Intermittent HID issue

[Bishop]

To go along with my intermittent fog issue, I'm developing an intermittent HID issue. Both seem to be driver side if that matters.

Again, like the last thread, I don't have much electrical experience / expertise, so I'm turning to r3v.

Every once in a while the driver side doesn't fire. The pass. works, and when i just cycle the lights again they both turn on. Any ideas? I read on bimmerforums someone with an e34 I think? had a similar issue and someone suggested a DDM harness for wiring.

[EA8]

does the 'low beam' light turn on in your check panel? ... I am not sure on the exact details but I think that its normal ... Cheers

[Bishop]

When the driver side does not fire, it does trip the check panel.

[E30Nova]

Swap the ballast from the driver's side to the passenger's side and vice versa. If the problem switches sides, you have a faulty ballast.

I had the same problem so I swapped the ballasts and the problem switched sides. Sent it back to the vendor and got a replacement and have been fine ever since.

Matt

[Bishop]

Thx matt, ill try that

[Alkasquawlik]

This happens on my car.
It's the passenger side HID, sometimes it'll turn on, and sometimes it won't. And when it doesn't, the low beam light on my check panel lights up.
WTF?

[tecks2k]

Yep same here .. but I think it has to do with low voltage going to the light. I've seen this issue on some of my other cars. I've also noticed this only happens to me when the car has sat for a long period of time, like overnight. So i'll actually give the car a little rev and turn the lights on at the same time when the car is generating a little more current. Though it could be a total fluke.

[Bishop]

Does the rev help? It sounds simple enough and I wouldn't mind doing it cause it does seem mine only does it after it sits over night or something..... I'm not too stressed about it, but my fog light is driving me nuts.

[tecks2k]

It's been working on mine so far. I'm holding the rev at about 1500-1800. Every since i've been doing that, I haven't had this issue. Also i've noticed this since it has started getting colder, which also probably isn't helping the low voltage issue. It annoys the shit out of me if I ever have a light on my check panel. As for the fog light, that would really piss me off. Can you turn them off then back on, and get the same result as you do with your low beams?

[Bishop]

Well I don't know lol.... The damn button is jammed all the way in so I have fogs whether I like it or not (would rather remove altogether and put in the blank panels....) As soon as I can get it un-stuck and to a point where I can toggle them I'll test and see.

[Alkasquawlik]

I took my car out 3 times tonight.
First time, I didn't do anything and my passenger side light was out.
Second time, I gave it a minor rev and my driver side light was out, but the passenger one came on.
Third time, I gave it a pretty decent rev as I turned the lights on (~2k RPMs) and both lights came on.
I will experiment more with this and report back lol

[EA8]

a simple cycling of the lights usually fixes the problem for me ... cheers

[Bishop]

It fixes it for me I just don't wanna cause any unnecessary damage to the ballasts. I heard you're not really supposed to cycle them.

This morning w/ about a 1800rev. the lights came on first try.

[SickE30]

Having the same problem myself. I have swtiched my HID's from driver side to passenger and they only work on the passenger side. But randomly like once every 4 months random the driver side fires up for the drive home. It's bizarre, I probably have a loose butt connection. I used to have sealed beams and switched to ellips. Anyone else get to the bottom of their problem yet?

[StereoInstaller1]

Ben, find your main ground point. Loosen it, squirt some contact cleaner in between the different grounds and re-tighten...maybe working them back and forth.

Can't hurt to have clean grounds, right?

I will spend a few minutes in the etm AND SEE IF THERE IS A COMMON DENOMINATOR BESIDES THE GROUND IN THE LEFT SIDE.

goddamn capslock...