Just installed HID Headlights - Question about results

[Sharp300c]

Ok, so I have been stalking the boards for a few weeks and I pulled the trigger on getting some HID Kit from DDM. These are my purchasing specs:
DDM HID Kit, 35W, 9006, 5000K
Bulb Color: 5000K
Bulb Type: 9006/HB4
Wattage: 35 Watt

I ordered the wiring harness as well but couldn't figure out how to install the dang thing so I set it aside and just installed the ballast & the bulbs. I didn't drill into the light assembly, I just shoved all the components of the kit inside the housing.

After the install I took my car to a road with no lights on it to see what kind of visibility I've got now. (See Pics).

I looks to me like there is dark spots areas in my light spread. The light doesnt blanket the street like I was hoping.

How do I fix this?

[Fisch]

Yeah, that doesn't look right. I don't think it's dark spots - I think your bulbs aren't seated properly in the housings - making them project all funky out of the projectors. Can you get a pic of your lights shining on a flat surface in front of you, like a garage door, about 15 feet away? That tends to be the best way to see how the lights are pointing.

So, how exactly did you mount it? Not quite understanding what you meant by shoving all of the components inside the housing. ??

I don't have experience with the Gen II's lights nor DDM's kits, but I've done many HID conversions on many cars. Maybe I'm not understanding, but you certainly shouldn't be putting anything INSIDE the housing. Most kits are pretty straightforward for plug and play. Take the stock bulb out of the housing and unplug it from the factory harness. Plug your HID ballast/cap/wiring harness into the factory harness. Mount your ballast somewhere in the engine bay or behind the lights somewhere. Install HID bulb into the headlight housing where the stock bulb was.

Is there something about this kit that makes it different?

[Sharp300c]

This is in my driveway about 15 feet away from my garage door. My drive way is at a slight decline so the lights look like they are aimed higher then they really are.

The headlight housing in the 2011 is huge so I was able to shove the ballast and the error code eliminator in the housing underneath the bulb and still screw on the light cap.

Any ideas?

[Fisch]

Looks like the left might be okay, but it's hard to tell because something is certainly not correct with the right one.

I really think the bulb isn't seated properly. Got a pic of the back of the housing? I'm still a little confused at what you are talking about with the ballast and error eliminator being "in" the housing. I have a feeling that this might be pushing on the bulb or not allowing it to seat properly. Again, I'm not familiar with the Gen II lights, but remember, that ballast doesn't have to be right on the light. And if you have it smashed in there somewhere it could be causing the issue.

Maybe a pic of your install and I can get my mind around this a bit?

[Fisch]

Wait a second here...

On a hunch I just looked up your car on Sylvania - it says that the 2011's use 9012 bulbs for the low beam. Is that correct?

It appears you have 9006 - which is historically the correct size for low beams on the older models. I know mine are 9006.

But if the 2011 headlight housings are actually made for 9012 bulbs, than that could definitely be your problem and would clearly be a reason why the bulbs aren't seated properly.

The plastic base of the HID bulb - the part that actually twists and locks into the housing - should look the same as the base of the stock halogen bulb you took out. If you removed a 9012 stock bulb and you have a 9006 HID bulb, the bases will be different.

Could that be it?

[Joe79692]

A 9012 is similar to a 9006 the look to have the same pattern on the base of the hid so I don't think that's the problem I think it's the whole shoving the ballast and error canceler in the back of the housing y don't u mount it on the car I'm sure the male and female wires r long enough


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[Joe79692]

The 9012 and 9006 are nearly interchangeable there's just a small modification that needs to be made to the locking tabs on the base of the hid


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[MADDOG]

Two of the three mounting tabs line up but the third has to be trimmed in order for the 9006 to seat fully flush into a 9012 socket.

[Fisch]

Yep, I'm noticing the same thing with the 9012 vs 9006.

Kinda like the GenI fogs - they are actually 9145 but a lot of people use 9005 because it's so darn close.

So yeah, it sounds like the smashing in of all of the stuff might be pushing on the bulb or something. I'd take all of that out - bulb only in the housing. Then mount the ballast and error device somewhere outside the housing - but make sure it will be in a dry location.

[Sharp300c]

Ok, so I took out the right bulb and re-seated it while it was lit so I could see the light spread on the garage door. It looks way better now. I'll post more pics tomorrow. There are still some dark areas towards the center-left so I'm thinking I need to re-seat the left bulb now. I didn't feel like taking out the intake again so I'll do it tomorrow and see.