C Class 2012 (W204) Passenger Headlight issue

[dad4geer]

My passenger side headlight was not working. Indicator was fine. Merc Specialist came today as my car was due service and MOT due in three weeks. Can't go for MOT as light is not working.
We tried the Eurocar part OSRAM bulb as we thought it is the bulb which has gone but no it didn't work. He then swapped the driver's side bulb (working) to passenger side and it didn't work either!
This was bad news for me! As we noticed there is some steam/water inside headlight he broke the dreaded news that the controller units have def gone so now I have to but new controller units and the headlamp!
He just sent me the OEM part numbers and their cost as follows:

LAMP UNIT A 204 820 37 39 £688
CONTROL UNIT A 218 900 91 03 £259
CONTROL UNIT A 166 900 28 00 65 £292

A total of staggering £1486.80 including VAT!!!

I cannot even imagine that just a headlight will cost this.

I searched ebay and found the control units and they are saying guranteed it will work with my model C 180 BlueEff W204 2012 model

A2189009103 LED Turnlight Control Module For Benz W204 C class 2012-2014 HG | eBay

Manufacturer Part Number:A2189009103, A2189000002, A2189009901. Other Part Number: A2189009103. HID Xenon Headlight TMS Driver Module 63117355073 For BMW 5 Series F11 14-16. 2x DRL LED Module 63117343876 Fit for BMW 5 Series F10 F11 LCI 2014-2016 A9.

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Mercedes Benz A Class B C CLA GLA SLK SL Xenon HID Headlight Ballast Control | eBay

Ford Focus MK2 2004-2012 For Bonnet Release Lock Latch Catch Repair Set 1355231. Fits left and right hand side Headlight units. 1x Xenon Headlight Ballast Unit. Seat Tilt Handle Front Right Side 1417522 For 2002-08 FORD FIESTA MK6 VI 3 Door.

shorturl.at

Both parts are very cheap, one is £47 and the other is £29 compared the OEM price

My worry is that will this work? if this works I will save so much! Has anyone tried controller units from ebay for their headlights? Please advise.

Thanks

 

[markjay]

I have to say that is sounds odd that you need a complete replacement HID headlamp and two HID control modules - seems unlikely that all 3 components failed at the same time?

 

[dad4geer]

I have to say that is sounds odd that you need a complete replacement HID headlamp and two HID control modules - seems unlikely that all 3 components failed at the same time?

this is what my Merc specialist is telling me! he said if the water has gone in that means both controller units are gone! the headlamp unit we need because if he puts the controller units in current headlamp then it means the water will come again and blow the controllers again (he suspects there is some tiny opening in current headlamp unit which caused it to steam up / Water inside) . This is why we need new headlamp (sealed) so the new controllers stay safe! this is what I understand from his conversation and I dont know how this all works hence my query :-(

 

[dad4geer]

The query was that has anyone used these controllers off ebay and did they work i.e. SCN coding/star etc.

 

[dad4geer]

I thought to give an update here for someone who run into same situation as me.
I went with the two parts above from ebay. Both cheap and cheerful so I thought to save me some bucks and try my luck.
I, however, bought an almost new (OEM) Headlight unit from ebay taken out from a model same as me for about £385 while the new OEM was about £800. It was the last available piece and it took me some time to find this part on ebay.

Pardon our interruption...

The Merc specialist came today to get this all fixed and working as I had all the parts. He took the light out and inserted the two Control units in the new headlamp and got all connected (see picture below with ebay controllers fitted). The old headlight had water in it and the technician confirmed that this water may have damanged the controller units hence the light was not working. Anyways, before getting the new light all fixed he asked me to check if the lights are coming on. I turned on the car and the headlights and Bingo the light came on. No warning lights on the dashboard either! I was over the moon as I managed to save a lot of money on the controller units. He then fixed the light but the alignment was not coming as good as the drivers side headlight. He spent another 20-25 minutes to fine tune the alignment. Once all set he lowered the car from the jack, covered all the grills etc. and was preparing to wrap up. I then asked him to turn the car back on and let us have a look how the lights are looking. He turned the car on and the headlights and the car gone back to one-eyed bandit. I told him the passeger light is not coming on and he was like "are you having a laugh?" I said no it is not coming on. He desperately came out of the car and saw the headlight which he just fixed gone back to what it was. He spent nearly hour and a half to get all this fitted and it was working but now stopped working.

He ran some debugs and codes but could not find anything. The dashboard has now started to throw that warning error again.
We both were very frustrated but because my MOT is due this week he had no choice then to get back to business and see why it stopped working after we made it work.
He put the car on jack, unscrewed everything, the alignment gone to waste too, took the headlamp out and decided to check the Original controllers which we chucked in the box to throw away. So the situation is that we now have a new headlamp (OEM) and two ebay controllers fitted and the light is not working. He first took out the Ballast controller (ebay) and fixed the old Original Ballast back. Turned the lights on, not working. He then asked me to pass him the old Control/turnlight module and he then fitted it back. I turned the lights back on and Wohooo the light is on and working! So it seems like both ebay controllers were pile of horse s* and my old controllers were all good and the fault was somehow with the headlamp unit. He suspects that while it is very unusual, the water actually damaged somethng in the headlamp unit and therefore even though both CUs were fine the light was not working and now when we put the same old CUs in a new headlamp it all started to work.

Take home point - don't waste your time on cheap ebay parts as you may run into situations like this.
Also, when it comes to headlight issue, don't underestmate your old OEM controller units as in my case even though headlight had water in it, the CUs were doing their job!
Hope this helps someone who may run into situation like this.

 

[Gollom]

Thanks for taking the time and trouble to write the situation up. This is what helps to make this forum the best!