Boxster S 981 - Standard Bi Xenon yet has headlight washer

[Fizzy Duck]

Hi there

 

I'm looking at a car, which according to the factory build sheet, doesn't have PDLS (has option code 601), but it does have headlight washers. The factory build sheet, however, is specced without headlight washers.

 

I thought I would have a look online for some other examples, and can find other cars listed which don't mention PDLS, but they do have headlight washers.

 

 

 

I was under the impression:

 

Base Xenon = 25w, no headlight washer

PDLS(+) = 35w with headlight washer

 

 

Wondering if anyone can shed any light (😉) on this?

 

 

Thanks

[Menoporsche]

so it sounds like there's a third option, 35w standard with washers.

[Patt]

You missed out PDLS

35W with washers, without auto dip full beam but still does all the swivel stuff.

 

Basic rule of thumb - just lens rings in silver = PDLS+

A bit more silver plastic in the lens that links the two rings = PDLS

All silver = Basic

[Fizzy Duck]

Yeah but this is the thing, it doesn’t have PDLS according to the build sheet, nor should it have headlight washers according to the build sheet. 
 

Has left me stumped 

[Fizzy Duck]

Here’s a picture of the headlight. Clearly has a washer, but definitely doesn’t have PDLS according to build sheet 🙂

 

Has option code 601. 

[Menoporsche]

Is it that the S came from the factory with high power xenons, but not swivelling? Compared to the non-S with low power? There have been such subtle distinctions in other specs. If factory it wouldn't show on the build sheet?

[Fizzy Duck]

 

Just now, Menoporsche said:

Is it that the S came from the factory with high power xenons, but not swivelling? Compared to the non-S with low power? There have been such subtle distinctions in other specs. If factory it wouldn't show on the build sheet?

 

Here’s the thing though, not all of the S I’ve seen have the washer, so I can’t figure out a pattern. Usually washer = PDLS/(+)

 

There was at least one other car which didn’t state PDLS but had washer. Was a 2015 car. This is 14. 

[daz05]

2 hours ago, Fizzy Duck said:

Here’s a picture of the headlight. Clearly has a washer, but definitely doesn’t have PDLS according to build sheet 🙂

 

Has option code 601. 

A couple of questions for you, are the headlights gloss black at all inside or all chrome? I think I see the gloss black but hard to tell.

Do you have the option for left hand traffic as a light and visibility option in your cluster menu?

Do the washers work? Do you have a headlight wash button on your right stalk.

If not your bumper has perhaps been changed out at some point.

 

 

[daz05]

Prepare yourselves for some ultimate 981 geekery in what follows 😂

 

Said car. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310293440180

The spec list states it has bi xenon's as an option in one of the pictures which likely means pdls were specified as xenon's were standard on the S and so wouldn't have a corresponding price otherwise.

But interestingly the bumper has a short plate holder which adds to the theory that it might not be original.

If pdls is definitely not showing you could perhaps check if the car is UK specification and not a grey import from Cyprus or Australia. The reason I suggest this is because option code 288 covers headlamp washers and was potentially available in other markets with the standard xenons.

But I think it's most likely that you read the spec wrong!

 

 

[Fizzy Duck]

12 minutes ago, daz05 said:

Prepare yourselves for some ultimate 981 geekery in what follows 😂

 

Said car. http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310293440180

The spec list states it has bi xenon's as an option in one of the pictures which likely means pdls were specified as xenon's were standard on the S and so wouldn't have a corresponding price otherwise.

But interestingly the bumper has a short plate holder which adds to the theory that it might not be original.

If pdls is definitely not showing you could perhaps check if the car is UK specification and not a grey import from Cyprus or Australia. The reason I suggest this is because option code 288 covers headlamp washers and was potentially available in other markets with the standard xenons.

But I think it's most likely that you read the spec wrong!

 

 

Good spot about the spec list. 
 

I’ve actually seen the car in person, and it did have the button on the stalk from memory .

 

I called Porsche, however, and they confirmed that according to their build list, it doesn’t have PDLS, nor does it have washers specced at factory. 
 

Regarding the front plate - this is just due to replacing the standard reg plate holder with an EU spec one. It still has the original plate holder holes. 

[Menoporsche]

1 hour ago, daz05 said:

Prepare yourselves for some ultimate 981 geekery in what follows 😂

From you daz we would expect nothing less  

[moonshine]

My car 981s has Option 603 PDLS - so AFAIK, 35W bixenon, with washers, but no auto headlight 

[Jon61]

3 hours ago, daz05 said:

The spec list states it has bi xenon's as an option in one of the pictures which likely means pdls were specified as xenon's were standard on the S and so wouldn't have a corresponding price otherwise.

Apologies for furthering the geekery ...

I don't know if this is different by model year, but the 2015 981 brochure says that the Boxster S has bi-xenons as standard, but without PDLS(/+) or headlight washers. See p68 of brochure here: https://www.stuttcars.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Porsche_int-Boxster_2015.pdf  - this is the worldwide (EN/WW) version but the EN/UK edition is the same.

