So whoever owned my '00 TL before me apparently converted it to halogen. And the screwed the wiring up or something.

I ordered an HID kit from HIDExtra.com. I received it today. I pulled my bumper off. I pulled the first assembly out. What the...? No ballast in sight. Driver's side ... same thing.

The wires for the hi-beam are spliced into the wires for the lo-beams. Before today, if I turned the brights on, the lo-beams would stay on, too. So I figured that much ahead of time.

Did someone seriously screw up? Or can that be easily fixed and converted back to HID using the 5000K kit? I still have the kit. I don't plan to send it back -- I expected HID.

If reverting to HID is possible, what would it take? The main power connector still runs to the assembly. I'm just confused on the wiring for the hi/lo bulbs.

 

They don't even make Halogen Bulbs in D2R Socket? How the hell does the Halogen Bulb stays in place?


You need to locate the Original Ballast 12v Source as a Splice from the High Beams is wrong and it will overload that wire. Once you located the Stock HID Ballast 12v Source it should be straightforward.

 

My thoughts exactly! It looks to me like they modified the headlight to hold a halogen bulb. There's a springy metal clip that holds it in place. Is that normal, or no?

 

Yes! The D2R Bulb is hold in place by the metal clip..

 

Alright, great! Haha. Now I know they didn't go *that* crazy.

Oh, get this!

The halogen bulb on the driver's side was a 9005 (same as factory hi-beam).

And


The LO BEAM on the passenger's side didn't even match! It was a 9006! The connectors are even different

 

Seems to me someone was going to upgrade their HID system then it sold the car so the new owner had to improvise haha..

 

In any case you are looking for a Stock 12v Connector somewhere lost below the Headlight Area.. Its a Small white or gray connector about an inch or 2 wide. Once you located that connector use a Volt-e-meter and check for a 12v source when you turn on your headlights.. Then just splice or cut those wires and connect directly to your new aftermarket Ballast! Easy as that.

 

As in the gray connector that plugs into the assembly so that the assembly has power? There was a gray connector like that for each assembly.

 

Nevermind, I believe I'm thinking of the wrong connector? Do yoi have an image (or link to one) of the lead? I can't seem to find a pic.

 

The connector should come from the car itself.. its pretty obvious since it isn't a standard Halogen Bulb connector like the High Beam light connector which is 9005 OEM. The Connector I'm talking about its small and since there isn't any ballast to plug its should be just laying around disconnected.


You should have 4 different wires for the Main Headlights
2x 9005 Standard Plugs (High Beams)
2x Honda OEM HID Ballast Plugs (Low Beams)


Right now your is connected to the high beams right?
so its 2x 9005 going to both High Beams and Low Beams Right?
The 2x Honda OEM HID Plugs should not be connected to anything since there isn't any ballasts.

 

Didn't found our specific connector but this pic should give a hint of what your looking for:

 

Yes, the wires for both hi and lo are spliced together, not connected to separate sources. So what should go to the lo-beams should be disconnected and hanging around?

 

Ah, okay. Well maybe this weekend when I have time I'll check it out. I put it all back together this evening because I gotta work in the AM. Haha. I'll keep in touch and we'll go from there.

 

Ohh wait so the Low Beams and High Beams are connected to each other?? DAMN That's a nasty job!!


Well you need to separate the wires and leave each other to their own purpose as the HID Specific wires are Fused to a higher fuse than the High Beams, also the wires are a little big bigger in AWG Rating.


Use a Volt-e-meter and found what wire does what keeping in mind they should come from a specific wire loom so High Beams are separated from the HID Wires.

 

Haha, yeah. Idiots! I'll look this weekend. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for the input!

 

Here is the wiring for the 99-01 headlight

 

^^^ Nothing can compare to a detailed "FSM" schematic diagram to sort out your HID wiring !!!

