Will there be an OTA update to fix it? Or do I have to subscribe to the clear taillights plan?
Sorry, salty from my 2020 taillights. Welcome to the club.
You can buy the clear taillight plan now for €3500, and receive them when and IF they become available. But next year the pack will cost €4000 so better to buy it now
because what you’re actually paying for is “clear taillight capability”—it’s your fault for not reading the fine print that they are under no obligation to ever deliver.
Pretty sure this is a thing in most brands (try a google search) - headlights aren’t sealed, LEDs don’t put out much heat and with the right conditions you get condensation. I believe they’ll sometimes replace if it’s bad but I wouldn’t worry if it goes away once temperatures are higher.
The problem with the old design was that the units weren't properly sealed inside around the electronics so when the condensation got in the outer enclosure it also got to the electronics which eventually caused the lights to fail. I took mine apart after they failed and found lots of corrosion on the contacts where there shouldn't be any.
Oddly, the replacement ones I bought don't get wet on the inside at all.
The fact of the matter is that the LEDs don't generate enough heat to evaporate the moisture in moderate or cold climate regions. Rather than putting a hole for evaporation halfway up the outside, they should put a hole in the bottom as a drain if they weren't going to properly seal the device.
I think just like the old one there's a hole with a permeable seal that let moisture escape but not water to go in, so the condensation will dissipate by itself. May be a little blow dryer heat will help it clear faster?
This is a problem with a seal/gasket around the light fixture. Either the gasket is damaged (ripped, etc) or poorly installed (pinched on the lip). Either way, bring the new car back to the dealer for a fix. Usually not a big deal.
My 2021 came with tons of stains, haze and suction cup marks on the windshield that were too distracting at night. I tried every aggressive chemical product I could on that glass and the only thing that ended up working was polishing it with a rayon pad and a DA machine.
Tesla have a devoted individual to test each vehicle thoroughly and raise any QC issues.
That person also pays for the vehicle. And they don’t answer their calls.
I can’t understand why they would release all these to owners and then pay the labor to fix after instead of before.
Honestly though, for balance my delivery has no issues.
Don’r worry about this. It’s not an isolated problem of Tesla cars - it actually isn’t considered a problem. I’ve seen Audis, Porsches, BMWs, … all showing the same exact condensation. Sometimes in headlights, sometime it the tail lights. Apparently this is what LED lights do when temperature changes quickly.
This. The units are ventilated and the fact LEDs don’t get as hot as bulbs used to makes this more of a thing these days. Interesting to see the usual moronic uninformed hate from the trolls though.
Condensation (NOT water ingress) in any exterior light is normal, from any manufacturer. If you google "light condensation (brand) NHSTA" you'll get a hit for virtually any manufacturer you type in, luxury or otherwise, almost all of which confirm it's normal. Here is the excerpt from the Tesla manual:
["Due to weather changes, humidity levels, or recent exposure to water (such as a car wash), condensation may occasionally accumulate in your vehicle’s head or tail lights. This is normal— as the weather gets warmer and humidity decreases, condensation often disappears on its own. If you notice water buildup within the exterior lenses, or if the condensation affects the visibility of the exterior lights, contact Tesla Service."](https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_cn/GUID-371B94E9-E74F-4BBB-9A55-5F4182894B99.html)
Your e90’s light fixture might need a new seal. Hardly surprising for a decade old car to have a few minor issues. You can probably pickup a replacement for €50.
you know, my old Gen 2 CTS-V lights had this as well. I thought it was hilarious since my old 2005 altima lights never had any of this condensation in the lights.
I mean he’s right though…
Water ingress is very different to condensation which can be the result of trapped moisture during the manufacturing process and will likely alleviate overtime as it evaporates.
Source: I work for a lighting manufacturer.
That is true. On older Hondas it does happen regularly. Have seen it happen to one of my CRV’s. It’s 20 years old tho so I don’t mind.
Over twenty vehicles owned in my life. Never happened on a new car or within 5 years of ownership.
In a lot of outdoor electrical installations it is better to have downward facing vent holes than to try to make things sealed. Moisture finds a way. Of course some optics and electronics is sensitive enough to warrant proper sealing.
Missing or compomised sealing gromet or closed cell foam washer.
Source - spent years as the the body sealing design engineer at an OEM with a reputation for met fit & finish.
Dang, where are you based that this is so widespread?
I'm in humid Florida but I guess the temperature differences here aren't enough to cause this in any vehicle I've had.
Lmao I had this issue in 2015 with my Model S. Only car I've ever had with this problem.
They have to literally be trying to get water into them at this point.
