Help! Cadillac XLR Headlights

[johnchasxlr]

I had thought about doing this and putting an LED bulb in!

There are quite a few different kinds, one even has a lens on the front.

That's a great idea, in fact it may look better.

It would have to operate in the DRL and Turn Signal modes.

If you need any more details on how I did this procedure on both my headlights let me know.

 

[DanF]

How did you get the broken pieces out?

 

[johnchasxlr]

How did you get the broken pieces out?

The plastic lens was so brittle it easily knocked loose and I broke it up using a very long pair of needle nose pliers.

I unplugged the main power harness (slide the lock first) and held the light in a vertical position, everything just dropped out. NOW... if little pieces had made it into other areas of the housing I would have put the vacuum cleaner over the lamp opening and pulled out any remaining plastic fragments.

 

[XLRATING]

I have two of these destroyed in my basement. One I didn't heat enough in the oven and cracked the outer lens; the other, I dismantled OK, but the chrome-looking surface would never cleanup to its original luster after I got fingerprints on it and resealing the outer lens did not go well.

I understand why Cadillac will not release the patent, these things were made with FM ( F*^$@ Magic). I have no idea what process they could have used to keep them clean and run a bead of glue so straight to sealing the outer lens.

Gizmo - what did you try for re-sealing the outer lens? We've got one that seems to have a failing seal. Not feeling hopeful but wondering if we can find som FM for it ...

 

[johnchasxlr]

I know someone who had success with the "light assembly in the oven" process however it was on a Nissan 300 not a GM product.

 

[ccclarke]

The grey sealant is similar to polybutyl. I examined a headlight assembly I pulled a part a few years ago and the only way I could figure out how they adhered it so well was by drawing a vacuum through the headlight body to draw the bezel tight against the seal.

CC

 

[XLRATING]

Not sure what I have going on - we'll have to pull the headlight to figure it out. Car hasn't been wet in about 6 weeks (though it's been in a garage where other wet cars have been parked) & after being parked in the sun for a couple of hours the driver headlight had some condensation on top. Looks like it has some kind of split/crack/leak at the top where the black spot is. Maybe it will be an easier fix than trying to re-seal the clear part.

 

[johnchasxlr]

Permatex® Black Silicone Adhesive Sealant

Not sure what I have going on - we'll have to pull the headlight to figure it out. Car hasn't been wet in about 6 weeks (though it's been in a garage where other wet cars have been parked) & after being parked in the sun for a couple of hours the driver headlight had some condensation on top. Looks like it has some kind of split/crack/leak at the top where the black spot is. Maybe it will be an easier fix than trying to re-seal the clear part.

Just in case you need to add some external sealant:

Although I have not run across this specific problem I have had remarkably good luck using Permatex® Black Silicone Adhesive Sealant (NOT RTV) available at AutoZone. We use it to seal emergency lights into the headlights and tail lights of our police cars and it works great, keeps the lamp enclosure water tight.

I have used this product for a variety of automotive applications and it's excellent at sealing things along with being an adhesive. Prior to curing it cleans up easily with WD-40.

 

[rcsc80]

Melted/cracked drl's

I know this topic has been covered in depth over the last few years but I would like to get some fresh XLR owner feedback on the subject of HEADLIGHTS.

I own a 2005 Cadillac XLR with melted DRL lights inside rapidly deteriorating headlight housings.
As we know 2004 and SOME 2005 Cadillac XLR's have a KNOWN DEFECT in the headlight assemblies causing the interior DRL's to melt.

Unfortunately I am the second owner of this vehicle and have been told (several times) by Cadillac that I do not qualify for replacement of these lamp assemblies.

Now I am in a position where I am willing to pay the ridicules cost of replacing these lamp assemblies and I cannot get one of them. I have been searching for part #20779745 for over a year.

GM Part number: 20779744 (Right Side) Is available from several online GM parts houses for around 750.00 which is actually a good price.

GM Part number: 20779745 (Left Side) is NOT AVAILABLE and has been on national backorder for over a year.

Cadillacs Only Company in Ventura California just told me today that Left XLR headlight is impossible to find NEW and they have had numerous requests.

