Headlights flickering -- need advice

[rlipsitz9]

I have a 2005 X5. I am trying to replace OEM halogen head lights with OEM xenon headlights. Low beam xenon headlight works fine when I put power on it directly from the battery. When I plug it in to the head light connector though the low beam powers up fine and then dims and starts flickering rapidly after 10 seconds or so.

Any thoughts on what would cause the flickering or how to fix it.

[StartX5]

I already told you about this in previous thread. You can't just plug and play. Since you listen to zulu95 and he told you about replacement halos -> Xenon just P&P. Zulu95 told me the same before in PM but i was thinking deeply before i made my own decision.
And I did not replace my halos to Xenon but upgraded headlight by HID kit.

Your result now is exactly what I tested for Xenon OEM headlight that i bought on ebay and returned right after testing completed. [It does not work that way]

[Essam Khafagi]

All you need is these Error Code Eliminator - 3 (PAIR): DDM Tuning - HID Kits, HID Bulbs, DEPO Lighting, BMW and Porsche Performance Accessories

I had the same issue when i used after market HIDs for the high beam ... and these solved the error code and flickering problems

[gianvito16]

Originally Posted by Essam Khafagi

All you need is these Error Code Eliminator - 3 (PAIR): DDM Tuning - HID Kits, HID Bulbs, DEPO Lighting, BMW and Porsche Performance Accessories

I had the same issue when i used after market HIDs for the high beam ... and these solved the error code and flickering problems

thats what i suggested to him too. hopefully that does the trick.

[rlipsitz9]

Hmm these error code things are interesting. I came up with a solution but it is not pretty.

I found if I connect a 7W filament of an 1157 bulb to the low beam head light circuit (by itself) the error goes away and the light works fine. If I connect a relay to the circuit by itself I still get the warning and I can feel the relay clicking on and off.

If I connect both the relay and the 7W light in parallel all is good with the world, no errors, no flickering. If I connect 7W light and ballast in parallel I get the flickering back in the xenon.

Soooo....if I connect the relay and the 7W light and then use the contacts on the relay to pass through a separate 12VDC to the ballast...everything is good, no errors, no flickering in the light or relay. This for now is my solution.

I am wondering if these magical little error code boxes would do the trick. I wish I knew what the electrical components are in there. From what I gather the computer is looking for a line resistance. I think I could accomplish the same thing as the 7W light with a power resistor or something.

Anyone have any other thoughts....other than the damn BMW LCM is to smart for it's own good.

Robert

[rlipsitz9]

Ok so it looks like I can put a 194 wedge bulb in...probably any bulb...and it works. I think I am going to install the headlights on Saturday with my extra bulb / relay fix and then try and a set of the error cancellors later to try to clean up the whole bulb thing.

Thanks for all the help.

[gianvito16]

why go through all that. all you have to do is go to a local car shop that does upgrades and installs HID light kits and ask them for a set of error message cancelers. they should be like $40.00 for the set. and all your problems will be gone. and it will be nice and clean, no extra bulbs heating up, and hanging around all over the place.

[rlipsitz9]

Gianvito,

Completely agree.

I ordered these: Xenon-Vision :: Flicker Harness

The product description page seems right in line with my problems. I hope I can stick these in line with the power for the ballast and have my problems go away. Worth a try. My other method seems like it'll work, but its hopefully more complicated than necessary. If these flicker harness deals don't work then I will probably have to resort to the complicated extra light / relay methods.

Robert

[rlipsitz9]

Thank you Essam. I hope the ones I bought work as well. I will need to vut the wire harness which is why I went with the one I did vs these. I would imagine they are all basically the same electrically. I don't think this is too magical voodoo if one understands the electrical control checks that the LCM is doing.

Thanks again for the suggestion. I hope these work out for me. These could potentially turn a very complicated problem into very simple.

Thanks,
Robert

Originally Posted by Essam Khafagi

All you need is these Error Code Eliminator - 3 (PAIR): DDM Tuning - HID Kits, HID Bulbs, DEPO Lighting, BMW and Porsche Performance Accessories

I had the same issue when i used after market HIDs for the high beam ... and these solved the error code and flickering problems

[m5james]

Sounds like a hackjob to me....good thing you finally did it the right way.