W211 E Class Xenon Headlight Problem

[ManJ]

Hello!

I have noticed that I get a malfunction warning for "Left Dipped Beam", this is my drivers side xenon bulb. Which is fine, but what seems to be troubling me is that it goes off then comes back on etc. So is this normal when a xenon bulb blows, or is it a short somewhere?

The car is a 2004 E Class, I have done 70,000 miles, if I need to change the bulb, how much and where would I get it from? Is it a bulb I can change myself?

Any comments welcome.

 

[vijilants]

Could be the controller or the bulb. If I were you id swap the bulbs around and see if the fault follows, just to make sure.

If it is the controller, they are quite expensive.

The bulbs are fairly easy to replace. You have to identify the type of bulb and the can be quite expensive depending on where you get them from. Ive found Ebay suppliers to be about the cheapest and that includes some people selling the Philips bulbs at less than half price.

I bought General Electric bulbs for about £50 for the pair.

 

[ManJ]

So they are as easy as changing the normal bulb are they?

 

[vijilants]

Yep,

They are just a bulb, nothing fancy. Just make sure you don't handle the glass

 

[ManJ]

Right, ive already hit a problem, I have disconnected the square black box on the back of the light, which has a green cable that goes into it, and the two connectors on the side is black and the plastic around them have melted, so think this is where they are shorting, the only problem is, I cannot get this back on, any pointers?

 

[mirras]

A couple of things....

Xenons use very high voltage, make sure there is no chance of power getting to the bulbs and more importantly YOU while you are changing them.

If I remember right the 'black box' has a safety feature that stops you putting it back on if the green cable is plugged in. Make sure the cable is not plugged in and turn the plastic ring back to allow the black box to fit back onto the back of the light unit then plug the green wire back in....

It's a long time since I did this but I put a pair of new bulbs in my 211 as one bulb went and the dealer couldn't match the colour and they would not replace the remaining working bulb under warranty.

 

[ManJ]

A couple of things....

Xenons use very high voltage, make sure there is no chance of power getting to the bulbs and more importantly YOU while you are changing them.

If I remember right the 'black box' has a safety feature that stops you putting it back on if the green cable is plugged in. Make sure the cable is not plugged in and turn the plastic ring back to allow the black box to fit back onto the back of the light unit then plug the green wire back in....

It's a long time since I did this but I put a pair of new bulbs in my 211 as one bulb went and the dealer couldn't match the colour and they would not replace the remaining working bulb under warranty.

Thanks for this, I have definatley got the power off, and the green cable disconnected, but it doesnt go on.
Sorry but what do you mean by "turn the plastic ring back" I dont know what this is?

The black box is definatley burnt, and stinks of melted plastic, so looks like I will need a new one of this, I think the problem is in this, and not in the the bulb, but I maybe wrong. I have called my mechanic and he has said that the black box is the ignitor, and this is what will be gone bad, the part number is "5DD 008 319-10"

Any comments welcome...

 

[mirras]

The box is 'keyed' so it only fits on one way. This key has a lock that moves when the plug with the green cable is plugged in which stops it fitting. I'll try and find some old photos but it sounds like you'll need to buy a new one first. Any chance you can post a photograph?

 

[ManJ]

The box is 'keyed' so it only fits on one way. This key has a lock that moves when the plug with the green cable is plugged in which stops it fitting. I'll try and find some old photos but it sounds like you'll need to buy a new one first. Any chance you can post a photograph?

It doesnt look like this has any moving parts, can I email you a picture? I dont know how to post one online.

 

[mirras]

I've PM'd my email address to you

 

[mirras]

This is the only photo I can find, it shows the socket for the bulb and the lugs around the outside of it that hold the black box ( ballast ) in place. You have to turn the white plastic ring on the ballast where the bulb goes in so the pins on the bulb can go in. Once you put the green cable in it 'locks' the ballast box to the bulb.


Flickr Photo Download: W211 Xenon socket

 

[ManJ]

Mirras
I think we are talking about different things, I am looking at the ignitor box, please check your email, I have sent you a picture...

 

[mirras]

I got the photo thanks, can you seat the bulb into the ballast box with it off the car?

It looks very like you need a new one. I wouldn't stick that back on the car as it looks fried.

 

[ManJ]

Mirras
I have not ended up taking the bulb off as I dont think the bulb is the problem, stupidly I have taken the other one off as well to compare them, and now cannot put it back on, so I will order a new one, but at this moment in time I need to get the other one back on, as I have no dipped beams.

It was the right bulb that was gone, so I will put the opposite one back on just to check the bulb is not at fault as well, but its the problem of getting the bloody thing on.

 

[mirras]

Hi Manj, we're not talking at cross purposes. There are 3 parts we're talking about. The socket ( as in my photo ), the ignitor box ( as in the photo you emailed and the bulb.

The bulb fits into the socket and is retained by the spring clip ( just like many standard bulbs ). The ignitor box then fits onto both the end of the bulb and into the 4 lugs on the socket at the same time. It then takes a clockwise 'twist' to locate it.

HOWEVER.... when the plug on the end of the green wires is plugged into the ignitor box it turns a 'ring' which locks onto the end of the bulb. Make sure this hasn't been engaged with the unit off as you'll not get it back on. Put your finger into the ignitor box where the bulb goes in and feel for the moving ring. I reckon you'd be better to carefully take out a bulb and make sure it goes into the ignitor while it's off the car.

Cheers
Robert

 

[ManJ]

Robert
Thank you for all your help. I have finally got to the bottom of it, the good ignitor that I took off has gone back on easy after spinning the little ring with a screwdriver.

The other one will not go on, as the ignitor has melted the back of the bulb, but the ignitor has cleaned up well and seems to be working fine, so I will put that back on, and its the bulb which has caused the problem, so will get another bulb today, its a Phillips bulb, ideas on where I should get it from?

 

[ManJ]

Sorted, went down to GSF parts and got the identical Phillips bulb for £70, fitted and working!
Thanks for all the pointers

 

[Silver CL55]

Sorry to butt in but......

Might not the bulb be the probem?
Could the bulb not be too high powered for the fitting...ie not as MB designed?
I have head of guys upgrading the bulbs to give more light but melting the fittings due to excess heat generated.
Might be worth a check with the handbook, I think they should be 55w no more.
Colin.

 

[ManJ]

Colin, I had had the car from new, and never changed the bulbs, so maybe just a faulty one, it is 5 years old now...

 

[mirras]

Glad you got it fixed, the ring confused me on mine for a while too. I had a Xenon bulb go at about 5 years old on my w211 too. I have also just had an ignitor go in the SL which was replaced under warranty.

All the best
Robert