Tail Light Condensation

[Mickeyt86]

Originally Posted by BigFatFlip

So I got my tail lights replaced last Thursday, and whadaya know? condensation this morning. E-mailed the dealer some pics and asked about getting another replacement and got this reply:
So I guess we can all stop complaining now since this is "normal" and only come back when our lights are little fish bowls...

This was my exact experience. It is not normal and the lights are NOT vented. I called Scion and they assured me that it will get fixed eventually.

[frsinpa]

Originally Posted by BigFatFlip

So I got my tail lights replaced last Thursday, and whadaya know? condensation this morning. E-mailed the dealer some pics and asked about getting another replacement and got this reply:

So I guess we can all stop complaining now since this is "normal" and only come back when our lights are little fish bowls...

wow.. that might be the most ridiculous e-mail response i've ever read. absurd.

somehow the tail lights are vented so that condensation can evaporate when brake lights are used? LOL... wow. just wow.

[#87]

Originally Posted by frsinpa

wow.. that might be the most ridiculous e-mail response i've ever read. absurd.

somehow the tail lights are vented so that condensation can evaporate when brake lights are used? LOL... wow. just wow.

I heard of blinker fluid, didn't know there was brake light fluid though...

Maybe ask him if he will top it up for you when you get an oil change.

[frsinpa]

Originally Posted by #87

I heard of blinker fluid, didn't know there was brake light fluid though...

Maybe ask him if he will top it up for you when you get an oil change.

Haha exactly... next time I would ask him "hey would you mind checking my break light fluid level? i just want to be sure there's enough ventilation and that everything is looking alright! "

[bakerr6]

Originally Posted by ScionFrsFan

Yep bc this Thursday they're giving me a rental car and they told me they can over night new tails and get them Friday.

Thanks I contacted Scion yesterday and have a case manager looking into it. I think 2+ months is a little excessive to be waiting for my car to be repaired, especially since it wont start right away in cold weather (wouldn't start yeterday at all until it warmed up a little).

[chutrain]

Going in on Saturday to have both of mine swapped out. Driver's side has a nice little pool, and the only one that they noted when I went in for an oil change originally. The passenger side started developing and I called them up to have them order the other side, and they agreed to do it for me since I had to drive a distance. Hopefully it all works out.

Now it's the DRL starting to develop condensation...

Do we know the exact location the moisture is getting in?

[PMok]

Originally Posted by chutrain

Do we know the exact location the moisture is getting in?

My money's on the foam gasket being a poor seal between the tail and body. Which then lets in water into the bulb sockets which are not sealed/airtight. I would like to hear an update from @wdninja who fashioned his own gasket, wonder if that has helped keep the water out.

[wdninja]

Originally Posted by PMok

My money's on the foam gasket being a poor seal between the tail and body. Which then lets in water into the bulb sockets which are not sealed/airtight. I would like to hear an update from @wdninja who fashioned his own gasket, wonder if that has helped keep the water out.

I posted a follow up earlier (http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showpost.php?p=664992), but here's more:

In my experience, making my own gasket fixed it. I still have my original stock tail lights (which were previously filling with water) that are no longer showing any signs of condensation or fogging whatsoever. Even my Colin tail lights were taking on condensation with the stock gaskets, but I made a set for the Colins too and they're also no longer showing any further signs of condensation. My testing involved 3 car washes and 4 straight days of heavy rain.

I have enough foam left to make a few more sets of gaskets for either the stock tail lights or the Colins. PM me if you're interested. I already sent one set out to another member.

[Bluebeautie]

I just had my Taillights changed last week under warranty due to condensation in both.

[bergyb]

I just keep telling myself that the condensation adds horsepower. It allows me to sleep at night.

[Siberian Husky]

Originally Posted by wdninja

I posted a follow up earlier (http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showpost.php?p=664992), but here's more:

In my experience, making my own gasket fixed it. I still have my original stock tail lights (which were previously filling with water) that are no longer showing any signs of condensation or fogging whatsoever. Even my Colin tail lights were taking on condensation with the stock gaskets, but I made a set for the Colins too and they're also no longer showing any further signs of condensation. My testing involved 3 car washes and 4 straight days of heavy rain.

I have enough foam left to make a few more sets of gaskets for either the stock tail lights or the Colins. PM me if you're interested. I already sent one set out to another member.

are you considering selling and distributing these?

[chenshuo]

Originally Posted by wdninja

I posted a follow up earlier (http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showpost.php?p=664992), but here's more:

In my experience, making my own gasket fixed it. I still have my original stock tail lights (which were previously filling with water) that are no longer showing any signs of condensation or fogging whatsoever. Even my Colin tail lights were taking on condensation with the stock gaskets, but I made a set for the Colins too and they're also no longer showing any further signs of condensation. My testing involved 3 car washes and 4 straight days of heavy rain.

I have enough foam left to make a few more sets of gaskets for either the stock tail lights or the Colins. PM me if you're interested. I already sent one set out to another member.

sell the fix to Toyota. they'll mass produce for u, we all get a fix, u get rewarded. win win for everybody.

[Hotsaucze]

Took mines back to dealership, no hassle, they will swap out the rear lights with new housing in a week I was going to take pictures and carry it on if I didn't get those defective lights replaced.

[wdninja]

Originally Posted by chenshuo

sell the fix to Toyota. they'll mass produce for u, we all get a fix, u get rewarded. win win for everybody.

Ha, if only it were that easy! I've left posts on the scion.com forum and I've sent e-mails. I'm supposed to talk to an engineer sometime this week. They can engineer a car with certain engine tolerances in the microns, but they make a tail light gasket out of basically a sponge and scotch tape - I just don't get it. Gotta cut corners somewhere I suppose.