Shopping for a 981 S ….

[iborguk]

Yes 2) is an important piece of this, it’s possible it can just reoccur. I think car headlight usage patterns and environmental factors (UV) are some of the triggers for this.
 

I think that’s why we see the variable experiences people have with this.

Edited November 29, 2022 by iborguk

[Menoporsche]

9 minutes ago, Paul P said:

which I think is a poor response, especially since a replacement is 1) the only option and 2) just as likely to have it happen again.

Yet heartlessly, if it is just as (highly?) likely to happen again, I'd say replacement is a waste of time and money.

what would be nice is if they looked into it and changed manufacturing accordingly. 

Being a Boxster, does this happen to 911s also? As that changes the customer numbers and profiles.  Does it also happen on Cayennes and Macans, the biggest sellers of the brand? All those would point to a bit more effort from Stuttgart to sort it out.

[iborguk]

It’s been seen in other car types and that includes other Porsche offerings.

Edited November 29, 2022 by iborguk

[Beancounter]

I have now read quite a lot on crazing  and there are quite a lot of instances of this, not limited to Porsche.

The most positive conclusion is that it is degradation to the UV layer on the lens (say 0.5mm) - ie the structural layer of lens SHOULD BE okay.  It is possible to sand back and apply a UV coating - in reality you won’t know how good the result until you get stuck in - it will be better but not perfect.  This is no different to lens cleaning common in general (eg haze) but you have to sand much deeper.  I have emailed to companies to see if they can do it

It is possible to replace the lens but getting the old one off is a skilled job using mechanical means (ie the glue can’t de softened with heat).  I have found one company in the UK that offers the service and have emailed them.  There is an interesting article in Japanase by a guy that has set up a business just to fix crazing (google translate needed) - the website isn’t confidence inspiring but think the story sounds credible.

https://headlight-kibami.com/yuusousekou/

All that said, it is cosmetic…

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by Beancounter

[Menoporsche]

1 minute ago, Beancounter said:

there are quite a lot of issues of this, not limited to Porsche

If this is all across VAG...!!

[iborguk]

@Beancounter

Got a link to the UK Company ? Yes this is a job for the right set of skilled hands.

[emil2099]

  

1 minute ago, iborguk said:

It’s been seen in other car types and that includes other Porsche offerings.

And yet there's still no indication that Porsche are willing to resolve this. I think some folks in the US have had luck claiming replacements under warranty, of course USA being more litigious country, but even then the stories seem to be more miss than hit.

Has anyone had a go at replacing the lenses with parts available from Aliexpress and Ebay? I've done a swap on a spare headlight after the OPC cracked it on a previous car, it was a bit involved so not had the courage to attempt it on the current car given potential cost of mistake.

[Happy Days]

1 hour ago, JurassicGTS said:

Are you running Xenons or LEDs on your Macan? I read somewhere that this normally only occurs on Xenon lights not LEDs due to the heat produced.

LEDs

[Happy Days]

1 hour ago, Menoporsche said:

What is the crazing exactly? I know what it looks like, I've seen photos.  But is it effectively cosmetic or structural? If structural we'd expect to hear stories of shattered lights and I don't see them. So I assume it's cosmetic. Annoying, and debatably slightly reducing the total light output, but not a disaster. No?

[Happy Days]

I was fearful of a stone hitting the cover and shattering it. I'd have thought that the manufacturing process would have changed the material slightly - obvioulsy not. I probably won't do anything about this now having read that it's not structural. But three years ago, when I reported it, I was advised that warranty support had been withdrawn that week, hence a goodwill contribution.

Edited November 29, 2022 by Happy Days

[Beancounter]

Wrong link to article!!

 

https://www.panamera-life.com/en/entry/car-goshi-goshi/?amp

[Menoporsche]

Yes, on a 3 year old car bought for more than 50k, I can see why that's frikking annoying at least.

[Menoporsche]

7 minutes ago, Beancounter said:

Wrong link to article!!

 

https://www.panamera-life.com/en/entry/car-goshi-goshi/?amp

That's a really lovely article. And "cracks are at most 0.5 mm deep, the thickness of a general headlight lens is about 5 mm" is very reassuring.

Repaired for £250 per headlight. With the US and EU market he could be set up for life.

[gillbe]

Guess same repair process should be applicable to the rear LED lights too, which are also known for crazing badly

[Lonewolfgjp]

In general the Porsche lights seem to be a weak point, I’ve had cosmetic issues with all 4 of my different Boxsters. My 981 lights like to steam up, front and rear. The rear GTS lights are brand new!

