Xenon dipped beam issue...

[estate-agent]

Hi all, it's been nearly a year since I was last on here when I sold my beloved CLK 320 CDI Sport as I needed a bigger / more practical car. Long story short the SUV I bought just wasn't for me and now I'm back in the fold with a C270 CDI Estate (2004). It has the Xenon headlights factory fitted but both dipped beams are not working. I bought the car like this knowing I would need to deal with the issue, to be fair the car was so damn cheap I couldn't turn it down!! I know that the only lights that are HID on the car are the dipped beam so I can still get around on side lights and fogs although this is obviously not ideal. So the seller said one of the lights went out way before the other then he bought 2 new bulbs which didn't work. He was told by a local garage to go out and buy 2 complete new headlights units which for him was uneconomical (well it would be if he bought new!). What I was wondering is what is most likely to be the cause? Ballasts, igniters or wiring issue. Has anyone physically done a step by step test or is it mega common for ballast's to pack up? He was also told that one side power the other side, wasn't sure if that sounded right as I know there is a ballast under each light unit. If anyone has tested them could they let me know how? I have a multi-meter and I know a fair degree about electric and also that capacitors can give you a good old belt so not a total fool with electrical stuff. To be honest I'm thinking of buyer two ballast anyway as they are about £45 each delivered. Any advice much appreciated.

 

[clk320x]

The 2003-2004 W203 and W209 were fitted with igniters which didn’t provide enough power. I had a similar issue on mine. Mercedes sell a kit with a replacement igniter which can be easily fitted. It costs £150 per side.

It could also be the ballasts like you say, you can get them by searching for the BOSCH p/n for under £100, rather than £350 for the Mercedes box

 

[estate-agent]

Well stone the crows..... So a supposedly reputable local garage (just a regular garage not Merc specialist) had told the previous owner of the car that the Diagnostics revealed the car required two complete new headlights... Well I think not, I fitted the two HID Osram bulbs that the owner had bought with the intention of fitting (but thought the problems were more serious) and low and behold I have dipped beam!! Well that was the best £600 I've ever spent, a clean and tidy W203 270 CDI Estate, even has heated seats too. Just took it for a 40 mile drive and it's spot on! Happy days


.

 

[clk320x]

Well stone the crows..... So a supposedly reputable local garage (just a regular garage not Merc specialist) had told the previous owner of the car that the Diagnostics revealed the car required two complete new headlights... Well I think not, I fitted the two HID Osram bulbs that the owner had bought with the intention of fitting (but thought the problems were more serious) and low and behold I have dipped beam!! Well that was the best £600 I've ever spent, a clean and tidy W203 270 CDI Estate, even has heated seats too. Just took it for a 40 mile drive and it's spot on! Happy days


.

Happy days!

 

[whitenemesis]

he bought 2 new bulbs which didn't work.

I fitted the two HID Osram bulbs that the owner had bought with the intention of fitting (but thought the problems were more serious) and low and behold I have dipped beam!!

Confusing? Were these the same bulbs?

 

[estate-agent]

I thought he said he'd physically fitted them but turns out he hadn't, when I posted above I'd left a £50 deposit for the car and returned the next day to pay the rest and take the car, after chatting to him again it turned out he didn't actually fit the bulbs but bought them in readiness I guess for the garage to fit if they diagnosed it to be just bulbs which were blown. Looks like the garage were either not bothered to look into the issue or thought they'd swindle him, who knows! Bothe bulbs I removed had the external wire insulation broken and misted in the centre glass section.

 

[estate-agent]

I forgot to say, the invoice showed the garage charged £118 to diagnose the supposed issue !!

 

[clk320x]

I forgot to say, the invoice showed the garage charged £118 to diagnose the supposed issue !!

Ouch! Any pics of the new car Keith?

 

[estate-agent]

 

[estate-agent]

Well I'm back from a 1800 mile round trip and it didn't miss a beat, average mileage showed 50.4 MPG on the trip computer, I'll take that




.

 

[stephenmercedes]

Well done, that's £100 cheaper than I got my MB for, though I've had loads of issues with mine! Though nothing more satisfying than driving a £40k car you bought for peanuts