Intermittent headlight problem....

[scottydee]

Ok, here goes - Please bear in mind that I'm new to MBs and have just got mine back from the dealer, who has been sorting some minor problems out. One of the problems was that the offside headlight was out (a minor thing?) when the car was delivered the light was out, despite having had assurances that it was sorted.

After switching off for a while the light came back on for a short while then went off again. The mechanic said that he'd fitted a new banister (that's what it sounded like he said!) and that maybe its the bulb.

Not sue of the exact type of headlight unit, but its xenon.

Has anyone else had any similar problems?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

It will be ballast that was changed. First fix dealer tried on mine. Then capsule (bulb). Required a replacement head unit @ £1k to fix it though which they said couldn't be the cause. They forced their own hand though as they damaged the self-levelling mechanism when replacing the capsule.

 

[scottydee]

Ballast! - of course (you should've heard his accent!) - any ideas on what's happening then? Could a new bulb solve it do you think?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Replacing the bulb (capsule) didn't work for mine. It was only after the head lamp unit itself was replaced that the problem went away. That said the ballast is a fair bit more than he capsule, and the headlamp is much more expensive than the ballast.

The capsule and ballast were done under the MB warranty. They wouldn't replace the headlamp though as not covered by warranty!? Howeve after they broke it they had no choice but to replace and MBUK and the dealer shared the cost. Problem ended.

Be aware that replacing capsules separately can lead to slight differences in colour in use.

 

[scottydee]

The dealer I got the car from assured me that it wold be sorted - I'll take it to a local specialist to find out what the actual problem is, then I know what's what!!

Dealer said the ballast has been replaced, so hopefully it can only be the capsule!
(Halfords quoted £89 for one! Ebay - £19.95 for two!)