Headlights

[NigelProctor]

I have a 2005 XK8 and the headlights have condensation inside. My dealer claims that this is a common problem and will go as the headlights are used.
Is this true because it seems to be getting worse?

[mike020150]

This is a longstanding problem with the XK8. Early cars were worst. Later cars were fitted with a vent pipe which can be applied to early vehicles not so equipped. My own 2003 model with Xenons suffers from some misting when used in wet conditions or as a result of cleaning the car. The misting does largely disappear in use when it's dry but it doesn't look good nor can it do a lot for the lights' reflectivity. If it's really bad I would be tempted to pressure the dealer on safety grounds. After all, the light output of a badly misted lamp will not be as good as a clear one. Mike.

[GrandTourer]

I have a 2005 XK8 and the headlights have condensation inside. My dealer claims that this is a common problem and will go as the headlights are used.
Is this true because it seems to be getting worse?
Hi Nigel, welcome to the forum.
I have a MY2000 XK8 and had the same problem, particularly on the near side light. Last spring I just could not get rid of the condensation at all.
I bought the 2 T-pieces to fit them, but found my hands just did not seem to be designed to get into all the nooks and crannies to remove the light units.
Went to my preferred dealer, Guy Salmon Coventry (ex TWR), who told me my headlight did not have the required 'blind spigots' which you need fot the T-pieces, so they just drilled a hole into the body, which they said was their normal method of fixing the problem and it 'usually' works. (did not charge me, all part of customer service they said )

Well, although it still mists up when I wash the car, it disappears quite quickly once I am on the road.

Hope you can get it fixed soon.

[bcz]

My 2002 XK8 experienced the same problem on the passengers side. My local main dealer carried out the Jaguar recommended fix. However, this did not cure the problem.

On further investigation the dealer recommended the headlamp unit be replaced at a cost of over £350. The dealer suspected a leak between the lens and the main body of the unit.

I live in a hard water area and can see carbonate scale left behind inside the headlamp unit. This can only come about when the car is washed as rainwater will not leave this deposit. I have noticed the deposit on many other XK headlight units, most commonly on the passenger side.

To cure the problem I have simply appled silicone sealant to where I suspected the leak to be. The unit is now water tight.

Has anybody else had a similar experience?

bcz

[WULLIE4567]

Hi everybody , I have just bought my first xk8 today, LOVE IT, it's a july 2000, on a "W" plate, when I picked the car up there was a slight misting of the headlights mostly on the n/s. when I arrived back home I washed the car (shower of rain on way home) now the h/lamps are worse more so the n/s. I have been reading your messages about this problem. could someone tell me where to put a vent hole or even better post a wee picture, and how do you remove the lamps to reseal them. I will have a wee look at them tomorrow so if someone can help that would be brill.

I also have a discovery 3 hse, it has plastic lenses, never any bother with condensation, most modern cars are plastic, The jag's are glass, glass and cold air dont mix, (condensation).
Can I buy a CD, manual from the club for this car as I have for my XJS?

thank any help most welcome. ww.

[GrandTourer]

Congratulations, Wullie4567 on your aquisition Be prepared for developing creases in your face from all the smiling you'll be doing
Imagine, washing the car just because it got a little wet in the rain - join the club

The misting up is not an uncommon condition with the XK8. Mine had the very same symptoms as yours but they have now disappeared since the hole was drilled by my dealer.
The trouble is, I can't tell you where exactly the hole has been drilled, its very tight around the whole light assembly area.
I would suggest the most useful thing you can get yourself in general to do with the car is a JTIS CD (Jaguar Technical Information System) which is available on Ebay for just a few pounds, but make sure it is the Jaguar issue not one of the other puplications.
Apart from lots of information the JTIS contains an illustrated service manual, electrical diagrams and much more, such as procedures of doing things, like removing headlamps for instance. It also covers other Jaguar models and years of manufacture.

Hope this helps a bit towards your long-term enjoyment of your P&J.

[WULLIE4567]

Thanks for the welcome GrandTourer, went to Glasgow today on the new M77, what a machine, I'll never sell it unless I can afford a newer one. wished I bought one years ago . thanks for the info, I will get a cd-rom, because I do most repairs myself. and your right about the creases. I removed the clear plastic covers today and armed with a hair drier got all the condensation out, well for now anyway, I noticed somebody has had them off before and both have one clip broken so they will not seal properly. Can you buy new plastic covers?????.
I was going to put a wee photo to the left of my posts but not sure how to do it yet, any help there please.

thanks ww.

[GrandTourer]

I believe you can buy the covers for the front lights as spare parts, although, they may not be listed as such or were not so in the past. Have a word with your Jaguar dealer's parts specialist, he might be able to help.
Good luck.

[Steve]

Here is a little tip to help with misting headlights that was given out at the XK8 meeting at Castle Bromwich last month. There is a clear plastic access cover on top of the casing of each light (I assume it is for changing light bulbs but haven't had to do that yet). The recommendation was to get the plastic top from an aerosol that will fit through the access cover and put one of those silica gel packs that you get with electronic equipment packaging inside it. You just drop it through the cover behind the light and remember to refresh it occasionally. I haven't tried this as mine doesn't seem to suffer from the problem, but several people at the meeting had tried it.

[BrianM]

I put a small silica gel packet in mine 6 months ago and have had no condensation since. Rgds