991 Rear Window Defroster Wire Refracting Light
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991 Rear Window Defroster Wire Refracting Light
The view out the rear of my 991 at night is obscured by bright, vertical bands of light, created by every light source behind the vehicle. Each of the rear window defroster wires is refracting light, creating bright vertical streaks of light which obscure the rear view.
For the attached pictures, I just parked along the side of a surface street. The effect is visible in that situation, but at speed on a crowded freeway at night, the effect is much more dramatic, to the point that the rear view is not useful, and it also can be distracting. It’s quite a light show, and it prevents me from seeing anything other than this impressive array of lights. In these pictures, you can see the cars because they are illuminated by street lights, but on a busy freeway, all that can be seen are the bands of light.
I have compared the night time rear view from my car to that of quite a few other types of vehicles, and none of the others have a similar problem. At most, the defroster wires in the other vehicles reveal themselves only as tiny interruptions to the lights, i.e. they just block a very small amount of light, as one would expect. I also looked at the rear views in two friends’ Caymans, and those windows do not have this problem. In all of the other vehicles, whether Porsche or another manufacturer, the defroster wires did not reflect or refract any light whatsoever. In the 991 window, it is as though the wires must be made of a reflective material, or perhaps more likely, there is a very small space inside the glass around each wire, which is catching and refracting light and thus creating the vertical lines.
I’ve had the car for 15 months now. While I noticed the issue the first time I drove at night, I thought that I might get used to the effect, or that it would become less distracting over time. That has not happened. Has anyone else noticed this issue?
For the attached pictures, I just parked along the side of a surface street. The effect is visible in that situation, but at speed on a crowded freeway at night, the effect is much more dramatic, to the point that the rear view is not useful, and it also can be distracting. It’s quite a light show, and it prevents me from seeing anything other than this impressive array of lights. In these pictures, you can see the cars because they are illuminated by street lights, but on a busy freeway, all that can be seen are the bands of light.
I have compared the night time rear view from my car to that of quite a few other types of vehicles, and none of the others have a similar problem. At most, the defroster wires in the other vehicles reveal themselves only as tiny interruptions to the lights, i.e. they just block a very small amount of light, as one would expect. I also looked at the rear views in two friends’ Caymans, and those windows do not have this problem. In all of the other vehicles, whether Porsche or another manufacturer, the defroster wires did not reflect or refract any light whatsoever. In the 991 window, it is as though the wires must be made of a reflective material, or perhaps more likely, there is a very small space inside the glass around each wire, which is catching and refracting light and thus creating the vertical lines.
I’ve had the car for 15 months now. While I noticed the issue the first time I drove at night, I thought that I might get used to the effect, or that it would become less distracting over time. That has not happened. Has anyone else noticed this issue?
The view out the rear of my 991 at night is obscured by bright, vertical bands of light, created by every light source behind the vehicle. Each of the rear window defroster wires is refracting light, creating bright vertical streaks of light which obscure the rear view.
For the attached pictures, I just parked along the side of a surface street. The effect is visible in that situation, but at speed on a crowded freeway at night, the effect is much more dramatic, to the point that the rear view is not useful, and it also can be distracting. It’s quite a light show, and it prevents me from seeing anything other than this impressive array of lights. In these pictures, you can see the cars because they are illuminated by street lights, but on a busy freeway, all that can be seen are the bands of light.
I have compared the night time rear view from my car to that of quite a few other types of vehicles, and none of the others have a similar problem. At most, the defroster wires in the other vehicles reveal themselves only as tiny interruptions to the lights, i.e. they just block a very small amount of light, as one would expect. I also looked at the rear views in two friends’ Caymans, and those windows do not have this problem. In all of the other vehicles, whether Porsche or another manufacturer, the defroster wires did not reflect or refract any light whatsoever. In the 991 window, it is as though the wires must be made of a reflective material, or perhaps more likely, there is a very small space inside the glass around each wire, which is catching and refracting light and thus creating the vertical lines.
