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Old 07-08-2014, 07:01 AM   #1
bucata206
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Default HID retrofit problem

I have an 03 WRX and it had an HID retrofit on it when I bought it. Recently I've had issues with the headlights not always turning on when I start the car (if they were in the on position when I turned it off) or if I go to turn them on after it's been running. If the switch was on and they don't turn on I can turn the switch off then back on again and they'll typically come on. Any thoughts on what it could be?

Also anyone have their thoughts on just going back to stock headlights? I love how bright the HIDs are but I don't like the look of how crammed in the projector is in the stock bugeye frame.
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Old 07-08-2014, 07:46 AM   #2
alt14
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What ballasts are you using? Sometimes they won't turn back on as a safety feature.
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Old 07-08-2014, 09:07 AM   #3
bucata206
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I'm not sure what they are off the top of my head.
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Old 07-08-2014, 09:17 AM   #4
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If you ask someone to start the car with the lightswitch already ON, do the lights come ON then OFF then try to turn on again? I have noticed some cars turn off the headlights while cranking to start the car.

I have one ballast that seems to be slowly going bad, and if I try to turn it back on too quickly after it turned off it will sometimes not fire up. So if the headlights momentarily turn off, or voltage drop because of starter cranking, maybe that's enough to cause the balladt to not fire up again.

Still seems odd that both ballasts would do it. Does it uses a relay harness? If so I would try to swap the relay for a known good one, I have had wierd problems because of failing relays, they would stick ON or stay off when they were not supposed to.
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Old 07-10-2014, 09:56 PM   #5
bucata206
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Sorry for the delay. The ballasts are Morimoto. At least that's the box behind the headlights. Sorry I don't know much about HID lights. Today I had to turn the lights on and off 8 times before they turned on.....
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Old 07-10-2014, 11:25 PM   #6
aerosaaber
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Is there a relay harness involved?
My retrofit had symptoms like this right after I did it.
TRS suggested inspecting the relay harness connections and making sure it was all clean.
Everything looked good when I checked it out and it has never been a problem again (2+ years)
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Old 07-11-2014, 09:07 PM   #7
bucata206
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[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG]

Sorry for the crappy pictures. Not sure what I'm looking at here. Know nothin about HID lights. I tried 3 more times to get the lights to turn on and they wouldn't. I could hear I think it was the silver box in the nocturne clicking but the lights wouldn't fire.

[/IMG]
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Old 07-11-2014, 09:12 PM   #8
bucata206
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The rubber boot to the silver box mounted next to the battery looks like it's disconnected but it's just the boot that won't hold on. the connector under the boot is connected.
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Old 07-11-2014, 10:09 PM   #9
satrya
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Isn't the ballast the 50W SS version?

Check the pins from the harness side connectors that would have fed power to the ballasts on each side; on one of my Morimoto harnesses (don't recall if it was the same one with the silver housing like that or the older one), one of the pins don't make an ideal contact, making one side flicker sometimes. A small twist of the pin made sure that the connection is more snug. No more flicker so far.
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Old 07-11-2014, 10:53 PM   #10
acheung
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odd set up? why do you have 3 boxes/ballasts? also, i think you want 35w ballasts not 50w.
how long have you had the ballasts? might be the ballasts as well.
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Old 07-11-2014, 11:49 PM   #11
bucata206
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They were on the car when I bought it last year
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Old 07-12-2014, 12:06 AM   #12
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Just tried turning them on over 20 times and they won't come on at all now. Hearing the clicking for them to turn on but the lights won't turn on at all.

Anyone know how much it would take or how difficult it would be to change the lights back to stock?
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Old 07-12-2014, 12:21 AM   #13
acheung
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Pm sent. Converting back to stock would be a pia. You are better off finding a set of oem headlights... And would still need the wiring harness.
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Old 07-12-2014, 01:14 AM   #14
bucata206
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Thank you Acheung! With a lead on another set of ballasts and wiring harnesses. What are people's thoughts on HIDs in a stock bugeye headlight housing? Does it hurt the performance of the HIDs or not worth the annoyingness to other drivers?
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Old 07-12-2014, 02:12 AM   #15
aerosaaber
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HID bulbs in stock reflector housings are a bad idea.
light going all over the place and into the eyes of oncoming traffic.

