Lesson Learned: Headlight "pods"

Hi, All; I've had my 2001 C2 since the end of September, and I'm doing the little things now and then. Ever since I've had it, I noticed the parking light didn't work on the left. Then, just last week, I (duh) discovered that I *did* have fog lights; thought they were an option I didn't have. I haven't yet driven out in the country at night, so never even tried the hi beams. But the left one didn't work. So I purchased new bulbs today and removed the left headlight pod. Hmmm... all of the bulbs looked good, and tested good with a VOM. Now I'm starting to get concerned, because I'm thinking pinched wires, bad ground, etc. So I reinstall the pod and check it out to make sure. Headlights work - but they're Litronic. Crap - now the turn signal doesn't work. So I R&R the pod about 10 more times, and man, it looked like I had it in the rails, everything lined up, etc. Finally, I pushed on the socket assy that mounts to the inner fender. It pushed in with light pressure, so I'm sure the male side of it on the pod itself was just pushing it backwards. Now the question was how to get it on there. I noticed a small opening just to the aft of the side marker lens, so I reached in there with a 2' screwdriver and I was able to reach the back of the socket. I was able to keep the pressure on the socket while I slid the pod back into position, and voila, all my lights now work. Fog light is a bit dim, so I'll still have to dig around for that but at least I now have hi beams and parking lights on the left side. So keep that in mind if you ever have similar issues. But my main question is: How do you repair / rig it so that socket doesn't push out again - short of epoxying it? Carl

The bracket that holds the headlight in is broken. Get a new one. Or remove a few bolts behind the wheel well liner and then push the clip in place.

^This^... The part is about $13.00 (blue socket) from Auto Atlanta - there are also other places you can get it. ** you can't easily replace it without a "pin push" tool though... There is a possibility you can use a micro type flat head screw driver, but you can also damage the pins and/or the new housing when you put things back together. I broke down and purchased the "electrical connector tool kit" from ECS tuning. I think it was about $35.00 but worth it to have around... Good luck

Both sides of mine are broken. I left it like that so now I can get one hand inside from the front and hold the back to secure the plug as I am putting the light back in place. Everything is working correctly. Out of sight, out of mind, until you mentioned it. Makes it a lot easier to replace bulbs when needed. It also made it very easy TODAY to get to the plug in order for me to DIY a wire splicing so the side markers flashed along with the front turn signals. All back together very easily as I can hold the plug to the back of the head light with no problem.

I noticed similar breakage months after I got the car back from the front end repaint a few years ago, I can't prove the paint shop caused the damage, but they didn't say anything to me when I pick up the car, maybe the bracket was broken before they got the car but wanted to avoid the finger pointing with when the bracket was broken. Anyway, I used epoxy to glue the fractures together, so far it has held even with some 10 cycles of remove/install.

Well, since I got it together, I didn't take pictures. Main issue is that I could not tell what was broken. The "hole" that held the blue wiring connector is intact - not split. The wire connector *looks* like it's intact, but one corner may have broken off. The PET diagrams at Pelican showed a clip that appears to go on the backside of the connector. Part 18 in the diagram. I don't know if that's just part of the connector or if mine is missing, and THAT's what holds the connector in the mount. Hurdi, I'm not sure what you're saying. How do you get your hand behind there unless the inner wheel well is out? Thanks, All; Carl

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ok Carl. I did not remove the inner wheel well cover. The first time I had to remove the head lights, I noticed that on one of the head lights, the rear of the connector came out part of the way still connected. I slid my hand up the side as it was coming out and disconnected it from the back of the headlight. The other unbroken part disconnected itself as I removed the headlight. When I was putting the lights back in place, I could easily hold the loose connector and slide it onto the rear of the headlight, then continue to slide the headlight back in place and then use the tool to secure the light with half a turn on the tool, from inside the frunk. On the good side I could not see if the plug was even connected before securing from the frunk. Problem solved, I snapped away the bracket and connected it by hand as I was sliding the light into place. They have both held solidly in place for at least 3 years. BTW I have had the side markers hanging loose from the car when I had the front off to clean between the radiators and condensers. They are held by two small screws either side. One of the screws is a pita to put in and out. These side markers actually are very secure without a screw in them. They clip solidly in place, so I did not even need to use the screws to hold them.

There should be a yellow plastic "hairclip"(for lack of a better term) type device that holds the blue light socket to the steel bracket of the headlight mounting frame - #18 in this diagram http://www.autoatlanta.com/porsche-p...section=905-01 Perhaps this piece is broken or missing ?

Yes, dporto, that's the clip I mentioned in my other post. My frame is resin, though, not steel. (not that that would matter in holding the connector). Since it's a relatively inexpensive piece, I may go ahead and order one just to have on hand for the next time I remove that assembly. Hurdi, that's a great suggestion to just snap off the upper part of the mount. Your explanation was very clear. Thanks! Carl

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Another good reason why I snapped it off was to make sure that the pins were lined up by gentle feel rather than simply pushing the head lamp back in place and hoping that the male/female pins engaged. I did not realize early on in my ownership that a dipped headlight bulb was not working correctly until my brother in law saw me driving along the road during lighting up time. He told me I had a headlight out. I changed the bulb and it did not solve the issue. I took out the headlamp again. Looked everything over but could not see anything at fault. SO I took the other side out to compare them. It was then that I saw the pins slightly bent over. Obviously the PO had forced a head lamp back into place and bent the pins of the offending head light. With long nose pliers I gently straightened a couple of the pins up to match the other head lamp. THEN I broke off intentionally the bracket so the pins would not bend over again as I replaced the headlight.. I was afraid if I did bend them again, and then try to straighten them AGAIN a pin would break and then it would mean a new headlight. I did not want that to happen, so I broke it off so I could gently ease the male/female plugs together by hand (fingers). Makes sense to me lol.