Exploded Hymer headlight cover (1 Viewer)

[Coolbeanz]

i know there used to be an issue with the Hymer lens covers exploding and wondered if anyone with a Hymer newer than 2008 has had the same issue. Our left hand glass exploded this week so we contacted Travelworld and they received a response from Hymer saying it was only an issue with the 2008 models and as ours is 2015 they have put it down to a stone chip or something. Has anyone with a newer Hymer had issues with this?

 

[DavidG58]

not that it helps you, but our 2008 model was put down to a stone chip by Hymer anyway

I hope you get better service than we did from TW if you do get it done by them

 

[funflair]

Always the left hand one?

Martin

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[DavidG58]

Always the left hand one?

Martin

could be the 'extra' bulge on the side putting it under strain

but yes I think it is only ever nearside, probably doesn't happen to LHD

 

[Coolbeanz]

Ours is left hand drive and it's the left cover that has completely shattered.

 

[DavidG58]

sounds absolutely identical to the others, there was no sign of a chip in mine, even TW agreed that, but Hymer could see it in the photo

£1450 fitted or it was last year anyway, mine did have washers so might be slightly more

But a serious comment, the light unit they sent to replace mine was physically different and wouldn't fit correctly in the aperture, I had a complete farce with Hymer and TW telling me it was the right one and TW refusing to get the old one out to compare to, blaming H + S and it being in the skip

Hopefully yours albeit very expensive will go more smoothly, I did think about an insurance claim under the glass cover, but decided in the end not to bother, thinking about it if it doesn't affect a NCB it would be the right route to take, if they would class it as glass (as in policy wording, I do know it is glass)

I did also wonder how long you could drive round with it shattered, all the glass was very firmly attached in my case, might be an issue to MOT or sell on though

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[Coolbeanz]

Ours has already started falling out so there is a gap now with no glass at all. We heard it explode and there was not a vehicle in front of us so if it was a stone chip it must have come from a long way!! I think we'll be fighting a losing battle to try and get Hymer to help though so will contact our insurance. I suppose it is possible we were hit by a stone earlier in the day which cracked it and the vibration later caused it to explode into crazy paving? Who knows.

 

[Coolbeanz]

Just had a phone call from Alistair at Travelworld and he is going to try and get Hymer to replace it as a goodwill gesture as he agrees that is looks like it has exploded and not from a stone chip. Fingers crossed!!

 

[scotjimland]

I read on FB that there is ongoing legal action in Germany against Hymer to accept liability, as far as I know Hymer are only replacing those still under warranty., but I wouldn't hold my breath, litigation in Germany is notoriously slow.

The issue is widely talked about on many forums and other media.. and not just in the UK.

Pure speculation, but I think the most likely cause is impurities in the tempered glass...

Inherent in the glass production process are microscopic imperfections in the glass, known as inclusions. Most of these are completely harmless, but nickel sulfide (NiS) inclusions have been shown to cause disastrous failure of tempered glass.

https://failures.wikispaces.com/Glass+Breakage+-+Nickel+Sulfide+Inclusions

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[DavidG58]

I was also concerned on ours that the 21W halogen daylight running bulb was seriously hot in use, we had changed ours to LED before it broke, but the new replacement which came preloaded with bulbs had the old halogen in again even last year, we have of course swapped it back to LED

out of interest are they still using halogen bulbs for the daytime running light, or were they in 2015?

edit - and best of luck with the TW bit, I wouldn't be holding my breath, but my mind is tarnished by TW / Hymer poor support already

 

[bobandjanie]

@Theonlysue has had the same problem not long ago, don't know what year hers is but always the left one. Bob

 

[Coolbeanz]

It raises the question that if it is always the left one that goes it can't be a problem with the quality of the glass so is there a microscopic difference in either the holder or the glass moulds for the left hand side that puts it under pressure?

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[Larrynwin]

I always thought it was due to the glass being tempered and shattered by a stone as old type windscreens used to, exploding is probably an
overstatement, headlight glass used to be non tempered so stone damage only chipped or cracked it.
Fingers crossed mine stay OK


.