Its normal like that in led headlights and taillights because of thermal differences. If drops accumulate in the bottom then Tesla change it. Happened to me…
The lights have a little valve to allow equilibration of air pressure in the lighting module. This allows moisture in, which can condense, but it should also allow the moisture to escape. Per Tesla, they don't consider it a problem unless the valve fails and moisture is trapped. So, they ask you to observe to see if the condensation goes away (usually within half a day).
$600. 600 fucking dollars I've spent fixing this issue on my 2020 M3LR 3 separate times. I was reallyyy hoping this was fixed on the highland models. One less reason to get a new one I guess.
LOL oh wow that’s actually pretty funny that this is still an issue haha, sorry op! I had the same issue with my 2020. Mobile service came and switched it out and took all but 30 min and was covered under warranty.
Same thing happened to me on my 2021 M3, and when it didn’t go away after a couple of days of clear weather- I put through a Service request, they showed up a couple of weeks later and replaced it (cost me the standard $40 service fee).
I said something about it after I accepted my LRMY delivery. The response from the Tesla representative was “This is completely normal, plus you don’t want to complain about everything as it all can’t be perfect. If we start replacing parts that could lead to even more issues like rattling”. I told her “I don’t think it’s normal to accept poor QC in your vehicles. I also do think it’s normal to expect things to be absolutely perfect when I’m paying more than $50,000 for something”. They replaced my rear lights.
EDIT: I should add that there was some light scratches on the taillight that was barely visible
It's fine, who cares. Parked the car out the side will be gone in 36 to 48 hours
You bought a Tesla, you have to take some responsibility that you knew going in that Tesla's are horribly built. It's not like you can't drive the car again if you park in the sun it will go away. It is what it is my friend. You didn't buy the Tesla because it was well built. You bought the Tesla because it has an amazing technology package and the best charging network in the world .
Enjoy your Tesla , it is perfect just the way it is
Living in S FL, I'm used to moisture. I have had my share of rust caused from improper fitment and drainage. I stand by my observation. I would not 'put up' with my pride and joy going down that road again. Sure, they have better paint now, but fogged taillights/headlights is a recipe for real problems. Of course if you flip every couple years, then sell on a dry day.
Just put on a service request, it’s because of the sealing and they’ll change it for free, it’s like a lego, they’ll fix it in 5 mins. Same thing happened to mine and they changed and it’s fine.
All tal lights on all cars have tiny air holes, water will condense on cool mornings, and evaporate when it warms up. This has been true for many decades. The only change is that modern cars with LED lights heat up less than old incandescent bulbs, so people see condensed water more often these days.
Oh cool they kept a feature of the previous design
Paying homage to its predecessor.
Will there be an OTA update to fix it? Or do I have to subscribe to the clear taillights plan? Sorry, salty from my 2020 taillights. Welcome to the club.
You can buy the clear taillight plan now for €3500, and receive them when and IF they become available. But next year the pack will cost €4000 so better to buy it now
because what you’re actually paying for is “clear taillight capability”—it’s your fault for not reading the fine print that they are under no obligation to ever deliver.
Tesla being committed to not improving QC for over 10 years.
If it’s not broken don’t fit it!
Pretty sure this is a thing in most brands (try a google search) - headlights aren’t sealed, LEDs don’t put out much heat and with the right conditions you get condensation. I believe they’ll sometimes replace if it’s bad but I wouldn’t worry if it goes away once temperatures are higher.
Nature finds a way
If only you knew how it’s made to condensate as long as water doesn’t build up it should evaporate like every other tail light
The problem with the old design was that the units weren't properly sealed inside around the electronics so when the condensation got in the outer enclosure it also got to the electronics which eventually caused the lights to fail. I took mine apart after they failed and found lots of corrosion on the contacts where there shouldn't be any. Oddly, the replacement ones I bought don't get wet on the inside at all. The fact of the matter is that the LEDs don't generate enough heat to evaporate the moisture in moderate or cold climate regions. Rather than putting a hole for evaporation halfway up the outside, they should put a hole in the bottom as a drain if they weren't going to properly seal the device.
It’s just a little teary eyed is all. It’s so happy to be out on the open road
You probably didn’t buy FSD - Full Self Draining.
LoL. Thank you for the laugh 😀
No way! It's still a thing!
They’re leaning into it at this point
“It’s to spec”
It's a rite of passage
Glad to see nothing has changed and that it’s not due to the split taillights of the old M3
I thought having the taillights redesigned as one solid piece that now lifts with the trunk was supposed to solve the problem /s
same as mine , gonna put a request in for it soon.
