blue_devil_dtx

Hey everyone. SO I have this one problem that has been a bit ongoing...here is what happens...

@ first, the passenger low beam light would turn from the white to a darker blue, then finally to a purple...
Then, it would start to flicker continuously...
Then finally, it flickers when I start my car then it just dies.
The high beam does not work at this time either for passenger side.

Question is...are the high beam and the low beam connected in any way? Ex: if high is out the low will be out also?
Does this mean it is a bad bulb? Or is this a bad ballast? or a combination of the two?

Need some help. I plan on going through HIDextra.com to get the bulbs and all. but didnt know if I should opt for a new ballast as well....

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks..


-Joe

A.Liang1992

I had the same problem with my 08 tl type s except mine didnt change Colours. First I was told by a mechanic that it was the ballast but then I switched my passenger side bulb with my driver side bulb that had no problem and the driver side started flickering. So I'm guessing it's the bulb

little brad

If the bulb ignites at all, the ballast should be fine. The problem is likely the bulb.

Also, our cars have a bi-xenon configuration for the high and low beams, meaning that it is one bulb for both high and low, but a physical barrier blocks a portion of the beam when in low beam mode. When you flip the switch for the high beam, that barrier physically moves out of the way to allow the beam to travel higher up.

So, to answer your question, yes, if the low doesn't work, neither does the high.

Good luck!

mp3car

I would also suspect the bulb... specifically because it's changing color abnormally... technically, certain things in the ballast "could" cause color changes, but my guess is the bulb. You could always do what A.Liang1992 did and switch sides...

nate_0022

iTrader: (2)

You only need bulbs, then you should be good to go. This issue has been brought up a few times the last few weeks. This is a pre warning aka pink eye to replace bulbs ASAP.

Top of the line bulbs right now. Do it right the first time.

Philips 85122+
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/product_info.php?products_id=148

Osram 66240 CBI
http://www.motivemods.com/OSRAM-Cool-Blue-Intense-Xenarc-p/osr-cbi-d2s.htm

A.Liang1992

Just dont order from ddmtuning.com they take a long time to ship.

blue_devil_dtx

thyanks guys. i went ahead and ordered new lights got them in two days from hidextra.com and they got here quick. well as ive seen, some models had the bi-xenon lights and mine were two seperate, d2r for the low beam and then 9006 for the high beams. direct fit replacements but were two pair. i thought it was odd too, but thats how its been. gunn atry and replace tonight or tomorrow sometime...been anxious about this, now have to find the diy for this...

csmeance

the 9006 bulb is the fog light bulb or DRL bulb! All 2004-2008 TL's have Bi-xenon headlights!

Thorin78

Good luck with the bulbs. Mine did the same in february, it turned purple but stayed on. I changed out the bulbs and everything was fine.

Now my passenger light will flicker and die. But sometimes it will turn on and keep on for a few minutes and then flicker and die. I'm not thinking it's the bulb though.

Anyone have suggestions?

ez12a

swap the bulb from the working side and see if it happens.

A.Liang1992

This might be a little late but in my opinion I think it's faster to go through the top than the wheel well. On the driver side just take out the battery and battery box.

Deerole

Ordered all by HIDs from them. their stuff is good and i never had a problem with shipping until this recent kit I just bought like 2 weeks ago...still not here :/

A.Liang1992

I ordered my ddmtuning kit on November 25th and haven't received it

blue_devil_dtx

wow crazy. thanks guys. i think i was confused myself about the bulbs too hah. well i ordered the 9006 which were the fog lights too as well as the d2r bulbs which were replacements. i confused myself by thinking they were the high and lows. well i am doing this this weekend for the switch out. ive read things can be accessed from top too. I dont know which way is better, but ill get it done one way or the other. yeah i ordered from hidextra.com and got it within 3 days including the ordered on date. they were fast and very well priced. i got the 8k color closer to white but small hint of blue in it.

thanks for all the input. will post some up soon. i finally paid off my car two weekends ago, so now its time to fix er up and all. in time she will be as i want her...lol

2 tone TL

hey guys im having the same issue with the flickering of the passenger side light on my 04 TL i bought new bulbs and it still does it. so my guess now would be the ballast..... any suggestions before i order a new one?

Elegant TYPE S

iTrader: (2)

This is not necessarily true. This is true for halogen bulbs but not HID. HID bulbs operate on a gas/chemical reaction sort of fire up and so its not an all or none phenomenon. Sometimes it can get it fired up but can't maintain the reaction, so therefore it will start flickering as its dying down and shut off.


Easiest way to diagnose your problem is to move the bulb. If the problem moves with the bulb, then you have your diagnosis. If it doesn't then its either 2 things..