I’ve had the car for 15 months now. While I noticed the issue the first time I drove at night, I thought that I might get used to the effect, or that it would become less distracting over time. That has not happened. Has anyone else noticed this issue?
For the attached pictures, I just parked along the side of a surface street. The effect is visible in that situation, but at speed on a crowded freeway at night, the effect is much more dramatic, to the point that the rear view is not useful, and it also can be distracting. It’s quite a light show, and it prevents me from seeing anything other than this impressive array of lights. In these pictures, you can see the cars because they are illuminated by street lights, but on a busy freeway, all that can be seen are the bands of light.
I have compared the night time rear view from my car to that of quite a few other types of vehicles, and none of the others have a similar problem. At most, the defroster wires in the other vehicles reveal themselves only as tiny interruptions to the lights, i.e. they just block a very small amount of light, as one would expect. I also looked at the rear views in two friends’ Caymans, and those windows do not have this problem. In all of the other vehicles, whether Porsche or another manufacturer, the defroster wires did not reflect or refract any light whatsoever. In the 991 window, it is as though the wires must be made of a reflective material, or perhaps more likely, there is a very small space inside the glass around each wire, which is catching and refracting light and thus creating the vertical lines.
I’ve had the car for 15 months now. While I noticed the issue the first time I drove at night, I thought that I might get used to the effect, or that it would become less distracting over time. That has not happened. Has anyone else noticed this issue?
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The windows are not tinted. When I searched the issue online, I found quite a few people having a similar issue but ONLY after tinting-- apparently air can get trapped between the tint film and the window, causing light refraction. My window, however, is not tinted.
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hello
i have a special plexiglass in the rear window
this plexi is not in contact in the window
and i don t had of problem
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
http://www.solarplexius.com/montering.aspx
bye
i have a special plexiglass in the rear window
this plexi is not in contact in the window
and i don t had of problem
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=1&theater
http://www.solarplexius.com/montering.aspx
bye
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Regarding living with it for 15 months, sadly, I have been seeking Porsche's assistance with the problem ever since taking delivery. At first they assured me they would do whatever it took to find a solution, but just this week I received an official "too bad for you" letter. Or more specifically, the form letter said that my vehicle "is operating per Porsche specifications" and "the rear window defroster wire concern you have described is considered a normal characteristic of the product; it is neither a design flaw nor a defect". That conclusion is self-serving, but also somewhat bizarre in view of the fact that I suggested that they inspect the window for themselves, but they didn't even bother to do so. So I'm left wondering, how exactly did they reach this conclusion?
I'm attaching a couple more pictures. Anyone else have any insight?
Thank you.
I'm attaching a couple more pictures. Anyone else have any insight?
Thank you.
Last edited by donjolio; Oct 30, 2013 at 06:30 PM. Reason: fixed a typo!
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This is embarrassing. 
I was so wrong on this.
My E63 and my 991 both have this problem.
I can't believe I never noticed before.
Both cars are tinted though.
E63
991
I was so wrong on this.
My E63 and my 991 both have this problem.
I can't believe I never noticed before.
Both cars are tinted though.
E63
991
Last edited by lunarx; Oct 30, 2013 at 09:51 PM.
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Joined: Jul 2013
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From: strasbourg
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hello
it s a swirl,?
have you wash a glass with aggressive produit
or newspaper (idea grandmotherhttps://www.6speedonline.com/forums/images/smilies/smLach2.gif)
idea for you:
http://www.cquartz.com/products/109-ceriglass
manual or rotative machine
bye
it s a swirl,?
have you wash a glass with aggressive produit
or newspaper (idea grandmotherhttps://www.6speedonline.com/forums/images/smilies/smLach2.gif)
idea for you:
http://www.cquartz.com/products/109-ceriglass
manual or rotative machine
bye
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