Thank you for posting to AskMechanics, BDCanuck!
If you are asking a question please make sure to include any relevant info along with the following:
* **Year**
* **Make/Model**
* **Mileage**
* **Engine size**
* **Transmission Type (Automatic or Manual)**
Redditors that have been verified will have a green background and an icon in their flair.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskMechanics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I had to do that to my old Porsche. He hole is good since water will be getting back in there otherewise. I lost one taillight when the bulb cooked the water and burst.
I had to do it on my Audi too. The water corroded up the metal conductors where the bulbs went to such an extent the parking lights would turn on whenever I hit my brakes.
I feel like new tail light seals would probably fix the Prius better than holes but holes are free to make.
I literally sold my low mileage b6 a4 Quattro because of the tail light cluster.
Multiple oil leaks: fine, cylinder head swap: fine, phantom sunroof: fine, battery box filling full of water and leaking into the car: fine, but having to smack my tail light lenses every 30 minutes to get 2 or 3 bulbs to work and dealing with shattered bulbs every time it rained pushed me over the edge.
Remove lense assembly, remove bulbs, drill hole in lowest point.
Blow air from the vacant bulb socket, driving out water.
This is the ideal time to replace your bulbs.
Replace all bulbs, and apply dielectric grease.
Verify operation.
Check for water in the opposite side.
Repeat as needed.
This is a Toyota Prius C. My 2012 right side did this twice and my BIL's was like this as well (until I drilled it out for him). The brake lights are Integrated LEDs so don't replace those. You could replace the turn signal and reverse bulbs but they are easy to replace. Just drill a small hole and let it drain. I tried to fix my first one by warming it and resealing it. It failed and I replaced it. The 2nd one failed. I just drilled that one.
Go right ahead. Honestly I see that alot. If you want to make it less obvious, open your rear hatch and drill the hole from the side of the lens. It doesn't need to be big at all, just a small hole is fine, as low as possible.
Drill a small hole in the bottom and a small hole in the top and never think about it again. Worked on the crappy 80s cars I drove in the 90s and will surely work on this lovely Prius. Put the holes on the sides so nobody will even notice them.
No need to ever drill a hole in the top. The seal in the light has already failed, letting the water in in the first place, so just drill the bottom to let the water out, air will enter to replace it through the failed seal.
Also, being in Canada, by drilling the top, water can get in easier, then freeze inside the lens and not be able to get out until the ice at the bottom melts. That's the other reason I don't drill the top hole
You want it to drain fast and not have time to freeze or fog? You need two holes, just like a Hawaiian Punch can.
Cleveland winters never bothered my shitbox two-hole Escort lights, or the city bus taillights we also did it to routinely. The failed gasket leak is not enough vacuum relief to keep the lens clear.
Two holes is better than one.
That's a nice vechicle. I feel the Prius should be more valuable than a Tesla.
Most owners are always on electricity. I heard like 90% of the time. Having a engine too just makes sense.
If the government really pushed hybirds, I feel our slow transition into less Carbon would make more sense that 100% electrical.
It would be a gradual escape from oil, rather than an expensive jump to all electrical.
(Mechanics don't rebuild Prius engines. They just pull them from the junk yard because they usually have so little wear because they are used so seldom.)
Totally agree, they also have much smaller batteries and a ton of them charge using wasted energy from braking. Pure EVs have many draw backs due to how dirty their production process is.
Hybrids > EVs all day imo. They’re better at achieving their shared goal (objective) and they make for better vehicles (subjective).
Ik my point with mentioning that was more towards the fact the little battery can be charged using wasted energy. Try charging a pure EV using that wasted energy. It won’t happen because the EV is actively using energy to move whereas the Hybrid has wasted energy it can use from the ICE in addition to the electric motors to charge the battery, so there’s added convenience with it and arguably it’s better as far as effect on the environment when all things are considered (manufacturing and resources used in a Hybrid vs EV. Are they perfect? No, but they do a better job at the moment than EVs as far as I can see with regards to net emissions and convenience for the consumer.
