Recently bought a 2004 Cayenne Turbo, and noticed that some of the fuses in the right side (passenger area) are higher than the required value.

Does this affect operation in any way?
I know that a fuse is mean to protect the circuit to a component, and if it is higher than required then it may allow a higher amperage through which could burn the component.

Reason I checked my fuses was because my right low beam was not working, and I noticed the fuse for my right low beam has an amper value (30A) higher than what is required (15A).
I highly doubt it, but can this be the issue stopping the fuse from working?

Any help is appreciated!

 

Best case....nothing happens

Worst case, there is a problem with subsequent fire that burns the car to the ground and your insurance denies coverage because of improper fuse

 

Fuses are not only sized to protect modules and components on that circuit, but also for the gauge of wire used. Using too large a fuse can cause wiring to overheat, melt, burn, catch fire, etc. Puttibgva larger fuse into a circuit than what is specified is never a good idea. Fix the source of the problem rather than trying to band-aid it.

 

I'll take the least dramatic option thank you

 

Thanks Petza - I am actually trying to find the source of the problem of why my right low beam is not working, which is why I checked the fuse box.
This is when I saw a fuse with larger A than is required, and it makes me wonder if that is causing the issue.
However, since it is the same fuse for highbeam, and the high beam is working, this makes me suspect the wiring harness or the control unit in the headlamp.. any thoughts?

 

What kind of headlights, HID or Halogen? Could be as simple as a bad bulb or could be as complex as the control unit, wiring, etc.


First place to check is the bulb. If it's halogen you can pull the bulb and see if the conductor is broken.

 

They are Xenon D1S lights (I guess HID?).
Today, I replaced the wiring harness. The old one looked quite beat. CHecked it again with a working D1S bulb, but unfortunately that did not fix it.
Since it is not the wiring harness, I am assuming it the control unit (balast).

Have you or anyone had any experience on this?
I know there is an expensive Porsche one, but there is also a Valeo one (who are the OEM supplier) which is at a fraction of the price. Was wondering if that would work.

 

I noticed on places like Pelican parts the "Porsche" part will often have the requisite mark-up but be the same picture as the "OEM supplier" part for a LOT less. That is certainly the case with the control unit/ballast something like $160 versus $620!! And it is the same picture. Seems silly.


I'd go with the Valeo unit myself seeing as they seem to be identical. I did notice on some bearings I was looking at the other day though that the factory part was made in Germany and the OEM supplier part was made in China. In that case I might spend the extra few bucks but it wasn't near as big a difference as the ballast.

 

Hello jdubbya - just want to shed some light on Genuine vs. OEM supplier parts and their pricing difference. The truth about Genuine is that the factory part that you purchase from the dealer (i.e. also the part that is Genuine on our site) is in fact a repackaged part from an external manufacturer. Car manufacturers typically don't manufacture the parts that go into the cars - they assemble the cars from parts made by outside companies. That being said, Genuine parts are parts that are acquired directly from the factory, and actually come delivered in a Porsche box. These parts are typically much more expensive than their OEM counterparts because you are paying for the Porsche name and their associated two-year warranty. The OEM supplier part can be the exact same part, but because they cannot sell it as a Genuine part (only dealers can do this) it is cheaper in price and has Porsche symbols/part numbers grounded off of them.

This and much more info on the explanation of Genuine parts vs. OEM, etc can be found here: http://www.pelicanparts.com/support/OEM_FAQ.htm

 

I wasn't blaming you in any way. I get why they are the way they are and I know how it all works. I owned a Ferrari for years and it's also very common to be able, even for an older car like mine was, to find parts from the same manufacturer just not in the pretty yellow box with horsies on it for a LOT less. I understand it and you are simply offering both options. Nothing wrong with that. In fact while I was there looking stuff up I ordered a couple things from you. Keep up the great work. Without places like yours, being a DIY enthusiast like me would not only be a lot harder but it would be much more expensive!!

 

Happy to hear we have been helpful for your projects and if you ever need anything please do not hesitate to shoot me a PM.