Anyone else with condensation in their headlights?

Service due soon so will ask them what they are going to do to resolve. Would be good to know if anyone has resolved this already and how.

They will tell you it is normal and nothing to worry about (see ownerinfo.landrover.com, Exterior Lights). My L405 lights have condensation regularly in colder weather and that is what LR said when I complained, the manual/ownerinfo says much the same as that of the L460, subject to the L460 one adding that it's worse with LEDs as they don't generate much heat. Only Range Rovers since 1988

Mine are like that too in cold weather. My L405 was the same and I had those replaced under warranty but the replacements were just the same. If it comes and goes I don’t think it’s much of a problem. If it’s constantly there and all over the glass then it ought to be replaced. It only seems to be along the bottom, DRL area of mine.

I have had this same problem with a Cayenne I have had since new.

I lived with it for a number of years listening to the same dealer drivel. Condensation / eva[oration cycles … jeez I don’t think they could understand my statement that these should be “sealed” units as they are classed as … sealed meaning no ingress of moisture -hence no “cycle”cond/evap cycle at all !

Eventually it would not clear and there were pools of water inside the headlight unit. The dealer still argued over “ acceptable pooling” … Incredible …. In the end I embarrassed them into changing the worst one as the other cleared (more or less)
Warranty covered it , these are pricey units if not under warranty … probably just to make u live with it …! If you have the warranty keep on at them to replace the leaky unit

T

I’ve had exactly the same problem with mine. My car is currently in the garage at the moment to resolve a few other minor warranty issues. Ill let you know how it fares when I get the car back

Update. Took a while but after a conversation with the dealer principal (manager) last week, it’s been confirmed that both headlights are going to replaced. Result! MY23 D350 HSE
On my 7th RR plus various other JLR vehicles

Phil, did you ask the dealer why this is happening .. ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

Nice one Phil

I had the same on my L405. The technician picked it up and noted it during its annual MOT, yet the service department said this was normal and is mentioned in the owner's manual. Left hand, right hand springs to mind. 2024 P550e Autobiography
2016MY TDV6 Autobiography - Gone
2011MY 5.0 SC Autobiography Black - Gone
2005 TD6 Vogue - Gone

Yes Stan. Apparently ‘they all do it’ was their initial response and they showed me several examples of L405’s and L460’s on their forecourt! Not good for supposedly ‘sealed units’.

Then they said it’s because the LED lights run cooler so the condensation doesn’t get burnt off but wasn’t this a fact when they designed them?

The LR test is to run on high beam for 60 mins and if the condensation disappears then there is no need to replace them. I did point out that that’s not possible to do in practice especially during the day…. MY23 D350 HSE
On my 7th RR plus various other JLR vehicles

kinda valid explanation i suppose..  ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

It's interesting that they told you the LED's runs cooler, as they have fans to keep them cool.

I had to get LR assistance out to mine as the drivers side fan wouldn't go off. I always insist that i get a LR tec and not the AA, even if i have to wait longer. The tech told me that due to the heat they have these fans and sometimes the fan module stops communicating with the car. He just reset them and it's been fine since.

Touch wood this is the only problem i've had since ownership in November. I do see a bit of condensation in the headlights when it's cold, i will raise it when it goes in for 6 monthly oil change and see what they say.

Tomo ------------------------------------------
L460 D350 73 24 model FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black with Shadow Pack
L405 4.4 V8 18 FFRR Autobiography (facelift) Santorini Black with Shadow Pack
L405 3.0 V6 13.5 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black
L322 4.4 V8 12 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black (RR Styling Pack)
L322 3.6 V8 10 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black
L322 3.6 V8 07 FFRR Vogue SE Santorini Black
L322 3.0 I6 55 FFRR Autobiography Santorini Black

Firstly, I have to say I’m not familiar specifically with the L460 headlights, having an L405 myself, but speaking generally about “water in lights” syndrome: (both tail lights and headlights).

This is usually a combination of several factors, (and rarely happens to garaged vehicles).
The main reason is temperature differential between night and day, combined with poor sealing or fitting of the access cover to the lights, wind effects, direction of parking, relative humidity, sun/shade, all have an effect.

Even moderately warm air can hold a large amount of water as invisible vapour during the daytime, but at night when the temperature falls even just a few degrees, this begins to condense on the cold lenses, and looks a mess by the morning. In the partly sealed environment, this moist air remains trapped inside the light, so the cycle continues, and in fact when the air inside the light is heated by the bulbs, then the lights are switched off, the air cools, volume reduces, and sucks in a little more moist external air each night, so this is a very gradually worsening process, taking many weeks or months.

So, what to do?
In the Winter, not much, unfortunately.
Wait until the weather is warmer, then heat the lights with a hairdryer inside and out, removing bulbs is necessary, get them totally dry. Clean the rubber cover caps carefully, examine for cracks or distortion and replace as necessary. Lubricate the rubber groove with silicone grease or Gummi Pflege, and ensure a snug seal.
If air can get in, it will bring moisture with it, (this is not a water-getting-into-headlights thing, it’s AIR, just moist air). Think of the headlight like a pump, drawing in moist cool air as it cools: think about it, during the evening drive home, the hot headlights are expanding the hot air an expelling it, you arrive home in the evening, turn off the lights, which immediately begin to cool, the air inside contracting and drawing in moisture-laden air from outside, which is then difficult to escape. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?