HID fail on W210 1998.

[Mikeyboy]

Hello, the nearside main headlight on my E300TD momentarily comes on then goes off when I switch the lights on.

It is just an instantaneous flash then nowt.

I (carefully) removed the lamp is a 35w Philips type and the centre of the arc bulb does look blown...ie, not clear.

Are these the symptoms of a blown bulb or is it the control gear?

I would be very grateful for any advice.

 

[prc]

Bulbs that are on there way out tend to light up as blue (no real light just very blue output like those very cheap HID "like" bulbs) or red, so Probably the control unit.
You can always try swapping bulb from the other side to see if it lights up.

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
When the xenon failled on my 43 i had the same sympton as you have.
Mine turned out to be the bulb, swap the bulbs from one side to the other to prove it.
New bulbs are about £80 each from MB etc. but you can get them for less than £20 a pair with free P&P off of e-bay and they are of good quality i have had them in my car for the last six months, it is recommended to replace as pairs otherwise the new one can be a different colour to the old one through age even if the new bulb is the same colour temp, the OEM colour temp is 4300K.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Good info, many thanks.

I did just swap them over and have a word of warning...ensure to put the duff bulb in the other lampholder when swapping over as there was a ferrocious arc when I turned the lights on from the empty lampholder!

When I swapped I found the fault had gone to the other side and therefore it must the bulb.

It was a duff blue colour before it went, actually.

Again, many thanks.