Xenons intermittent problem

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scottydee

Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2012
Messages
222
Location
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Car
2015 W204 coupe, 1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA, 1984 Honda V65 Magna
I have previously posted (years ago?) about one of my headlights going out whilst driving. The problem appeared to have cleared up, until the cold , damp weather started - I now find that the offside light starts to flicker and goes out! I can bring it back on by turning the lights off then on again, but I'm sure it can be annoying to who ever I'm following...

Any ideas?
 
Poor connections, bad earth?
 
It could be the "bulb", or a poor connection to it, or the igniter/ballast or the SAM unit that controls it.

Take the "bulb" out and clean the contact area, refit it and see if that's enough, failing that replace the bulb (or swap it for the other side to see if that moves the problem.

If the problem swaps sides, it's the "bulb" if it carries on doing it swap the ballast/igniter..

Also check the earth points for corrosion..

HIDs when they age do sometime fail intermittently, they're more akin to flourescent tubes than "bulbs" (they have no filament) and if you've had them in your kitchen before you already know to swap wither the tube or the igniter :)
 
The bulb is relatively new, but it has bee fine until the cold weather came! It was the same last year, but then got forgotten about as the weather improved and the problem stopped! It's due in the local indy for a few bits and bobs, so I might ask them to have a look.
 
Cold weather makes components contract, it's especially bad on soldered contacts, so that's more likely to be the SAM or the igniter/ballast (which would tie in with the bulb being a replacement)
 

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