The crazing on my 987.2 rears drove me mad and I tried wet sanding etc but the marks are internal so replacing them is the only option. 
I would hope a sand and polish would sort the ops headlights out as it is generally the uv coating that has gone bad. I’ve done several sets of Porsche headlights and managed to sort them out, my 981 headlights look to have already been done but there are some tiny bits of lacquer peel I may sort in the future.

 I ve always avoided re lacquering the refurbished headlights and gone with a ceramic coating to protect them as it is easier to give them a light rebuff if the ceramic fails rather than dealing with lacquer peel.

If anyone is interested or fancy having a go I can advise you on what I do and there should be some mention of it in my members ride threads👍

[andygo]

4 minutes ago, Lonewolfgjp said:

In general the Porsche lights seem to be a weak point, I’ve had cosmetic issues with all 4 of my different Boxsters. My 981 lights like to steam up, front and rear. The rear GTS lights are brand new!

The crazing on my 987.2 rears drove me mad and I tried wet sanding etc but the marks are internal so replacing them is the only option. 
I would hope a sand and polish would sort the ops headlights out as it is generally the uv coating that has gone bad. I’ve done several sets of Porsche headlights and managed to sort them out, my 981 headlights look to have already been done but there are some tiny bits of lacquer peel I may sort in the future.

 I ve always avoided re lacquering the refurbished headlights and gone with a ceramic coating to protect them as it is easier to give them a light rebuff if the ceramic fails rather than dealing with lacquer peel.

If anyone is interested or fancy having a go I can advise you on what I do and there should be some mention of it in my members ride threads👍

Linky please...  

[r1flyguy]

2 hours ago, Happy Days said:

I had this issue on my Macan but much more severe.

https://www.macanforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=10009

funnily enough @Happy Days posted the same photo in the above thread  

Do not use any kind of cleaner (tar remover, etc) on these headlights. That’s what my OPC stated was probably the cause.

I had to replace both complete headlights and a hefty bill. 
I took care after that and the issue never came back.

Edited November 29, 2022 by r1flyguy

[Lonewolfgjp]

5 minutes ago, r1flyguy said:

I had this issue on my Macan 

Do not use any kind of cleaner (tar remover, etc) on these headlights. That’s what my OPC stated was probably the cause.

I had to replace both complete headlights and a hefty bill. 
I took care after that and the issue never came back.

Not heard that one before Gary, what did he think you cleaned your lights with? Brick acid 😂

I think maybe some strong undiluted solvents could damage the coating but not the general Halfords type cleaners. I think he was just trying to justify the extortionate replacement cost and skate of the fact that Porsche lights seem to have the strength of a chocolate teapot.

 I think it is combination of heat cycles and uv light but I’m surprised Porsche haven’t managed to sort this issue 👍

[Lonewolfgjp]

36 minutes ago, andygo said:

Linky please...  

I can’t seem to copy a link 😂

But if you look in 987.2 Black Edition Boxster no 3, I think I mentioned it in there.

But I can always dm you a brief summary on what I did 👍

[iborguk]

12 minutes ago, Lonewolfgjp said:

Not heard that one before Gary, what did he think you cleaned your lights with? Brick acid 😂

I think maybe some strong undiluted solvents could damage the coating but not the general Halfords type cleaners. I think he was just trying to justify the extortionate replacement cost and skate of the fact that Porsche lights seem to have the strength of a chocolate teapot.

 I think it is combination of heat cycles and uv light but I’m surprised Porsche haven’t managed to sort this issue 👍

Yeah that’s a new one.

[Happy Days]

17 hours ago, r1flyguy said:

I had this issue on my Macan but much more severe.

https://www.macanforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=10009

funnily enough @Happy Days posted the same photo in the above thread  

Do not use any kind of cleaner (tar remover, etc) on these headlights. That’s what my OPC stated was probably the cause.

I had to replace both complete headlights and a hefty bill. 
I took care after that and the issue never came back.

The only thing ever used on both my cars is snow foam. I heard this one from the dealer too.

[Patt]

Does no one point out that the same stuff is used on the wheels, yet the plastic centers are not effected !?!!

Too many people accept the BS fed by OPCs when over the pond the Yanks are able to claim for everything.

[alank]

Nice White 15K miler in autotrader today, with a few toys 2013/63

[JurassicBGTS]

🤔plastic dash and no chrono! Seems pricey even with the mileage.

[ATM]

On 11/29/2022 at 3:54 PM, Happy Days said:

I see what the problem is.  That headlight is fooked.