2003blacktl

This may be the dumbest question. My left headlight flickers for a few seconds and then goes out. The dealer quoted me $900 to replace the igniter inverter. Is this the same thing as the ballast? I am going to find one online and have someone else fix it for a tenth of the price. I just want to make sure that the igniter inverter (or inverter igniter, can't remember which) and the ballast are the same thing. From what I have read it sounds like ballast is just a simpler way of saying igniter inverter. I don't know, I am an idiot when it comes to electronic stuff.

01tl4tl

first thing you need to do is swap the bulbs left to right and see if it continues
Could just be a bulb failure- many of us with gen2 have already had to replace them
ballast is one part- ignitor is another
Always get a 2nd opinion- like from an electrical specialty shop on repairs

Has there been moisture inside the headlight lens? thats what kills ballast

2003blacktl

Ya there is moisture in the headlight. I have a new housing also. Both the high and low beam on the "wet" light stopped working on the same day. The dealer swapped them to the other side and they still work. So should I buy a new ballast or is it the igniter? Or both? Dealer said something about the igniter inverter or something like that.

grip

ebay...good place to get ballast's and ignitor's.

i picked up a brand new oem ballast for $189 shipped

2003blacktl

I found one at http://www.xtralights.com/index.asp?...ROD&ProdID=248 for $130. I am still looking around. I don't want to accidentally get a crap product.

grip

thats why i got an oem ballast.

if you type in "02 acura tl" in the ebay search, on the left side youll see different categories to choose from, choose the lighting category, inside there youll find a bunch of oem ballasts with or without ignitor's, and ignitors for sale....they are all usually from the same vendor, with a great ebay feedback...he sells slightly used ones too if you cant afford a brand new one.

2003blacktl

Thanks for the info. I will have to check it out.

dammitjim

According to Acura, the ballast is the metal box that is under the headlight. The igniter is the connector that goes from the ballast to the bulb. I replaced my ballast because I got water in the headlight, but bought ballast + igniter. Let me know if you need the igniter... I have a 2003 TL-S.
Good luck!

HIDStuff

The dealer term "Igniter Inverter" is another name for ballast. DammitJim nailed the parts description. When you do get a new one, seal the hell out of it with clear silicone caulk once you get the connections in place. It'll save you money and grief next time.

dlp

It seems to me that the TL version will also work on the CL. Anyone know the TL part number? The CL part number is 33144-s3m-a01. My CL '01 ballast needs replacing. I see lots of TL ones on eBay...

Thanks!

9932

iTrader: (1)

the only guy who actually answered the mans direct question without giving him advice he could have found in any other thread about headlights

dammitjim

2003blacktl

So I replaced my ballast and igniter about 3 weeks ago and everything worked great. Just today, I got in my car a turned my lights on and the side with the new ballast takes about 2 seconds to turn on and then it is puple/pink. There is no flickering this time like before when my ballast went bad. Just pink/purple light that takes a second to turn on. What is going on? Is this a bad ballast again? I used an OEM replacement. Is it the bulb going bad? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

9932

iTrader: (1)

did you try the other bulb with the new ballast/igniter?

PeteTLS

mini-hijack, but related - am I reading correctly that if mmoisture is in the lamp, it's a ballast issue? My left HID is out - no fading, or intermittent stuff, just on one day, off the next - and my first thought is the bulb, but I know just enough to know that's not necessarily the case. I've tried searching here, but can't find a how-to on changing the bulb. I was going to swap bulbs from side to side and see if the same side was still out (indicating ballast/igniter/whatever), or if the right side was then out, indicating bulb. Do I have to pull the bumper to swap the bulbs?

PeteTLS

ok, so I gave it a shot last night, and got the bulbs swapped, and yes, it is the bulb. I did notice when I put the good bulb into the left side that has been out for a while, there was about a half second where it was purple before it was all the way on. Is that an indicator of a dying ballast?

Frank03

how did u get the access to the bulbs, my drivers side bulb is out and with the battery and air filter in the way, it's pretty hard to get at.
my daytime running light also stopped working a while back, changed a bulb but stopped again shortly thereafter.
aany hep would be appreciated.

slam_w2k

My driver side bulb is out as well. I have condensation in the left headlight. The fuse blow, I changed the fuse the high beam work but not the low beam. After tuning the headlight on, the second time, the fuse blew again. My friend help me try to get to the drivers side bulb, but am having the same difficultly as Frank03. There are no moisture near the ballast, so I am hoping is just the bulb. I am ordering a d2r will be replacing it next week. Any advise would help. Thanks.

Frank03

I brught it to midas, needed a ball joint replaced, so I let them change the bulb as well, $170.00 for the bulb and $27.00 for the labour. Would have tried it myself but its cold here in Toronto.

blackout40

frank, you have to remove the bumper cover (some screws and clips on the side and underneath) and take off the metal bar in front of the headlights that goes all the way across, and then unscrew the whole headlight assembly and pull it out. it is kind of a pain the first time, but it's really not that bad. hopefully this helps

slam_w2k

blackout40,

I just replaced the bulb on my 03 tl driver side. Now my fuse is blown (20A, left front lamp). I think my ballast is dead due to condensation in side the lamp. Do I have to take off the bumper to replace the ballast? or can I get in from below? Do you have instruction on taking off the bumper? Thanks!

spiro

Yes. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/184466/18

spiro

Pull the bumper cover, take the light off. Thats how I do it!

AZN.M3NACE

900$ to replace all of that?! that is how much ACURA OF LYNNWOOD were going to charge me. but i said, screw it, ill do it myself.