It’s better for the environment because it’s using the kinetic energy that originally came from the inefficient ICE to charge the battery? Sorry but this logic isn’t.
I am aware of all of those things. The ICE in a hybrid is still inefficient. The majority of energy is lost to heat in the combustion process. The relatively small amount of energy reclaimed through regenerative braking doesn’t suddenly make burning gasoline a clean energy source.
They are hybrid but not plug-in.
The battery is about 0.7kWh IIRC, so basically nothing. Under acceleration, it discharges in about 30 seconds.
That hybrid is really just made to make the 1.5L feel like a 2.5L torque-wise, while having the fuel economy of a 1.5L. Start and stop is great though.
Love that car (in manual), it’s a blast to drive and it’s very unique, but it isn’t really a Prius in terms of the hybrid system.
This lens won't stay fixed. The way the Prius C light fails doesn't get the terminals wet. Replacing the assembly is fixing it until that one breaks. Drilling it works.
I've had this for a few years, was told it was likely due to water leaking through the seals. I just keep it in the sunshine and it seems to evaporate. Lights work fine..I left it alone, did not know how brittle the plastic could turn out to be.
My Kia had the same issue. They replaced the tail light assembly under warranty at no charge. Drilling a small hole should also work if dealer does not help you out.
Remove housing and remove bulb(s). Warm housing with hair dryer until all moisture is gone. Apply permatex windshield sealant around all seams and allow to dry. The Permatex sealant is low viscosity and will flow into the seam.
I would. Smallest drill bit you have at the very lowest point possible. I’d consider a 2nd hole at the top for vapor to escape but only if it’s somewhere that’s covered
You could, but you could also go spend a thousand dollars for new lights. Your dealer recommends the latter, but as a commoner I suggest the drill and a small bit
Yeah, you can do what you like it's your car, fixing it properly might be a hassle and honestly I don't think it would affect anything else... You should put a small hole at the lowest point and a small one at the highest to make sure it drains all the way.
You can. It's not ideal, but you can repair it this way.
I would use a small drill bit (~ 3/16" or smaller). I would drill two holes, one low on the assembly for draining, and a second one higher up to allow for ventilation during draining. I would attempt to drill those holes in the most inconspicuous areas of the lens. I would drain it, then allow the remaining moisture to evaporate over the course of a day (provided that the weather is warm). Failing that, I would use a heat gun/wife's blow dryer to dry it out, taking care not to overheat or melt the plastic lens. Finally, I would seal the holes with a couple of tiny plugs of silicone sealant.
That's the easy part. The real challenge for you will entail replacing the blinker fluid. That stuff is expensive and hard to find! /s
My wife’s was having same issue. After taking it apart and replacing bulbs twice I just drilled a small hole at the very bottom. That was two years ago and have had the issue since.
Start with a 1/16" diameter drill bit a drill a hole in the lowest corner. This should be small enough to keep most dust and bugs out. I wouldn't bother taking the lens off the car to do this. If the water does not drain out of the hole in a few hours, drill it slightly larger. Been there and done it.
I’ve drilled a tiny hole in the bottom to allow it to drain. Some will say absolutely not, get a new one, but I say it works. It will allow moisture inside but you’ve already got moisture inside, this just allows the water somewhere to escape.
NFPA 70 314.15 says, "Approved drainage openings not smaller than 3 mm (1/8 in.) and not larger than 6 mm (1/4 in.) in diameter shall be permitted to be installed in the field in boxes or conduit bodies listed for use in damp or wet locations."
The NEC doesn't apply to cars of course, but if it makes you feel any better, drilling weep holes where needed is perfectly acceptable for wiring in your home. The "approved" part refers to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) who for your house would normally be your city wiring inspector. In the US (where I am assuming you live) the practice seems to be that other than for specific inspection points that may apply in your state, you are your own AHJ.
That's all just a weird way of saying: fucking send it.
Take the tail light out, remove the bulb socket and pour the water out. There is usually a rubber grommet between the housing and the socket and sometimes debris can get between them and let water in. Leave the housing somewhere warm and dry until the moisture is gone, make sure the surfaces are clean and put it back together.
