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why do you want new headlights? You realize that is a temporary solution, correct? Is it for the principal of enjoying a few months without the Victory Marker before they come right back onto your new headlight assemblies?
+1 re the cleaning. What's the point if it's just going to come back?
Wonder what is going on with this as I can't see a hint of the "V" in my car's lights. This is with the Bi-Xenons, right? My car was made in June 2009 so it is very early production of the E212. Did MB change the plastic light cover lens material or did they go with stronger lights since my car was built?
why do you want new headlights? You realize that is a temporary solution, correct? Is it for the principal of enjoying a few months without the Victory Marker before they come right back onto your new headlight assemblies?
Originally Posted by starbrite
+1 re the cleaning. What's the point if it's just going to come back?
From the other reading I have done... some headlights have this issue while others do not. My car only has about 30k miles and most of my driving is during the day. The "V" is oxidation on the headlight housing... just on the inside instead of the outside. You can clean and buff and it it will just come back. If the outside was all oxidized and hazy, I would also want them replaced.
Yeah, I'm interested in hearing how that works. It appears to be a new solution that didn't exist before a month or so ago. Please come back with some "after" photos if you don't mind.
I heard from the service advisor this afternoon. Evidently the cleaning process isn't working out at the moment, but they are still working with it. She stated we might need to go to plan B which is new headlights.
I have this on only My Driver side. I thought it was just me but it's really not a big deal. No one else has even noticed it on my car and I've had several people doing sweeps of it.
Agree. If there is no easy cleaning solution to this, then I will live with it. Once it's there, it does not get any worse and the pattern makes it appear to be something built into the lens on purpose.
**** Update **** I heard from the service advisor today and after a week, Mercedes is denying new headlights. The dealer has stated they are not able to clean the headlights. So now they are escalating to Mercedes Germany. Not sure what that means. I will keep you posted.
Finally got my car back today... with new headlights. After reading the service ticket I now have a better understanding of why they were replaced under warranty. The bulletin instructs the cleaning to be done through the turn signal opening. I have a variant of the headlamp that uses LED turn signals so the cleaning cannot be performed as instructed. Here is what is on my data sheet for headlights.
Finally got my car back today... with new headlights. After reading the service ticket I now have a better understanding of why they were replaced under warranty. The bulletin instructs the cleaning to be done through the turn signal opening. I have a variant of the headlamp that uses LED turn signals so the cleaning cannot be performed as instructed. Here is what is on my data sheet for headlights.
The service advisor said I received a newer version of the headlights that should not have this issue again. Hope this is helpful.
Good news.
I was going to ask but forget to mentioned before. On your initial picture it seems to be very small white dots on the paint job. I can swear I have to same thing or is that something else all together?
The original photos on this thread are not mine, but I believe that car and mine, possible yours, have the same paint color.... Designo Platinum Black. What I think you are seeing is the multi color metal flake. Stunning in person!
I have the same etching for my headlights. Scheduled a appt. with dealer for next friday (8/21/15), let see the outcome as the car is still under warranty.
Drove the car for the first time at night since the new headlights were installed and I'll be darned if there isn't a V in both headlights! I might have driven for 15 minutes.
I took a soft cloth with some windex and to see if it was just dust or something and it appears to be etched in the plastic like before. Just seems strange that it would come back so quickly.
Do you think there is a chance the dealer just told me they were replaced and cleaned them instead?
Drove the car for the first time at night since the new headlights were installed and I'll be darned if there isn't a V in both headlights! I might have driven for 15 minutes.
I took a soft cloth with some windex and to see if it was just dust or something and it appears to be etched in the plastic like before. Just seems strange that it would come back so quickly.
Do you think there is a chance the dealer just told me they were replaced and cleaned them instead?
How does it look when the headlights are off? You can't really tell the burn-in effect with the lights on. IIRC that is the normal pattern of the light when it is on. If you see the outline of the V when the light is off, then you have burn in.
How does it look when the headlights are off? You can't really tell the burn-in effect with the lights on. IIRC that is the normal pattern of the light when it is on. If you see the outline of the V when the light is off, then you have burn in.
+1 on that. Need to see if the "V" mark remains when the lights are off.
How does it look when the headlights are off? You can't really tell the burn-in effect with the lights on. IIRC that is the normal pattern of the light when it is on. If you see the outline of the V when the light is off, then you have burn in.
Originally Posted by pacrimguru
+1 on that. Need to see if the "V" mark remains when the lights are off.
The "v"s do not appear to be present when the lights are off. I guess I jumped the gun. Thanks for the reminder.
Just got a call from my service adviser at the dealership and he stated that the headlights are not covered under warranty and not even the cleaning would be covered, let alone replacing them. The question I plan on asking the manager when I pick my car up today is that... Did Mercedes design the headlamps to make this etching appear, and since I have made no adjustments to the voltage of the lights, how is this not covered? I have a CPO and extended warranty, and this seems to be a manufacturer defect! Wear and Tear items I understand are not covered, but headlights?! They had no problem taking my money for the warranties, but God forbid I use it! This is my first Mercedes and I have had more little things go wrong, than any other car I have ever owned.
I was also pissed to find out that a tire rotation, balance and alignment is over $275! I made sure to buy the MB Approved tires from the stealership, but now I know to go to Discount Tire next time since they include free rotations, thank you Mercedes!
My neighbor told me that my V's in my headlights are so cool. I told him that only a few rare MB's have this special feature, he has a Hyundai that has no V's so he is pretty much en-V-us. I have to say, they look pretty cool because I keep my MB eyes clean every day. Unsubscribing from this post today, too much negati-V-ity.
07-31-2015, 03:23 PM
V is for En-V
