DIY: Moisture In Your Tail Lights? Quick Easy Fix!
02-26-2010, 11:07 PM
#103
OK this new TSB that mazda maniac posted:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...6-09-2086a.pdf
This is BULLSHIT! Ive never seen a car on earth where moisture in the taillight is NORMAL.
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...6-09-2086a.pdf
This is BULLSHIT! Ive never seen a car on earth where moisture in the taillight is NORMAL.
02-27-2010, 08:25 AM
#105
Trained true Killers
The funny part about that is last week I would go to work in the morning temp was 20 end of the day temp was 45-50 this created huge amounts of water build up in both tail lights 3in deep by the end of the week. it was so bad that my co workers were saying that I should put some gold fish in there. I went right over to the Mazda dealer and was told this is suposed to happen untill they went out side to look at it and change there minds, however I was soon told that I was out of warrenty and they showed me the door
02-27-2010, 04:08 PM
#107
The vinegar was a wash. But I use it in my laundry anyway.
Ok, I added hot (near boiling) distilled water and let it set....
I think that may have done the trick!
I guessed hot water would dissolve that ish eventually (that's how I do my dishes since I never clean them until the ish is all dried..lol).
Ok, I added hot (near boiling) distilled water and let it set....
I think that may have done the trick!
I guessed hot water would dissolve that ish eventually (that's how I do my dishes since I never clean them until the ish is all dried..lol).
Last edited by BReal-10EC; 02-27-2010 at 04:14 PM.
03-03-2010, 12:18 AM
#109
weather stripping and/or silicone. I used the same gasket and just added silicone all around the gasket and were the gasket was lifting. My passenger tail light has been okie dokie since then. The real test is to go through an automated touchless car wash. If you don't get water in the light then, it will be fine 
03-03-2010, 02:32 AM
#110
I zoom therefore I am.
was at the dealership last week and a guy pulled up in his 8 with the taillights almost half filled with water... i wonder if they told him it was a normal thing
03-04-2010, 08:48 AM
#111
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OK this new TSB that mazda maniac posted:
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...6-09-2086a.pdf
This is BULLSHIT! Ive never seen a car on earth where moisture in the taillight is NORMAL.
http://www.finishlineperformance.com...6-09-2086a.pdf
This is BULLSHIT! Ive never seen a car on earth where moisture in the taillight is NORMAL.
03-04-2010, 04:23 PM
#112
I replaced the crap gasket with somthing called "funky foam" from hobby lobby.
you have to cut the shape out yourself though. but it only costs 96 cents for a
18"x24" sheet 3 mil deep.
I will post some pics if you want.
just reply to this post.
you have to cut the shape out yourself though. but it only costs 96 cents for a
18"x24" sheet 3 mil deep.
I will post some pics if you want.
just reply to this post.
03-06-2010, 04:13 AM
#114
www.ZitmanArt.com
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Ok I had water in the tail. I drilled tiny holes a while ago. Never fills up anymore and I have a seal ready to go. Only thing is from all the water inside it, There is a rust like dirt/film I cant get out. stuck in all the corners of the lamp. I tried soaps, vinegar, boiling etc. A lil afraid to bake as I haven't had luck with that ever. Any suggestions or should I scrap it and hit up ebay? Thnx
03-07-2010, 09:04 AM
#115
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Ok I had water in the tail. I drilled tiny holes a while ago. Never fills up anymore and I have a seal ready to go. Only thing is from all the water inside it, There is a rust like dirt/film I cant get out. stuck in all the corners of the lamp. I tried soaps, vinegar, boiling etc. A lil afraid to bake as I haven't had luck with that ever. Any suggestions or should I scrap it and hit up ebay? Thnx
You can try ebay, but I bought a couple from people on there and they said "no water spots, blah blah" and I get them and they have water spots in them anyways... at least I was able to try a couple things on those that I wouldn't have tried without having spares. Try CLR on them, it took a lot of it out on mine when I let it soak for about 1 hour, rinsed with a mixed of vinegar and bottled water, then rinsed again with only bottled water. I might just take one of my spares and try some other chemicals soon. I'll let you know. There might be something that will take it out completely and not ruin the insides (wishful thinking).
It's still there mind you, but it's a lot less noticeable and since you can't take them apart there's no real good way to remove that film.