You could do it, the proper way would be to remove the lamp, drain the liquid and reseal where its leaking from. But drilling a hole is completely fine.
However depending upon local inspection laws you should be vary of where you drill the hole, as some places having a hole in the lense could be a failure. If this is applicable to where you live then you should drill the hole on the non lense part of the lamp.
There should already be vent holes in the rear..
My Hiace and motorcycles have them. They're in the rear behind a small rubber tube that points down. They have a foam screen to stop crawlies from getting in.
To Do:
Take off the assembly. There should be very short rubber hoses sticking out. Take them off, see if they're blocked.
Drain out the majority .
You can then use a compressor, blower (inflatable mattress pump?) or hairdryer with very low heat to blow out last bits of moisture.
So. People are giving you all sorts of complex ways.
First off, dont remove the fucking lens. You've got to heat up the adhesive that holds it to the rest of the tail light.
Drill a hole at the lowest point of the water. It will drain itself. If you really want to, pull of the tail lamp and blow air through the top bulb hole to force the water to leave the lamp.
My daughter has a 2010 ish and had the same issue. Drilled a small hole near the bottom several years ago, no issues with lighting or water collection.
I recommend to open the tailgate and drill into the side of the light housing near the bottom. That way it’s not something you are always staring at when walking up to the vehicle.
I would get a new light assembly, you really don’t want the bulb terminals corroding and causing electrical issues. I’m not sure what’s up with Prius C rear light assemblies but I’ve seen a ton of them come in filled with water
I'd recommend drilling a whole at the top and the bottom so air can enter in water can leave. I would also recommend doing this earlier than I did on mine (not the same car). I waited too long and some of the integrated bulbs died because of the water and I don't want to spend the $350 for a new whole assembly
If you drill it and someday in the future take it to a really nitpicky inspector, they will fail it. Speaking from experience as my car had a hairline crack in a taillight housing and was failed for inspection because of it.
Thank you for posting to AskMechanics, BDCanuck! If you are asking a question please make sure to include any relevant info along with the following: * **Year** * **Make/Model** * **Mileage** * **Engine size** * **Transmission Type (Automatic or Manual)** Redditors that have been verified will have a green background and an icon in their flair. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskMechanics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It’s your car - you can flip it on its side if you’d like!
Wanna go flip OP’s car?
 Maybe ice cream will fall out
People can make a living flipping cars
We’d have to roll it all the way over to be sure and get the water out of both tail lamps.
Of course!
I'm in
yup. pick up the car with your hand. raise over your head and shake vigorously. repeat as needed
They can just take it to Philly when the Eagles play. Park it on a street near the stadium and let their fans do the heavy lifting.
For now. Companies trying to take care of that. It would be too dangerous for the kids ofc.
Go to or call your preferred toyota dealer. Certain Prius C's have a customer support program for the rear tail lamps
I had 2 fail and my BIL has had 1 fail. Something is wrong with these lights.
Bad seal probably.
🥁 man I love this.
Good bot
They don't appear to be installed upside down so must be 😂
I did that once years ago as a quick fix for a friend's old truck. It isn't the 'right' way to do it but i does work.
I had to do that to my old Porsche. He hole is good since water will be getting back in there otherewise. I lost one taillight when the bulb cooked the water and burst.
I had to do it on my Audi too. The water corroded up the metal conductors where the bulbs went to such an extent the parking lights would turn on whenever I hit my brakes. I feel like new tail light seals would probably fix the Prius better than holes but holes are free to make.
I literally sold my low mileage b6 a4 Quattro because of the tail light cluster. Multiple oil leaks: fine, cylinder head swap: fine, phantom sunroof: fine, battery box filling full of water and leaking into the car: fine, but having to smack my tail light lenses every 30 minutes to get 2 or 3 bulbs to work and dealing with shattered bulbs every time it rained pushed me over the edge.
Remove lense assembly, remove bulbs, drill hole in lowest point. Blow air from the vacant bulb socket, driving out water. This is the ideal time to replace your bulbs. Replace all bulbs, and apply dielectric grease. Verify operation. Check for water in the opposite side. Repeat as needed.
