Headlight damaged by brakefluid drip ?

This morning I noticed that my front left headlight had some smudge on it. Looking closer, it feels like something is peeling out. I scratched it off a bit to see if it was some bug wings or something but it looks like acid ate the plastic, and the plastic is flaking. The flakes were on top of the headlight and you can see them under it as I scratched them with my finger. the came right off. As I had my car at the dealer last week and I ask them to flush my brake fluid. I wonder if the mechanic did not drop some brake fluid on the headlight as he was working. It really doesn't look like a rock chip as it is flaking from a bunch of different place and has different layers without any specific impact point. How does it looks to you ? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DTDZ_xLJbE

Tree sap maybe? If it is brake fluid........that stuff could ruin the paint on the car. Could be....wouldn't have a yellow color though? Try some bug and tar remover and see if it come out.

it is clearly not on top of the plastic. the plastic is flaking / chipped.

that looks like an impact - something hit that IMO

Looks like a rock strike to me. Rick 99 996C4 87 944S

I think you guys are right on the rock hit.........only way to fix is get new. Does Comp insurance handle that? The film on my headlights have saved me a few times. Might want to get some for the future.

The headlight assembly is around $500.

$500? new? might double check that as it might be about double that IIRC (have not owned any MKII lights though)

To clarify, I was quoted $1,000 for both, told them I only need driver's side, and it was $1,000 for one. . Not sure to call it $500 or $1,000?

boy, that clarification really cleared it up for me

Who do you think I am, Mark Twain? Buy 'em both and it's $500 per. Buy one and it's a grand.

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Lol about the price About the rock chip, I am surprised it peels like that ? is the peeling effect what you guys have experienced when hit by a rock ? I have a bunch of smaller impact on it and they look like...chip, as if it was glass. but in this case it look very weird. If you look at the video at some point I play with a flake with my finger, and they are flakes like that all over.

so I have to admit I wasnt all that interested in watching you play with your flake...... Ithink the "flake" is the outter UV protection coating...thats all, like a film

It looks like someone had installed a layer of headlight protective film on it back sometime ago and it suffered an impact--and that what you have. Can you peel that off at all?

after pressure washing it, there are flakes all around the impact. The flakes are coming even from deeper inside the glass, it is not a superficial flaking. It doesn't look like a film was applied on top of the headlight. To make an impact this big, I would assume the object would have cracked the plastic cover... I still think it is acid or something that dropped on it. I assume I will have to make my own testing. I am thinking of removing the housing and make a test underneath or something.

WOW, thats strange indeed.....

Could be brake fluid or the power steering type of fluid that caused what ever is flaking to flake. Could even be cleaning got an old coat of protectant film or cosmetic coating to start peeling. Just blame it on the police with their laser speed guns so the next time you see them on the side of the road and cuss them out. If they act aggressive or defensive tell them you are taking them to court. I'm sure he'll give you a promise on paper to meet you in court

hey that light is toast... why not try a "spot test" with more brake fluid and see if it repeats? - there is no repair that I have ever heard of for that unless you use a product like Weldon #40 and "fill" it in these are acrylic right?

I'll try to test, because if that is the problem then I want the dealer to replace it as it is their fault. I know it might be hard but at least I want to give it a try.

The lense is polycarbonate, Polycarbonate is not very solvent resistant. If one spills solvent on it will stress crack very much like tempered glass does when hit. I think a brake fluid spill would look very similar to the spot(s) on that lense. http://www.gallinausa.com/pdfs/polyc...resistance.pdf scroll down to "Oils and Greases" also: http://www.madisongroup.com/failure/..._analysis.html http://asmcommunity.asminternational...973904eb4ca2d0 alcohols and aliphatic hydrocarbons. • Molecular size: Chemicals with lower molecular weights are more aggressive ESC agents than higher molecular-weight counterparts. Thus, silicone oil is more severe than silicone grease, and acetone is more severe than methyl isobutyl ketone. This results directly from the size of the molecule, with smaller molecules having a greater ability to permeate into the molecular structure of the polymer. Stress effects • Tensile stress: ESC failure will occur within a material only under conditions of tensile stress. Tensile stresses are required to create the molecular dis- Fig. 1 — Scanning electron images show the progressive nature of ESC failure within a polycarbonate laboratory fracture. Fig. 2 — This diagram illustrates the progressive steps in failure caused by environmental stress cracking. entanglement that leads to ESC. Compressive stresses, while sufficient to cause mechanical failure under some conditions, do not orient the molecules in ways conducive to ESC. • Residual stress: Internal molded-in residual stresses combine with external stress to produce ESC. In many cases, the magnitude of the moldedin stress is sufficient to result in ESC.
For more information: Jeffrey A. Jansen, Polymer Science Manager, Stork Technimet, 2345 South 170 St., New Berlin, WI 53151; tel: 262/782-6344; e-mail: jeff.jansen@ stork.com. A localized stress field exists immediately in front of a crack, notch, or defect. Fluid is absorbed into the stress field and locally plasticizes the material. Crazes initiate and grow within the plasticized stress field. The crazes coalesce and cracking initiates and extends beyond the original stress field. A new stress field is created and plasticized. Crazes initiate and grow within the plasticized stress field. Cracking continues in a progressive manner. ADVANCED

Have you thought about reporting it on your insurance? If your deductible is crazy high maybe not but its a thought.

The lights are $500 each from Pelican Parts if the dealer won't fess up. If you've changed the bulbs, you're probably already aware that replacing the lights is a trivial DIY job. Edit: oops, missed that they're litronics. Which are more than $500.

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For Litronics?

I have taken the headlight out and placed a drop of brake fluid in a hidden part of the headlight, we'll see how it get within the next 48 hours. PS: I have Litronics indeed.

ps they are not $500 (sorry) there is a company around here called "Tap Plastics" might google them for a website and contact info... they are pretty good with plastics and might know a repair even if its not 100%..... or point you in the right direction, I have used them for years and they are good people....

I like that you have tried the drip test with brake fluid. Let us know what happens. Brake fluid, like other automotive fluids, can do a job on things.