Technical product information
Topic
Market
area
Brand
Transaction
No.
Level
Status
Release
date

Service info: body/equipment: front exterior lighting steamed up/leaks
Australia E04 Bentley rest Asia and Australia (6E04),China 723 Volkswagen (Anhui) Automotive CO (6723),China 796 VW Import
Comp. Ltd (Vico), Beijing (6796),Germany E02 Bentley rest Europe (6E02),Japan E03 Bentley Japan (6E03),Korea, (South) E08
Bentley South Korea (6E08),United Arab Emirates E06 Bentley Middle East and Africa (6E06),United Kingdom E01 Bentley UK
(6E01),United States E05 Bentley USA and rest America (6E05)
Bentley
2050542/7
EH
Released for publishing
29-Sep-2023

New customer code
Object of complaint
lighting system, signalling -> exterior lights -> headlight
lighting system, signalling -> exterior lights -> headlight -> headlight clear-glass lens
lighting system, signalling -> exterior lights -> fog light
lighting system, signalling -> exterior lights -> fog light -> fog light lamp

Vehicle data
All models
Sales types
Type
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MY
2012
2013
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2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024

Brand Designation Engine code Gearbox code Final drive code
E
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E
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E
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E
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Documents
Document name
master.xml
checkliste_2017.doc

INTERNAL

Complaint type
Position
leaks -> water ingress
component / consumables -> fogged > not specified <
leaks -> water ingress
component / consumables -> fogged

Technical product information
Service info: body/equipment: front exterior lighting steamed up/leaks

Transaction No.: 2050542/7
Release date: 29-Sep-2023

Customer statement / workshop findings
Customer statement:
1. The lenses of the headlights (illustration 1a) /front fog lamps (illustration 1b) are steamed up/damp from the inside with minor drips.

Illustration 1a (example for headlights)
Important: Observe accounting instructions.

Illustration 1b (example for front fog lamps)
Important: Observe accounting instructions.
or
2. Water is in the headlight (illustration 2a) / front fog lamp (illustration 2b), big drips.

Illustration 2a (example for headlights)

INTERNAL

Illustration 2b (example for front fog lamps)
Workshop findings:
Customer statement for 1 (illustration 1a/1b): The lenses of the headlights/front fog lamps are steamed up/damp from the inside with
minor drips.
Customer statement for 2 (illustration 2a/2b): Water is in the headlights/fog lamps, big drips on the complete lens. Leak on the
headlights/front fog lamp.

Technical background
1. Damp air settles on the inner lens of the headlights/fog lamps, with recognisable misting in certain weather conditions (comparable with the
steaming up of spectacle lenses when entering a warm room in winter or of the bathroom mirror after a shower).
2. Leak on the headlights/front fog lamps. For example through open covers, a damaged seal of the cap or similar.

Production change
1. Not affected.
2. Continuous fixing of detected causes.

Measure
The following points have to be completed to prevent an unnecessary replacement of exterior lighting and another customer
complaint about the front exterior lighting:
1. In case of a headlight complaint the light emission surface on the lens (illustration 3, point 2) must be clear after a journey of 5-10 minutes with
sufficient ventilation (for example country road/motorway) and switched-on dipped beam . It is no problem if the remaining surfaces of the inner
lens (illustration 3, point 1) are steamed-up after a journey. But the time for the clearing process depends on the outside temperature, the vehicle
speed (at higher speeds the ventilation of the headlights is better) and the relative air humidity.
In this case use the argumentation aid (physical situation) under Customer information. In this case a replacement of the headlights
would not fix the problem and lead to a repeat repair.
The above situation is shown in illustration 3:

Illustration 3
1 = steaming-up in the headlight
2 = light emission surface

2. In case of an obvious water ingress/leak (a lot of drips on the inside of the lens, illustration 2) check first the cover and the seals on the
headlight/front fog lamp. In case of water ingress (damaged seal, lens and so on) perform the appropriate repairs according to the repair
manual/parts catalogue.

INTERNAL

Ask the customer to keep an eye on the situation. If despite the above repair the customer complains again about leaking headlights/front fog
lamps and water ingress or lots of drips can still be recognised after the checks, replace the headlights/front fog lamps according to the repair
manual/parts catalogue.

The decision whether to replace components of the front exterior lighting is yours. A technical repair enquiry to support the
warranty accounting is not effective.
Even after a repair to fix a water ingress/leak components of the front exterior lighting may be steamed-up. The physical
steaming-up must not be equated with renewed water ingress (drips in the headlight) and does not justify the replacement of
components.

