W211 Xenon Low Beam Replacement
10-07-2012, 03:30 PM
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
W211 Xenon Low Beam Replacement
My 2005 W211 has 215,000 miles, and I run with the lowbeams on as daylight running lamps. All those miles are now causing them to burn-out.
I had a used driver's side head lamp unit availible for a spare bulb and ballast.
The case was cracked in a slow speed snow storm collision.
1. To work on the driver's side, you need to move the coolent tank. I had a hard time getting the little phillips head black plastic screw out. The flange that holds it kept spinning, not allowing the screw to back out. After much cussing, I drilled it out (replaced post-repair) and moved the tank.
2. There is a large round cover on the back of the HID bulb compartment. Turn to remove.
3. Don't touch anything until you read number 4 & 5.
4. Inside of compartment is a small black ballast that twists to remove/, connected with a green wire that slides into the back of the ballast. This wire is the key to getting things back together.
5. When that wire was connected originally, the completed electrical current moved a white ring inside of the ballast. If that ring is moved, a notch on it will not line up correctly, preventing you from pushingthe ballast back in and twisting. Take a look inside of the Ballast, and you'll see the notches. Move the notch back in allignment with the notch on the non-moving ring with a #1 phillips screw driver. But DO NOT re-attach that green connector/wire until the job is complete. If you connect the wire, before re-installing the ballast, you'll not be able to fully insert it and twist it to close because the white ring will again move.
6. The actual bulb is held in place by a couple of spring-loaded clips. Remove those, and the bulb comes out.
To install new bulb:
1. Don't touch new bulb with fingers. Dirt and body oils will cause premature failure.
2. Insert new bulb in hole, make sure to align the bulb flange properly.
3. Re-cnnect two spring clips over the bulb flange.
4. Make sure notches on the inside of the ballast are alligned, then re-insert the ballast and twist to close.
5. Re-connect the green wire to back of the ballast.
6. Start car, test lights
7. Put round cover on back of the bulb compartment.
I don't know if my ballast, or my bulb was bad. I replaced both, as I had spares of each.
I had a used driver's side head lamp unit availible for a spare bulb and ballast.
The case was cracked in a slow speed snow storm collision.
1. To work on the driver's side, you need to move the coolent tank. I had a hard time getting the little phillips head black plastic screw out. The flange that holds it kept spinning, not allowing the screw to back out. After much cussing, I drilled it out (replaced post-repair) and moved the tank.
2. There is a large round cover on the back of the HID bulb compartment. Turn to remove.
3. Don't touch anything until you read number 4 & 5.
4. Inside of compartment is a small black ballast that twists to remove/, connected with a green wire that slides into the back of the ballast. This wire is the key to getting things back together.
5. When that wire was connected originally, the completed electrical current moved a white ring inside of the ballast. If that ring is moved, a notch on it will not line up correctly, preventing you from pushingthe ballast back in and twisting. Take a look inside of the Ballast, and you'll see the notches. Move the notch back in allignment with the notch on the non-moving ring with a #1 phillips screw driver. But DO NOT re-attach that green connector/wire until the job is complete. If you connect the wire, before re-installing the ballast, you'll not be able to fully insert it and twist it to close because the white ring will again move.
6. The actual bulb is held in place by a couple of spring-loaded clips. Remove those, and the bulb comes out.
To install new bulb:
1. Don't touch new bulb with fingers. Dirt and body oils will cause premature failure.
2. Insert new bulb in hole, make sure to align the bulb flange properly.
3. Re-cnnect two spring clips over the bulb flange.
4. Make sure notches on the inside of the ballast are alligned, then re-insert the ballast and twist to close.
5. Re-connect the green wire to back of the ballast.
6. Start car, test lights
7. Put round cover on back of the bulb compartment.
I don't know if my ballast, or my bulb was bad. I replaced both, as I had spares of each.
Last edited by dfoote@sbcgloba; 10-07-2012 at 04:06 PM.
10-04-2014, 04:38 AM
#3
Junior Member
Clarification
I believe your referring to the ignitor. The ballast is located underneath the headlight assembly and attached by three torx size 20 screws. The front bumper must be removed to reach the ballast. I had problems trying to twist the ignitor back into place. Thanks for mentioning this in your post.
Last edited by beanieBenz; 10-04-2014 at 04:41 AM.
03-08-2015, 08:47 PM
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Portland, OR
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2015 GL350 (mine) 2006 E320 CDI (20 year-old son took from me)
awfully tough bulb replacement!!!!
Dfoote - big thanks for documenting the steps. I found your post just as I was about to throw in the towel this afternoon on the xenon bulb replacement for my 2006 e320 CDI... I thought it would be helpful to share a couple points.
- took me 1.5 hours to change the two bulbs
- I could probably do both in 20-30 minutes total now that I've gone through the learning curve.
- even with your comments about the notches in #5, I still seriously struggled getting that black square ballast back on. I finally figured out that the 4 prong things on the ballast are not all equal, and that the writing on the ballast does not necessarily indicate which way is up. The trick for me was making sure the one L shaped prong thing aligned with the white part of the receiving socket. Once I figured this out the ballasts went back on with ease.