 

Chances are that the low and hogh beam are only spliced together for ground. If they were for power, they would both be on all the time. (power doesn't know which bulb needs to be on, it would go to both bulbs). If you have a separate wire going to the high and low, those would be your hot (+12V) wires. Now follow me here, I am new to the TL world, and they may run hot (+12V) to both and switch with ground, however; it doesn't matter. You can use a double pull, double throw relay, found at your nearby auto supply store for about $10. It would be hard for me to tell you how to wire it, but it is very easy, you can google it or Youtube probably has a few vids of it. You will need to run a fused wire off of your battery, and use the signal wire from your low beams to engage the relay when you turn your low beams on. The relay would them send power to your ballast which in turn will ignite your bulbs. If you need any further help, just IM me...

 

Thank you all for the input. This is essentially what the wiring looked like:



EDIT:

The purple circles are where the wires are tied together using some sort of plastic wire cap.

 

If you can get a multimeter or a 12V test light, ground the test light or the multimeter to ground (battery would be best) and then probe the low beam wires for hot (+12V) when turned on. That will be the wire that you will use to switch the relay for the aftermarket ballast. That will be the ONLY wire you will need. If it turns on and off with your headlight switch, that will be your trigger wire. The other 2 wires for the relay will be to ground or from your fused battery cable (that you will add). The trigger wire will go to the #85 pin, you will ground #86. The fused wire from your battery will go to #30 and the #87 (output when triggered) will go to the +12V on your ballasts. You will also ground your ballasts. (this on a traditional Bosch DPDT 12V relay). As long as you have good grounds, and you follow these instructions, your light kit will work. (you will need to connect the output from your ballast to your bulbs...)

 

Do I need to go with the relay and all that? Or should I be able to go with what Skirmich was saying, about finding the original 12V ballast lead?

 

You can do either. The way I described should be the safest, considering you didn't have the history of the issues with the reason they went to halogen in the first place. It may have been a cost issue, or an electrical one. Using a direct fused power source on a isolated relay will guarantee the current drain on the OEM wiring will only be enough to trip the relay (maybe a few hundred milliamps). Connecting the ballast directly up to the factory wire will put a substantially larger drain on the wire (10+ amps), and may cause old issues to come back (if there are electrical issues with the headlight wiring). If you don't have the ability to test the wires, I would recommend buying a cheap multimeter from Radio Shack or Harbor Freight. Its a tool that will easily pay for itself in convenience over the years. Shouldn't cost more than $10-20 for a cheap one.

 

Getting my hands on a multimeter won't be a problem. I used to have one, but lost it. However, my dad has a few different ones. I'll look into it this weekend. I'll come back and post and/or PM you if I have any questions. I appreciate the input.

 

Anytime. If you need any help at all, just inbox me. I have only been on this forum for a few weeks (when I bought my TL), but I have built a LOT of Honda's in the past (too many to list) including complete engine and tranny swaps (including custom wiring the ECUs with the original harness on the donor vehicles), and have worked in the automotive 12V industry forever. I may not know everything (I am always learning), but am happy to share what I know with anyone who needs the info...

 

Sounds good to me. I too signed up fairly recently, shortly after I purchased my TL. I've never owned a Honda, and never owned an Acura until now. I've loved it so far though.

 

So, your high beams and low beams are both always on when you turn the headlights on?

 

I don't think his are...he will need to isolate the +12V low beam trigger...should be easy enough...

 

For those who have been reading my posts, I have more info. First, somehow I popped a fuse yesterday when I was replacing what are currently halogen bulbs in my TL. Replaced It today, I have working hi-beams. One lo-beams works (passenger). Driver side does not because I left it disconnected yesterday.

Instead of temporarily wiring the halogen for the driver's side, I wamt to go ahead with the HID installation.

I found this post:

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-cl-2001-2003-50/diy-ballast-oem-aftermarket-conversion-716617/

In the 4th image, you see the cable that runs from the main power connector to the ballast? Is that the 12V BALLAST LEAD?

If so, I know where they are. Thats the wire that runs from my main power connector socket on the HL to the lo-beam, which has the hi-beam spliced in as well. If that's the lead, I can undo those and connect it instead to the HIDExtra ballast. And I should be set!

 

Just realized the post was moved. Haha. Sorry.