[dragonsdreams]

Hi, I wondered if anyone has come across this issue before?

The other day I was alarmed to see lots of small splits in my LHS (only) tail light plastic cover, mostly on the lower half (see photos). :crying:

This seemed to have appeared over just a few days - the car had been parked in my drive and not driven for any of the time these appeared. They were definitely not there a few days before.

There has not been any impact of any sort or any evidence of any damage around or on the tail light and my second car was parked diagonally across mine over the time period these appeared.

They look like open cracks but in fact the surface is completely smooth so the splits are either inside the plastic cover or the inside surface (?)

The only significant fact is: it appeared to happen over a relatively hot few days (but this is the UK Spring so...not hot hot) when the rear of car would have got the full sun in the afternoons.

Rather puzzled and of course not terribly pleased...waiting for dealer to inspect it (lead time to book in was over a month). The car is still under a year old too.

In theory this should be a under warranty repair I would hope (it had better be..), but what the cause is I've no idea?

Thanks for looking..
Mark

 

[wriggly]

Moisture in the material interacted with the heat from the sun. When molding plastics, the material has to be dried thoroughly before molding or it will have flaws, and sometimes they don't appear during the molding process. It's definitely a manufacturing flaw and should be covered by warranty with no questions asked.

 

[Porsche2018]

This seemed to have appeared over just a few days - the car had been parked in my drive and not driven for any of the time these appeared. They were definitely not there a few days before.

Moisture in the material interacted with the heat from the sun. When molding plastics, the material has to be dried thoroughly before molding or it will have flaws, and sometimes they don't appear during the molding process. It's definitely a manufacturing flaw and should be covered by warranty with no questions asked.

@wriggly I am not sure you can fully explain the changes/damage as a manufacturing defect given how recent and relatively rapidly they manifested. I just think the dealership would not fully embrace a manufacturing defect as an acceptable explanation for the above changes.

 

[wriggly]

@wriggly I am not sure you can fully explain the changes/damage as a manufacturing defect given how recent and relatively rapidly they manifested. I just think the dealership would not fully embrace a manufacturing defect as an acceptable explanation for the above changes.

19 years running a manufacturing plant with 60 molding machines gives me some leeway with my opinion methinks.

 

[alf_17]

Uhh, that looks bad, hope Porsche will cover the damage as a manufacturing defect.
I think wriggly's explanation seems like the only likely one, especially given the age of the car and the fact that the surface is smooth.

 

[Malcolm E Cay]

I had similar on the 718 Cayman I had.


Light units were replaced under warranty.

 

[dragonsdreams]

Thanks wriggly, that gives me hope it will be covered under warranty

19 years running a manufacturing plant with 60 molding machines gives me some leeway with my opinion methinks.

 

[dragonsdreams]

I had similar on the 718 Cayman I had.


Light units were replaced under warranty.

Cheers Malcolm for the input, crossing my fingers for a good outcome..

 

[718S]

I'd make a **** big fuss if they didn't make it right!

 

[Andros X Thomson]

It’s called Crazing. It’s micro surface cracks. Oddly, the plastic is stronger with them. I had a headlight replaced by the dealer with it, so if it bothers you, they should replace it. But it is not a manufacturing defect. It’s normal for polymers to do it. In aviation, we have a tolerance for crazing in windshields and will replace them if exceeded, or it obscures the pilots view

 

[Graustark]

It’s called Crazing. It’s micro surface cracks. Oddly, the plastic is stronger with them. I had a headlight replaced by the dealer with it, so if it bothers you, they should replace it. But it is not a manufacturing defect. It’s normal for polymers to do it. In aviation, we have a tolerance for crazing in windshields and will replace them if exceeded, or it obscures the pilots view

Not a manufacturing defect? Disagree. Most lights do not look this way. When there are so many expensive and solely aesthetic options you can get with this car, appearance matters. This simply looks bad. Inexcusable if this denied warranty replacement.

Crazing looks nice on ceramics, but not this.

 

[Porsche2018]

OP let us know your dealerships response.

 

[Andros X Thomson]

Not a manufacturing defect? Disagree. Most lights do not look this way. When there are so many expensive and solely aesthetic options you can get with this car, appearance matters. This simply looks bad. Inexcusable if this denied warranty replacement.

Crazing looks nice on ceramics, but not this.

I'm not disagreeing with you that it looks bad and should be fixed. If I didn't, I would not have had my headlight replaced. I am stating that they don't consider it a manufacturing defect, that is all.

 

[dragonsdreams]

OP let us know your dealerships response.

Will do !


Cheers
Mark

 

[dragonsdreams]

Not a manufacturing defect? Disagree. Most lights do not look this way. When there are so many expensive and solely aesthetic options you can get with this car, appearance matters. This simply looks bad. Inexcusable if this denied warranty replacement.

Crazing looks nice on ceramics, but not this.

Yes just to confirm, it does look bad as it covers about 60% of the rear light.
Looks like someone has taken a hammer to it!:crying:

 

[dragonsdreams]

OP let us know your dealerships response.

Hi all,


Just a quick update. Porsche Cambridge hadn't seen this tail light problem before but after communication with Porsche headquarters it was swiftly changed and all it now well.



I did get a nice Chalk Blue Boxster as a loan car overnight so that was cool and also, after a little prompting, a new Porsche badge key ring fob from the dealer (to replace my very prematurely worn tatty leather one)

I did point out that a warranty repair that involved my time and petrol (not to mention worry) to and fro from the dealer would be somewhat tempered by a freebie...!)



Thanks for all the support Guys

 

[Malcolm E Cay]

Good news. Just like my OPC did with my lights. Spoke with Porsche and replaced them double quick.

 

[dragonsdreams]

Just another update to the cracked light . The other side duly went during some warmer weather about 6 weeks ago. Rather irritating but predictable if they came out of the same batch I guess. They were a bit quicker to change them this time.

 

[Rockway12]

Good news. Just like my OPC did with my lights. Spoke with Porsche and replaced them double quick.

Read with interest both yours and dragondreams experience of Porsche dealing with the lights problem. Which Porsche garage did you deal with please? I understand dragondreams dealt with Cambridge. I have an issue with mine and they are saying its down to the way I've cleaned it which appears to be a pretty universal stock answer. Help and assistance would be appreciated.

 

[Scrounger]

If you OPC is unhelpful, write to the after sales manager and cc in the dealer principle. I bet you you get a call within the hour to take it in for the to have a look at. If that doesn't work I'd be on the phone to customer services.