Pissed @ my HID situation!

UltimateSVT

UltimateSVT

Dedicated LVC Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
4,602
Reaction score
166
Location
Miami, FL(Home of the rust free MARK VIII's
I'm not the 1st with the issue, nothing new but a few days after I had the accident on my 97 in January, the opposite side HID light started dimming slowly. It started off turning a hint of purple, then the purple got darker until finally last weekend it got really yellow & dim. I went on ebay, purchased a "used" light bulb & sure enough... I just bought a broken HID bulb! I'm beyond pissed. I already sent the guy a message advising I either want a bulb swap or I want my cash back! I prefer the cash because I don't know what the hell this guy will send me. How much would it run me to do the aftermarket conversion? also, which lights do you guys recommend?
 
I did mine for under a hundred, and that included the adapters from DLF.
Used the VME lights myself, 35W slim ballast. Took me about an hour (including splicing wires), and I'm a mechanical numbnutz.
 
I did the DLF kit in the HiD that he recommended. So far it's lasted over a year and is better than it was stock! You'll kick yourself for not doing it in the first place :D

Oh yeah then you'll be able sell your functioning headlight for the more than the price of the kit!
 
I used DLF's adaptors as well, worked great before I did my projectors.
I've done quite a few cars now and have used vvme hid kits. Never had a single problem with them.
 
k9t8m said:
www.DDMTuning.com + DLF adapters
Click to expand...

This post is full of win.



It will cost you around 50 bucks for DDM lights w/ shipping (get the 9006 bulbs in the 4500k color heat)

Then order your adapters from Doug. (DLF)

Carefully pull the bolts from the headlight bulb w/ a pair of vice grips, (because they are round w/ no flat or phillips screwdriver indentations) take em to the hardware store and buy 6 bolts of the same thread and length, get them in an internal hex key style so the head is small.

Then follow DLF's instructions on onstall.


I had to open up one hole ever soo slightly on the adapters to get them to bolt down, but it just might be a first gen thing.
 
Stangman said:
Carefully pull the bolts from the headlight bulb w/ a pair of vice grips, (because they are round w/ no flat or phillips screwdriver indentations) take em to the hardware store and buy 6 bolts of the same thread and length, get them in an internal hex key style so the head is small.
Click to expand...

Gen 2 housings have studs, no need to chase down any bolts, just reuse the stock nuts to secure my adapters.

HPIM1023.jpg
 
I used some ebay bulbs and slim ballasts have been working for two years no issues. Got both ballast and bulbs for around 40 bucks and used mafiosos aluminum adapter rings which after selling my good bulb and ballasts it paid for itself
 
VVME 35w with 4300k bulbs (in 96 lsc housings with dlf adapters..picture makes it look pretty blue but they are really closer to a very crisp white..if you want more of a blue light go with either 5000k or 6000k.
IMAG0751.jpg
 
Ok gentlemen... Looks like everything has been answered in this thread except ONE thing. How will I get rid of the annoying "CHECK HEADLAMP" message once I swap over to aftermarket? Everyone that I know that has switched over then has to deal with the error message everytime they start the car.
 
DDM sells an error code eliminator
but I don't know if anyone has tried it in there mark.
Also some marks need the extra wiring harness.
 
UltimateSVT said:
Ok gentlemen... Looks like everything has been answered in this thread except ONE thing. How will I get rid of the annoying "CHECK HEADLAMP" message once I swap over to aftermarket? Everyone that I know that has switched over then has to deal with the error message everytime they start the car.
Click to expand...

The only time I have any issues is if I start the car with auto lamps on. If I manually turn on the lights, I've never seen an error msg.
 
If you search "check headlamps" on here I'm sure there's someone that did a write up on how to cure that problem, I believe there is a wire that you can access through the glove box that needs to be clipped..I never got around to doing it..I just hit the reset button when I turn the headlights on..the message only pops up when I turn them on..I don't leave auto lamps on anyway..which I hear is a problem with the aftermarked hid kits if you don't use a relay. The check headlamp message doesn't really bother me..I just put up with it and reset it when it pops up.
 
You just have to open the glove box, empty everything out of it because if not, it will all fall out anyway. Push in on each side of the glove box and release the string that lets it drop. Right next to the latch you will see a small bolt. 5/32's will work. Get a socket on it and remove that bolt and then remove the lamp out module. Very simple to do. Takes like 5 min just to get this far.

Once it's out, clip the brown wire with light blue stripe. Re-install the lamp out module back in place, then get your glove box back up and attach the string again. Fill it back up with what you had in there or trash old stuff you never will use again. Done deal! You never will see any error message again. I done mine with ease in less than 10 min and was in no hurry about it.
 
NoLimit95 said:
You just have to open the glove box, empty everything out of it because if not, it will all fall out anyway. Push in on each side of the glove box and release the string that lets it drop. Right next to the latch you will see a small bolt. 5/32's will work. Get a socket on it and remove that bolt and then remove the lamp out module. Very simple to do. Takes like 5 min just to get this far.

Once it's out, clip the brown wire with light blue stripe. Re-install the lamp out module back in place, then get your glove box back up and attach the string again. Fill it back up with what you had in there or trash old stuff you never will use again. Done deal! You never will see any error message again. I done mine with ease in less than 10 min and was in no hurry about it.
Click to expand...

Going to look into it. Thanks guys.
 
I've been using a DDM tuning kit on my 97 for about a couple years now, and have never had one bit of trouble with them. I've never received the "check headlamp" message, not even when starting the car with the auto headlamp feature on.

I've never looked into it purposefully, but over the years, it seems like the VVME kits have had quite a few "check headlamp" issues. I can't seem to recall anyone posting any issues using the DDM tuning kits.

I might be wrong, but I just figured I would bring it up...
 
I never got a message in any of the 3 gen 2 that I converted to aftermarket hids. Gen 1 seem to do it no matter what but gen 2
 
I forget what kit I bought, it was about 45~ off of ebay. It had a metal, normal sized ballast. The only issue i've had is that sometimes the drivers side doesn't light w/ autolamp. Turn off/on and it usually work's.

Watch out for the cheaper kit's on ebay. Think they were xentec. I bought a spare set for xmas and they sent me the wrong ones (slim plastic ballast, felt reallly cheap). They then sent me the normal sized "metal" ones I wanted which ended up being a 20% metal 80% plastic ballast(again, cheap feeling). At that point I didn't care, I have a complete spare kit and 2 extra ballast's since I didn't have to return them.
 
A 35w ddm @ 4-6000k would be my suggestion. 8k's look good but the light output suffers. You''ll wish you got lighter.
 
sbcaprice305 said:
A 35w ddm @ 4-6000k would be my suggestion. 8k's look good but the light output suffers. You''ll wish you got lighter.
Click to expand...

I currently have 6000k HID's on my F-150. They are OEM 2004 Cadillac Escalade HID's. I have a friend that worked @ a local Cadillac dealership & the guy took like 14-15 sets of HIDs with ballasts & he gave me this set back in 2005. They still work like the first day I installed them however since day one, these HID's have one issue, when they turn on they are crisp white. After about 15 minutes the white turns yellowy. Not full yellow but a hint of yellow. They are no longer as white. I noticed it the day I installed them & I still notice them now. I wanted a set thats real nice & white.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 550 (members: 1, guests: 549)
Back
Top