Help! Cadillac XLR Headlights

[XLR-V4ME]

XLR Headlights

As a former XLR, XLR-V owner of the past 12 years, I feel your pain and frustration; however the lenses don't melt, they only craze. It also only affects the daytime running lights; which can be converted to LED to stop the crazing; which many here have done. None of this affects the HID headlights or keeps them from working at night, so there really is no safety issue.

Thanks for the valuable info. I've only had this car a few months and only once in the dark. If the issue is limited to the running lights, that's great, but aside, I thought the non-running lights or night driving lights performance/illumination was poor as well. Are there other upgrades to the HID lights to improve night driving?

 

[cubby558]

I always thought the headlights were good on the XLR. Especially from 2006 on; as they incorporated the articulating feature; which turned the headlights in the direction you are turning. Perhaps you have some issues with yours. You can also upgrade the fog lights to HID, which might give you some better 'night driving' illumination.

 

[XLRATING]

Waste of time......Cadillac holds the patent on the headlights. They've shown the XLR is a bastard child now, there's no record of them in legacy products on their website. No one else can make headlights. I was actually surprised that they made the 3rd brake light assembly again

They’re still in the legacy part. Legacy Discontinued Vehicles | Cadillac. Not that that helps us.

 

[mickeytee]

like most things I am not sure a patent applies to the headlights. They are a design but aftermarket makes headlights for 1000's of models of car . Just to limited volume to make. Even though There are aftermarket lights for some Ferrari and Lambo models being made with a much less production number. I think this may be for the replica car makers useage

 

[rmatt]

I may be naive but I don't believe you absolutely need a patent to remanufacture the headlight. Just an old headlight to disassemble to form molds from and the resources to do so. I have seen others comment that General Motors/Cadillac wouldn't reproduce them because there was no money in it. If that's the case why would they bother spending the money to sue someone for patent infringement? If someone were to manufacture this part, seeing that there was a demand, how would Cadillac go about suing them without it becoming a public relations nightmare for Cadillac. After all, the remanufacturer would be providing a service for previous XLR owners that Cadillac didn't find important enough because there wasn't any money in it.

 

[mickeytee]

xlr logo

I was a bit concerned when I put the XLR logo on the inner lens I have. but I found this online and was not too concerned about it.

On Wednesday, August 02, 2000, a U.S. federal trademark registration was filed for XLR by GENERAL MOTORS LLC, DETROIT, MI 482653000. The USPTO has given the XLR trademark serial number of 78019313. The current federal status of this trademark filing is CONTINUED USE NOT FILED WITHIN GRACE PERIOD, UN-REVIVABLE. The correspondent listed for XLR is TIMOTHY G. GORBATOFF of GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, MAIL CODE 482-C23-B21, 300 RENAISSANCE CENTER PO BOX 300 DETROIT MI 48265-3000 . The XLR trademark is filed in the category of Vehicles and Products for locomotion by land, air or water . The description provided to the USPTO for XLR is Motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles, sport utility vehicles, trucks, vans, engines therefor and structural parts thereof.

 

[rexster314]

They’re still in the legacy part. Legacy Discontinued Vehicles | Cadillac. Not that that helps us.

Cadillac must have updated the info. When I looked several years ago, XLR was not listed

 

[hawkeye372]

Don’t know if this is the right place or not but just found out my drivers side front turn signal went out. The other 3 sides work. But how hard is it to replace that bulb or do I need to replace the whole light housing?

 

[Smoothran]

Just the bulb. Look in the search for instructions for replacing.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

 

[rexster314]

I don't recall the proper bulb sizes but while you have the light module out, replace the other bulbs as well. I had one bulb out last year and by the time I got around to replacing it, another one had burned out. It's the perfect time to go led bulbs if you want as well

 

[rjgamby]

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.

I was thinking about the same thing. Taking the Honda instead.

 

[mickeytee]

The xlr is just a car. 90% of the car canbe repaired and serviced by any independant shop. Almost anything that would cause a breakdown can be found or adapted locally. The lights and top are pretty much the only items that cost and need special treatment.