The driverside HID light does not come on at all. the passenger side works fine. When the stick is in low position both brights and the pass HID bulb is on. In high position only the pass HID bulb is on. Is this some sort of failsafe in the even a HID bulb dies? The car is a 2005 with 230k miles is it common for the bulb to just die? I know many HIDs just turn purple from age but still light up.

Also what is the best method to change the bulb. Does it take long to take the bumper cover of is it worth it or should I try under the fender looks like a tight squeeze.

I am hoping its not a bad ballast etc.

 

It could be a bad ballast, igniter, or simply a bulb.

To test if it's the bulb just simply swap the good passenger bulb to the drivers side. If it lights up on the drivers side than your driver side ballast and igniter is OK and the bulb is bad.

If it doesn't light up than you either have a dead ballast or need a new igniter.

I prefer removing the bumper and unmounting the headlights from the car to change the headlight bulbs. Sounds more time consuming but I've done it many times so I'm used to it.

Other people have been successful changing the headlight bulb by reaching through the fender liner / wheel well area but I don't see how. You can't see anything and it's such a tight space.

And you got to think about it this way.. Your car is 9 years old and has 230,000 miles. That's a lot of run time for the headlights. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a dead bulb. 230K on a original bulb is quite a achievement lol.

 

I pulled the car in the garage tonight and I did notice when I turn on the headlights the dvr side HID flickers on then right off within a second of turning the switch to on so it could be anything. I don't have a jack stand so is it possible to remove the front bumper without jacking up the front of the car?

 

Look like the bulb is on the way out, it happened in my is300.