[andrzejluko]

To start off with I search, but I'm not quite sure how to word my problem so i haven't had luck with this. Earlier this year I bought Spec-D tuning dual halo projector headlights for my 2000 GT. They worked perfectly fine, but the lights were not bright and I had a very difficult time driving without my fog lights on at night. So I decided to buy xentec H1 8000k HIDs, they came in today and I tried to plug them in. Now I'm not new to wiring and electronics (I study electrical engineering in college), but this has me baffled. I took out the ballast and bulbs, the bulb fit no problems (oh these bulbs are only low beam i'm not sure if that could be the culprit). But the wiring was weird, the male wires that connect the headlight to the power were small...So I cut these wires and used the old ones. Very simple because only one power and one negative and hooked everything up like it would be. Then the HID turned on for a second, flickered then both lights (amber and the HID turned off). I'm not quite sure if the amber bulb burnt out or what happened...

After playing with the two ballasts and different bulbs, I used my friends ballast, and got the same problem. Now I tested my ballasts connecting the bulbs straight to the battery and discovered my ballasts were shot (but what can i expect I went cheap). However, my friends ballasts worked and the bulbs when connected to the battery directly worked. The second I hook them up to the harness they flickered and went off. After hours of messing with it, I said screw it and put in the stock bulbs and put the wiring back to the way it was. This whole time I only worked on the drivers side headlight, never touched the passenger side.

After wiring the headlight back to stock, everything was acting weird as all hell. The projectors on both headlights worked, but the regular amber bulbs were both extremely dim, also the halos (which were never messed with) are now not working...Unless I have only the side markers on, then the halos on the drivers side work. If I have the high-beam on, nothing changes with the lights except now my driver's side halo turns on....I have no idea what to do.

In the troubleshooting process the few things I tried for the HIDs are as follows:

Changing the ground connection (the headlights had a separate ground wire attached to the projector)
Changing the fuses for the lights (I thought that perhaps the HIDs were taking up all of the power draining both bulbs)
Using different ballasts and bulbs that are both properly working from my friends car and got the same problem that i did in mine.


I think maybe the relay is screwed up now...When I drive now the projectors turn on, as do the other bulbs, but they are very dim....I have no idea what to do at this point. I'm not even trying to do HIDs at this point...I'd love to but at the moment I just want my lights to work properly. I can provide pics if need be.

 

[Bitter]

I didn't read it all, but start with a headlight relay harness kit. Stock wiring is too small for the load of a ballast at startup, especially crappy chinese ones.

 

[primula]

That's a freaking lost post.

Stock harness sucks, check for corrosion.

Check fuses. I blew my fuse because the ballast died (after 2 years).

 

[andrzejluko]

where can I get a new relay harness? like autozone? or do I have to go to a dealership?

 

[andrzejluko]

I didn't read it all, but start with a headlight relay harness kit. Stock wiring is too small for the load of a ballast at startup, especially crappy chinese ones.

where can I find these? I figure it's car specific? I've tried google and have had no luck...as for fuses, my fuses are all fine.

 

[Bitter]

The Retrofit Source online: headlight upgrades for all applications

 

[andrzejluko]

basically i need to replace the old harness with this one? Low Beam: H1/H3 - Relay Harnesses from The Retrofit Source Inc

 

[andrzejluko]

ordered new ballast and the relay kit...hopefully all goes well

 

[GearBox]

I would check the voltages....at the fuse....the relay....the bulb...There is probably corrosion causing high resistance somewhere in the line....Also check for voltage drop...Im not sure how they are wired in but if the halos are spliced into the headlamps then maybe they are drawing to much voltage away from the headlamps....

 

[andrzejluko]

I would check the voltages....at the fuse....the relay....the bulb...There is probably corrosion causing high resistance somewhere in the line....Also check for voltage drop...Im not sure how they are wired in but if the halos are spliced into the headlamps then maybe they are drawing to much voltage away from the headlamps....

There is a voltage drop I checked it at multiple points throughout the system, but didn't actually measure it. I used a ground a line and a light bulb....I saw the bulb get dimmer and dimmer as it got closer to the HID. As for the halos, I had them connected to the side markers, but for the installation after the first failure I tried disconnecting them. And it didn't change anything but now they don't work right either.

I am going to post pictures later tonight because I have removed the HIDs, and my lights are still messed up...I don't know what happened. My fuses are all fine, and the wiring is back to stock.

 

[Bitter]

May have singed something somewhere pulling 10 amps through wires with like 4 strands in them over 6 feet distance. Could have burned a connector somewhere or damaged wire at a crimp.

 

[andrzejluko]

Even on the passenger side where I didn't mess with anything? I guess I would start looking near the fuses...Oh well.

 

[andrzejluko]

What my lights look like now...I'm not quite sure whats going on with them.

Low Beam:

High Beam:

Typically the halos turn off when the high beams are on, and the only light on when the high beams are on is the projector, but there really isn't much of a change at all when I turn on the high beams, in fact I think the lights are brighter when the low beam is on. I'm not quite sure what it is. I plan on checking the voltage throughout on the next day I don't have work in the morning.