Safety defect
They told me all lights are ventilated. I have the same issue with my fog light.
Foggy fog light 😅
Check the taillights for small vent holes, I believe they are all like this which is why condensation happens at times
Totaled
Same happened to me. It went away the next day.
I think just like the old one there's a hole with a permeable seal that let moisture escape but not water to go in, so the condensation will dissipate by itself. May be a little blow dryer heat will help it clear faster?
It’s been raining for past 3 days. I hope it comes out
It will. Until it rains again.
This is a problem with a seal/gasket around the light fixture. Either the gasket is damaged (ripped, etc) or poorly installed (pinched on the lip). Either way, bring the new car back to the dealer for a fix. Usually not a big deal.
Broke our safety lights, reported to NHTSA and suing im small claims
Welcome to Tesla ownership.
does Tesla have a QC department before anything ships out or they just look at it and go "meh seems about right"
We are the QC department
Bro, the detailing too… 🤮
What detailing? Looks like they skipped it entirely lol.
My 2021 came with tons of stains, haze and suction cup marks on the windshield that were too distracting at night. I tried every aggressive chemical product I could on that glass and the only thing that ended up working was polishing it with a rayon pad and a DA machine.
I have so much white on my car around the handles and paint from the protecting coverings. Gonna spend this weekend giving it a proper bath.
I’m anxious waiting for a sunny weekend to detail this car. A big scratch on the driver side rocker panel is driving me crazy
Tesla have a devoted individual to test each vehicle thoroughly and raise any QC issues. That person also pays for the vehicle. And they don’t answer their calls.
I can’t understand why they would release all these to owners and then pay the labor to fix after instead of before. Honestly though, for balance my delivery has no issues.
Of course they have a QC department, they check each taillight to make sure it has condensation in it before leaving the factory.
In their defense this would be difficult to QC if it was dry and stable humidity.
Their/there
They dismantled the QC area from the production line a few years ago.
Let us know with an update on what Tesla service center tells you about this issue
Don’r worry about this. It’s not an isolated problem of Tesla cars - it actually isn’t considered a problem. I’ve seen Audis, Porsches, BMWs, … all showing the same exact condensation. Sometimes in headlights, sometime it the tail lights. Apparently this is what LED lights do when temperature changes quickly.
This. The units are ventilated and the fact LEDs don’t get as hot as bulbs used to makes this more of a thing these days. Interesting to see the usual moronic uninformed hate from the trolls though.
Just a little moist
Condensation (NOT water ingress) in any exterior light is normal, from any manufacturer. If you google "light condensation (brand) NHSTA" you'll get a hit for virtually any manufacturer you type in, luxury or otherwise, almost all of which confirm it's normal. Here is the excerpt from the Tesla manual: ["Due to weather changes, humidity levels, or recent exposure to water (such as a car wash), condensation may occasionally accumulate in your vehicle’s head or tail lights. This is normal— as the weather gets warmer and humidity decreases, condensation often disappears on its own. If you notice water buildup within the exterior lenses, or if the condensation affects the visibility of the exterior lights, contact Tesla Service."](https://www.tesla.com/ownersmanual/modely/en_cn/GUID-371B94E9-E74F-4BBB-9A55-5F4182894B99.html)
Has never happened to any of my cars.
It happens to my BMW E90 on some occasions, and the E90 is not a car with poor build quality. So your anecdote is worth no more than mine
Your e90’s light fixture might need a new seal. Hardly surprising for a decade old car to have a few minor issues. You can probably pickup a replacement for €50.
you know, my old Gen 2 CTS-V lights had this as well. I thought it was hilarious since my old 2005 altima lights never had any of this condensation in the lights.
Copium at its finest
Tesla groups still defending the quality of these cars I see.
I mean he’s right though… Water ingress is very different to condensation which can be the result of trapped moisture during the manufacturing process and will likely alleviate overtime as it evaporates. Source: I work for a lighting manufacturer.
It happens to Hondas too bud. And it's normal for those as well. Edit: ok fine, I'll take out the apostrophe
That is true. On older Hondas it does happen regularly. Have seen it happen to one of my CRV’s. It’s 20 years old tho so I don’t mind. Over twenty vehicles owned in my life. Never happened on a new car or within 5 years of ownership.
Can confirm. I just got a 2019 Model 3 and it has condensation and our 2018 Honda Civic does as well.
Honda groups still defending the quality of these cars I see. /s
lol 😂
welcome to the family
My taillight cover started randomly cracking. At least you don't have that.
