion in Boston for condensation in the taillight. Was told the taillight issue was NOT covered under warranty. I have the balance of the 3 year 36,000 warranty left on the car. Is there something I can point them towards because they are quoting me $400+ to fix something that I believe should be covered under warranty. TIA.

Tell them straight to there face they are lying and attempting to get out of TSB work, and also show them these:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1358748967

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1387826599

Tell them if they don't do the work as requested by Toyota TSB you will be contacting Toyota USA corporate and filing a warranty claim with the office in california.

[JCE17]

I apologize in advance if someone has mentioned this in prior posts. I did a quick search and skimmed through a couple pages of posts and didnt see anything.

Has anyone had any luck with getting this replaced out of warranty by the dealer at no cost? I just washed my car today and noticed condensation in the tails for the first time. I am out of the warranty.

Thanks in advance for any information.

[zman]

Originally Posted by JCE17

I apologize in advance if someone has mentioned this in prior posts. I did a quick search and skimmed through a couple pages of posts and didnt see anything.

Has anyone had any luck with getting this replaced out of warranty by the dealer at no cost? I just washed my car today and noticed condensation in the tails for the first time. I am out of the warranty.

Thanks in advance for any information.

Tighten the bolts just a bit. (Worked for me) Don't go overboard as it's easy to break them.


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[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by JCE17

I apologize in advance if someone has mentioned this in prior posts. I did a quick search and skimmed through a couple pages of posts and didnt see anything.

Has anyone had any luck with getting this replaced out of warranty by the dealer at no cost? I just washed my car today and noticed condensation in the tails for the first time. I am out of the warranty.

Thanks in advance for any information.

You can also unbolt the light, remove the foam gasket, and replace with an aftermarket gasket. Or, if the OEM gasket is still in one piece, use a small bead of silicone sealant on each side. The water in the light can be evaporated pretty easily.

The light itself it fine, the problem is how it seals to the sheet metal body.

Originally Posted by zman

Tighten the bolts just a bit. (Worked for me) Don't go overboard as it's easy to break them.

Or warp the metal and create a bigger gap. Definitely don't hulk them down!

[mistressmotorsports]

Well, I made it almost three years, but our El Niño rains this past week did in my left side light. Dealer is taking care of it, no drama.

[PMok]

Originally Posted by PMok

Yeah to me it seems that the foam gasket is where the water is getting by into the back, then into the small holes around the bulb socket openings. Notice in the pic below, how little bits of leaves/dirt is getting caught on the adhesive which only seems to cover the top portion of the foam gasket. As flimsy as the gasket is, I can see how even just removing the tails once could ruin the integrity of the foam gasket's seal against the lens housing or against the body panels. I'm thinking if you put a ring of silicone or other similar substance around the gasket before installing it, it will help keep the water out of the back?

Hmmm I went back and found my old post where I first raised the idea of improving the seal against the thicker gasket that @wdninja was developing... I ended up buying one of his early prototypes and using it on my 2013 BRZ.

Fast forward to today, I recently traded the 2013 for a 2016 and went to swap my old painted tail lights (still using the prototype gasket) and to my surprise, found that the OEM gasket on the 2016 tails are thicker than the ones I remember on the 2013. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised, as with how big this thread has gotten and how many people come in to the dealerships with this problem, surely Subaru has paid some attention. Putting them side by side, the 2016 gasket seems about the same thickness as the Gasket Ninja product. I didn't take any exact measurements though. The adhesive for the gasket still only seems to run along part of the top side though, not all the way around the gasket. So my recommendation for anyone with the thicker 2016 gasket, is to still follow the directions/video that you'll find on the Gasket Ninja website to weather-seal the gasket to the tail light housing, if you live in a rainy area, park outside a lot, or are generally concerned about water getting into the housing.

And of course if you don't have the thicker 2016 gasket, I'd suggest you buy the Gasket Ninja product, yeah it sounds frustrating to have to spend money to fix something that Subaru should have fixed for free, but for the peace of mind and end to the frustration, it's well worth it.

[RichardsFRS]

Common place problem with all cars and the manufacturers seem to think its trivial. Problem is shitty gaskets. They make aftermarket gaskets. Some say you can drill a small hole into the light in hidden place, but that doesn't work either

[AznBRZer]

Originally Posted by boston_errol

Just took the car into Herb Chambers Scion in Boston for condensation in the taillight. Was told the taillight issue was NOT covered under warranty. I have the balance of the 3 year 36,000 warranty left on the car. Is there something I can point them towards because they are quoting me $400+ to fix something that I believe should be covered under warranty. TIA.

Not sure if you were able to get it fixed, but try another dealership. There are a few others that you can try in the area and the easiest thing to do compared to fighting with Herb Chambers.