Broken headlight safe?

[BlooodSugar]

Hello,

So two days ago I was unlucky enough to come head to head with a deer.
I did managed to avoid a full on collision and instead the beast bounced off the front right of my car, smashing my headlight and denting the wing.

Now the headlight itself was working after the impact, it's smashed the cover and it looks like there may be some damage to the seal of the LED's when I looked very closely.

I've not had the car on since and it's been heavy rain, will it be safe to fire her up, or will the headlight possibly blow?

Apologies if it's a silly question, just don't want to risk causing any more damage!

 

[S3orge]

I had a similar situation when I hit a pheasant... The light worked following the collision. I used to cover it with a plastic bag in the evening to protect from the rain and would not drive it in the rain. That was until i got caught out in a shower while driving... the result was an instant light on the dash and no DRL. I bought a replacement unit and fitted it, the DRL still didn't work, if i remember correctly water had gotten into the DRL driver or something like that. I would advise to not drive in the rain at all and at least protect as much as possible from any rain entering while at home/work.

 

[BlooodSugar]

I had a similar situation when I hit a pheasant... The light worked following the collision. I used to cover it with a plastic bag in the evening to protect from the rain and would not drive it in the rain. That was until i got caught out in a shower while driving... the result was an instant light on the dash and no DRL. I bought a replacement unit and fitted it, the DRL still didn't work, if i remember correctly water had gotten into the DRL driver or something like that. I would advise to not drive in the rain at all and at least protect as much as possible from any rain entering while at home/work.

It's been sitting in the driveway, pretty darn heavy rain for the past 24 hours.
So I should assume it's goosed then?

 

[GSB]

It'll probably still work for the moment. Place like halfrauds stock back clear, amber and red tape for temporary repairs to lights. Use that til you get a new one, and bear in mind that will all those sharp edges your car is legally not roadworthy.

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-body-repair/adhesives/halfords-lens-repair-tape-clear

Dry the light unit out and seal it with this, then get a new light.

 

[azibux1]

Use a silica gel bag (that you get with new shoes and electronics) to help dry it out if you want

 

[Kingfisher]

Daughter had similar damage ( her friend backed into it - in an old Land Rover !! ) and the dealer said not roadworthy, took it away let her have A5 until they ordered and fixed it ! Cheshire Audi.

 

[BlooodSugar]

Thanks for the replies, sorry for not acknowledging your comments sooner!

The headlight is taped up and the car should be off for repair tomorrow!

 

[desertstorm]

What happened to the deer ????.
You were quite lucky, I know somebody who ended up in the ditch at the side of the road after one ran across the road over Cannock Chase.
They killed the deer stone dead, It was lucky it didn't come through the windscreen of the car.

 

[BlooodSugar]

What happened to the deer ????.
You were quite lucky, I know somebody who ended up in the ditch at the side of the road after one ran across the road over Cannock Chase.
They killed the deer stone dead, It was lucky it didn't come through the windscreen of the car.

I do think myself that I was very lucky also!
If I had been looking to my radio or even being slightly less alert then it would have been up and over the bonnet.

The deer took a nasty knock, picked itself up and ran off into a field.

I did have a nosey around with a torch but couldn't see it anywhere!