1. Ignitor (Most Common)
2. Ballast

I would then take the headlamps off the car and switch the ignitors around and see if the problem follows the side that it was switched to. If it does then you have your diagnosis. If not then its your ballast.

This is how I would troubleshoot.

blue_devil_dtx

well guys, in my case, it was just the bulb. an hour and 15 minutes later...i have some awesome bright ass hids, 8k on my ride now. missed having the hids on onlym ive had to drive with the stock fog lights for a while...sucked... but anyways, it was easier to just take front bumper off instead of trying to squeeze my fat hands and fingers in the small space i had for movement and adjustments etc. its not that hard to get it done. just remove everything bumper wise, keep track of all the clips and bolts etc. wasnt too difficult once you got the bumper off.

2 tone TL

Hey guys i cant figure out if its the ignitor or the ballast.... the bulbs been replaced and it still flickers.. so im looking for the HID conversion d2s kit.. has anyone tried the plug and play one ?? if so whats your experience with it? and which kit do you guys recommend me to get? i need the whole kit with the ignitors as well,

blue_devil_dtx

ive not tried the kit. i ordered the d2r bulbs that pop on just like factory bulbs do. no problem at all. as for the kit, if you order it, just have to mount the new ballast somewhere and then hook up the riging etc, should be a sinch.

Elegant TYPE S

iTrader: (2)

Replacing your high quality OEM HID equipment with aftermarket HID parts is an absolute wrong move. Why not spend some time and diagnose your problem rather than just blindly buying parts..

Your problem to me looks like an ignitor problem and if you are savy with eBay.. it can be had for $15 to $20 bux. A few posts up is a simple way to diagnose this with some time.

louispt1

I noticed flickering on my 2005 TL, a couple of weeks ago, and then it stopped. About a week later the light was out, both high and low beams. I researched but read flickering was from the ballast, but it turned out it was just the bulb. My mechanic (not the dealership) was able to access the headlight without removing the bumper (which was also a big labor question), replaced the bulb, and now everything is working fine. He charged me $135 for the Phillips hid bulb, which I saw for $50 on Amazon, and $100 labor. But since I didn't know if it was bulb or ballast, and I wanted the car back quickly, I paid the extra. Plus, if it wasn't the bulb, my mechanic would have been able to return the bulb to his supplier. I decided on the easy, if not cheap way out.

Mhatano

thoiboi

They're on crack and have no idea what they're talking about..

D2S bulb.. one..

Mhatano

thoiboi

Did it discolor by any chance? usually bulbs dying = discoloration by turning pinker in hue.


It could very well be the ballast if not the bulb though.. Just buy two aftermarket bulbs https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2...to-xb-hid.html to rule out the bulb. $50 a pair. Sure beats $150 per at the dealer for an "OEM" one.


They should be replaced in pairs anyway so do both sides.

If it's still bad, then you can go to ballast or ignitor next.

Mhatano

thoiboi

Yeah but for $50 a pair, you might as well do both rather than spend $180 on one, ya see?

Mhatano

Mhatano

sorry one more question...so what is the difference of getting two OEM bulbs here https://www.theretrofitsource.com/hi...-d-series.html or buying a kit here https://www.hidextra.com/d2s-hid-kit-35w-55w/ . Is one cheaper in the long run? Especially if Im not sure if one of the ballasts or something else needs to be replaced?

thoiboi

SurfingScotty

Hi guys, I had noticed over the last several months that my pass side light would flicker occasionally shortly after start up, while ACCELERATING. It would quickly stop flickering and the light would stay on w/ no other issues.
Last night, the same thing only it started flickering like crazy at idle then died when I accelerated. I bought the bulbs new in 2011 and don't do much night driving.
Last year I had to replace the ballast after it shorted out after going through a really deep puddle at speed.
Is it normal for Philips bulbs to die after such little use?

SurfingScotty

Still waiting for a little help. Last night, pretty intense flickering then the bulb went out. I turned off the headlights for about 10 seconds then back on. Both sides turned on, stayed on with no flickering.

I cant drive around without a bumper for any period of time trying to diagnose the issue. I need to fix it in a day but can’t break the bank (going through a divorce).

Thanks in advance.

WDPanda

Bad bulbs usually start changing color. Not always but most of the time.
The not turning on can be either ballast or ignitor. You will have to swap the ignitors to see if the problem switches sides if not, swap ballasts. Do it sooner than later as it's harder to solve with more dying components. The screws holding the ballast are a PITA if rusted. Hit it with penetrating fluid before you round the screw heads.

SurfingScotty

Thanks for the reply!

Both HID’s have always fired up initially. The pass side will sometimes flicker but doesn’t always die. I replaced the ballast a couple years ago with a used OEM one. Im guessing that if it is the ballast, I’ll need to replaced the HID capsule “bulb” as well, right? Flickering can’t be good for the HID capsule.