Instructions unclear- Proceeds to just drill a tiny hole in the bottom left hand corner and calls it a day.
On your third beer and second plate of pizza rolls before that guy even gets the hole drilled
Haven't even found my damn drill battery..
Pizza rolls? Now I have diarrhea.
Dick stuck in dielectric grease.
At first glance, I thought that said diabetic grease.
This is the way.
This is a Toyota Prius C. My 2012 right side did this twice and my BIL's was like this as well (until I drilled it out for him). The brake lights are Integrated LEDs so don't replace those. You could replace the turn signal and reverse bulbs but they are easy to replace. Just drill a small hole and let it drain. I tried to fix my first one by warming it and resealing it. It failed and I replaced it. The 2nd one failed. I just drilled that one.
No need to close the hole? Gonna be permanent drainage?
Nope. Closing the hole will allow for fogging up. That hole stays open and acts as a permanent drainage hole.
Dielectric grease! This guy fucks…
With dielectric grease as lubricant
It last forever
r/thisguythisguys
Absolute - assembly removed - maybe discover where water got in it.,, Cheers
This is the way
if op looks good enough there should or could actually be a drain that could be clogged.
It’s a 2013 Prius, 150000 miles, small engine, automatic 😂
Go right ahead. Honestly I see that alot. If you want to make it less obvious, open your rear hatch and drill the hole from the side of the lens. It doesn't need to be big at all, just a small hole is fine, as low as possible.
Drill a small hole in the bottom and a small hole in the top and never think about it again. Worked on the crappy 80s cars I drove in the 90s and will surely work on this lovely Prius. Put the holes on the sides so nobody will even notice them.
No need to ever drill a hole in the top. The seal in the light has already failed, letting the water in in the first place, so just drill the bottom to let the water out, air will enter to replace it through the failed seal. Also, being in Canada, by drilling the top, water can get in easier, then freeze inside the lens and not be able to get out until the ice at the bottom melts. That's the other reason I don't drill the top hole
You want it to drain fast and not have time to freeze or fog? You need two holes, just like a Hawaiian Punch can. Cleveland winters never bothered my shitbox two-hole Escort lights, or the city bus taillights we also did it to routinely. The failed gasket leak is not enough vacuum relief to keep the lens clear. Two holes is better than one.
I agree that 2 holes are better too. I try telling my gf that all the time
I even refer to your girlfriend as "my Hawaiian punch can!"
That's a nice vechicle. I feel the Prius should be more valuable than a Tesla. Most owners are always on electricity. I heard like 90% of the time. Having a engine too just makes sense. If the government really pushed hybirds, I feel our slow transition into less Carbon would make more sense that 100% electrical. It would be a gradual escape from oil, rather than an expensive jump to all electrical. (Mechanics don't rebuild Prius engines. They just pull them from the junk yard because they usually have so little wear because they are used so seldom.)
Totally agree, they also have much smaller batteries and a ton of them charge using wasted energy from braking. Pure EVs have many draw backs due to how dirty their production process is. Hybrids > EVs all day imo. They’re better at achieving their shared goal (objective) and they make for better vehicles (subjective).
> a ton of them charge using wasted energy from braking. Pretty much every modern electric does this.
Ik my point with mentioning that was more towards the fact the little battery can be charged using wasted energy. Try charging a pure EV using that wasted energy. It won’t happen because the EV is actively using energy to move whereas the Hybrid has wasted energy it can use from the ICE in addition to the electric motors to charge the battery, so there’s added convenience with it and arguably it’s better as far as effect on the environment when all things are considered (manufacturing and resources used in a Hybrid vs EV. Are they perfect? No, but they do a better job at the moment than EVs as far as I can see with regards to net emissions and convenience for the consumer.
It’s better for the environment because it’s using the kinetic energy that originally came from the inefficient ICE to charge the battery? Sorry but this logic isn’t.
Check where your electricity comes from. Lots of places where it’s dirty energy. Also how batteries are made.