- I noticed a number of people commented about difficulty removing the Philips head from the coolant tank. I did too. This screw is not designed to come out all the way - the flang is like those plastic drywall anchors. For me the trick was holding the flange down with a slotted screwdriver while I unscrewed the screw with a Philips.
- finally, I sure hope my wife appreciates how dead sexy I am for working through this awful, awful, awful DIY task!!!
- took me 1.5 hours to change the two bulbs
- I could probably do both in 20-30 minutes total now that I've gone through the learning curve.- even with your comments about the notches in #5, I still seriously struggled getting that black square ballast back on. I finally figured out that the 4 prong things on the ballast are not all equal, and that the writing on the ballast does not necessarily indicate which way is up. The trick for me was making sure the one L shaped prong thing aligned with the white part of the receiving socket. Once I figured this out the ballasts went back on with ease.
- I noticed a number of people commented about difficulty removing the Philips head from the coolant tank. I did too. This screw is not designed to come out all the way - the flang is like those plastic drywall anchors. For me the trick was holding the flange down with a slotted screwdriver while I unscrewed the screw with a Philips.
- finally, I sure hope my wife appreciates how dead sexy I am for working through this awful, awful, awful DIY task!!!
04-16-2016, 04:57 AM
#5
Senior Member
My 2005 W211 has 215,000 miles, and I run with the lowbeams on as daylight running lamps. All those miles are now causing them to burn-out.
I had a used driver's side head lamp unit availible for a spare bulb and ballast.
The case was cracked in a slow speed snow storm collision.
1. To work on the driver's side, you need to move the coolent tank. I had a hard time getting the little phillips head black plastic screw out. The flange that holds it kept spinning, not allowing the screw to back out. After much cussing, I drilled it out (replaced post-repair) and moved the tank.
2. There is a large round cover on the back of the HID bulb compartment. Turn to remove.
3. Don't touch anything until you read number 4 & 5.
4. Inside of compartment is a small black ballast that twists to remove/, connected with a green wire that slides into the back of the ballast. This wire is the key to getting things back together.
5. When that wire was connected originally, the completed electrical current moved a white ring inside of the ballast. If that ring is moved, a notch on it will not line up correctly, preventing you from pushingthe ballast back in and twisting. Take a look inside of the Ballast, and you'll see the notches. Move the notch back in allignment with the notch on the non-moving ring with a #1 phillips screw driver. But DO NOT re-attach that green connector/wire until the job is complete. If you connect the wire, before re-installing the ballast, you'll not be able to fully insert it and twist it to close because the white ring will again move.
6. The actual bulb is held in place by a couple of spring-loaded clips. Remove those, and the bulb comes out.
To install new bulb:
1. Don't touch new bulb with fingers. Dirt and body oils will cause premature failure.
2. Insert new bulb in hole, make sure to align the bulb flange properly.
3. Re-cnnect two spring clips over the bulb flange.
4. Make sure notches on the inside of the ballast are alligned, then re-insert the ballast and twist to close.
5. Re-connect the green wire to back of the ballast.
6. Start car, test lights
7. Put round cover on back of the bulb compartment.
I don't know if my ballast, or my bulb was bad. I replaced both, as I had spares of each.
I had a used driver's side head lamp unit availible for a spare bulb and ballast.
The case was cracked in a slow speed snow storm collision.
1. To work on the driver's side, you need to move the coolent tank. I had a hard time getting the little phillips head black plastic screw out. The flange that holds it kept spinning, not allowing the screw to back out. After much cussing, I drilled it out (replaced post-repair) and moved the tank.
2. There is a large round cover on the back of the HID bulb compartment. Turn to remove.
3. Don't touch anything until you read number 4 & 5.
4. Inside of compartment is a small black ballast that twists to remove/, connected with a green wire that slides into the back of the ballast. This wire is the key to getting things back together.
5. When that wire was connected originally, the completed electrical current moved a white ring inside of the ballast. If that ring is moved, a notch on it will not line up correctly, preventing you from pushingthe ballast back in and twisting. Take a look inside of the Ballast, and you'll see the notches. Move the notch back in allignment with the notch on the non-moving ring with a #1 phillips screw driver. But DO NOT re-attach that green connector/wire until the job is complete. If you connect the wire, before re-installing the ballast, you'll not be able to fully insert it and twist it to close because the white ring will again move.
6. The actual bulb is held in place by a couple of spring-loaded clips. Remove those, and the bulb comes out.
To install new bulb:
1. Don't touch new bulb with fingers. Dirt and body oils will cause premature failure.
2. Insert new bulb in hole, make sure to align the bulb flange properly.
3. Re-cnnect two spring clips over the bulb flange.
4. Make sure notches on the inside of the ballast are alligned, then re-insert the ballast and twist to close.
5. Re-connect the green wire to back of the ballast.
6. Start car, test lights
7. Put round cover on back of the bulb compartment.
I don't know if my ballast, or my bulb was bad. I replaced both, as I had spares of each.
Green wire = Electrical Connector.
ballast/igniter = Xenon headlight ignition module.
PS Recommend Steep 1 should be remove battery ground cable depending on Xenon unit, always recommended despite..
Last edited by SuperChargerE55; 04-16-2016 at 05:01 AM.