But just to confuse the issue further, I was under the impression that 'bi-xenon' meant that both full & dipped beam uses xenon bulbs. But that Porsche brochure describes the PDLS option on that page as follows: "Comprising Bi-Xenon main headlights with halogen main beam headlights, a headlight cleaning system and automatic dynamic range control, ... ". Is there a typo in the text I've made bold, or if not, what is going on??

Edit: Just checked a 06/2013 edition of the Boxster brochure, and bi-xenons were already standard on the S then.

Edited November 14, 2023 by Jon61
Added detail

[daz05]

4 hours ago, Fizzy Duck said:

Good spot about the spec list. 
 

I’ve actually seen the car in person, and it did have the button on the stalk from memory .

 

I called Porsche, however, and they confirmed that according to their build list, it doesn’t have PDLS, nor does it have washers specced at factory. 
 

Regarding the front plate - this is just due to replacing the standard reg plate holder with an EU spec one. It still has the original plate holder holes. 

Well Porsche must be wrong it's fitted, a retrofit is unlikely but there are people crazy enough to add pcm4s to these cars so anything is possible.

[moonshine]

5 hours ago, Jon61 said:

But just to confuse the issue further, I was under the impression that 'bi-xenon' meant that both full & dipped beam uses xenon bulbs. But that Porsche brochure describes the PDLS option on that page as follows: "Comprising Bi-Xenon main headlights with halogen main beam headlights, a headlight cleaning system and automatic dynamic range control, ... ". Is there a typo in the text I've made bold, or if not, what is going on??

My 2013 Boxster S has bi xenon PDLS with washers.

The bi xenon are low and high beam l. It also has a halogen hi beam that works as a flasher high beam in day time(when the bi xenon headlights are not on.) presumably because the response / warm up time of Xenons from gold / off is not fast enough  to work as a flash high beam.

When the hi xenon are on low beam, the high beam flash is from the xenon high beam ( not the halogen main beam)

[Menoporsche]

Remember that xenon is a gas, not lighting power as we always assumed. Washers go with lighting power, over 2000 lumens. This threw us for ages in 2012 when the 981 specced xenons with no washers; we finally found they were low power xenons, referred to earlier as 25w. Just keep in mind. 

[Fizzy Duck]

8 hours ago, Jon61 said:

But just to confuse the issue further, I was under the impression that 'bi-xenon' meant that both full & dipped beam uses xenon bulbs.

I think they use Bi Xenon to imply there are two Xenon bulbs making up the headlight unit. 
 

My current BMW uses xenon for full beam too, but I think Porsche use halogen

Edited November 15, 2023 by Fizzy Duck

[Patt]

The headlights in the picture are the PDLS items.

[Fizzy Duck]

6 minutes ago, Patt said:

The headlights in the picture are the PDLS items.

In which picture?

[½cwt]

At risk of straying beyond my knowledge here, but referring to the parts cat, there are indeed 3 headlamp types for the 981.  Base with H9 and H7 bulbs, one each per head lamp, xenon with DLS and H7 bulb (one each) and then dynamic xenon with D3S and H7 (one each).  The xenon main beam must be controlled by reflector and hood movement, not by lighting a second xenon bulb.  DLS is 25w, D3S is 35w Even on my 986 with Litronic, the dipped beam xenon is deflected up to augment the H7 main beam.

Edited November 15, 2023 by ½cwt

[Patt]

15 hours ago, Fizzy Duck said:

Here’s a picture of the headlight. Clearly has a washer, but definitely doesn’t have PDLS according to build sheet 🙂

 

Has option code 601. 

This picture has the PDSL units

[Fizzy Duck]

2 hours ago, Patt said:

This picture has the PDSL units

How can you tell?

[Patt]

literally the amount of silver plastic.

I found when I was looking to buy many options were not always listed, even by the OPCs. So i would look at the pictures.

Mine has PDLS and they look identical.

The PDLS+ doesn't have silver on the outer bezels or the bit that joins the two outers together.

The standard has almost silver on everything inside the lens.

 

If you look at pictures of GT4/Spyder 981s they had PDLS+ as standard.

[daz05]

It literally tells you in the advert spec sheet that it's fitted you've just wasted everyone's time 😂 we did enjoy showing off our knowledge though.

[Fizzy Duck]

4 minutes ago, Patt said:

literally the amount of silver plastic.

I found when I was looking to buy many options were not always listed, even by the OPCs. So i would look at the pictures.

Mine has PDLS and they look identical.

The PDLS+ doesn't have silver on the outer bezels or the bit that joins the two outers together.

The standard has almost silver on everything inside the lens.

 

If you look at pictures of GT4/Spyder 981s they had PDLS+ as standard.

 

I see, so you're talking about the silver part inside of the top light unit.

 

This one being black on the inside, indicating PDLS:

 

 

This one being chrome in the inside, indicating standard Bi Xenon: