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How to tell if headlight bulb needs replaced, or its something else?
The drivers side low beam headlight started dropping out intermittently now is completely out, but works ok when the high beams are on. An aftermarket replacement bulb goes for around $100 and dealers want about $146 for it. (It's #9 on this microfiche diagram: https://www.acuraoemparts.com/auto-p...headlight-scat).
Holy @#$! I'm on a budget and don't want to spend that much just to experiment when maybe there's a fuse problem or a short. Also, I'd like to replace both left & right bulbs at the same time if its the bulb. Does this sound like a bulb replacement is the fix? |
Could be the bulb, but it's probably not. When bulbs go out, they usually work until they don't. They don't work intermittently and slowly die. In your case, considering the symptoms, it's probably the ballast. Unfortunately, a new ballast is even more expensive than the bulb.
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You need to swap bulbs from the other headlight. If the same problem happens on the same side your ballast is bad (inverter #13 on that diagram). But don't buy OEM they're $$. Search here, there's a thread on aftermarket replacements.
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Kensun HID
Bulbs $23 HID conversation kit $54, 2 yr warranty. However, I would prefer OEM HID Inverter. Even if it's used. |
The aftermarket solutions are definitely cheaper than buying a new OEM replacement for your ballast, but it does involve some mod work so depending on how much work you wanna do, it may or may not be worth it.
I replaced my ballast recently with a used OEM one that I bought from a guy for $60 on the black market section of this site. It works flawlessly. I would probably go that route before messing with a potentially dodgy universal aftermarket solution. |
thanks all, for your replies
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What are the signs of a failing inverter? Do they start to flicker?
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Ya mine would flicker, also I had to turn the lights on and off a bunch of times for them to stay on.
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Ballast location.
If you don’t know where the ballasts are then here’s how you get to them. Yes.. you have to take the whole front bumper skin off and te trim piece that’s on top of the core support and the lower u see skirting under the car. Then you can get to the bolts that hold the headlights on and the ballasts are under each headlight housing. The reason they go out is because of condensation gets in the circuitry then it drips off the headlight housing and into the rubber insulation once it gets old and starts to crack apart. It’s so much easier to replace it with an oem part that it is to install a $60 kit from amazon. But in the long run, the replacement bulbs are cheaper and you can mount the new controllers up and out of the way so water doesn’t get in them as easily as the oem ones do. I’ve looked this up so you can use this little nugget of info to help you get the right lights. 6000k is as bright as you’ll get, anything higher, like 8000k or 10,000k lights only change the color of the light but doesn’t get any brighter. A good one to get is either 5000 or 6000k. I have the 6000k on my 01 and I like them but it doesn’t really show the road all that much as I thought they would. So hope that helps. |
over the weekend, replaced driver+passenger low beams + ballasts with this
Innovited AC 35W HID Xenon Conversion Kit - D2S D2R D2C - 5000K around 45 bucks on amazon working ok after 2 days :boogie: should have done a more thorough seal on the bottom opening |
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