2016 M4 LED headlight lenses crazing - ONEighty blacked out issue?

[Deja_Vu]

Hi all -

I had my M4 headlights blacked out by Oneighty just under a year ago. I just noticed a few days ago that it looks like the inside of the headlight lenses are beginning to craze :-\ The car is garage kept and my weekend car so it's not like it's sitting in the sun very much. BMW is blaming it on the modification I had done by ONEighty. Anyone else have this issue happen to them who had their headlights modified?

Edit:Update #1

Update #2

Final update

[rr006rbc]

Just want to get this straight. After an outside source has cracked open your lens and performed custom work to it..you had the audacity to bring this to a dealership and kindly ask them to warranty your LED headlamp assembly?

[Deja_Vu]

No. I was having them replace a faulty distance sensor and asked about it. But thanks for the unhelpful post.

[LOW4LYF]

I saw it on other modified headlights by this company...

[Deja_Vu]

Well...shit. If I would've known that I would've never had it done :-\ Here's to hoping they can fix the problem. I was promised a 1 year warranty on work and I'm just within that 1 year.

[dr.mba]

Sorry to hear this. I hope they get your headlight fixed. I sure would expect them to get it back to perfect considering the amount of money they charge for their work

M

[LeFort One]

Originally Posted by Deja_Vu

Well...shit. If I would've known that I would've never had it done :-\ Here's to hoping they can fix the problem. I was promised a 1 year warranty on work and I'm just within that 1 year.

If you're within that year, they should be replacing it or fixing it right?

Keep us posted on what the outcome is. Would be a bummer to see this pan out this way considering the amount of money it takes to have ONEeighty work on your lights.

[Deja_Vu]

Originally Posted by LeFort One

If you're within that year, they should be replacing it or fixing it right?

Keep us posted on what the outcome is. Would be a bummer to see this pan out this way considering the amount of money it takes to have ONEeighty work on your lights.

That's what I'm hoping for. I emailed them last night telling them pretty much the same thing I said here. I do expect them to do something seeing as I paid $1100 + shipping to and from their shop. I came here just to see if anyone else has had the problem as I know a number of members had theirs done.

[mrgicm]

Thats just a crazy price for a mod like that, not to mention they only give you 1 year warranty?
Once you dismantle a headlight crap like this or water ia likely to come in, IMHO...

Not to mention that you garage your car, so if you keep it on the sun or snow it would fail much sooner...?!

[Deja_Vu]

So Alex at ONEighty said to just ship the lights back and they'll look at them. He thinks it could possibly be from paint fumes seeping onto the lens? Here's to hoping. I'll update next week.

[2k11PDXE90]

It is indeed from paint fumes. Depending on the paint and the environment, there is offgassing that happens for a time after being applied. If you don't give the paint ample time to cure before re-assembling the headlights, you will have this issue or just general haziness on the inside of the lens. I've painted many headlight assemblies in the past so I know this from experience.

[2k11PDXE90]

Originally Posted by Railgun

Don't know why this needs to be explicitly asked...

Ample time is...?

Hi Railgun,
The reason I didn't state the time frame is because different paint has different levels of VOC's (Volatile organic compounds) and takes different amounts of time to dissipate. VOCs are basically solvents that get released as the paint dries. So you'd have to refer to the paint manufacturer to get the proper time.

[Alvinized52]

Originally Posted by 2k11PDXE90

Hi Railgun,
The reason I didn't state the time frame is because different paint has different levels of VOC's (Volatile organic compounds) and takes different amounts of time to dissipate. VOCs are basically solvents that get released as the paint dries. So you'd have to refer to the paint manufacturer to get the proper time.

interesting... however, OP stated its been almost a year if Im not mistaken. I can't imagine paint taking that long to dry up.

[Alvinized52]

OP, worse case scenario... just get the CF eyelids and slap it on top.
That's what I have on mine and its magical! LOL!

[2k11PDXE90]

Originally Posted by Alvinized52

interesting... however, OP stated its been almost a year if Im not mistaken. I can't imagine paint taking that long to dry up.

Yeah, that is a long time, and I'm not sure why it would be that delayed of a reaction, unless the VOC's trapped in the headlight reacted to heat over time? Totally not sure on that one. will be interesting to see what oneighty says. Their work does look top notch though.

[AJF80]

I was just about to pull the trigger on some customer Blackout headlights from these guys... Guess ill wait for some more feedback from OP.

[Alvinized52]

Originally Posted by 2k11PDXE90

Yeah, that is a long time, and I'm not sure why it would be that delayed of a reaction, unless the VOC's trapped in the headlight reacted to heat over time? Totally not sure on that one. will be interesting to see what oneighty says. Their work does look top notch though.

looking at the pics... it looks to me like that part wasn't properly prepped or primered. paint looks like it was cracking on paint surface.

[Deja_Vu]

Originally Posted by Alvinized52

looking at the pics... it looks to me like that part wasn't properly prepped or primered. paint looks like it was cracking on paint surface.

It's hard to tell from the pics, but it's definitely on the lens itself and not the painted surface of the headlight. At first glance I thought it was the painted surface too.

[Alvinized52]

Originally Posted by Deja_Vu

It's hard to tell from the pics, but it's definitely on the lens itself and not the painted surface of the headlight. At first glance I thought it was the painted surface too.

hmmm.. not good! good luck with that. please post the results.

[Deja_Vu]

Just an update to this situation. I was planning on doing one earlier but this is just dragging on. My experience thus far has been...strained. Timeline and events below.

March 23rd - headlights arrived @OneEighty.

March 24th - Emailed to see if they've looked at the lights

March 27th, 28th - Another email sent. Alex at ONEighty confirmed the issue is with the paint. He stated it was from the paint baking in the sun and causing it to stain the headlight...which is odd seeing as this is a garaged car with just over 6000 miles in a year a half on it. It's not sitting in the sun very often. He said he has had no other people reporting the issue, including customers in FL. He says he has a replacement set of lenses but they have rock chips on them. I turn that down as mine are pristine condition (minus the paint issue) and covered in Xpel. I want at least the same condition lenses back. He says they'll test something on the spare set to see if they can clean it up.

March 31st - I ask for an update. No response.

April 4th - I ask for another update. Alex says they're waiting on some refinishing supplies.

April 11th - I ask for an update. No response.

April 17th - I again ask for an update. He says sorry for the delay and that what they ordered had to be shipped internationally. Says he hopes it arrives by that week and they can be refinished and shipped back.

April 25th - I ask for an update. No response.

April 27th - Again I ask for an update. He replies they just received the supplies and they will try out what they ordered on the spare set "tomorrow." He says he's flying out of the country for 2 weeks the next evening and "Let's speak tomorrow afternoon and see how it's looking" Guess who never got a call or email?

For paying $1200+ after shipping costs, this is honestly pretty shitty customer service IMO. Yeah you can't help delays in shipping or anything like that, but you can help in other ways. Communicate with the customer better - someone obviously is dropping the ball when it comes to keeping someone informed. Have a backup plan. It's going to be at least 7 weeks before I get my headlights back and if this was my only car I'd be screwed. If the pace doesn't pick up rapidly I'm going to say screw it and ask them to just ship them back and I'll take it to someone I know and trust to get it done. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the level of service I'm asking for.

[smithf80]

Alex@ONEighty

[M4_GTS]

Headlight housings are not designed to be cracked open in the first place. Seen this too many times on the m5board.com already to know. Headlights get extremely hot and it's concealed, so sooner or later the paint or whatever finish is going to go bad on you.