OK, one was cracked. Noticed it a few days ago, figured it was a flying rock. Now the other is cracked just the same way! I also noticed when I touched the glass it was hot (I'd just turned the lights off a few minutes before). It's no big mystery why the lenses break if they heat up like that - it weakens the glass! It's bad design, and I'm pissed. I don't intend to pay $100 each for fog lights that never should have broken in the first place. Of course, since they're so low to the road the lenses should be plexiglas, anyway (but considering the heat, they'd probably melt). How many of you have had fog light problems?

 

Mediacritic,

Sorry to hear that you not only had the misfortune to have one break but two! I busted my first fog light and so far only last year; so I am one fog light in three summers of driving or 14K miles. Unfortunately any thing hanging that low is going to pick up a rock chip. I suspect you'll be able to find the point of impact on both of them. Even though the weather is starting to get nice here in Idaho there is still a lot of sand and gravel on the roadways that need to be washed off with the spring rains before I take mine out of storage.

 

That just stinks! Looks like I will be checking my fogs in the morning just to see how hot they get on the drive home from work. One would think they should not get that hot. I will find out in the morning and give a better reply.

 

then once you replace it...cover it with "xpel" lense protection. cheap insurance imo.

_______________________

Headlamp and Fog Lamp kit (4 piece kit)

Clear H0818 - $69.95

http://xpel.com/products/configurato...515&series=596

 

Where in the hell are you getting a $100 fog light? The quote from my Chrysler shop is more like $300...maybe that's labor too, I don't know...but $100 is a big difference...

 

EWD,

The $103 is just for the assembly you have to install it. Here is the link if you want to order it online.

http://www.chryslerpartsdirect.com/

The part numbers are:

Right fog light assembly 5099 702AB

Left fog light assembly 5099 703AB

 

This morning when I drove home from work I had my fog lights on the entire time. It's a 35 minute drive. When I got home I checked the lenses on the fog lamps as soon as I got out of the car. They were pretty warm but not hot. I could hold my hand on them for 10 to 15 seconds before I had to let go, but that is not what I would call hot. I have the factory bulbs in my lamps. If you have the factory bulbs, I would not know why yours would be so hot to crack the lenses. I have seen people put in halogen bulbs and melt plastic lenses, but never break glass lenses just due to heat. But then comes the rock theory...

 

you need a clear rock blocker on those suckers if you do replace them ... i got that and just finished applying it. looks clear and will take a hit now.

also get a HID system for the fogs if you want to lower the operating temps ... halogen lights are nasty in efficiency so plenty of energy is wasted as heat. HID kits consume less power and generate less heat. thats a bit more but you can use a inexpensive korean kit in the fogs if you want to save a bit of cash. they are not the worst quality but not the best and can be had between $120 - $200 ...

 

That's what I mean...the rock more easily cracks the glass after it's hot, plus the constant heating, cooling & reheating of the glass surely takes a toll on the strength and resiliency of the glass. Fog lights should be made of much tougher stuff than this.

 

Thanks for the tip (everyone). I'll do the 3M film or equivalent.

 

Concerning fog lamp lenses that crack mysteriously...

I just traded my '05 Magnum RT for my '06 Crossfire, and had the same experience with the Dodge you are having with your Xfire. I'm one of those Mr. Safety types that drives with headlights and fog lamps on (no one pulls out in front of me), so my lights get a couple of lifetimes of use.

At 8,000 miles, the Magnum's fog lamp lenses both cracked identically and were replaced under warranty. At 20,000 the replacement lamps cracked their lenses, but I just turned them off and left them alone until 35,000 miles when I had them replaced under warranty again. I stopped using them for the last 1,000 miles before I traded the car.

My theory was that it was heat related, but I don't think the Magnum/300 uses the same fog lamp as the Crossfire. Mine were a hard plastic lens. From what you are saying, the lenses are glass. The service folks tried to tell me that rocks or some other debris had broken the lights and that they would not be replaced under warranty, but I complained enough that they made the repairs for free.

SPEDWAY

 

That's what I'm gonna do. I'll gripe up a storm. The fact that your lenses both cracked at the same time supports the heat theory. But won't it all just happen again if it's replaced with the same dumb design? Sigh.