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Please identify my lighting nonsence

2K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  mantamani46 
#1 ·
Good afternoon all

I just opened up the bonnet to replace, what i expected to be D1S HID Xenons, and found a tangled bunch of wiring that looks way too scruffy to be anything out of the factory.

There are no terminals to fit the connections on my new D1S bulbs.

Can anybody tell from the photo whether it is some kind of alternative lighting conversion, or the most amateurish cheap Chinese import version of an HID bulb?



Thanks for any help

Nick

(the photo link is not displaying on preview, so i have attached it too - hope one will work when i post this)
 

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#3 ·
Thanks Pal

sorry - not clear what you mean by 'vs. the D1S OEM spec bulbs'

do you mean i'm now stuck with these aftermarket HIDs, and can't revert to the D1S?

If you can be bothered to tell me - I don't understand why an aftermarket HID kit would be fitted when the standard is D1S HID??
 
#4 ·
Agreed that's not factory. Question - Did you take that out of the dip beam or high beam? That looks like the bulb fitting for a high beam bulb, the dip beams (which are nearer the sides of the car) are hard to get to.

I'm thinking someone might have fitted a HID conversion to your high beams
 
#5 ·
Thanks DGO - appreciate you taking the time to reply.

They are fitted in the low beam (the housings closest to the wings). I had to remove the air filter to get at them, but the driver side was easy enough.

I don't get it. I thought the standard low beams were HID already - as in the D1S HID Xenons - so I don't know why somebody would fit an aftermarket version?? Or am I missing something?

When one of the low beams went, I ordered a pair of the D1S bulbs, without thinking to check if I actually had D1S bulbs. Unless there is any good reason to keep this aftermarket rig I'd rather just revert to the D1S now I have them. So hoping that is possible?
 
#7 ·
Ah OK that is odd. What worries me then is that the bulb fitting is a 9006 twist-fit type bulb so if that goes in your low beams then your headlight lenses should be non-standard or are halogen ones (which I didn't think UK cars ever had). D1S bulbs are (as you know as you have bought replacements) square and have a metal spring clip to hold them in.

Silly question but I have to ask - precisely what make, model and year is your 300?

Can you post pictures from the front and back of one of the headlights?
 
#6 ·
Perhaps a previous owner thought he could improve on the OEM HIDs by fitting aftermarket? Or maybe there was a problem with the OEM ballasts? The aftermarket kit seems to include not only a separate ballast, but also a separate electronics module that would be an integral part of an OEM D1S bulb. It is not clear how the aftermarket kit is incorporated into the vehicle wiring and how the original ballasts were bypassed, but I would assume the process is reversible.
 
#9 ·
The lamps appear to have metal fold over clips from the body to the lens and if the case you do not have OEM headlamps as they will be Aftermarket Sonar Lamps (probably with HALO rings to the outside of the High and Dipped Beam circular lenses). These do not have HID dipped beam. Someone has fitted the 9005 conversion kit as an add on. As far as LHD / RHD, ALL these lamps are LHD versions only since they are built for the US / Asian market. If in fact they are working as RHD someone probably has 'messed' with their internals, as, again as far as I know they do not come from factory in a RHD version, nor 'officially' can be adjusted to suit RHD. You must be very careful with these as by rights they're legality for use on UK roads is uncertain as I don't believe they carry the EC mark and/or at the very least 'could' cause you an issue with your insurers if you were unfortunate enough to be involved in an RTA at night.
 
#13 ·
Thanks Tim - really useful, I think we may be getting to the issue - and it could work out quite well for me! I've actually posted another thread asking about fitting LHD headlamps as the car is now in Spain and i need to have them changed to comply with Spanish re-registration requirements. So if they are already LHD that could be a result - I'll have wasted money on new D1S HID bulbs, but saved a whole lot more on needing to replace the entire units.

You'll see on another reply I have just posted pics of the headlamps and the part code - does that tell you for sure that they are LHD aftermarket additions. If so, I guess i need 2 9005 bulbs?

Perhaps this front pic will tell you immediately if they are stock?
 

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#10 ·
I suspect that, if the car did come with the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) D1S HID system, they may have retrofitted to an aftermarket system if the OEM ballast failed.

At one time, you could not get a replacement OEM HID ballast, which is affixed to the base of the headlight capsule, and you had to purchase an entire headlight capsule assembly.

That situation changed some years ago.

Are you sure you have/had the OEM HID system on your car?
 
#11 ·
Thanks Maddog

Are you saying the HID was an option? When the bulb went, I just referred to the glovebox manual. On page 147/148 bulbs section it details the D1S HID - there is no 'if fitted' text as with other options, nor any heading that makes it model specific, nor any alternative low beam light. (which is a 2006 300c V6 CRD if that makes a difference)

I am about to post photos as requested in another reply.

Cheers
 
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