Toyota quality for ya. Wow. Your vehicle is brand new and under warranty. Take it to your dealer and have them replace the lights and/or seals.

You are right it is clearly a manufacturing defect out of the box and should be fixed


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Yep, the seals on your lights have failed, or were never done right in the first place. Take it back to the stealer and push them--hard--to replace ALL FOUR lights. Anything less is just messing around with you. BTW- this happens, just like poo-poo. Tacoma headlights are particularly prone to this.

 

This might be an apropos time for an FYI -

http://www.moneytalksnews.com/get-free-car-repairs-with-secret-warranties/?all=1

I know the mfgr and dealers hate these vehicle-specific public forums.
They used to be able to say "that's the first time we've heard of that complaint" ... no more.

 

Make sure its fogged when you take it in. Obviously the buytl seal isn't working.

 

I had to bring my 2014 HL back due to both headlights getting bad fogging and moisture in them...from the rain and washing the car.
It was covered under the warranty.

 

taking it in on monday, going to wash it and make it fog up,
will update what the dealer says

 

That's pretty bad, especially on all 4. If it's just one, I would ask to check the bulb holder if they're properly attached to the housing.

 

Not sure replacements will be any better. When I took delivery of my HL, there was actually a dead ant in the seam of the back taillight. Dealer ordered a new taillight, but I was actually able to get it out with a paper clip. Point is, if there is enough room for a paper clip and an ant to fit, then water and moisture can certainly get in. I think its a design flaw, not a defect. The other taillight has the same gap.

 

Franknflorida...we get u got fogging/moiture in headlights & fixed under warr. But, what was done to fix issue? My crystal ball ain't workin. T I A

 

I thought mine was breached, but realized I was seeing the reflection of the water on the chrome--none got inside. The dealer was ready to replace both lights though, so your dealer should be ready to replace too.

 

They used to be able to say "that's the first time we've heard of that complaint" ... no more.

Unfortunately they still say it. The vast majority of car owners are not on any forums. Maybe things will change in 5 or 10 years.

 

Maybe we can learn where we should silicon in sealed?
But if moisture does get inside from perspiration and then it is sealed, then it will never air out. Perhaps leaving it with breather holes is the way its supposed to be?

 

But if moisture does get inside from perspiration and then it is sealed, then it will never air out. Perhaps leaving it with breather holes is the way its supposed to be?

Headlights, and I presume taillights too, are not sealed completely. On the back of the Tacoma headlights, there are two holes with a foam filter in them to allow the headlight to breathe but not let dust/debris inside. Usually leaks are from around the butyl seal where the lens attaches (as sweeney posted).

 

Yup, nothing is truly sealed, almost all enclosures have air vents to maintain equal moisture to exterior air. On most Toyota headlights they are plastic caps (the black ones below) with foam on the inside that cover a hole to block stuff from entering but flow air.

Other times its as simple as a breathable tape/fine mesh over an opening. I know Ford uses that method on their earlier Explorers (Exploders)

 

update:
will be getting new tail lights

thanks everyone..........

 

KY..I understand issue & whats being discussed here, but.... what were u told why yours needed "new tail lights "? In otherwords (if u know) what was actual fix. i.e. defective tail lights ? Tks.

 

took the HL in, show them the pictures; service tech said he washed it with spray washer and tail lights fogged up, he figure they were not seal correctly from the factory; the only fix was new tail lights, I'm still stuck with these fogged up one till new ones arrive

 

Ky...tks. Other replies ok, but don't know myself how tail light cover is sealed? If its a seal issue, just wondering why can't seal be fixed ? Anyhow, hopefully fix soon.

 

someone correct me if I'm wrong, I think the tail lights has to be taking off the car and heat at a very high temp to get the plastic lens and seal apart, then reseal everything back together but you risk melting/deforming the plastic, don't think any dealer is going to do that

 

^ Exactly. Over over 350 degrees for awhile. Dealerships don't repair parts these days, especially warranty parts, but simply replace the whole unit.

 

dang that's scary hot for plastic. I do 265F for 7 min for headlights, and the plastic is quite soft at that temp. Only problem is a lot of OEM's have been switching to perma-seal that doesn't come apart like the buytl seals.

 

Actually, I had to go look up the DIY to see what temp I used. It was 300 for 10-15 minutes. You turn the oven off once it reaches temps. After 10 mins, they weren't hot enough to separate. 15 mins did the trick. Plastic was not soft by any means.

 

I think Pat and Moose need to move to Murano and start a plastic blowing business!

 

Hmm, an old plastic blown sailing ship...I don't think so!

 

Just gave my HL Limited its first bath. Had to use a blower on it to get all the water out of the rear taillights. I called my service dept he said he just replaced the rear taillights in another 2015 for the same problem. He ordered me two new lights.

 

hmm, i smell future TSB

 

Good to know those with tail lite moisture issue being fixed. Gotta be production/quality control issue. Recent OTR trip thru snow country mine got covered with sand/brine mix or what ever used to melt snow/ice. After trip I did drive thru car wash & no water/moisture in tail lites. I did check.

 

Left mine out in rain and also washed it a few times with no moisture issues yet. When you guys say water inside the tail lights are you meaning like actually inside where the middle of housing is or just the outer seam area like where they glue both pieces together? I noticed water beads will get into that outer seam area but it doesn't actually penetrate into the housing itself.

 

I have a new 2015 Highlander limited. All 4 tail lights leak. The lights were replaced by the dealer, Chatham Toyota Savannah, and they are still leaking. This is a manufacture defect. I opened a case with Toyota. They said to keep taking it back to the dealer. Screwed for now.