Even accounting for lots of highway driving, always signaling lane changes causes wear and tear. *NM*

Got a message on the multifunction display that the left front signal light was out. Activated when using the turn signal, and subsequently could hear the relay clicking quickly along with a quicker signal light indicator. When I got the car, I purchased one each of the conventional external light bulbs, in this case the side marker, the front signal, and the appropriate halogen for the high beam. (There might be a different bulb for an all-halogen equipped car.) These spares are kept in the car. (Of course!)
So, the procedure is fairly clear in the owner's manual and slipping out the headlight unit is similar to that of a 986. The tool is located in the front trunk driver's side tool kit "module" that pops out of the fender. Access to the driver's side headlight unit lock is behind this kit, and is the side the burned bulb was anyway. I imagine the other side's lock is behind the compressor kit. Theres a rectangular tool kit in that module that you pull out and slide open. The tool is similar to the 986's, but has a longer reach and the business end is female.
I found it wasn't at all necessary to unplug the electrical harness from the unit: all that needs to be done is to carefully flip it around its longitudinal axis and the lower round access cap is the one that has the signal bulb inside. Locking the unit back into the fender seemed to take more force on the tool than did the 986's, and it makes a much nastier sounding snap.
As I didn't want the aiming motors to operate when the unit was still loose (just a little worry!) I didn't test the signal until I did the full reinstallation.
Should 981 owners get spares, note that the signal bulb looks similar to the side marker's but is 21 Watts, and the marker is 3 Watts.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2016 04:06PM by Laz. (view changes)

The headlight unit, at least the driver's side, will essentially only rotate in one direction, counterclockwise as one sees looking toward it from in front of the car, because of the still-connected wiring. The round access port for the signal light therefore will be the lower of the two round ports, but still makes it easy to get at the bulb. As previously implied, the unit can rest gently on the fender without slipping off, because of the wiring's limited length.

Thanks for writing up the procedure. Good idea to get the spare bulbs since they seem to be Porsche specific.

Interestingly, I also had my left from signal light go out, except it was intermittent. Each time it seemed to happen when we were with a group of cars. Warning message would come on and on a left signal, it flashed faster than normal. Problem was by the time I had a chance to stop, it was working fine again. I just wasn't sure if it was the front signal or possibly the side marker signal that wasn't working. Finally, when I was at the dealer for my Fall oil change, they checked, found the error code, but it was working fine at the time. They decided to change the front bulb. Since they didn't have one in stock, they scavenged a bulb from a Cayman in the showroom. That leads me to believe that it doesn't happen very often, but still a good idea to keep one on hand.

I'm guessing that it was a filament that broke, but with some vibration, the two pieces would touch, burn and fuse together again for 3 - 4 weeks.

Surprised about the Wattages. I would have thought it would be the other way around.

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

to change your blinker light fluid.

The standard change interval is 20,000 blinks.

A car driven predominately in the city will require changes more frequently than one driven mostly on the highway. IIRC, Laz, yours has a lot of highway miles.

[uncyclopedia.wikia.com]

Quote
Roger987
to change your blinker light fluid.

The standard change interval is 20,000 blinks.

A car driven predominately in the city will require changes more frequently than one driven mostly on the highway. IIRC, Laz, yours has a lot of highway miles.

[uncyclopedia.wikia.com]

Although you have to take into account highway driving style.

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Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

Fluid is optional

"A mile of highway will take you one mile. A mile of runway will take you anywhere."

I'll be getting another spare sometime soon, and it's no big deal to change them out.