Headlight Issues

Hello folks,

So I have this issue. A few months ago I decided to renew my front headlight lenses on my 2007 because they just looked like crap. The process went well and they look almost new. Typical 3 stage sanding and then a buff out with plastic polish followed up by a clear coat meant for plastics. Now this is when things take a weird turn.
After I took the car to the car wash I noticed a small amount of water condensation in both headlights. Now after a good rain storm I have a ton of water condensation in both headlights and to make it even worse...The left high and low beams just stopped working. When I raise the hood I can't seem to find any possible entry point for water to get into the sealed units. I've already looked at the vids on headlight removal and I've got the proper tools to do the job but I was wondering If anybody has addressed this problem before. All I can think of is that when I polished the lenses somehow I broke a seal on the units but when I look at them they seem to be fine. The leakage/condensation has been minimal recently and only happens after the drive through car wash. It has been drying out within a few days but now the issue got real bad after a week of rain storms. Obviously I need to get the condensation out of both units. Not sure if the bulbs in the left unit are shot now but I have to start somewhere. Side marker and turn signals work on both units but both high and low beams on the left unit just went out yesterday. Has anybody had such leakage problems before? Mine just leaked real bad with my car just sitting in the driveway for two days.
Any suggestions on how to approach this issue would be appreciated. I will spend the money on the new bulbs which looks like about 40 bucks per pack of two which will be around 80 to do the job right but obviously I need to make sure they do not leak again. Look at the two attached pics. The driver side has more condensation which extends down into the area where the hid bulbs are. That is the side that has stopped working.

Any input please,

Mike

 

I also wanted to say that when I raise the hood there is absolutely zero moisture around the back of the headlight assembly. That whole area is protected by the hood. I inspected the areas where the clear lenses meet the black plastic and it looks perfect. For the life of me I can't seem to figure out where the leaks are.

 

Yes I in fact used a drill with a buffing wheel attached on both of them. Used a moderate amount of pressure to finalize the polishing. Now I am assuming that I created my own problem by fracturing the factory seal between the black back plastic and the clear lens. There are three micro screws that attach both pieces and I can clearly see some kind of sealant in between the two pieces. Not silicone but rather a foam based sealant.
Back to the issue at hand....
I removed the headlight assembly with the help of a youtube video. Not really that labor intensive. One 10mm socket setup. A philips head and slotted screwdriver and about 10 min. Disconnecting the various connectors was a little pain in the butt but I accomplished it without breaking any tabs so that was a plus. Now..... The one double wire (red/wht) that leads to what I believe is some kind of ballast for the lights was soaking wet (see pics). It is long enough to lay in the bottom of the whole assembly so I think the water wicked its way up to the connector. The connector clearly had a decent amount of water in it. I have the whole assembly on my kitchen counter with a small space heater blowing warm air into the assembly (see attached) we shall see the outcome of this adventure when everything is dry...LOL
Hopefully it is just a wet connection issue rather than destroyed components/bulbs. No rain for this week so my timing is good at least.
Once I resolve this issue I will use a silicon bead around the area that I think is leaking. The groove looks like it will accept a decent amount to seal it back up.

stay tuned.........

 

Update.....

After the drying out ... everything is good to go. Used a little dielectric grease on the connections, Plugged the assembly connectors all back in and everything lights up just fine. Applied a thin bead of black silicone around the entire seam that is suspected of leaking and now I'm good to go on doing the same procedure on the passenger side tomorrow.
Moral of the story is ....after the headlight lens restore project I should have applied the silicone bead. Honestly I never even thought the pressure of the buffing wheel would have fractured the oem bead but it kinda makes sense since the car is 15 years old. Heck...If I had to do this all over again I'd probably order two aftermarket lens assemblies for $140.00 and install them.

Take Care Everybody and Happy New Year....

Mike