[K35H]

Hi guys,

I've brought my new BMW E46 320 CD Sport on the weekend and all is great.

The issue i'm having is as follows:

When I brought the car the xenons were working with no issues, then a couple of days later I jumped in the car for a spin. When I turned the Xenons on the drivers side one did'nt work. So I tuen the lights on and off to see if that would reslove it but no good. I tried the lights for the next couple of days and no good I realised that I would have to swap the bulb, ballast or ignitor from the passenger side to determine what needed replacing.

BUT...when I got home one day it was dark so I thought i'd use the follow me home feature. So i flashed the beams and out I got to discover that both the xenons were on??!! I was very confused at this moment. So, I got back into the car as I thought the xenons were working but when I turned the headlight on I had the same issue.

So, In short, my driver side xenon doesnt work but when I use the follow me home feature it does work.

Could someone help me with this issue, I would be most greatful.

Thanks

 

[DetroitEE]

Hi guys,

I've brought my new BMW E46 320 CD Sport on the weekend and all is great.

The issue i'm having is as follows:

When I brought the car the xenons were working with no issues, then a couple of days later I jumped in the car for a spin. When I turned the Xenons on the drivers side one did'nt work. So I tuen the lights on and off to see if that would reslove it but no good. I tried the lights for the next couple of days and no good I realised that I would have to swap the bulb, ballast or ignitor from the passenger side to determine what needed replacing.

BUT...when I got home one day it was dark so I thought i'd use the follow me home feature. So i flashed the beams and out I got to discover that both the xenons were on??!! I was very confused at this moment. So, I got back into the car as I thought the xenons were working but when I turned the headlight on I had the same issue.

So, In short, my driver side xenon doesnt work but when I use the follow me home feature it does work.

Could someone help me with this issue, I would be most greatful.

Thanks

I would start with your inital idea of swapping the ballast from the passenger side, this will immediately tell you whether your problem is with the ballast. I suspect that the problem is indeed the ballast, since the bulb will turn on when you use the follow me home feature.

As far as WHY they will turn on when the car is off, using the follow me home feature....my only guess would be the fact that the ballast is seeing a different input voltage when the car is on off as opposed to when the car is on, and something is messed up with the ballast where it won't fire when the input voltage is above or below X value. This doesn't sound like it makes sense, but it's the only thing I can think of at the moment.

 

[AquaRelliux]

Did u try swapping the ballasts from the drivers side to the passanger one and see if the problem moves with the ballast. If it does just buy a new one they are not expensive, also try the bulb and swap it around.

 

[K35H]

Hey DetriotEE and AquaRelliux,

Thanks for your replies. I shall swap the ballasts over tonight and see if that makes a difference.

To remove and swap the ballasts would I have to disconnect the battery to be safe of can I just remove and swap ballasts

thanks

 

[DetroitEE]

Hey DetriotEE and AquaRelliux,

Thanks for your replies. I shall swap the ballasts over tonight and see if that makes a difference.

To remove and swap the ballasts would I have to disconnect the battery to be safe of can I just remove and swap ballasts

thanks

No need to disconnect the battery, just make sure the car is turned off.

 

[K35H]

Ok, thanks. I will have a go at this tonight and update you as to how I got on.

 

[K35H]

Hey Guys, I've sorted the problem, it was the Ignitor not the ballast but even though the xenons both work now the bulb error light on the dash is still on?!

Any ideas why this is?