 

[Hils and Glenns]

Our left one went on our recent trip to France. 2008 2008 hymer. It cost 940 euros to replace. We've covered both headlights in laminx now. No idea if it will make the difference.

 

[DavidG58]

The top image I would guess is more or less identical to yours, the others show part of the farce Hymer and TW made of sorting it

In the middle photo you may just be able to make out a bulge on the headlight unit, pinned against the body where there is no corresponding gap for it!! Because my original unit didn't have this bulge but we have supplied the right light say Hymer, but it is different says me, TW say we cant do any more, but are happy to let me take it away as is, or remove and give my money back, great idea TW many thanks

Bottom image, after fitted 'properly' or at least after modded by our @Terry spot the improvement

Hope you don't have this issue, or the beam alignment problem caused either because it is supplied with the adjusters fully unwound (disconnected) and TW hadn't aligned it, or TW had unwound it off the thread trying to adjust it either way appalling service

Before and after light adjustment

and yes I am still cross about it 15 months on

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[CazPaul]

Nothing surprises me with Hymer, I almost sh1t myself when I got a price for the failed glass double glazed side window for our S820.

 

[gus-lopez]

Didn't mean to laugh.

Nothing surprises me with Hymer, I almost sh1t myself when I got a price for the failed glass double glazed side window for our S820.

 

[Lenny HB]

For my last Hymer I made some protectors from 2mm polycarbonate, won't stop them exploding but will reduce the likelihood of a stone chip causing it.
My new Hymer has polycarbonate headlamps.

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[DavidG58]

My new Hymer has polycarbonate headlamps.

At last some positivity in the thread

 

[Xabia]

Some thoughts about the headlight issue -

I have a 2007 B544SL, about a year after original purchase from new I heard about the shattering issue so initially I covered both units with Laminate-X film. This was on the basis that it is used to protect the headlights on saloon race cars.

When MOT age was reached I had to start changing the dip beam so got used to removing the headlights (the easiest way to deal with that operation). Doing this made me realise that the headlight unit is secured by three bolts under each of which is a rubber washer. It would be very easy to overtighten one or all of these bolts which could exert stress on the unit.

Finally I changed the bulb in the running light for LED as the unit does get very hot during the daytime, the difference was dramatic - cool as a cucumber!

So, the motorhome has travelled circa 48,000 miles over a 10 year period and I have not had a problem. I hope it is due to the above precautions and not down to good luck.

 

[Hils and Glenns]

I don't see my post as negative. I've just said what happened.

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[CazPaul]

Didn't mean to laugh.

I forgive you just this once.

Almost 2 grand for a bit of ally outer frame and a £50 bit of double glazed glass in the middle. A nice £1800 pure profit in one fell swoop, get in there.

 

[Hils and Glenns]

Thanks for that @Xabia. Can you say exactly which led lights you used?

 

[DavidG58]

I don't see my post as negative. I've just said what happened.

don't think anybody said it was

all the negativity is the OP's tale and my own comments about the problems we had sorting it

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[DavidG58]

Thanks for that @Xabia. Can you say exactly which led lights you used?

not sure if these will be the same ones used by Xabia, but got mine from our local motor factors

have a look and a laugh

http://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum...hing-complicated-to-do-led-drl-update.122148/

 

[Theonlysue]

Mine was Dec 2014. I drove to hymer bad waldsee and they changed it.
Look up hymer owners group on Facebook. They are listing all the folk it has happened to.
I really think travel world should change it.

 

[Xabia]

Thanks for that @Xabia. Can you say exactly which led lights you used?

I can't remember exactly what they were, got them from eBay equivalent to the original bulb.

If you need advice about removing the unit let me know, it's easy when you know how.

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[Hils and Glenns]

Thanks @Xabia we're in Brugge at the moment. But if you could explain how to get the unit out I would appreciate it.

 

[Jenben]

We had both our headlights replaced under warranty when the heat from the daytime running lights appeared to vaporise the reflective surface which then coated the glass cover. It looked pretty but didn't really work that well

 

[pappajohn]

What surprises me is, they still use glass.
Others have been using plastic for years.

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