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Late 2016 / Early 2017 S Owners: How Are Your Daytime Running Lights Holding Up?

Discussion in 'Model S' started by houstonian, Jul 7, 2018.

  1. tessellator

    tessellator Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    Messages:
    28
    Location:
    DC
    Awesome, in the week since i posted, the DRL in my driver-side light has basically completely died.
    I really hope there's a longer-term fix for this, i don't want to be on the hook for replacing these yearly once the warranty runs out.

    20200801_214257.jpg
     
  2. cucubits

    cucubits Active Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2019
    Messages:
    1,645
    Location:
    TX
    There isn't.

    I'm amazed that my last replacement set hasn't burned out yet (in about 6 months)... well, I've done it now, jinxed it...
     
    • Disagree x 1
  3. zimeon

    zimeon Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2019
    Messages:
    40
    Location:
    Finland
    Looks like mine, and I'm out of warranty. Not going to replace it, rather wait for the other one to burn out as well and thus have it looking the same again :D
     
  4. Snerruc

    Snerruc Member

    Joined:
    Apr 16, 2016
    Messages:
    941
    Location:
    Palm Bay
    Never had a problem with the lights on my 16 facelift car. My current Raven’s lights are both fading from the inside out. Probably will just let them go. As far as brightness of the headlights, both my cars had the lights set too low. Adjusting them up made a big difference. I don’t know why they do that.
     
  5. ⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️

    ⚡️ELECTROMAN⚡️ Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 15, 2016
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    2,776
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Mine are getting dim and my warranty ends in December. I wonder if they would just make a note of it and replace for free after warranty if they end up completely going out or if they ever update the part with something more reliable.
     
  6. tessellator

    tessellator Member

    Joined:
    Feb 5, 2018
    Messages:
    28
    Location:
    DC
    I'm kinda curious if tesla will be forced to keep fixing these for free after warranty since failing lights are a safety hazard, so they can't get away with the same bs as the yellowing screens.
    FWIW my wife has a 2011 audi and it's LED DRLs are still like new.
     
    • Like x 1
  7. SucreTease

    SucreTease Teslarian

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2017
    Messages:
    695
    Location:
    Huntsville, Alabama
    My original headlights began to fail a little more than a year after delivery and were replaced last November.
     
  8. FlatSix911

    FlatSix911 Porsche 918 Hybrid

    Joined:
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    Silicon Valley
    Does this headlight issue affect all facelift cars or just a few?
     
  9. Bill_75D

    Bill_75D Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2017
    Messages:
    129
    Location:
    Arizona
    My original DRLs are still going strong (Dec '16 build) at 40,000 miles.
     
  10. adspguy

    adspguy Member

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    Dec 1, 2016
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    139
    Location:
    Bedford MA
    That's what I said about my december 16 build, but just 500 miles after the warranty ran out, my driver side one started to fade and is now more than half gone. I had posted on here that mine were fine, I think that jinxed it. I hope you didn't just do the same :)
     
  11. byeLT4

    byeLT4 Member

    Joined:
    Feb 16, 2017
    Messages:
    665
    Location:
    Texas
    Arizona.. Hmmm... Garaged at home and at work? Just curious as I thought I read (in this thread) that the heat affects it. Or maybe you just got lucky!
     
  12. Duke-U

    Duke-U Member

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    Messages:
    886
    Location:
    Tilburg, Netherlands
    Dec 16 build, and just shortly after warranty on side started to fade in the corner. Not planning to replace them.
    Has anybody tried to dismantle these units? I saw Rich Rebuilds do it on the older pre-led models.
     
  13. Bill_75D

    Bill_75D Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2017
    Messages:
    129
    Location:
    Arizona
    Garaged at home all the time since I am retired. It comes out for errands and road trips. My garage gets over 100° in the summer here in AZ.
     
    • Informative x 1
  14. SCharged

    SCharged Member

    Joined:
    Aug 27, 2019
    Messages:
    57
    Location:
    South FL
    Offer Up has used ones for sale. That's an option but I guess those can also fail..
     
  15. PCMc

    PCMc Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2016
    Messages:
    50
    Location:
    Columbus, IN
    @FlatSix911 - As best I can tell this issue impacts all facelift Model S vehicles. I am not quite as certain relative to Model X. It's a similar design, and I also see a decent number of MX posts, but honestly don't pay attention to those as much as MS.

    I have a pretty early facelift myself, June 2016 build MS90D. Both mine replaced after about 2 years, 30k miles and then the passenger side replaced a second time in Sept 2019 right before my warranty expired due to mileage. Given the number posts I see on newer cars, it does not appear there has been a design change to fully resolve the issue. Some speculate heat is an issue, but I live in central midwest, car garaged. Yeah I do see winter/summer variation, but nothing like Pheonix or Florida consistent summer heat or North Dakota type cold.

    Unless you regularly are in a situation where you see your car with the headlights on, many might have the issue and not even realize. I was likely that way when my first headlight started going out. I only realize it when I went to get something from my car one night and didn't turn on the garage light.
     
  16. FlatSix911

    FlatSix911 Porsche 918 Hybrid

    Joined:
    Jun 15, 2015
    Messages:
    6,473
    Location:
    Silicon Valley
    Thanks, I have a classic Model S and was interested to see if the problem has been resolved if I purchase a new Raven Model S.
     
  17. Quantum88

    Quantum88 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2019
    Messages:
    4
    Location:
    Easton PA
    I have a 2017 Model S with 95k miles on it. I am on my 4th dead DRL. Tesla wants to charge me $1500 to replace it, they've replaced one of the past 3 our of warranty for free. They're insisting on me paying for the replacement this time, the one being replaced is 18 months old. They obviously have a systemic issue they're not addressing. I'm going to file a complaint with the BBB. Does anyone know if it's feasible to replace the light myself? Can't find anything online. I can find replacement lights online used for a few hundred bucks. Wondering if it's worth going that route.
     
    • Like x 1
  18. SSonnentag

    SSonnentag Rocket Scientist

    Joined:
    Apr 11, 2017
    Messages:
    1,709
    Location:
    Arizona
    Embrace the brown out DRLs. :)

    It's not worth messing with as they won't last and they're expensive.
     
    • Funny x 1
  19. Quantum88

    Quantum88 New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2019
    Messages:
    4
    Location:
    Easton PA
    Not my style.
     
  20. Altes

    Altes Member

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2016
    Messages:
    586
    Location:
    SF Bay area
    ive got 75K on a november delivery 2016 both still working (failure of both in 3-2-1....)
     

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