Moisture condensation in taillights, fog lights, etc

[Garlan Garner]

I had enough with poor quality Tesla Model 3- worst of all people working at the Tesla. WTF, why is it OK to have water leak on the electric car? Is Tesla brain dead- electricity and water don't mix well?


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I agree with both you and Tesla.


Tesla should not replace the light at their cost as its not a problem. 99% of the time....the condensation goes away after you start driving and it does not cause the light to rust or fail in any way.

I agree with you that if you don't like it....sell it.

 

[nativewolf]

and since it is such a terrible terrible car...I'll give you $15k cash today.

 

[Garlan Garner]

A $60k+ Model 3 will have the same build quality as a $35k model 3. The main difference will be battery and motor along with a few minor interior features. So when stating that you’re paying $50k for the car, you’re just paying for the battery/motor/software, while retaining the $35k build quality.

I agree with you.

The tail light "does not know" or cares how much you paid for the car...so.....

 

[Garlan Garner]

and since it is such a terrible terrible car...I'll give you $15k cash today.

I'll beat that ---> $15,001 is my bid.

(after I get a loan from @nativewolf.)


What can I say?

I'm a business man.

 

[super20g]

I very rarely see a car with fogged up tail lights. I very often go out to my model 3 with fogged up tail lights. Not saying others do not have the same problem, I just personally do not see fogged up tail lights on the road as a normal thing in moist conditions.

 

[Darren Donovan]

I’ve had this on almost every car I’ve owned. Some are just better at it then others.

the lights aren’t sealed on purpose. It allows expansion, cooling, and no pressurization where it might pop if broken.

all that being said, keep an eye on pooling water or major drops, then the housing isn’t venting properly.

Wrong. Most, if not all, tail light housings is "sealed" with just rubber strip, air pressure is easily equalized if needed. Tesla just has poor quality. I've had anything from cheapo Chevy Spark and Corvettes to Lexus GS and Acura, none had water condensation in tail light housings, Lol.

 

[MrHopsing]

Wrong. Most, if not all, tail light housings is "sealed" with just rubber strip, air pressure is easily equalized if needed. Tesla just has poor quality. I've had anything from cheapo Chevy Spark and Corvettes to Lexus GS and Acura, none had water condensation in tail light housings, Lol.

Well, those cars probably had halogen bulbs which keeps the housing hot and dries the humid air inside. Tesla uses LED bulbs and they don't produce that much waste heat. Here in Norway I often see condensation in the housings mostly during the colder months because the humidity inside won't dry up. I also had condensation on my previous Mercedes which also had LED headlights.

 

[AltoM3]

There is a tiny pin hole in the lens that allow moisture vented out. Mine rear lens got replaced one with a pin hole on driver rear side and the passenger side had a pin hole already and that did not get condensation.

 

[Resist]

I'm sorry but moisture inside the tail lights look tacky, especially when there is no reason to design an LED tail light with an air gap inside them. They should be a solid piece.

 

[WilliamG]

I'm sorry but moisture inside the tail lights look tacky, especially when there is no reason to design an LED tail light with an air gap inside them. They should be a solid piece.

No. There’s likely a good reason for this. LEDs still produce heat! And what happens when hot air meets cold air? Right. So you need somewhere for that moisture to go. Same thing with your house windows.

 

[TCloudman]

I'm sorry but moisture inside the tail lights look tacky, especially when there is no reason to design an LED tail light with an air gap inside them. They should be a solid piece.

It’s not just taillight, fog light, headlights, and started leaking around the door. Sold the car for $44K

 

[TCloudman]

and since it is such a terrible terrible car...I'll give you $15k cash today.

Sorry trade for BMW and got $44K for the car, that’s about $48K with sale tax benefit. I got this car on fire sale Friday night CPO deep discount.

 

[TCloudman]

Your roof is leaking too?

Your roof is leaking too?

Yes and leaks around door as well.

 

[argon2018]

Is anyone else having this issue? The bad one is the right side. Tesla agreed to replace that one but not the left side which is not as bad.

Mine had this problem too. It’s a defect and needs to be replaced. Mobile service can replace it in 10-15 mins

 

[ngogas]

They need to replace it. Sounds like the SC that you are visiting is being a *sugar*.

 

[SemiS3XYR]

Granted this MS, but this is not acceptable! Was replaced under ESA. Also bugs in tailights

 

[royalhero]

What do you think about this? Picture taken one day after rain... it’s night but you can see car is dry!

 

[Occhis]

Tesla replaced mine no charge, and it wasn’t nearly that bad.

 

[frank69]

That's BS. This isnt' by design. I've never seen or owned another vehicle that says this is by design.

Bottom line. Water shouldn't be getting in.

 

[pipestem]

^Agree. FWIW, my car had a case of taillight water in the first month. Then I adjusted the trunk fit just by turning the mounting posts to even the gaps on left and right sides. Thereafter never had water in the taillight again. I cannot say that was causal, but 11 months later still no h2o in there.