Short of what you've already done or your plan to fill the bare assemblies and check for leaks, you could always try your luck with OEM used units or aftermarket assemblies.

Best of luck to you.

 

$800/light? I was quoted somewhere around $1000 (my cost, as I used to work at this specific dealership) each, iirc. :hide:

 

Friends and family discount.

 

For some reason the right side is more expensive than the left on Rockauto $852 vs. $1000. If the car has been subjected to high pressure water spray from behind, like aiming toward the front of the car while standing near either front door, that is likely where the majority of the water is coming from. That's how I got water in mine. Caulk is probably not good enough from being too soft. I used clear E6000 adhesive for my mom's tail lights and it did a great job of keeping the water out. In retrospect, for a great seal it would be a good idea to run ~500 grit sandpaper in the crevice to give the glue something to bite onto, followed by a good alcohol wipe and that should take care of it. You'll probably find if you look closely that the lens seal has dehisced for a considerable length along the housing seam enough to actually look through it.

 

I normally pay cost + 10% so I was just surprised by these numbers. Maybe I should start looking elsewhere.

 

While you had the lights off, did you check any of the other possible points of water entry? Gaskets on the bulb covers? Gasket on ballast mount? The rectangular vapor breather sticker thing on the side? Even the main connector on the bottom, did it look like water was getting into there (green tarnished pins)?

 

My 05 STS had condensation in both headlights in 2008. Dealer replaced them under warranty. At that time I did not see water build up like a fishbowl. However, in 2015 I had my bullet lights (Within each headlight) replaced with LEDs. My first carwash, I saw water in my passenger headlight lenz. The water soon dried. When the the rainy season came, I started seeing quite a bit of water pooling up. I couldn't find a leak and decided the lenz seal was hosed. I calked it with clear silicone. That fixed nothing. I let it go for several months trying to keep it as dry as possible. Then my HID bulb went out. It was initially a bitch to get the bulb out being the fuse panel is right behind it. Anyway, I replaced the bulb and Shazam, the new bulb did not work. I finally removed the entire headlight assembly and removed all the water. I did a lot of research and found that there is a ballester at the bottom of the headlight assembly and it is only visible and removable from a side panel where the bullet light is located. I got in there and took out the ballester and it was totally corroded. Replaced it with a used one off eBay. Both old and new bulbs worked again. THEN, when I was putting the bullet light cover back on, I noticed that there was no gasket for the cover. I could not find a gasket anywhere so I made one with form-a-gasket. Needles to say, leak is fixed and the dumbass mofo's I paid to put in my LEDs caused me one hell of a lot of time and work by forgetting to put the gasket back on.

I replied with that story just in case you had any bulbs replaced or you have access cover areas on your headlights. The water will drip in there from your hood and or grill and find its way to places you would never suspect. Unless you see visible cracks in your lenzes, it is pretty tough to accumulate that amount of water from condensation. Good luck!

 

If I was getting water in a headlight, I'd drill a small (1/16") hole at the very lowest point to let it drain, instead of fighting to find how to seal it.

 

Fix it right. You're making a spot for water to drain, but you're also allowing moisture to enter through that same hole.

 

My 09 had very little condensation in the headlight. The 13 is about to start looking like "blinker fluid" in there. Damn you GM!!!

 

Sure, Hurst, blame poor ol' innocent GM.
I'm sure it has NOTHING to do with the 42" of rain you've received so far this year. :stirpot:

 

It's there, and not going away. Even when we have a dry spell with no rain. Quit f-ing with my headlights Long!!!! unch:

 

Dry spell for Pittsburgh? Oh--I thought that you were describing the Steelers record so far this season. :stirpot:

 

I had this problem with one of my headlights getting condensation on the inside. Believe it or not I found some youtube videos on how to fix this. You pull the assembly, heat it in the oven to get the lens off, clean out the groove the lens fits in and put Butyl in the groove. replace lens, warm it in oven for a few minutes to get a good seal then reinstall. I did this over a year ago and no more water since. I did have to buy the roll of butyl off of ebay, could not find it anywhere.

 

What worked for me: Pull the headlight assemblies, let them dry, then run a bead of flowable silicone in the seam around the entire clear lens of each assembly. Let it dry for a day, reinstall the headlights. Zero leaks and moisture in either assembly.

Permatex 81730 Flowable Silicone Windshield and Glass Sealer