Need some ideas on the best way to get the water out of a headlight housing. I changed the bulb in my wife's vehicle and didn't get the dust cover all the way back on apparently and now there is moisture in the housing. I'm thinking the next sunny day open it back up and use compressed air to try to dry it out and make a small desiccant pack to put in it.

Compressed air to get most of it out. Stuff a small piece of paper towel in there and fish it out with a wire with a hook end. Repeat as needed. I would not put a desiccant bag in there.

I've also taken the bulb out of the back and run a hair dryer aimed generally at the hole for 15-30. Lather rinse repeat as necessary.

I'd be very hesitant to shove a paper towel in there for fear of it tearing off pieces or bending an internal reflector in housing.

Assuming the headlight is in good condition, I'd wait for a bright sunny day, remove it from the car leaving all the bulb holes unplugged, shake what water I could out of it, add a little compressed air to further blow it out, and then leave it lens side up facing the sun for a few hours. That 'should' clear the water from it.

If the headlight is faded and/or cloudy, I'd simply replace it as egregore suggested.

Obviously it has a leak somewhere, I had the same problem. Simple solution, I drilled a hole as far down as possible through the plastic lens with a small drill bit ( around 1/8" ) and let the water drain out. With the hole acting as a full time drain you should be good to go.

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and didn't get the dust cover all the way back on apparently and now there is moisture

Any of you fellows reading the OP?

Thinking it may be easier to take the assembly off and let it sit in the sun for a bit. The bulb socket may not be easy to get to with it still in the car. If you have a CTS, then the easiest thing to do is just shoot it and trade it in later.

I had this happen one time, drilled a hole in each lower corner and never had an issue after that. This was quite a few years back and you results maybe different.

I really need to slow down and read every word.

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… didn't get the dust cover all the way back on …

Having missed that part, I'll rephrase. If feasible (i.e., you don't have to remove the entire front bumper fascia), remove the headlight altogether, take the bulb out, face the hole down and let it air dry, or just take the bulb out, leave the lens in place and leave it open with the hood up. Compressed air just blows the water droplets around and doesn't really evaporate them. It could also damage a reflector. If you can get the hose from a shop vac in or at least near the hole, this might help to suck the water out. I don't think much of leaving a desiccant bag in the lens. I don't know how the stuff would react to the high temperature of the bulb and would err on the side of caution.

Dry it mechanically (cloth or compressed air...make sure the compressor has been drained, and that you're not pumping in dirty, moist air). Get DampRid at Lowes, and set the headlight assembly in a sealed plastic bag with the dessicant open in the same bag, for a day.

Reinstall the assembly correctly, and forget it ever happened.