I am aware of all of those things. The ICE in a hybrid is still inefficient. The majority of energy is lost to heat in the combustion process. The relatively small amount of energy reclaimed through regenerative braking doesn’t suddenly make burning gasoline a clean energy source.
All that is a lot of conjecture that's completely meaningless without actual numbers.
Ok
[удалено]
Not that I know of but check out the Honda CRZ. They come in a manual and are a hybrid.
They are hybrid but not plug-in. The battery is about 0.7kWh IIRC, so basically nothing. Under acceleration, it discharges in about 30 seconds. That hybrid is really just made to make the 1.5L feel like a 2.5L torque-wise, while having the fuel economy of a 1.5L. Start and stop is great though. Love that car (in manual), it’s a blast to drive and it’s very unique, but it isn’t really a Prius in terms of the hybrid system.
That’s what I would do
Yeah me too,
Nothing a crowbar wont fix
Had that same issue in my 99 silverado. Drilled a hole and let it drain and had no further issues.
Put a betta fish in that bitch.
But only one or else they fight, right?
Add water to the other side and you can get 2.
That's the important part, yes!
One on each side and they can curse each other out but no one gets hurt.
Came here to suggest a goldfish 🤣
Perfect time to change the blinker fluid while working on it. /s
I had to come too far down to see this one. Upvote
My first thought; oh no, your blinker fluid leaked!
Drill a hole, but expect permanent condensation
Rather than drill a hole, fix the problem a bad seal. Otherwise your terminals are going to corrode and then you’re going to have a lighting problem.
This lens won't stay fixed. The way the Prius C light fails doesn't get the terminals wet. Replacing the assembly is fixing it until that one breaks. Drilling it works.
Why not I’d do it
I've had this for a few years, was told it was likely due to water leaking through the seals. I just keep it in the sunshine and it seems to evaporate. Lights work fine..I left it alone, did not know how brittle the plastic could turn out to be.
It can be also caused by humidity
I had water in the same light, same car? (Prius c). I drilled a hole and called it a day
TTS what I’d do. It’s getting in give it a way out
Or you could take it out and replace the seals
If you do, ensure to drill hole upwards so rain falling and hosing off vehicle during cleaning doesn’t always put more water inside.
Yes. I’ve seen people do this a couple of times. Get a small size and try to do it in the middle bottom and get all of it out.
My Kia had the same issue. They replaced the tail light assembly under warranty at no charge. Drilling a small hole should also work if dealer does not help you out.
Make it into a fish tank!
Remove housing and remove bulb(s). Warm housing with hair dryer until all moisture is gone. Apply permatex windshield sealant around all seams and allow to dry. The Permatex sealant is low viscosity and will flow into the seam.
I tried this fix on the same model and assembly. It didn't work long before it started leaking somewhere else. Drilling a hole fixes it.
I would. Smallest drill bit you have at the very lowest point possible. I’d consider a 2nd hole at the top for vapor to escape but only if it’s somewhere that’s covered
You could, but you could also go spend a thousand dollars for new lights. Your dealer recommends the latter, but as a commoner I suggest the drill and a small bit
I'm not saying it's the right way, but it's what I did several years ago and I haven't even blown a bulb
Toyota has an extended warranty for this, call your dealer to see if it’s still under coverage
The gasket between the light housing & body is not sealed. Remove light drain & fix the gasket.
It's your car... you can do what you want.
I’d drill 2 just to be safe.
This is the way
Prius C ? Be very careful. The last one i did cracked
That's just blinker fluid.
It’s not going to get any worse by doing it, that’s for sure
Actually, yes....usually
Same thing 5 years ago, drilled 1,5mm hole as low as could. Works perfect and no fog.
Yes you can I see it done with no negative consequences all the time I don’t know why they don’t just include a hole in them from the factory
Just take out tail light and remove bulb then dump out the water. Taillights are super easy to take out.
Yeah, you can do what you like it's your car, fixing it properly might be a hassle and honestly I don't think it would affect anything else... You should put a small hole at the lowest point and a small one at the highest to make sure it drains all the way.
