Water in tail light!!!

[Hilfloskind]

What the fuck! I just installed R tails like two weeks ago. Today I took the car through an automatic, touch less wash because it rained last night. When I came around to the back while touching up with QD, I see condensation and droplets inside the outer passenger side tail light housing. I took the brake light housing out and inspected it for cracks but found none. I have to assume it's not sealed 100%. The other housings are bone dry inside, only this one has water.

Has anyone else with R tails encountered this? If so, is there a way to open the housings, dry them out and reseal the unit? Otherwise, should I contact BKS for a replacement?

Pretty bummed right now...shit was expensive and this is so uncool. :mad0259:

 

[Stocktastic1]

Damn.

Sounds like a bad seal.

VW Parts come with a 12mo/12k warranty AFAIK.

 

[Hilfloskind]

Damn.

Sounds like a bad seal.

VW Parts come with a 12mo/12k warranty AFAIK.

Yeah but at the same time, I'm wondering: shouldn't these be able to be opened up anyway? Maybe I should open them up, dry them and then reseal it. Then again, if it's defective, I want a replacement one (assuming BKS doesn't try to screw me on a return two weeks after purchasing it).

 

[Stocktastic1]

Yeah but at the same time, I'm wondering: shouldn't these be able to be opened up anyway? Maybe I should open them up, dry them and then reseal it. Then again, if it's defective, I want a replacement one (assuming BKS doesn't try to screw me on a return two weeks after purchasing it).

For me, I always try to get shit replaced before I fuck with it.

I used to try to fix everything, and the quality of my last car suffered from it.

We can never reseal them as good as VW does.

 

[Hilfloskind]

Keep in mind, these aren't bought from VW, they were purchased from BKS tuning in Germany. Although they are genuine VW OEM parts, they aren't something I can walk into a US dealer to get warrantied. I don't know how BKS would handle this in terms of sending me a replacement light. Sending the defective one in before receiving a replacement, with shipping my responsibility, is fucked up IMHO. Them sending me a replacement with a return label to send the defective one back though, that I'd do.

 

[Stocktastic1]

Ahhhh, this is true.

Shit.

Call them and me like wtfmate.

See what happens.

 

[mark986]

People usually place them in the oven to pry them apart. But since this would be your first time and these things aren't cheap, I wouldn't try it yourself.

 

[Hilfloskind]

Oh hell no...I won't be doing that with a 700 set of tail lights. I was thinking if there was a way to unscrew the housing from the back (I see a bunch of screws back there), then dry it out and reseal it tightly. If that's not a possible option, I will have to get them to send me a replacement under no uncertain terms. Having a poorly sealed tail light that cost this much is not acceptable.

 

[Stocktastic1]

Oh hell no...I won't be doing that with a 700 set of tail lights. I was thinking if there was a way to unscrew the housing from the back (I see a bunch of screws back there), then dry it out and reseal it tightly. If that's not a possible option, I will have to get them to send me a replacement under no uncertain terms. Having a poorly sealed tail light that cost this much is not acceptable.

I would say that you would have to at least use a heat gun.

Even that makes me cringe when it's $700 lights.

OT: Specs on your wheels?

 

[Hilfloskind]

I would say that you would have to at least use a heat gun.

Even that makes me cringe when it's $700 lights.

OT: Specs on your wheels?

18x8 et45

I sent an email to BKS just now to find out how they'd like to handle a possible replacement light. In the meantime, if anyone has experienced this with their R tails, I'd like to know how they dealt with it.

 

[allset]

fuuuuuuk dude. Just installed my R's 3 days ago. I noticed when u open the hatch rain water drains right on top of them and goes behind the back. idk if that matters but it freaked me out.

 

[Stocktastic1]

18x8 et45

I sent an email to BKS just now to find out how they'd like to handle a possible replacement light. In the meantime, if anyone has experienced this with their R tails, I'd like to know how they dealt with it.

Sold!

Now, to find the best price...

 

[jbcritch]

Keep in mind, these aren't bought from VW, they were purchased from BKS tuning in Germany. Although they are genuine VW OEM parts, they aren't something I can walk into a US dealer to get warrantied.

why not? :iono:

 

[Hilfloskind]

why not? :iono:

Because they don't carry not can they supply them...if they could, we'd all be buying them from dealerships, would we not?

 

[Hilfloskind]

fuuuuuuk dude. Just installed my R's 3 days ago. I noticed when u open the hatch rain water drains right on top of them and goes behind the back. idk if that matters but it freaked me out.

I noticed that as well...and I assume that's where the water is getting in from. Obviously, the seal needs to be intact to keep the water out of the housings.