Warranty accounting instructions
•

Components of the front exterior lighting submitted under warranty and determined as correct according to the test
instructions of the manufacturer will be redebited. As part of the check by the manufacturer a pressure of 30 mbar is
applied to the affected component of the front exterior lighting and a leakage check performed with a water bath.

•

A simultaneous complaint on both front headlights because of a leak is very unlikely, as the fitted headlights were not
installed at the same time, on the same production line or produced at the same location. A parts replacement on both
sides would not be effective. In this case please use the customer information below.

•

The completed checklist (in the attachment) and photos of the complaint must be attached to the sent-in components of
the front exterior lighting.

•

If a warranty claim is made, the complaint must be documented (including photos and vehicle identification number).

•

Relevant photos of the complaint must be attached to every vehicle report.

Customer information
Argumentation with LED lights:
When switched on, lights with LED technology do not warm up the lens, as there are no infrared segments in the emitted light. Here only the
pressure difference on the vents caused by the driving provides a through-flow and thus a clearing-up. The vents are arranged in such a way
that the lens is cleared after driving a few kilometres.
Argumentation with conventional headlights/front fog lamps:
There are often complaints about steamed-up lenses on headlights/front fog lamps.
Air from outside circulates in ventilated headlights/front fog lamps. The open, splash water protected ventilation system (necessary for pressure
compensation) leads to different "climate zones" in the headlight/front fog lamp. For example very hot sections where the lens is warmed up by
the light and relatively cool ones where the lens is cooled down by the air stream.
High air humidity and temperature differences between headlight interior and surrounding area (sometimes when driving) can lead to
condensation on the inside of the lenses, mainly in winter or in wet weather.
The steaming-up of the headlights/front fog lamps can be compared with a steamed-up windscreen but which can be kept clear by the defroster
vent.
This can for example occur particularly after driving through a car wash, steam jets of the engine or the front end or overnight temperature
changes and so on.
Particularly in the after-heating phase when the hot engine heats up the back of the headlight/front fog lamp while the lens is cooled down by
fresh air, the slightest humidity settles straight away on the inside of the lens. On lenses with clear glass optics this phenomenon is more
recognisable.
The physical steaming-up of the headlights/front fog lamps is an optical phenomenon which does not affect the function of the headlights (light
output). Because of the materials used the steaming-up cannot lead to corrosion in the headlights/front fog lamps.
If the headlights/front fog lamps are steamed up, the light emission surface on the lens (illustration 3, point 2) must be clear after a journey of 510 minutes with sufficient ventilation (for example country road/motorway) and switched-on dipped beam . It is no problem if the remaining
surfaces of the inner lens are steamed-up after a journey.

INTERNAL

This phenomenon can occur on every headlight/fog lamp, as it is physically related.

A replacement of the headlights/front fog lamps with physically related steaming-up is not permitted, as this is not a technical
fault in the sense of warranty.

INTERNAL

Checklist:
Headlamps leak/steamed-up
Dealer number:
Dealer name:
Order number:
Contact person:

/

Customer:
Registration number:
Vehicle type (6 digit):
Vehicle identification number:

Tel.:
Fax No.:

Date of registration:
Mileage:

Points to be checked: Headlamps: Halogen

Xenon

LED

Fog lamp:
Tail light cluster: Interior

Exterior

Side indicators:

Workshop findings:
Steamed-up

Leaks

right

left

Both sides

Right part number:

Left part number:

Please read from fitted headlamps
Yes
Are the headlamps / fog lamps / rear lights / side indicators steamed up now?
Has the customer accepted the argumentation (as in service info: 2050542)
Repeat repair?
Have the points in the Service info been completed?
Are there traces of dried-up water drops inside the headlamps / the fog lamps / the rear lights / side indicators?
Are all service lids on the headlamps / fog lamps / rear lights closed?
Spray water on headlamps / fog lamps / rear lights / side indicators or put vehicle in car wash: Does water get in?
Is there any mechanical damage which could cause a leak?
Park the vehicle in the workshop area (normal temperature): Do the headlamps / fog lamps / rear lights / side indicators thaw?
Is the thawing speeded up by switching on the vehicle light?
Have the headlamps / fog lamps / rear lights / side indicators been removed and dried?
Have the headlamps / fog lamps / rear lights / side indicators been replaced before?
After being in car wash/high pressure cleaner
When did the complaint occur?

After journey
Urban

Country road

The car was parked:

Outside

Motorway
In the garage

Was the light switched on
Weather:

Dry

temperature ca.

°C

Fog

Rain

Is the "Coming Home" function used (if fitted)?

Remarks:

Note:

The check list is used to support the assessment and completion of the complaint.

Snow

No