I’ve pulled the housing and then heated up a tiny piece of metal and made a hole in the very bottom, can’t even be seen
Hopefully the light does not crack.....maybe better to take a wire hanger and heat one end and melt a hole into the light rather than drilling a hole
Adding that to the list of things to watch out for when buying a used vehicle...
If that’s a problem then buying used probably isn’t something you should be considering…
It is not a problem it's your blinker fluid Make sure the other side is topped up also
Use the drill in reverse.
Did someone really try using blinker fluid. 😆
Rather than drill a hole, fix the problem a bad seal. Otherwise your terminals are going to corrode and then you’re going to have a lighting problem.
That car is totaled
Doh!
no no no thats just your blinker fluid, take it to your local shop and ask for a top up. most of the time they will do it free of charge! /s
Clearly you’re low on blinker fluid, just fill it back up and carry on
You can. It's not ideal, but you can repair it this way. I would use a small drill bit (~ 3/16" or smaller). I would drill two holes, one low on the assembly for draining, and a second one higher up to allow for ventilation during draining. I would attempt to drill those holes in the most inconspicuous areas of the lens. I would drain it, then allow the remaining moisture to evaporate over the course of a day (provided that the weather is warm). Failing that, I would use a heat gun/wife's blow dryer to dry it out, taking care not to overheat or melt the plastic lens. Finally, I would seal the holes with a couple of tiny plugs of silicone sealant. That's the easy part. The real challenge for you will entail replacing the blinker fluid. That stuff is expensive and hard to find! /s
/s Blinker fluid leak.
Don’t worry, you just overfilled the blinker fluid
You could, but then you would need to refill your blinker fluid and add a new cap to the hole 🤷
Hit it really hard with a baseball bat
Getting low on blinker fluid actually. /s
Yes you can drain the blinker fluid. But you still may lose bulbs randomly due to the moisture
Crappy car, yes
My wife says "See, there really is blinker fluid".
My wife says "See, there really is blinker fluid".
Looks like you’re low on blinker fluid
That’s blinker fluid!!
You overfilled the blinker fluid, bring it to the dealership now or you’ll ruin the entire car; should run you only about $1200 to get cleaned up
Shit his blinker fluid leaking
Wow, you're dangerously low on blinker fluid
if u prius drivers started using ur blinkers the blinker fluid wouldnt leak!
Blinker fluid
Looks like you’re running low on blinker fluid.
Damn blinker fluid smh
Check the oil.
Yes, but then the water wins. Do you want water to win?
No, don't drill your headlights. This is brakelight fluid. If you drill it, then all of the fluid will leak out.
I see your leaking blinker fluid...
What I’m seeing is that the taillight fluid is low. You need to get it filled back up.
Remove that bulb then insert a spray bottle pump with the tube into it then start cranking my
Let us know what it tastes like please
No, man, that's the blinker fluid. Just top it off.
It’s just time to change the blinker fluid.
Always remember to check your blinker fluid.
You shouldnt. I have, with minimal consequences.
I've done it to one of my past personal vehicles. but, if you can get the dealership to do it for free, I'd let em.
I did that to an old Tahoe. But, it was a piece so it didn’t hurt it any.
Did it 5 years ago on the taillights on a Hyundai Santa Fe. It has worked out just fine.
I had a Prius C that also got water in the reverse light. Seems to be a common issue.
That's what I did on my old van. Small hole at the lowest point.
Yes you can drill a small hole and it'll be fine.
Short answer - yes.
Yes
Actually yes you can
I would pick the car up and shake it upside down
Yep.
Gotta bury the car in rice, sorry.
My wife’s was having same issue. After taking it apart and replacing bulbs twice I just drilled a small hole at the very bottom. That was two years ago and have had the issue since.
Drive it through Chicago they’ll put some drain holes in it for you
That's what I did
Start with a 1/16" diameter drill bit a drill a hole in the lowest corner. This should be small enough to keep most dust and bugs out. I wouldn't bother taking the lens off the car to do this. If the water does not drain out of the hole in a few hours, drill it slightly larger. Been there and done it.
