vwduud

Quick update. I brought my car in to the dealer to have this checked out. I provided them with the part number of the replacement windshield that SafeLite installed. It was a factory OEM windshield and is the correct one.

The service manager called me this afternoon to inform me of the solution. As instructed by many, including posts in this thread, the sensor is question is the small, rectangular one on the dash, near the windshield. Initially, the service department assumed this as well (hence their reason for wanting the part number for the replacement windshield).

The service manager informed me that that is NOT the sensor. It is, in fact, located in the cluster behind the rear view mirror assembly. When SafeLite replaced my windshield, they used an adhesive backed, clear pad that was thicker than OEM, making the sensor seem like it was in darker conditions that it actually was. They replaced this pad with the correct one from Porsche.

I will pick up my car tomorrow. Glad to have my automatic headlight feature back.

StormRune

Good news and good to hear that you persevered and got this solved! Also good info... now I wonder what that other sensor does... did they say?

vwduud

Dash temperature for the climate control.

StormRune

Thank you. Yet another item added to the things learned about our cars!!!

Porsche_nuts

I am so confused. I thought the automatic headlight sensor was the small rectangular wart near the front of the windshield, the rain sensor was in the mirror assembly housing, and the climate control sensor was located by the steering wheel.

http://suncoastparts.com/product/99661298100.html

http://www.porscheownersmanuals.com/...r-Conditioning

vwduud

Just picked the car up. Spoke with the technician. He confirmed that the rectangular wart near the front of the windshield is not for the headlights and that it played a role in determining dash temperature. Not sure how that differentiates from the zone sensor you noted above in the owners manual. Just another (different) sensor in our complex vehicles.

Won't get to test if the repair solved my problem today, with overcast skies and a slight drizzle. Hopefully tomorrow.

vwduud

Problem solved. Although the rain went away, it only brightened up slightly, yet enough to NOT need headlights. As it did before the windshield replacement, the lights properly STAYED OFF. As a quick confirmation of where this sensor is, I pulled over and put my hand over the round sensor (hole) in the upper part of the windshield, within the rear view mirror cluster. The headlights came on immediately.

In summary, if you get your windshield replaced, have the installer compare the clear installation pad that adheres this sensor to the windshield. If it doesn't look like the original factory part, it can affect the performance of this sensor.

Porsche_nuts

Cool, glad you got car properly fixed and mystery of sensors is solved.