if you can solve the problem that's keeping them from turning on you'll be good to go.
If you want to have a more finished looking light you can open the lights up and add a shroud over the guts of the projector.
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Old 07-12-2014, 02:53 AM   #16
bucata206
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Great thank you! I tried the shroud but since it's a projector from a TL one of my only options wouldn't fit in the housing of the headlight sadly. I thought it would go all over but I didn't know.
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Old 07-12-2014, 11:53 AM   #17
satrya
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bucata206 View Post
Anyone know how much it would take or how difficult it would be to change the lights back to stock?
It would be a pity to change back to stock; those TLs have great output, better than the more popular Mini H1 projectors. I would recommend getting oem halogen replacement for the time being, but only so that the HID issue can be resolved.

Quote:
Originally Posted by acheung View Post
odd set up? why do you have 3 boxes/ballasts?
The silver one is the controller for the harness, not a ballast.
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Old 07-12-2014, 09:17 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by satrya View Post
It would be a pity to change back to stock; those TLs have great output, better than the more popular Mini H1 projectors. I would recommend getting oem halogen replacement for the time being, but only so that the HID issue can be resolved. The silver one is the controller for the harness, not a ballast.
+1 those TL are a keeper. It is worth the "hassle" to find a solution and keep them.
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Old 07-13-2014, 01:43 AM   #19
bucata206
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It sounds like I have a solution lined up (used wiring harness and ballasts). Planning to keep the TL projectors. I love the HIDs and would hate to change it to stock. Great output!
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Old 07-13-2014, 08:22 PM   #20
satrya
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Also, if the previous owner had the headlight lens re attached using butyl instead of perma seal, it would be tempting to try to open it up again and find a shroud.

I know most shrouds won't directly fit onto a TL due to the solenoid assembly on its bottom part, but trimming a shroud to fit should be very doable.
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Old 07-13-2014, 09:50 PM   #21
frederik
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Quote:
Originally Posted by satrya View Post
Also, if the previous owner had the headlight lens re attached using butyl instead of perma seal, it would be tempting to try to open it up again and find a shroud. I know most shrouds won't directly fit onto a TL due to the solenoid assembly on its bottom part, but trimming a shroud to fit should be very doable.
Yes, and even if you have to hack the shroud to make it fit, fitting a shroud or part of a shroud would probably look way better and finished than directly having the exposed projector (I have not seen pics but from what I understood thatīs how they are right now).
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Old 07-13-2014, 11:56 PM   #22
bucata206
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It'd definitely look better. I took the lense off and tried putting the shroud on but it would not fit in the housing because of the size of the projector and solenoid
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Old 07-15-2014, 10:43 PM   #23
Scoobiesdoobies
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Yea i would suggest buying a new morimoto kit for 150 bucks with the new relay harness.

The silver box is the relay to your gold ballasts.

Its really not hard to switch out when everything is already wired up.

And if no money for a new morimoto kit then just pop in some halogens and connect your stock headlight connection on.

It doesnt look like they removed the headlights and made the whole thing one piece since the ballasts are exposed in the engine bay rather than attached to the fixture.
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Old 07-15-2014, 11:45 PM   #24
aerosaaber
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scoobiesdoobies View Post
Yea i would suggest buying a new morimoto kit for 150 bucks with the new relay harness.

The silver box is the relay to your gold ballasts.

Its really not hard to switch out when everything is already wired up.

And if no money for a new morimoto kit then just pop in some halogens and connect your stock headlight connection on.

It doesnt look like they removed the headlights and made the whole thing one piece since the ballasts are exposed in the engine bay rather than attached to the fixture.


legit HID projectors installed mean you can't just drop a halogen bulb in there.
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Old 07-15-2014, 11:51 PM   #25
Scoobiesdoobies
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aerosaaber View Post

legit HID projectors installed mean you can't just drop a halogen bulb in there.
Well then he needs to pony up the $150 bucks for a new morimoto elite kit.

My last setup was just pnp and didnt know if his was that way or not.

Now i finally got my hands on a full retrofitted set wired in and everything and i see what you mean.

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