Xenon HID problem

[kreh]

Xenon light problems

Friends,

I have xenon headlamps on my NSX and when I turn the lights on, the low beams don't always work. The right one seems to be off at this point and won't light. Seems like it might be poor connections somewhere.

Any experience/advice in this area?

 

[vtecNSX1]

Re: Xenon light problems

I had the same problem with mine for a while and it turns out it was the ground. I guess its hard to find a good ground since the car is aluminum.

 

[Acura NsX Pilot]

Re: Xenon light problems

Friends,

I have xenon headlamps on my NSX and when I turn the lights on, the low beams don't always work. The right one seems to be off at this point and won't light. Seems like it might be poor connections somewhere.

Any experience/advice in this area?

I just want to be sure what we are talking about here?

A HID xenon headlamp or a Halogen Xenon look headlamp ?

 

[kreh]

Re: Xenon light problems

Guys,

This is a Xenon headlamp, not halogen.

The poor ground seems plausible. How do I ground the circuit better? What was your fix?

 

[kreh]

Re: Xenon light problems

Does the balast box need to be mounted to a grounded surface? Mine has double sided tape between the box and the light structure.

 

[kreh]

Friends,

I have xenon headlamps on my NSX and when I turn the lights on, the low beams don't always work. The right one seems to be off at this point and won't light. Seems like it might be poor connections somewhere.

The balast is mounted to the headlight frame with doublesided tape between it and ground. Is this okay?

Any experience/advice in this area?

 

[Acura NsX Pilot]

Friends,

I have xenon headlamps on my NSX and when I turn the lights on, the low beams don't always work. The right one seems to be off at this point and won't light. Seems like it might be poor connections somewhere.

The balast is mounted to the headlight frame with doublesided tape between it and ground. Is this okay?

Any experience/advice in this area?

I have mine mounted to the headlight frame as well and IMO it should be OK.
I would check your connections and if you have a two part ballast where the ignitor/starter is seperate from the main ballast. The ignitor/starter could have gone bad, also I would check the lamp by switiching to the side where the HID set up works. I hope this helps .......good luck.

I know you are tryin to get this problem resolved but I would refrain from making double post about the same thing.

 

[kreh]

Thanks

Have you had any problems with the buld connectors or wires? Do you use connectors or did you solder the wires?

 

[Russ]

Yes, check all the connectors. I had the same problem and it turned out one of the crimps was faulty, and the corresponding wire had gotten charred as a result. Problem solved by carefully uncrimping, cleaning, recrimping and soldering the connector.

Doublesided tape should not matter electrically since the ballast doesn't need to ground through its case. Mechanically, I would reinforce the tape by tie-wrapping the ballast in place, or by some other physicial means of retention.

 

[kreh]

Russ,

Thanks,

Are there any specific connections you recommend I check?

I appreciate your response.

 

[Acura NsX Pilot]

Thanks

Have you had any problems with the buld connectors or wires? Do you use connectors or did you solder the wires?

I did not want to chance a faulty connection so I soldered my connections directly to the wires and then taped over them with electrical tape. I also used silicon where I felt water might be able to infiltrate the ballast. I have a Phillips HID kit and have had no problems in the 7 years which I installed it. My ballast is not grounded just in case if you are wondering it is secured in the same manor as Russ stated.

Are there any specific connections you recommend I check?

I would check all the connections starting with the ones that are easiest to get to.

 

[Malibu Rapper]

Re: Xenon light problems

Does the balast box need to be mounted to a grounded surface? Mine has double sided tape between the box and the light structure.

No it should not. One thing you should definitely check is the relay if your units have it. It's an very inexpensive part that failed on mine. I used to get this really rapid, I mean really fast clicking sound sometimes when I turned on my headlights. Then sometimes the light didn't fire up. I replaced the OSRAM relay with a Potter and Brumfeld relay and it's been fixed every since.

 

[Russ]

Russ,

Thanks,

Are there any specific connections you recommend I check?

I appreciate your response.

In my case it was the 2 pin white connector between the car's wire harness to the ballast. I may have a pic I can post when I get home tonight. Mine was an SoS kit so your connector color may differ.

Glad to help - good luck.

 

[kreh]

Re: Xenon light problems

You may be right about the relay. I redid some of the wiring connections and that didn't fix it. Then when I turned the lights on again, they worked. The relay is suspect.

Kim

 

[supra2nv]

Re: Xenon light problems

do relays go out intermittently? i thought if they go bad then then would not work at all?

I emailed autolamps-online for you kim and they should help.

Jack

 

[1HOT NSX]

Re: Xenon light problems

It is most likely, almost sure, a bad ground connection on the side failing to light up. My ohm meter was saying I had a good ground when I didn't at installation time. I used emery cloth to sand down the areas where ground cables had to be attached and I finally got a good ground after the second try - I've had no problems since. Good luck.

 

[kreh]

Re: Xenon light problems

1 HOT NSX

Thanks. Hey is there actually a separate ground wire for these lights attached to the headlight frame? That's a good lead and I will check that out.

 

[1HOT NSX]

Re: Xenon light problems

If you are using the Xenon Depot kit, one of the wires coming out of the ballast is supposed to be grounded. That's the one that gave me trouble. I installed my ballasts in the cavity behind the light fixture under the bracket that supports the door. I have a couple of pictures to show you. E-mail me and I'll attach the picture for you - I'm pretty bad at posting pictures here.

 

[supra2nv]

Re: Xenon light problems

If you are using the Xenon Depot kit, one of the wires coming out of the ballast is supposed to be grounded. That's the one that gave me trouble. I installed my ballasts in the cavity behind the light fixture under the bracket that supports the door. I have a couple of pictures to show you. E-mail me and I'll attach the picture for you - I'm pretty bad at posting pictures here.

it is the Autolamps kit.