My local Cadillac dealers and a BUNCH of online GM parts suppliers confirm 20779745 is NOT AVAILABLE and there is no indication IF or WHEN GM may have a batch of these headlights produced. In this particular situation Cadillac customer service (answered in Detroit) was worthless.

The few of these headlights that appear on Ebay have been in as bad or worse condition than the headlights I have now.

Question: So what are other XLR owners doing when these lamps need to be replaced?

Right now if someone crashes into the front of my car and knocks out those light housings it's going to get interesting.

Interestingly I have contacted several "aftermarket" manufacturers of headlight assemblies. The aftermarket headlight people are aware of a demand for Cadillac XLR headlights however they tell me GM will not release the patent.

Any feedback is welcome.

Mine is doing the same. I found some LED Plazma replacement bulbs, may be the cure once you get new headlights, or may preserve whatever is left of the exciting ones.

 

[bajarick60]

From what I'm reading if you can find one from a newer year it will work but you have to buy the pig tail plug that makes it go from a 4 plug to a 5 plug. The newer one needs the 5 pin plug. Hope the light is easier to find. Good luck.
Ps. Just think the insurance company will have to total it for a broken head light, lm sure if the insurance company starts screaming to Cadillac they just might start to make them.

 

[johnchasxlr]

Mine is doing the same. I found some LED Plazma replacement bulbs, may be the cure once you get new headlights, or may preserve whatever is left of the exciting ones.

My headlights are actually OK, it's the amber DRL lamps that had melted outer diffuser lenses.

Read further down in this thread and you will see what I ended up doing as a temporary fix.

 

[pure zen]

Make it,,,sell it,,,forget it,,,,,

quote by rick60: "Just think the insurance company will have to total it for a broken head light,

lm sure if the insurance company starts screaming to Cadillac they just might start to make them"


First line....... That might be a real possibility if headlight assemblies are unavailable any where,,,,,,a real safety issue.

Second line...... I wouldn't hold my breath about that,,, other than crash test results, I doubt any auto maker listens to insurance
company concerns.

As time goes on, this will be interesting to follow. GM is only interested in bottom line profits. Notice, I haven't seen a GM Customer Service

representative reading or replying to posted GM complaints lately

 

[johnchasxlr]

quote by rick60: "Just think the insurance company will have to total it for a broken head light,

lm sure if the insurance company starts screaming to Cadillac they just might start to make them"


First line....... That might be a real possibility if headlight assemblies are unavailable any where,,,,,,a real safety issue.

Second line...... I wouldn't hold my breath about that,,, other than crash test results, I doubt any auto maker listens to insurance
company concerns.

As time goes on, this will be interesting to follow. GM is only interested in bottom line profits. Notice, I haven't seen a GM Customer Service

representative reading or replying to posted GM complaints lately

I checked and unfortunately these Cadillac XLR headlights are made in a GM factory. SO.... until they either make some more we are out of luck.

 

[johnchasxlr]

From what I'm reading if you can find one from a newer year it will work but you have to buy the pig tail plug that makes it go from a 4 plug to a 5 plug. The newer one needs the 5 pin plug. Hope the light is easier to find. Good luck.
Ps. Just think the insurance company will have to total it for a broken head light, l'm sure if the insurance company starts screaming to Cadillac they just might start to make them.

There are no new lamps available, I have been looking for over a year.

The newer style lamp requires a pigtail adapter (because there are extra wires for the adaptive headlights not available on 2004-2005) however with a volt meter and little electrical knowledge the harness from the OLD lamp can be spliced to the new lamp assembly and it works just fine. That does of course make the old lamp relatively worthless so it's a toss-up ... should you pay 89.00 for a pigtail or just consider the old lamp scrapped and cut off the plugs? RIGHT NOW with such a shortage of lamps I would say buy the pigtail and keep the old lamp as a spare or sell it on Ebay.

I am no expert but right now I believe my insurance company OR the insurance company of anyone who hits my car would either have to keep me in a rent car until the parts are available or just total the car.

