Fog Light Cracked

[jaeco]

One of my fog lights is cracked...you can feel on the surface where it was hit with a rock or something, and there's some condensation inside. My husband had it for an oil change when they found it. The dealer had to order it and it's going to be like $250...I don't know if that includes labor or not. My question is, it's not noticeable at all and I'm wondering if this is something that has to be fixed right away or can wait? I hate to spend that but will if it will cause a problem with moisture getting in. Thanks!

[hill]

Our driver side has been cracked since '04 and when I found out how much the dealer wanted ... knowing how low to the ground the lights are ... the high likelyhood of it happening again ... all the other folks here on PC that it has happened to (the search tool is a wonderful thing) ... Yea, you can live w/ it.

[Tom_06]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jaeco @ Jun 25 2007, 09:56 AM) [snapback]467561[/snapback]</div>

One of my fog lights is cracked...you can feel on the surface where it was hit with a rock or something, and there's some condensation inside. My husband had it for an oil change when they found it. The dealer had to order it and it's going to be like $250...I don't know if that includes labor or not. My question is, it's not noticeable at all and I'm wondering if this is something that has to be fixed right away or can wait? I hate to spend that but will if it will cause a problem with moisture getting in. Thanks!
[/b]

It looks pretty easy to put it in yourself if you are at all mechanically inclined. The part (the whole housing) is only $110 list and $89 discounted from places like Hoy-Fox. So for about $100 you can fix it yourself.

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocator/ind...amp;catalogid=2

In 2004 there were a whole bunch of these breaking from the heat of the lamp. Some people got them replaced for free, since it was a manufacturing defect. Both lights were often cracked with no evidence of any stone hit/chip. There is a clear material for headlamps/foglamps that can be put on the lens to protect them from road debris. It is a bit of a pain to put on the cone-shaped Prius foglamp lens. I put it on Barb's 2005 and my 2006 and we have had no cracks in any of the 4 lamps. Someone may have a link to the vendor - I can't find it at the moment.

- Tom

[Marlin]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jaeco @ Jun 25 2007, 09:56 AM) [snapback]467561[/snapback]</div>

The dealer had to order it and it's going to be like $250...I don't know if that includes labor or not. [/b]

The fog lights aren't very useful anyway. They certainly don't provide $250 in value.

Do you really use the fog lights? Do you feel they actually provide any benefit? My recommendation would be to not bother getting it fixed.

[subarutoo]

If water gets inside it will kill the light bulb. If its still working, try some clear silicone sealant on the crack. You might have to re-apply it a few times, but it has worked on our Outback for years.

[oly_57mpg]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(subarutoo @ Jun 25 2007, 03:22 PM) [snapback]467718[/snapback]</div>

If water gets inside it will kill the light bulb.
[/b]

That's debatable.

The light will work fine... the temperature delta between the water sloshing around it and the hot glass might cause it to blow. But, that's just the bulb and they are cheap.

The housing is what is so expensive. And it's just a vanity item - it doesn't add any useful value.

Check out this thread from a while back...
http://priuschat.com/index.php?s=&show...ost&p=87716