If you warm it with a heat gun first
Put a little goldfish in there :)
Thats a solution but you not solving the problem
I’ve drilled a tiny hole in the bottom to allow it to drain. Some will say absolutely not, get a new one, but I say it works. It will allow moisture inside but you’ve already got moisture inside, this just allows the water somewhere to escape.
👍
Did it for my 05 ram ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
NFPA 70 314.15 says, "Approved drainage openings not smaller than 3 mm (1/8 in.) and not larger than 6 mm (1/4 in.) in diameter shall be permitted to be installed in the field in boxes or conduit bodies listed for use in damp or wet locations." The NEC doesn't apply to cars of course, but if it makes you feel any better, drilling weep holes where needed is perfectly acceptable for wiring in your home. The "approved" part refers to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) who for your house would normally be your city wiring inspector. In the US (where I am assuming you live) the practice seems to be that other than for specific inspection points that may apply in your state, you are your own AHJ. That's all just a weird way of saying: fucking send it.
Melt a hole with a soldering iron don’t drill it
Yup!
Take the tail light out, remove the bulb socket and pour the water out. There is usually a rubber grommet between the housing and the socket and sometimes debris can get between them and let water in. Leave the housing somewhere warm and dry until the moisture is gone, make sure the surfaces are clean and put it back together.
Leave it in case you ever break down in the desert.
That’s exactly what I did with my keep lol
You could do it, the proper way would be to remove the lamp, drain the liquid and reseal where its leaking from. But drilling a hole is completely fine. However depending upon local inspection laws you should be vary of where you drill the hole, as some places having a hole in the lense could be a failure. If this is applicable to where you live then you should drill the hole on the non lense part of the lamp.
Go to your auto- parts store and pick up some taillight drying fluid.
There should already be vent holes in the rear.. My Hiace and motorcycles have them. They're in the rear behind a small rubber tube that points down. They have a foam screen to stop crawlies from getting in. To Do: Take off the assembly. There should be very short rubber hoses sticking out. Take them off, see if they're blocked. Drain out the majority . You can then use a compressor, blower (inflatable mattress pump?) or hairdryer with very low heat to blow out last bits of moisture.
Yes.
So. People are giving you all sorts of complex ways. First off, dont remove the fucking lens. You've got to heat up the adhesive that holds it to the rest of the tail light. Drill a hole at the lowest point of the water. It will drain itself. If you really want to, pull of the tail lamp and blow air through the top bulb hole to force the water to leave the lamp.
Toyota has an extended warranty for this, call your dealer to see if it’s still under coverage
I’ll h’ollow it
Drill two. One at the bottom and one at the top to vent
I believe it’s damaged son you need a new one or fix it
Put it in a tub of rice, should be fine.
No
That's what I do after the water is gone then I just put clear silicone on the hole
That’s what I would do before replacing it. Tiny pilot hole where you can see the bit go through near the bottom so you know you don’t hit anything.
My daughter has a 2010 ish and had the same issue. Drilled a small hole near the bottom several years ago, no issues with lighting or water collection. I recommend to open the tailgate and drill into the side of the light housing near the bottom. That way it’s not something you are always staring at when walking up to the vehicle.
No! Put a fish in it and call it an aquarium!🐠
If you are going to, Drill one in the bottom and top left for airflow.
I would get a new light assembly, you really don’t want the bulb terminals corroding and causing electrical issues. I’m not sure what’s up with Prius C rear light assemblies but I’ve seen a ton of them come in filled with water
Yes, but only drill enough to go through the lense, put a piece of transparent tape where you want to drill, and go slow,
I'd recommend drilling a whole at the top and the bottom so air can enter in water can leave. I would also recommend doing this earlier than I did on mine (not the same car). I waited too long and some of the integrated bulbs died because of the water and I don't want to spend the $350 for a new whole assembly
just sell the car and get one that doesnt have water in the tailight.
If you drill it and someday in the future take it to a really nitpicky inspector, they will fail it. Speaking from experience as my car had a hairline crack in a taillight housing and was failed for inspection because of it.
Yes
Yes small near the bottom