# Water / condensation in rear lights



## j14lal (Sep 23, 2015)

Hey Guys,

Advice pls.

So got my car washed the other day (car wash, I did not do it my self). Anyways afterwards found some issues, I'll bullet point them so I don't ramble.

1. Water got into the bottom part of the light as can be seen in the pics on both rear lights
2. condensation appeared about 45 minutes later
3. dry and back to normal after about an hour and a half.
4. once it was dry i looked and basically where the bottom of the light meets the car there is dirt under there, but you can't get to it to clean it as the the light is in the way. Car is white and I can notice it.

Now...... Took it straight to Audi, they said there was a 15 minute tolerance and if condensation / water goes in 15 mintutes then its okay but it was still there after like an hour. I said but as you can see its still there. Anyways they he said the guys probably used a pressure washer and it got in there some how.

anyways they are taking it on Friday to have a look.

I know it will happen again and they will fob me off so I'm trying to think at the end of the day on a near enough 50K car that shouldn't happen, even with a pressure washer and dirt getting under there? Am I being unreasonable?

Thx guys.


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## AdamA9 (Jul 8, 2011)

I have the same on the front of mine. Dealer said it was normal and, as they also said, it went away soon afterwards.


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## BHL (Jun 1, 2015)

j14lal said:


> Hey Guys,
> 
> Advice pls.
> 
> ...


Strangely,in my experience, it happens to few models including A4 (B6) & present A6 Hybrid of mine. More so after driving for long while in the rain!


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## Hoggy (May 8, 2002)

Hi, Very unreasonable in taking it to a carwash. . :lol: :roll: :wink: 
If a pressure washer used, it will force water into the tiniest gap.
I wouldn't take my 14 year old TT to a carwash let alone a new MK3  
Hoggy.


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## jjg (Feb 14, 2010)

Absolutely normal. Design of the lights. You'll notice it every time you wash the car but it clears and I never had any issues re electrics etc.


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## Mr R (Mar 1, 2015)

I think the soap we can see the bottom of the light, is just "behind" the light. I'm always nervous about trying to get the drying cloth behind there in case it's too forceful and causes the light to crack!


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## j14lal (Sep 23, 2015)

Thanks for the input guys!


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## 35mphspeedlimit (Sep 25, 2010)

Always clean mine by hand but the water still gets under the base of the lights every time but soon clears up.


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## BumBum_BumBum (Mar 10, 2015)

Mr R said:


> I think the soap we can see the bottom of the light, is just "behind" the light. I'm always nervous about trying to get the drying cloth behind there in case it's too forceful and causes the light to crack!


No fear of you cracking anything - force what you like in there, the lights flex quite a bit. They're held in place by two screws located behind the plastic cover inside the boot and even when tight, there's still a bit of play in them (I've had the lights removed a couple of times). Regardless, if you're really worried, use a single sheet of kitchen paper and slide it in there - it'll wick all that moisture away.

Still, that's a pretty piss-poor wash job. There shouldn't be any suds left on a car after any half-decent rinse. A pressure washer is more than capable of blowing that crap out of there. Word of advice OP - unless you have a weakness for scratches and swirl-marks, steer clear of your £7 car-washes! Go buy a Kärcher K4, a wool wash mitt and a couple of buckets and do it yourself. I've had the car since February and have washed it every 2 weeks - still struggling to find a single swirl mark.

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## BumBum_BumBum (Mar 10, 2015)

Also, j14lal, was the condensation inside the light unit itself or is what you've shown in the pics above what you're talking about? Just wanted to clarify as none of that suds/moisture in your pics is inside the light unit, it's merely under the 'flange' of the plastic housing of the light.

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## IC_HOTT (May 29, 2010)

BumBum_BumBum said:


> Also, j14lal, was the condensation inside the light unit itself or is what you've shown in the pics above what you're talking about? Just wanted to clarify as none of that suds/moisture in your pics is inside the light unit, it's merely under the 'flange' of the plastic housing of the light.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


cannot really tell by the pics but if it is inside the light unit I cannot imagine the designers wanting to allow water ingress :?


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## BumBum_BumBum (Mar 10, 2015)

IC_HOTT said:


> cannot really tell by the pics but if it is inside the light unit I cannot imagine the designers wanting to allow water ingress :?


No, they wouldn't and I very much doubt water got in behind the outer plastic of the light fitting. If OP definitely had condensation in there though then, as others have said, it can be explained away by environmental factors. For one thing, washing a cold-soaked car can generate some condensation within light units - it disappears rapidly once there's a bit of heat. We'll all see it over the winter no doubt. Though, I never noticed it as 'bad' as I have with Audis and VWs. My last A5 was lethal for it.

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## j14lal (Sep 23, 2015)

BUM BUM,

In the pics I think you boys are right the water was basically within an ingress between the light and the body.

However when I took it to Audi, there was some visible condensation on the corner of the left light. This is what made me panic more. however that too soon cleared up, I guess once the car had warmed up and the lights generated a bit of heat.

J


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## Mr R (Mar 1, 2015)

It's an unusual design, but as BumBum mentions a good blast of water from a pressure washer should help clear anything out behind the lights.


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## GoTeamGb2012 (Dec 27, 2012)

It's not inside the light, there is a flare and overhang of the bodywork by the design of the light. Rather stupid design if you ask me cause every time I wash the car I get soap or condensation up under the lip. I fire water up there or blow compressed air in to shift it during the drying process. You can also use paper towel and capillary action will draw it out. Cheers


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