A very noticeable difference difference between the first and 2nd generation Porsche 911 type 997 is the clear LED light units used on the 2nd generation in the front and rear light clusters. There is a way to upgrade your Gen.1 to the Gen.2 look. But it's not cheap and there are some pitfalls, let me shine a light on this...Gen.1: First generation 2004-2008 (nice)
Gen.1: Second generation 2008-2011 (very nice)
Taillights
Porsche redesigned the rear lights and upgraded to LED with the introduction of the Gen.2. Because of the change in shape the Gen.2 lights will not fit the Gen.1 997. The only way to fit these would be to replace your rear bumper with a Gen.2 version or have the body shop customize yours. If you go this route you will also need a software module to make the Gen2 lights work with the Gen1 system.
The other option is to use aftermarket LED taillights. There are many suppliers of these aftermarket units but they all come from the same factory in the Far-East. Prices range between € 350-500 euro. Beware of cheap sub € 200 knockoffs as they will throw error codes.
Installation is very straightforward and plug-and-play, just a philips screwdriver and the ability to open the engine lid is enough. Swap plugs and connectors and you are good to go. If you bought the correct units the fitment will be factory-like.
There is one issue with these lights. Google "Porsche 997 LED condensation" and you will get the picture. Yes, these lights have issues with condensation inside the light clusters. Will you get these condensation problems? Depends on many variables like climat, daily driver or garage queen etc and you may not have any problems at all. But it is a fact that these lights are more vulnerable to condensation than original Porsche units, something to keep in mind.
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| Left 997 Gen.2 Right 997 Gen.1 |
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| Aftermarket LED installed on the left |
Front Daylight Running Lights
Just like the rear you can also upgrade the front with LED Gen.2. look lights. We are just talking about the indcator/fog light units and not about the main headlights. There is a difference in shape and light pattern between Gen1 and Gen2 lights so Gen2 DRL do not fit the Gen1 bumper. The Gen2 has a Daytime Running light feature ( DRL ).
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| Generation 1 Front with regular indicators |
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| Generation 2 Front with factory LED DRL and indicators |
Buying and installing front LED DRL
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| Aftermarket DRL LED unit |
The aftermarket DRL units are offered by many suppliers. And yes, just like the taillights all units come from the same few asian factories with some cheaper versions available on the interweb as well. Prices range between € 350-500 euro for good quality units. Anything cheaper and you can expect trouble.
Installation is easy, a bit fiddly to get the old units out because the latch/clip that hold the lights can be hard to reach. Use a hard plastic card to unclip the units. The connectors should be plug and play. There are some video's on youtube for guidance.
DRL "behaviour"
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| Porsche 911 997 lightswitch |
For most versions this is what you get with just theaftermarket lights installed:
Light switch HOME: all lights OFF
Light switch in any ON position: headlights ON and DRL LED ON ( left on the photo )
Fog light ON: DRL LED ON , lower LED ON ( middle on the photo )
Indicator left/right: top LED will illuminate orange ( right on the photo )
Important note for EU drivers: The consequence of the above is that when you use your headlights in any other position than HOME the LED DRL strip will be illuminated ( left situation ). In most EU countries the LED DRL lights must either be off or dim when using driving lights ( the normal setting for nighttime driving ). To make the LED DRL strip DIM when the headlights are ON you will need to buy an extra module. Expect to pay around € 300-450 euro extra if you want to have this option.
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| Aftermarket LED DRL installed on a Gen1 997 |
Thank you for reading this article. This article is based on own research and installation of these lights on many customers' Porsche 911 997 cars. As with all my articles I do not claim to be 100% correct and welcome any comments or correction. Please contact me via email.
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