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Peeling headlight covers

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So the truth about the peeling headlights and the replacements.... The headlights that were replaced due to peeling defects were replaced with the *same exact* headlights. I was under the impression this issue was remedied with the replacement, not just a band-aid that looks good for a fixed amount of time. Is it just me or does that sound a little odd and unacceptable? Also if I'm being asked if I have the extended warranty, which appears what Tesla wants me to have to fix these... which I don't and my Roadster is out of warranty, shouldn't these be replaced no matter what since this was a known issue that was not corrected the first time around?
 
Yes, I think that is a reasonable attitude.

If they flatly refuse, then you have to decide how far you want to take it. Small claims court would almost certainly side with you - not that it would ever actually get that far. Not a way to make friends, though...
 
Yes, I think that is a reasonable attitude.

If they flatly refuse, then you have to decide how far you want to take it. Small claims court would almost certainly side with you - not that it would ever actually get that far. Not a way to make friends, though...


Ok, I just wanted to check to make sure I didn't seem unreasonable. I'm going to see where it goes, resolving it with Tesla through emails... I posed the question to them and awaiting the response, they usually do the right thing after. The xenon don't peal at all as Tesla stated which surprises me that Tesla didn't offer people to upgrade to the them when asked. It would have been in Tesla's best interest and the owners would have had a result they would have been pleased with.
 
Ok, I just wanted to check to make sure I didn't seem unreasonable. I'm going to see where it goes, resolving it with Tesla through emails... I posed the question to them and awaiting the response, they usually do the right thing after. The xenon don't peal at all as Tesla stated which surprises me that Tesla didn't offer people to upgrade to the them when asked. It would have been in Tesla's best interest and the owners would have had a result they would have been pleased with.

Besides letting me know that a third party is going to demonstrate a fix, they have not offered to help me since my Roadster is out of warranty. I did hear that during warranty, they would be replaced with the Xenons.

I'll wait to see what this fix is they have, and how expensive it is. I wish Tesla's customer service was more like Apple, which creates quality programs for known issues to help owners out who are no longer under warranty.

PS. This issue also effects Lotus owners, as my coworker's Lotus Elise has the same issue.
 
I did hear that during warranty, they would be replaced with the Xenons.

PS. This issue also effects Lotus owners, as my coworker's Lotus Elise has the same issue.

Nope... Tesla would only put Xenons in if you paid out of pocket for them, no discount such as the cost of the original halogens was credited.

I have aftermarket headlights in my truck and they're peeling as well. I don't understand why they put that crap on there in the 1st place... I'd be happy without that film on the lights and have durability and confidence they won't peel ever.

I guess if the vehicle was out of warranty and the peeling started I can see how the manufacturer can say you're responsible for it. But I don't think if they replaced the lights while under warranty, with the same exact headlights (knowing there's an issue), that they can come back and say sorry but you need to be under warranty. And even I was still under warranty they'd most likely put the problematic headlights back in there all to have them peel a couple of years down the road later!

If they try to do this with the Model-S I don't think people would be happy at all...

Tesla could have added the Paint Armor on top of the newly replaced headlights to prevent any further peeling.... And then instruct the owner that if the paint armor was removed there is possibility that the headlights may peel again since "they are the same exact headlights as the ones with the peeling issue". That would have been an easy long-term issue to "band-aid" the problem as well as giving added extra protection for the light.

Heck, some would have been happy just to know that they may peel again so that they can add their own fix, like the paint armor. But to have them replaced again I was under the impression "something" was done in manufacturing to correct the known manufacturing defect.

Its with any product I buy, I'm ok and understand that things are not going to be perfect, but if it breaks and there's the majority of the items breaking out there in the same way, I don't want that same broken product in my hands... its a waste of my time. I want to have confidence it was properly investigated, the source of the issue found, and the remedy was put in place so it does not occur again.
 
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I did hear that during warranty, they would be replaced with the Xenons.

The previous owner for my roadster had the headlights replaced (July 2012) due to peeling covers. NO, THEY DID NOT replace with xenon's.

I installed the DDMTuning xenon's for safety without forking over $3k Tesla's. I can tell you its worth the cost (since its like $60). Although the cutoff line is not as "clean" as an official xenon reflectors would be, its fair. More importantly, because the car is so low to the ground, it doesn't blind the on-coming traffic.
 
The previous owner for my roadster had the headlights replaced (July 2012) due to peeling covers. NO, THEY DID NOT replace with xenon's.

I installed the DDMTuning xenon's for safety without forking over $3k Tesla's. I can tell you its worth the cost (since its like $60). Although the cutoff line is not as "clean" as an official xenon reflectors would be, its fair. More importantly, because the car is so low to the ground, it doesn't blind the on-coming traffic.

I sent out to an HID retrofit company an extra set of Halogen Headlights that Augie kindly lent me since he upgraded to the Xenon.... That was a year ago... they're taking a slow boat since its a prototype but hopefully soon I'll have Real Xenon headlights with the correct lens installed inside the headlight. The cost was to be around $500-600 complete. I just didn't see spending $3200 on headlights no matter how well they worked and thought this experiment would be interesting and benefit the forum if it turned out well.

Once I get the headlights retrofitted I'll post the results as well as the contact to have them changed out for you. It should be a faster process and I'll try to ask about the down-time. The retro fit did connect the Xenon bulb / ballast to the Halogen light fixture and commented that it was not good at all. So I'm really curious and optimistic that the results might even be better than the factory Xenon. Don't know until we see the results 1st hand.
 
The previous owner for my roadster had the headlights replaced (July 2012) due to peeling covers. NO, THEY DID NOT replace with xenon's.

I installed the DDMTuning xenon's for safety without forking over $3k Tesla's. I can tell you its worth the cost (since its like $60). Although the cutoff line is not as "clean" as an official xenon reflectors would be, its fair. More importantly, because the car is so low to the ground, it doesn't blind the on-coming traffic.

Hmm, I'll try to dig up my email where they said they would replace with Xenon if I was under warranty.


Has anyone tried wet sanding the clear off, and polishing?


Yes, but only the section that was peeling. It then sat at Fremont in the sun for four weeks and got worse.
 
I heard that since they don't have any halogen headlights available anymore that all the warranty replacements will be done with Xenon.

A Ranger is coming out this Saturday (7/13/13) to replace my peeling headlights under warranty. I'll let you know if I get the Xenon or not.

- - - Updated - - -

I meant wet sanding the entire headlight to get rid of the clearcoat all together, then polishing........anyone?

I was having a hard time getting a response from the service center and was thinking about doing this very thing. Fortunately I have them coming out to replace the headlights now and don't have to go this route (actually I was going to have a local body shop do it).
 
The Ranger is on his way to replace my headlights with the HID upgrade. He said they ordered replacement headlights and got two Right headlights. When they tried to get the left, they were told they don't have anymore, and they're no longer made. So they sent an HID upgrade kit for my warranty repair. I don't know if this is going to be standard practice for peeling headlights or if I'm just lucky enough to have been in between a different repair/replacement option and out of stock inventory.
 
The Ranger is on his way to replace my headlights with the HID upgrade. He said they ordered replacement headlights and got two Right headlights. When they tried to get the left, they were told they don't have anymore, and they're no longer made. So they sent an HID upgrade kit for my warranty repair. I don't know if this is going to be standard practice for peeling headlights or if I'm just lucky enough to have been in between a different repair/replacement option and out of stock inventory.

They don't make the halogen's anymore, and like you found out of stock so they can't replace with the same spec so they're only option is to make more headlights or start using up the upgrade stock.