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-   -   I want my headlights on when driving! (https://xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-forums/x5-e53-forum/94465-i-want-my-headlights-when-driving.html)

googuse 10-23-2013 05:45 AM

OK - so new problem popped up today. When I shut the car off, the "Check Lowbeams" warning came on. I pulled back out of the garage and walked to the front - both were on.

I went back and switched to auto mode and the left was out. Switched it back to regular mode and it remained out.

Turned lights off. Shut off car. Restarted and put lights in regular mode - both on.

Tried different combos and had similar results, none of which ever came out the same.

Any ideas?

Ricky Bobby 10-23-2013 09:45 AM

stop driving with your lights on all the time. Since i'm assuming you literally drive all the time with your xenon's on, those bulbs probably have a decent amount of hours of life already logged on them, my guess, you had a misfire of the bulb going out (when you turned the lights off then on again, you effectively re-struck the ballasts and both bulbs ignited) or one is starting to show its age and went out on you.

HID bulb life is about 2000 hours, so even if you drive an hour a day with the lights on they are almost at the end of their life at 5.5 - 6 years.


If you find you need new xenon's, please do not buy Philips bulbs from sellers on ebay, unless you are buying Philips from The Retrofit Source (one of the last known genuine bulb distributors) or seller HIDbulbzrus (I know the name sounds funny, but the guy's dad is actually a contractor for Philips, so his son buys genuine pallets of bulbs from the factory.


From TRS, the bulbs will run you 95 bucks shipped for genuine 85122 bulbs, I paid 72 bucks from HIDbulbzrus and my fresh Philips are not only brighter, but they have a lot of life ahead of them!


EDIT: I'm assuming you have stock bulbs in there now right?

wrex 10-23-2013 09:31 PM

When I have the headlights in automatic and want them on during during daylight, I just hit the fog light button. It turns on all the headlights/fog lights and automatically turns them off when I shut off the car. I have an 02 4.6is

fmugur 10-23-2013 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby (Post 960678)
s
EDIT: I'm assuming you have stock bulbs in there now right?

Good point. He might have the ignition problem the aftermarket HIDs have.

Googuse try to turn the lights on and off until the left one lights up.

googuse 10-24-2013 02:07 PM

They will both come on when I first start the car, but as soon as I use the switch either way, the left one goes out. If I shut off and restart, all is well again.

I am assuming original stock bulbs. I just got the car last February. Thanks for the replacement bulb info.

I don't use my fog lights unless it's foggy. It annoys me when others do it, so I don't.

Ricky Bobby 10-24-2013 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by googuse (Post 960905)
They will both come on when I first start the car, but as soon as I use the switch either way, the left one goes out. If I shut off and restart, all is well again. Weird.

I am assuming original stock bulbs. I just got the car last February. Thanks for the replacement bulb info. I'd pop the covers off the back and check the bulbs to be sure they are stock and not aftermarket, and it's not isolated to one side right? I.E. they both will alternate going off? If it's isolated to one side, switch bulbs and see if the problem stays there. If not, my guess is on the bulbs being aged, or maybe your ballast has a problem but if its on both sides that would be a hell of a coincidence to have both ballasts start dying at the same time.

I don't use my fog lights unless it's foggy. It annoys me when others do it, so I don't.


See above for my theories

googuse 10-24-2013 02:44 PM

Just the left. It triggers the "check lowbeams" warning on the dash when I shut the car off, so it sends the fault. I'm betting you're correct on the ballast. I'll just order a new pair and replace both.


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