My 12/2017 Model S has a dimming/browning highlight. Is this a common issue? My search didn't turn up much other than retrofit headlight sales. Would this be a warranty issue? I'm sitting at just under 49,000 miles.
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Fluorescent Headlight "Eyebrow" Dying
- Thread starter SSonnentag
- Start date
Silicon Desert
Well-Known Member
Confused here. Die or Dye? Are you saying there is some sort of Dye in the eyebrow part? Or is it that this portion of the LED is getting dim and yellow? If LED failing, I would guess a warranty issue.
Oh and it is not Fluorescent lighting. They are LED.
Oh and it is not Fluorescent lighting. They are LED.
Check this thread out
Late 2016 / Early 2017 S Owners: How Are Your Daytime Running Lights Holding Up?
I’m on my 3rd set of headlights due to my DRL dying or browning out (like your pic)
Yes it’s covered under warranty
Late 2016 / Early 2017 S Owners: How Are Your Daytime Running Lights Holding Up?
I’m on my 3rd set of headlights due to my DRL dying or browning out (like your pic)
Yes it’s covered under warranty
mal_tsla
Member
Are you sure they are LED?
On the Model X they are EL-Tape (electroluminescent), which is not LED, but phosphor-based. This is how the continuous lit look is achieved. It is not LEDs with a diffusor in front of it. (source: Tesla technician).
I think on older Model S it was LEDs + diffusor, but I was under the impression that newer models use the same EL-tape the X uses.
On the Model X they are EL-Tape (electroluminescent), which is not LED, but phosphor-based. This is how the continuous lit look is achieved. It is not LEDs with a diffusor in front of it. (source: Tesla technician).
I think on older Model S it was LEDs + diffusor, but I was under the impression that newer models use the same EL-tape the X uses.
I've had the same one replaced twice for this issue -- the first time under the car warranty and the second time, after the car warranty expired but there is a warranty on the part/repair.
What is the best guess here, are the eyebrow LEDs being over-driven and suffering burn out?
Are all failures in the same general area of the eyebrow - do they all start to burn out near the center of the car and as they burn out more migrates to the sides of the car?
I have a hunch LEDs are wired in parallel sets of series chains and are suffering from over-voltage, with the burn-out starting at the LEDs closest to the voltage source per series (end of the chain).
If the OE manufacturer of the eyebrow feature were basing their working assumptions that this is for an automotive 12v application, engineers would default to thinking 13.8 volt (alternator charging in a gas car) is a typical upper end voltage. When in fact, the Tesla 12v rail is seen to be 14.4v as normal state. That extra half volt is enough burn out LEDs prematurely, which is happening.
Who made these gen 2 LED headlights for Tesla?
My gen 1 eyebrows are fine, and I haven't hear of gen 1 headlights suffering in this same way as gen 2.
Are all failures in the same general area of the eyebrow - do they all start to burn out near the center of the car and as they burn out more migrates to the sides of the car?
I have a hunch LEDs are wired in parallel sets of series chains and are suffering from over-voltage, with the burn-out starting at the LEDs closest to the voltage source per series (end of the chain).
If the OE manufacturer of the eyebrow feature were basing their working assumptions that this is for an automotive 12v application, engineers would default to thinking 13.8 volt (alternator charging in a gas car) is a typical upper end voltage. When in fact, the Tesla 12v rail is seen to be 14.4v as normal state. That extra half volt is enough burn out LEDs prematurely, which is happening.
Who made these gen 2 LED headlights for Tesla?
My gen 1 eyebrows are fine, and I haven't hear of gen 1 headlights suffering in this same way as gen 2.
SpudLime
Active Member
Had my driver side headlight replaced for the same issue. Car was 10 months old. Some folks, including myself, noticed in a dark garage that the eyebrow light has a slight amount of light emitting from it. In the other threads it was a guess that because the lights are not always shut off completely, they burn out much faster than normal.
The part close to the center was first to go out on both of my lights, then eventually the outage migrated to the rear of the light.
A simple preventative fix for this problem might be to place a resistor in series with eyebrow LED string. Spliced inline, try 100 Ohms, 1 Watt for good measure. Just to take some pressure off the LEDs.
It may dim them slightly but it seems they weren't meant to be as bright as they are being driving today. So getting back into tolerance.
If yours are baked and burnt already.. of course this is not going to help. You'll have to replace all the individual LEDs.... then add the resistor.
Only makes sense if you're off warranty. Otherwise get new free ones from Tesla.
It may dim them slightly but it seems they weren't meant to be as bright as they are being driving today. So getting back into tolerance.
If yours are baked and burnt already.. of course this is not going to help. You'll have to replace all the individual LEDs.... then add the resistor.
Only makes sense if you're off warranty. Otherwise get new free ones from Tesla.
A tech came to the house yesterday and replaced my headlight. Now I need to get it XPELed again.
Sawyer8888
Member
Definitely. Tesla service also said this is very common. Glad to know the part themselves is covered after the initial warranty expires. That's 2 replacements of the tail lights, and now 1 replacement of the headlights. 
Fortunately I recently noticed that both of my lights were suffering from this same issue at the same time. They look exactly like the OP's light. I'm at 45K for a March '17 build.
Tesla will be paying for the reapplication of the Xpel. Check to see if your service center will do the same.
jelloslug
Active Member
Yep, I have had them fail twice on both sides now. I'm having the second replacement of the passenger side done on Monday.
AwlBidnz
Old Guy to be driven around for yrs to come
I’m surprised a search of this site didn’t find thousands of posts on this... I have had both headlights replaced in our 2018 S by our Ranger under warranty.
Yesterday had both of my headlights replaced after the eyebrows yellowed on one end. Done by Tesla mobile at my home. My car is MS 100D, May 2018 build. The guy told me they are still replacing a lot of headlights. The version that was on my car was “D”. The version he installed is “E”. He doesn’t know if the problem is fixed with version “E”. He also said the original eyebrows were LED, but they changed to a “hollow tube”. Not sure when. He said the problem has been the tube collapsing.
He also looked at the yellow band around my center screen (just came up a couple weeks ago). He said Tesla still doesn’t have a fix, but acknowledged that he had heard about the UV light treatment.
He also looked at the yellow band around my center screen (just came up a couple weeks ago). He said Tesla still doesn’t have a fix, but acknowledged that he had heard about the UV light treatment.
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