Hi all,

I have noticed cracks on both headlights on my Octavia 3. This is on the line of headlight washers so I suspect it is connected with washer. My Octavia is only one year old. There are also these cracks on Octavia of my friend that is 5 years old. 

 

Anybody else have same issue and is it covered with warranty?

Thanks!

54 minutes ago, fotogolub said:

This is on the line of headlight washers so I suspect it is connected with washer.
 

 

Sorry - dont quite understand this - are you thinking that the cracks are caused by Headlight Wash?

Yes, looks like that as cracks are above washers...

I’m not sure how the headlight washers could do that..?  Thermal shock...as an out there guess?

Is it not more likely from stones etc.? I have a few hairline cracks in mine and I thought it would be from stones. Front end is battered with stone chips.

5 hours ago, SC03OTT said:

I’m not sure how the headlight washers could do that..?  Thermal shock...as an out there guess?

 

On glass a minor possibility but not on plastic.

Pictures?

 

I've seen crazing on some well weathered, very old clear plastics. But the stuff used on car headlights, polycarbonate coated with anti scratch melamine?, is not affected. Unless it was overheated or subject to extreme UV or chemical damage. The chemicals would need to be really aggressive solvents, not appropriate for use on a vehicle imho.

Here are the pictures...

That certainly looks like damage from stone chips. Looks like a stone has hit the leading edge and cause it to crack.

 

I'll check mine later and see if I have the same.

Alternatively, looks like someone has tried to remove the headlights by levering along the bottom edge. I'd say that the force has come sideways rather than an impact. Just a gut feeling after doing cerification impact tests on plastics over 4 decades.

I would not agree as there are 4 headlights with same demage (2 on my car and 2 on friend's car) on the same place which is just upper of the washer. I will check other Octavias in my company to see how their headlights looks like. 

That doesn't look like a build quality issue.  It looks like some form of force damage.  How long has it been like that

Is there a local reason why this damage might have occurred (don't know where you are based from your profile) ?

Is there any damage to the paintwork immediately below the edge damage? If so, that would suggest an attempt to pry the headlight unit out of its mounting.

No local reason and no damage on paint. The damage is increasing with time. On the right headlight it is starting to show on the bottom edge of the headlight

19 hours ago, fotogolub said:

I would not agree as there are 4 headlights with same demage (2 on my car and 2 on friend's car) on the same place which is just upper of the washer. I will check other Octavias in my company to see how their headlights looks like. 

 

Only two cars each with different headlight housings - that wouldn't suggest a manufacturing issue.  I agree it does look like they've tried to be prised off but can't understand why anyone would want to do that especially in that location. And if that were the case of prising with a screwdriver or whatever tool, then surely there would be damage to the bumper as well?

 

Would suggest stone damage the most likely cause.

Edited 16 September, 20187 yr by Guest