Cayenne Headlights Condensation

[swerve1534]

Bought Cayenne turbo petrol about 6 months ago secondhand,2018,still under warranty,I would like some feedback from other owners if they have had a similar problem,also feedback on any other issues they have had would be good,thanks.
The passenger side headlight glass has lots of condensation on the inside.
Have spoke to the local Porsche garage,was told to bring it in and they would sort it,have not had a chance to do that because of covid.

[stag14]

I've got the same issue on my 2020 cayenne s with a sport design pack, the lights in the bumper seem to have water in them. Its due a service in a few months so ill be bringing up then.

[swerve1534]

ok,thanks,just had someone else on a different forum say he has had the same issue with porsche and RR

[NM74]

I’ve had the same happen, although appear to have conflicting opinions, some say it’s normal and others have stated that they had lights changed under warranty.

[anonymous-user]

Mine do the same and the OPC told me it is normal. (None of our other cars do it though)

[Slaav]

This may not be much help but my old 996 had a similar issue and I ignored it - how bl00dy expensive are replacement lights!!

After a few years (admittedly) discolouring started and the matter got worse. I wished I had insisted on it being sorted while still under Porsche Warranty!

If it happens with the 991.2, I will be insisting on a fix or replacements.

[anonymous-user]

I must admit as much as I love my cayenne to drive I do think quality is lacking in a few basic areas especially for such an expensive (when new) vehicle. Basics like window switches, fogging headlights and the fact the air suspension gives up when the temp goes below zero is a bit of an R&D fail imo

[NelsonM3]

NM74 said:

I’ve had the same happen, although appear to have conflicting opinions, some say it’s normal and others have stated that they had lights changed under warranty.

Water has to form a drip. That’s barely forming a mist.

[swerve1534]

Thanks for your feedback everybody.
Was at OPC and they are going to replace the passenger side headlight and the rear light clusters on both sides,there is a little condensation on the drivers side headlight so I am going to try and get that one done at the same time.

[Slaav]

swerve1534 said:

Thanks for your feedback everybody.
Was at OPC and they are going to replace the passenger side headlight and the rear light clusters on both sides,there is a little condensation on the drivers side headlight so I am going to try and get that one done at the same time.

I think that’s the right decision for you. Did you have to push hard at all?

Just imagine it continues and worsens. No imagine what it would be like after another 4/5 years of wet winters and hot summers??

[RNorth]

My wife and I have “his and hers” 2015 Cayennes, one S and one Turbo. Both are parked outdoors here in Maryland, exposed to sun, rain, etc. In the spring of ’22, after a very heavy rain, the right headlight of the Turbo fogged up heavily and would not clear spontaneously. I removed the headlight assembly, inspected it thoroughly, and saw nothing amiss – and so I removed the vent cover and filter on the bottom and the vent tube on the top rear, and positioned a blow dryer (on its lowest setting, which is barely lukewarm) to dry the unit out, which took a few hours. Problem solved? Fingers crossed.
All was well for 2-3 months, and then the problem recurred. I looked around on line for solutions and saw none specifically for Porsche or for Cayenne, in particular. The problem has been described for other cars, though, and the solution in general is to reseal the headlight. After watching a few Youtube videos I purchased a tube of clear silicone aquarium caulk, which I applied to the apparent seam around the entire perimeter of the light assembly.
A month after I did this my wife’s car developed exactly the same problem, also on the right headlight, and as it appeared I had solved the problem in mine, I followed the same procedure in hers. Five months out, after several heavy rainstorms, both cars apparently have been cured. Hence this message, with photos showing the problem and the visible segment of the repair on my car. (The rest is hidden by bodywork). The clear silicone is readily visible, which is fortunate for present purposes but is a bit unsightly. (Accordingly, I used black sealant on my wife’s car.)
I have the full factory service manual, and although it describes removal and reinstallation of the headlights there are no instructions for disassembly – not even for replacement of external ballast, etc. It might be possible to split the unit apart along its seam and replace a seal or gasket, but I’ve seen no listing of parts for the headlight, which is a subassembly made in Slovenia according to its labeling. Porsche will cheerfully sell new headlight assemblies; they cost at least $3,000 for the LED units in our cars, and this doesn’t include the ballast, etc. Used assemblies on ebaY start at about $1,000, and they might be for sale because they have the same problem.
Mild fogging is a normal occurrence just because of condensation; headlights are ventilated, as they generate a lot of heat, and as they cool down hot humid air will release moisture on cooler surfaces. Our cars had exhibited this from time to time, but now that they are about 8 years old it appears their seals are failing and water leaks in in heavy rain. Our two cars represent a small sample, but as both are affected, surely there are others among the hundreds of thousands sold.
PS Since I wrote this, a video has appeared on line showing a different model Cayenne with the same problem and the same solution. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uQE-QaYsCA

[RNorth]

5 month followup - The problem has recurred twice on my wife's car, despite sealing and resealing, and I'm about to buy a replacement on ebaY, one of several listed for $458. I hope it won't have the same problem! BTW Porsche offers replacement for about $3500, with a 2 year warranty. Unlike the transfer case (which has required replacement in both our cars) this common problem is not covered by a "hidden" or "goodwill" warranty.