03-10-2010, 10:14 PM
#117
the stig is my hero
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For what it's worth I took mine to the dealer recently for my second taillight condensation issue (and engine replacement). Mazda's official warranty fix is to drill a small hole in the bottom corner of the light. Problem solved.
03-11-2010, 09:08 AM
#121
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Perhaps, either way it's fixed and hasn't returned. Honestly, whichever route wastes the least amount of my time while achieving acceptable results is what I go with. I don't know how all the people knocking the "hole method" can justify the amount of time spent defogging a taillight. I wish I had that much free time.
03-11-2010, 10:41 AM
#123
I can fix a tail light in less than 30 minutes. 5 minutes to take it off(if that), 5-10 minutes to dry it, 10 minutes to apply silicone and let it scab over, 5 minutes to put it back on. So you are complaining about what, an extra 10-15 minutes to apply silicone and let it scab? It gives you time to enjoy a beer or two or three before putting it back on. Then you don't have to damage the tail light at all. The hole is not preventing water from getting in, it is allowing the water to drain when it does get it. I would prefer to prevent it from getting in the light all together.
03-13-2010, 03:16 AM
#124
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I can fix a tail light in less than 30 minutes. 5 minutes to take it off(if that), 5-10 minutes to dry it, 10 minutes to apply silicone and let it scab over, 5 minutes to put it back on. So you are complaining about what, an extra 10-15 minutes to apply silicone and let it scab? It gives you time to enjoy a beer or two or three before putting it back on. Then you don't have to damage the tail light at all. The hole is not preventing water from getting in, it is allowing the water to drain when it does get it. I would prefer to prevent it from getting in the light all together.
NOTE: I tried the drill method originally when I bought it used to fix it (happily I was able to negotiate a lower price because of it containing water). Some mornings I would find some residual moisture (condensation) in the light housing and on the bulb. One day the perfect conditions happened that the bulb froze with the condensation on it and while driving warmed up too quick and shattered the brake bulb. I ended up biting the bullet and bought the "improved" tail light. It has a super thick housing seal on the back but still ended the same way with water in it. Put some silicone around the edges and problem solved. No problems since and can't even tell its there. It looks completely stock.
So long story short DO THE SILICONE METHOD!!!
03-19-2010, 11:00 PM
#125
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Instructions to seal tail lights
I've done both drilling the hole and sealing with silicone. Because there was water sloshing around in there during the winter and I don't have a garage, I drilled a tiny hole with my smallest drill bit in the lower corner of the tail light. The trapped water dribbled out but the moisture remained. The hole is practically invisible.
Today it was 60 degrees when I got home from work, so I removed the tail lights and applied black weather seal and gasket silicone made by 3M.
It would have been helpful if someone in this long thread had described in some detail how to remove the tail lights. Someone else asked and was ridiculed for it. I've never done it and was hesitant, not wanting to break something, but gave it a try. For those who want to try the silicone sealing but are some basic directions:
In your trunk, find the round, black snap-in tabs that hold the carpet in your trunk in place around your tail lights. There should be four on each side - two also hold in the black plastic piece in the center that runs between the tail lights. On of them can be loosened with a Philips screwdriver, the other three need to be popped out. Use you fingernails to pull the round center out from the circle it sits in then pull the whole thing out. It can be a little harder than it seems, but they do pop out.
After that, lift the black plastic cover that runs between the tail lights on the inside of the trunk. You have to pull it upward and it will snap out. Remove it and pull the carpeting back to reveal the back of the tail light assembly.
There is a black plastic, almost triangular-shaped cover on the top side of the tail light assembly toward the outer edge -- it looks like there are two pieces that fit together... you want to remove the smaller one by lifting it straight up. It has a small arrow on it, but don't push in that direction -- get your fingernails under it and lift straight up.
Now look in the trunk and find the two gold-colored nuts and remove them with a 10mm wrench. Remove the 3 tail light bulbs by twisting them slightly and pulling them out. Disconnect the wire that runs to the outer edge of the tail light assembly by disconnecting the white clip that is in the middle of the wire (it will be wrapped in thin grey foam). You have to press down on a small latch on the white clip in order to pull it apart. Pull the tail light assembly out the other side but lift the small latch that is in the hole where the middle tail light bulb was.
If you need to, let the assembly dry out or use a hair dryer to blow hot air in through the holes where the bulbs were located. Clean of the assembly and car of the crud that has surely accumulated there.
