Tail Light Bulbs Causing Minor Melting?

[rick3000]

thstone, thanks for the info on the CEC bulbs. I may try some standard Osram bulbs and monitor it to see it gets any worse.

particlewave, Woody also mentioned he commonly sees 986 tail lights with some minor melting, so you could be right about it being a design issue. As the authority on all things light related, do you think it is worth trying to straighten and reinforce the inner plastic with a heat gun and some high heat epoxy?

Gelbster, thanks for the LED link. Those look like a good solution, and have the correct polarity, but I'm still not sure if they would be error free. It looks my '99 986 does not have a CAN Bus system, so I don't have to worry about an error code, but I'm not sure about the cruise control being affected. For $20, I may give them a shot.

Thanks for the replies!

[mikefocke]

Had 3 sets of tail lights in my 2 cars. No burning or warping. I have heard of "circuit board" failures as I gave or sold my original lenses and boards to some folks who needed replacements because of that problem or accidents. Forget where I got clears but they were fine and good for 60k later though always with correct wattage bulbs.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

Had 3 sets of tail lights in my 2 cars. No burning or warping. I have heard of "circuit board" failures as I gave or sold my original lenses and boards to some folks who needed replacements because of that problem or accidents. Forget where I got clears but they were fine and good for 60k later though always with correct wattage bulbs.

I'm not sure how, but I haven't had to change out my Litronic's xenon bulbs, my side marker light bulbs, my tail light or third brake light bulbs for 15 yrs so far (although maybe 13, as first couple years, I had amber front, side, and tails), and I turn on my lights even when I drive during the day! Watch...all of them go out tomorrow. LOL

[itsnotanova]

It might also be an issue with Texas heat that causes them to do that. 80% of the halogen headlights have burn marks too.

[Gelbster]

Originally Posted by rick3000

Gelbster, thanks for the LED link. Those look like a good solution, and have the correct polarity, but I'm still not sure if they would be error free. It looks my '99 986 does not have a CAN Bus system, so I don't have to worry about an error code, but I'm not sure about the cruise control being affected. For $20, I may give them a shot.

Thanks for the replies!

If you find LED bulbs that work,please let us know what the spec and part number is ?