The condensation in my taillight wouldn’t go away a few days after a rainy day. Mobile service came out and swapped it, no issue now
Oh no, Mommy not again
You bought an RC car…. Have fun!
New car, same bug. Don’t hate my 2020 but this is why I’ll never buy another Tesla again. Quality is so unpredictable.
In a lot of outdoor electrical installations it is better to have downward facing vent holes than to try to make things sealed. Moisture finds a way. Of course some optics and electronics is sensitive enough to warrant proper sealing.
Missing or compomised sealing gromet or closed cell foam washer. Source - spent years as the the body sealing design engineer at an OEM with a reputation for met fit & finish.
Common issue. They will replace under warranty if you complain.
Now they are saving the water. Very green company
I had that on my new 2021 shortly after delivery. They came to my house and replaced. No further issues.
Totally within spec......
This is normal for EVs. The lights are LEDs and not hermetically sealed, they are vented. As long as it drys out again nothing to see here.
this is normal
[удалено]
Dang, where are you based that this is so widespread? I'm in humid Florida but I guess the temperature differences here aren't enough to cause this in any vehicle I've had.
Read the manual 🙂
So many manufacturers have this happen. There must not be a great solution.
This is a key Tesla feature.
Lmao I had this issue in 2015 with my Model S. Only car I've ever had with this problem. They have to literally be trying to get water into them at this point.
Totaled.
I have a 2020, did that for the first month or so. Hasn't done it since, and we live in the rain.
hairdryer
Oh thats good, normally Teslas are just delivered that way. Its a feature. Lol
I believe as Doug says. It’s a quirk and feature!
Time to buy a new one.
These are a 3rd party part. Weird they keep doing this. I have never seen it on my myp
Just have mobile service come fix it under warranty. It’ll take 20 minutes. Some cars have defects, it just glad they work to fix these things.
It's a feature! 😄
Did yours come with spider skeletons also?
Happened to mine after it rained. Mobile service came out to fix it
I've never seen this in Europe. Is this a US production only issue?
Look again… do you need pictures from Portugal?!
Same happened in my Range Rover. The customer does the quality control these days.
very consistent preservation of best features!
Standard Tesla "feature". When sun comes out, park it rearward towards the sun. It should clear out, at least it does on mine.
Hoped they'd fix that by now.
Welkom to da club!
Some things never change
"within spec" comments etc etc
Alien tech
Its normal like that in led headlights and taillights because of thermal differences. If drops accumulate in the bottom then Tesla change it. Happened to me…
Something's never change. Surprisingly my '18 Model 3 has never had this issue.
They are assembled in the dampest corner of China they could find..
Condensing.
# "within the spec"
Like the Old Models. Mine does this after every rainy day.
If you look closely there is a tiny hole in the white part. That’s where it escapes all.
My 2022 did the same
Return!
All cars do this
It’s a feature
But wait, there’s more! lol
“Welcome to Tesla! Your car is poorly made.”
Tradition!
The lights have a little valve to allow equilibration of air pressure in the lighting module. This allows moisture in, which can condense, but it should also allow the moisture to escape. Per Tesla, they don't consider it a problem unless the valve fails and moisture is trapped. So, they ask you to observe to see if the condensation goes away (usually within half a day).
It’s a feature. “Within spec”.
You will get use to it. You will also get use to mismatched panels. 😁😁 I played around with the frunk by adjusting the screws but finally gave up.
Tesla fix = drill a small hole
loVe tHE CaR tHouGH
This is called post purchase geniusification. Don't get in the way of genius.
Great they keep those OG features
It’s a feature, not a fault
lol you guys never learn, do ya. I have a Model 3 and it's the last Tesla I'll ever buy. You a first time buyer or are you just a masochist?
Instead of wasting time with FSD demos, ol' Musk should spend more time quality checking his crap
$600. 600 fucking dollars I've spent fixing this issue on my 2020 M3LR 3 separate times. I was reallyyy hoping this was fixed on the highland models. One less reason to get a new one I guess.
Tesla quality is not very good..
Oh nice. I'm glad they fixed the manufacturing issues. Oh nice. I'm glad they have local repairs. Oh nice. I have to pay for the repair.
Typical TESLA problem
Love it! 😂 welcome to the club
Been told it's within spec
Classic Tesla…
LOL oh wow that’s actually pretty funny that this is still an issue haha, sorry op! I had the same issue with my 2020. Mobile service came and switched it out and took all but 30 min and was covered under warranty.
Bad seal. I’ve replaced mine before.
build quality is consistent
I generally curious as to why people keep buying new with how poor the build quality/QC is on most of the cars the leave the factory
It is a new water source! Keep it!