Check the gasket on the back of the tail light assembly and see if it peels back on any spots, revealing the holes where the bulbs fit. Squeeze a bead of the silicone in any such areas to hold the gasket down. I put a bead of the silicone all around where the gasket meets the black plastic of the tail light assembly. Then squeeze a bead on the outer part of the gasket all around the holes where the bulbs go. this will press up against the car when it is put back in place.
Slide the assembly back into place before the silicone dries. Tighten the two nuts on each assembly. Place the bulbs back in their respective holes and twist slightly to get them engaged and locked in place (beige base with clear bulb goes in the hole closest to the center, followed by the other clear one in grey base in the middle hole and the orange bulb in the outer-most hole). Turn on the car's lights and directional signals to make sure everything works.
Put the carpet and snap the black plastic covers back in place. Push the little round snap-in anchors back into their holes to hold the carpet and plastic center piece in place. It may be easiest to pull the round center portion of the anchors out a bit in order to get the pointy part to fit into the hole, then push it in like a thumbtack. Screw in the one that needs to be screwed in with a Philips screwdriver.
You're done. This probably can be done in 30-40 minutes.
If there is no more fogging up in the tail lights, I can put a small drop of clear plastic cement in the tiny hole I drilled before.
Today it was 60 degrees when I got home from work, so I removed the tail lights and applied black weather seal and gasket silicone made by 3M.
It would have been helpful if someone in this long thread had described in some detail how to remove the tail lights. Someone else asked and was ridiculed for it. I've never done it and was hesitant, not wanting to break something, but gave it a try. For those who want to try the silicone sealing but are some basic directions:
In your trunk, find the round, black snap-in tabs that hold the carpet in your trunk in place around your tail lights. There should be four on each side - two also hold in the black plastic piece in the center that runs between the tail lights. On of them can be loosened with a Philips screwdriver, the other three need to be popped out. Use you fingernails to pull the round center out from the circle it sits in then pull the whole thing out. It can be a little harder than it seems, but they do pop out.
After that, lift the black plastic cover that runs between the tail lights on the inside of the trunk. You have to pull it upward and it will snap out. Remove it and pull the carpeting back to reveal the back of the tail light assembly.
There is a black plastic, almost triangular-shaped cover on the top side of the tail light assembly toward the outer edge -- it looks like there are two pieces that fit together... you want to remove the smaller one by lifting it straight up. It has a small arrow on it, but don't push in that direction -- get your fingernails under it and lift straight up.
Now look in the trunk and find the two gold-colored nuts and remove them with a 10mm wrench. Remove the 3 tail light bulbs by twisting them slightly and pulling them out. Disconnect the wire that runs to the outer edge of the tail light assembly by disconnecting the white clip that is in the middle of the wire (it will be wrapped in thin grey foam). You have to press down on a small latch on the white clip in order to pull it apart. Pull the tail light assembly out the other side but lift the small latch that is in the hole where the middle tail light bulb was.
If you need to, let the assembly dry out or use a hair dryer to blow hot air in through the holes where the bulbs were located. Clean of the assembly and car of the crud that has surely accumulated there.
Check the gasket on the back of the tail light assembly and see if it peels back on any spots, revealing the holes where the bulbs fit. Squeeze a bead of the silicone in any such areas to hold the gasket down. I put a bead of the silicone all around where the gasket meets the black plastic of the tail light assembly. Then squeeze a bead on the outer part of the gasket all around the holes where the bulbs go. this will press up against the car when it is put back in place.
Slide the assembly back into place before the silicone dries. Tighten the two nuts on each assembly. Place the bulbs back in their respective holes and twist slightly to get them engaged and locked in place (beige base with clear bulb goes in the hole closest to the center, followed by the other clear one in grey base in the middle hole and the orange bulb in the outer-most hole). Turn on the car's lights and directional signals to make sure everything works.
Put the carpet and snap the black plastic covers back in place. Push the little round snap-in anchors back into their holes to hold the carpet and plastic center piece in place. It may be easiest to pull the round center portion of the anchors out a bit in order to get the pointy part to fit into the hole, then push it in like a thumbtack. Screw in the one that needs to be screwed in with a Philips screwdriver.
You're done. This probably can be done in 30-40 minutes.
If there is no more fogging up in the tail lights, I can put a small drop of clear plastic cement in the tiny hole I drilled before.