painted tail lights now have condensation inside - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

sitandspin · 11-06-2012, 05:57 PM

this weekend i painted my tail lights red. i did not use any harsh thinners or anything. i masked everything off and think they turned out really well.

today after it rains i come out and one of the lights is full of condensation.

i am assuming if i have painted it that it is no longer under warranty? do i need to drill vents in the bottom?

Hanakuso · 11-06-2012, 06:11 PM

Yeah you voided your warranty and I doubt any dealership will or can help you out unless you pay. I know with other taillights drilling helps but never solves the problem 100%

Mr.Jay · 11-06-2012, 06:15 PM

I had mine painted and the dealership still replaced them. even had a tech from Toyota come and look at them.

found a couple pics to show you how the looked

EDIT: sorry for sizing

raul · 11-07-2012, 03:44 PM

I would think that if you did not bake them open, warranty still applies. It's just paint. Now if you broke them open and they start doing it is a different story. Also, TSB for tail light condensation.

gusbarragan · 11-08-2012, 02:58 PM

You can take the paint off with some gasoline and a little elbow grease. Then take it to them as if you never painted them.

MmmHamSandwich · 11-08-2012, 03:03 PM

I would tend to think they would still replace them.

A. This is a known common issue.
B. The paint in no way contributed to this issue.
C. The tails are now junk to the dealer anyway, painted or not.

jjdrivesajazz · 11-08-2012, 09:43 PM

i would still bring it in for warranty, don't mention you painted it, you might get a bone head service advisor who doesn't realize it and goes ahead and gets you a new set of tail lights

FR-Shadow · 11-08-2012, 10:52 PM

I have condensation too and the dealer didn't replace mine because they said Toyota is coming out with a service bulletin since its so common of an issue. They told me to wait until it comes out and they would contact me to replace them.

mach330 · 11-09-2012, 12:43 AM

I'm very afraid of mine tonight as its raining here in Cali and my car is outside. Crossing fingers.

Tap'd from my G-Nex

sitandspin · 11-09-2012, 07:58 PM

well two things

1) the seal is fine, the water came in through the back of the casing because i only partially bolted it back in, to go to the store to get polishing compound.

2) so i dry it out, start polishing. its looking good, then my dog knocks the light out of my lap and it falls on the hardwood floor, and chips the end of it off. the end that wraps around the side of the car. the seal still seems ok, but it looks like shit.

now i have to assume dropping it does void the warranty? haha

Midnightuner · 11-12-2012, 12:12 AM

It's a common thing to happen I have it in both my tail lights. I went to the dealership and I get new ones on the 1st of dec and its all warranty unless you took them apart

11-06-2012, 05:57 PM	#1
sitandspin Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: Raven FRS Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 16 Thanks: 4 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	painted tail lights now have condensation inside this weekend i painted my tail lights red. i did not use any harsh thinners or anything. i masked everything off and think they turned out really well. today after it rains i come out and one of the lights is full of condensation. i am assuming if i have painted it that it is no longer under warranty? do i need to drill vents in the bottom?

11-06-2012, 06:15 PM	#3
Mr.Jay Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Drives: FRS :D Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 2,985 Thanks: 545 Thanked 699 Times in 438 Posts Mentioned: 18 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I had mine painted and the dealership still replaced them. even had a tech from Toyota come and look at them. found a couple pics to show you how the looked EDIT: sorry for sizing Attached Images __________________ Out of the FRS game Last edited by Mr.Jay; 11-07-2012 at 12:20 AM.

11-08-2012, 03:03 PM	#6
MmmHamSandwich You know you want it. Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: '13 FR-S Location: RVA Posts: 705 Thanks: 160 Thanked 327 Times in 154 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	I would tend to think they would still replace them. A. This is a known common issue. B. The paint in no way contributed to this issue. C. The tails are now junk to the dealer anyway, painted or not. __________________ The Following User _________ Stay_Puft(09-13-2014) Says Thank You to MmmHamSandwich For This Useful Post:

11-09-2012, 12:43 AM	#9
mach330 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Ultramarine frs Location: The OC Posts: 319 Thanks: 4 Thanked 66 Times in 51 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	I'm very afraid of mine tonight as its raining here in Cali and my car is outside. Crossing fingers. Tap'd from my G-Nex __________________

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11-06-2012, 06:11 PM	#2
Hanakuso Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Drives: FR-S Location: California Posts: 1,956 Thanks: 294 Thanked 673 Times in 390 Posts Mentioned: 11 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	Yeah you voided your warranty and I doubt any dealership will or can help you out unless you pay. I know with other taillights drilling helps but never solves the problem 100%

11-08-2012, 09:43 PM	#7
jjdrivesajazz Join Date: Jan 2012 Drives: Location: San Francisco, Bay Area, CA Posts: 514 Thanks: 37 Thanked 108 Times in 66 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	i would still bring it in for warranty, don't mention you painted it, you might get a bone head service advisor who doesn't realize it and goes ahead and gets you a new set of tail lights

11-08-2012, 10:52 PM	#8
FR-Shadow Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: 2013 Scion FRS Location: Arizona Posts: 1,418 Thanks: 260 Thanked 502 Times in 297 Posts Mentioned: 31 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I have condensation too and the dealer didn't replace mine because they said Toyota is coming out with a service bulletin since its so common of an issue. They told me to wait until it comes out and they would contact me to replace them.

11-09-2012, 07:58 PM	#10
sitandspin Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: Raven FRS Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 16 Thanks: 4 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	well two things 1) the seal is fine, the water came in through the back of the casing because i only partially bolted it back in, to go to the store to get polishing compound. 2) so i dry it out, start polishing. its looking good, then my dog knocks the light out of my lap and it falls on the hardwood floor, and chips the end of it off. the end that wraps around the side of the car. the seal still seems ok, but it looks like shit. now i have to assume dropping it does void the warranty? haha

11-12-2012, 12:12 AM	#11
Midnightuner Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: Monster Green 2013 Scion FR-S Location: Calgary, Alberta,Canada Posts: 25 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	It's a common thing to happen I have it in both my tail lights. I went to the dealership and I get new ones on the 1st of dec and its all warranty unless you took them apart

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