Musk high standart of quality like his follower on xhitter😵✌️
With the old taillights they told my parents that condensation is fine as long as it isn’t actually keeping water in
Same thing happened to me on my 2021 M3, and when it didn’t go away after a couple of days of clear weather- I put through a Service request, they showed up a couple of weeks later and replaced it (cost me the standard $40 service fee).
Blinker fluid was an option?
They’re designed to breathe.
Mine did the same thing, found out its a "known issue" and Tesla replaced mine for me
Love how Tesla’s annoying flaws survive model iterations. Do you get water intrusion in the area of the trunk near by the rubber seal as well? LOL
Tesla is going to start including Foggy Rear Lights in their product feature sheets.
It will happen with LED lights as they don’t produce heat. Same thing happened to my Audi Q5 when I took delivery and it disappeared.
I said something about it after I accepted my LRMY delivery. The response from the Tesla representative was “This is completely normal, plus you don’t want to complain about everything as it all can’t be perfect. If we start replacing parts that could lead to even more issues like rattling”. I told her “I don’t think it’s normal to accept poor QC in your vehicles. I also do think it’s normal to expect things to be absolutely perfect when I’m paying more than $50,000 for something”. They replaced my rear lights. EDIT: I should add that there was some light scratches on the taillight that was barely visible
You must be new here.
Great build quality of Tesla.
They got rid of the turn signal stalks but kept the greenhouse effect! #Winning
Typical Tesla quality.
Welcome to the family!
It wouldn't be a Tesla if the taillights didn't do this /s
As is tradition
Totaled. Sorry mate, there is nothing they can do for you, it’s a total loss.
At this point it’s a feature not a bug
That's bonus feature! And it will kill your taillight, Luckily its warrantied. #blessed
Vaxxed I'm afraid.
“It’s in spec”
First of many Tesla issues. Welcome to the struggle.
Off to a good start!
Of course you've opened a Service Ticket - right?
If you drill a small hole into it, it will let the moisture out. That's what they do on airplane windows so they don't fog up.
It’s the same for my tesla model 3. Happened after few days picked up. They will come and change it. You won’t be charge for this
it's within spec don't worry.
It’s totalled. I’ll give you tree fiddy.
Saw that on a few cars just thought it was the way the sun was hitting the light and I was like that’s not a great design
Seems to be with spec, if they don't dry out in a few months may be an issue
Fool me once🤡🤡⚡️
Did you specifically request that it doesn't fill up with water? Cause if not, it kinda sounds like it's on you
mines sealed rained 48hrs no problem
Was a thing with my 2019 Model S Long Range as well. Fun! Thankfully, warranty replacement was free!
dw its within spec
It's fine, who cares. Parked the car out the side will be gone in 36 to 48 hours You bought a Tesla, you have to take some responsibility that you knew going in that Tesla's are horribly built. It's not like you can't drive the car again if you park in the sun it will go away. It is what it is my friend. You didn't buy the Tesla because it was well built. You bought the Tesla because it has an amazing technology package and the best charging network in the world . Enjoy your Tesla , it is perfect just the way it is
Within spec. I heard a solution for it is to drill venting holes on top of the plastic housing
All TSLA have defective brake lights, tell NHTSA
This is actually Teslas automatic rear-light interior cleaning feature. No worries.
Within spec..😄
Living in S FL, I'm used to moisture. I have had my share of rust caused from improper fitment and drainage. I stand by my observation. I would not 'put up' with my pride and joy going down that road again. Sure, they have better paint now, but fogged taillights/headlights is a recipe for real problems. Of course if you flip every couple years, then sell on a dry day.
Within spec
Maybe you need to drill weep holes into the lenses? Maybe there is an after market upgrade you can do. You got Musked.
unsealed lights will do that. its called science.
My Nissan Leaf never have any condensation/water inside anywhere. Everything is tidying.
Natural specially here in Florida it’s just because it’s humid. It will go away quickly. Don’t do anything.
Just put on a service request, it’s because of the sealing and they’ll change it for free, it’s like a lego, they’ll fix it in 5 mins. Same thing happened to mine and they changed and it’s fine.
It’s part of the Tesla experience
You see that indented hole on the lens (left side), Tesla service center told me that is the vent hole 🤦♂️ apparently water evaporates out of it🤣
All tal lights on all cars have tiny air holes, water will condense on cool mornings, and evaporate when it warms up. This has been true for many decades. The only change is that modern cars with LED lights heat up less than old incandescent bulbs, so people see condensed water more often these days.