 

[XLRATING]

Just in case you need to add some external sealant:

Although I have not run across this specific problem I have had remarkably good luck using Permatex® Black Silicone Adhesive Sealant (NOT RTV) available at AutoZone. We use it to seal emergency lights into the headlights and tail lights of our police cars and it works great, keeps the lamp enclosure water tight.

I have used this product for a variety of automotive applications and it's excellent at sealing things along with being an adhesive. Prior to curing it cleans up easily with WD-40.

Thanks for this info - picked up some this weekend. Since we just had to replace headlights on a decade-plus old Escalade after a similar problem, I wouldn't be surprised if 10 years is about the lifespan for the sealant. Once we guinea pig fixing the base XLR, if all goes well we'll probably do a preventative re-seal on the XLR-V.

 

[johnchasxlr]

Thanks for this info - picked up some this weekend. Since we just had to replace headlights on a decade-plus old Escalade after a similar problem, I wouldn't be surprised if 10 years is about the lifespan for the sealant. Once we guinea pig fixing the base XLR, if all goes well we'll probably do a preventative re-seal on the XLR-V.

Excellent .. good luck with that project.

I have noticed (fortunately not on my XLR) that once moisture starts to accumulate inside headlight housings it rapidly degrades the silver reflective coatings.

 

[XLRATING]

Excellent .. good luck with that project.

I have noticed (fortunately not on my XLR) that once moisture starts to accumulate inside headlight housings it rapidly degrades the silver reflective coatings.

That type of thing is what I'm afraid of. Now I just need a couple of dry weeks to run around with my headlights on at all times to try to dry things out.

 

[MarkSki]

My DRL's have done and are doing the same thing. My outer clear lens are crazing too. I don't like it but I'm not going to pay over $1500 for a set of headlights. If they fall apart so be it. Sorry to say. I don't like it and when I bought my XLR I did notice how the DRL's looked but didn't think much of it at the time. I wish I would have but I'm sure I would have purchased the car anyway. As long as the lights work I'll keep the car running. If the plastic falls off I'll do what johnchasexlr did and suck out the broken parts.

I have plans on driving the car to the 'wrong' coast this summer. My wife is very interested in Pennsylvania. If we make it I'll also drive another couple of hundred miles to Mass and Conn and visit some old cold war boomer riders. If I could meet up with Sandy, I still owe here a beer!

The only thing that I have concerns about is what will I do if the XLR breaks down? Who would be able to fix it and will I have to sign my house over to them to pay for the fix? I have 97K on the clock and this is another 7K trip.

 

[MarkSki]

DRL's have done and are doing the same thing. My outer clear lens are crazing too. I don't like it but I'm not going to pay over $1500 for a set of headlights. If they fall apart so be it. Sorry to say. I don't like it and when I bought my XLR I did notice how the DRL's looked but didn't think much of it at the time. I wish I would have but I'm sure I would have purchased the car anyway. As long as the lights work I'll keep the car running. If the plastic falls off I'll do what johnchasexlr did and suck out the broken parts.

I have plans on driving the car to the 'wrong' coast this summer. My wife is very interested in Pennsylvania. If we make it I'll also drive another couple of hundred miles to Mass and Conn and visit some old cold war boomer riders. If I could meet up with Sandy, I still owe here a beer!

The only thing that I have concerns about is what will I do if the XLR breaks down? Who would be able to fix it and will I have to sign my house over to them to pay for the fix? I have 97K on the clock and this is another 7K trip.

 

[ccclarke]

Markski,

Rest assured there are plenty of good Cadillac dealers in New England. Give me a shout when you reach CT, and we'll pound a beer or three. Don't forget to scope out the Nautilus and adjoining Submarine museum. There's even a 598 sail moored in front.

I was a boomer puke and made patrols out of Guam on Theodore Roosevelt in the late 70's, but quickly learned the error of my ways on a fast boat afterwards.

Even used headlight prices are outrageous: $700 for this one (no crazing) Cadillac XLR RH Xenon HID Headlight 04 05 06 07 08 09 2004 2009 Complete | eBay

And $1300 for this one (with crazing) 04 05 06 2004 2006 2009 2005 XLR HID Xenon Head Light Headlight Assembly R | eBay

Dive deep, fear nothing!

CC