C230 Xenon Low Beam Died
04-17-2008 | 02:41 PM
#1
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Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Charlotte, NC
2013 S550, CLS500, ‘03 SL500, “92 190E Sportline
C230 Xenon Low Beam Died
Ok, so I searched the forum,and it seems that this has happened quite a bit.
The weather outside was the warmest it has been this year, I get in my car, turn it on, and get a Message to Check the Right Low Beam, I check it, and itīs out...
So, I take the bulb out, and put the driverīs bulb in. It still doesnīt work. But the bulb for my right side worked on the driverīs side, so the problem is not the bulb.
Itīs only the low beam that doesnt work on the right side, everything else works fine...Now Iīm stuck not knowing what to do, lol...
Shawn NO FUNNY COMMENTS! lol jk
The weather outside was the warmest it has been this year, I get in my car, turn it on, and get a Message to Check the Right Low Beam, I check it, and itīs out...
So, I take the bulb out, and put the driverīs bulb in. It still doesnīt work. But the bulb for my right side worked on the driverīs side, so the problem is not the bulb.
Itīs only the low beam that doesnt work on the right side, everything else works fine...Now Iīm stuck not knowing what to do, lol...
Shawn NO FUNNY COMMENTS! lol jk
04-17-2008 | 03:45 PM
#2
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excites your girlfriend
04-17-2008 | 08:25 PM
#3
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From: Charlotte, NC
2013 S550, CLS500, ‘03 SL500, “92 190E Sportline
Thanks Shawn haha...Well, it seems my problem is the ballast...There are threads here about the ballast, but I haven't found a clear answer on if you can replace the ballast, or if you have to replace the entire headlight assembly...I looked inside the assembly and saw the ballast, but I couldn't see any way of it coming out...
04-17-2008 | 08:40 PM
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04-17-2008 | 10:02 PM
#6
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From: Seattle WA
99 E320
you've already swapped sides via bulb and the ailment continues on to manifest
on the pax side. so you've ruled out the bulb.
next, pull the ballast and swap with the driver side. yes, they are removeable
but I'm not sure the degree of disassembly required for the 203. usually, they're
just hard pointed to the headlight housing.
after ballast swap, if the pax side still exhibits failure, then you focus on wiring,
harness fuse, connectors, etc.
in effect, you're working upstream and in systematic fashion. good luck
on the pax side. so you've ruled out the bulb.
next, pull the ballast and swap with the driver side. yes, they are removeable
but I'm not sure the degree of disassembly required for the 203. usually, they're
just hard pointed to the headlight housing.
after ballast swap, if the pax side still exhibits failure, then you focus on wiring,
harness fuse, connectors, etc.
in effect, you're working upstream and in systematic fashion. good luck
04-17-2008 | 10:53 PM
#7
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From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
2003 C230K Coupe Orion Blue
Ballast is EASILY removable. You guys are thinking of the igniter. The ballasts are located OUTSIDE each light housing, at the BOTTOM of the headlight assembly. The good news is that you can reach through it after popping off the wheel well cover, or from under the bumper if you remove those tray pieces. 3 screws, then pull straight out (downward).
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04-26-2008 | 12:05 AM
#8
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From: Charlotte, NC
2013 S550, CLS500, ‘03 SL500, “92 190E Sportline
UPDATE
I bought a ballast on ebay, it works fine. I have my low beam back!
But I think I know what happened. I feel like an idiot now though.
When I wash my car, I also rinse the undercarriage. When I was underneath my car, I noticed there is a hole next to the front bumper, probably for drainage. I think that when I had rinsed my undercarriage, water must have gone up and damaged the ballast.
I believe this to be true since the very next day my light was out...Also after inspecting the ballast it looks like water got on it...
So yeah live and learn...Oh and as far as the drivers side, there is no hole like that, and the windshield washer pump thing is directly under the headlight, so even if there was a hole, it would be very difficult for water to hit the driver's side headlight...
But I think I know what happened. I feel like an idiot now though.
When I wash my car, I also rinse the undercarriage. When I was underneath my car, I noticed there is a hole next to the front bumper, probably for drainage. I think that when I had rinsed my undercarriage, water must have gone up and damaged the ballast.
I believe this to be true since the very next day my light was out...Also after inspecting the ballast it looks like water got on it...So yeah live and learn...Oh and as far as the drivers side, there is no hole like that, and the windshield washer pump thing is directly under the headlight, so even if there was a hole, it would be very difficult for water to hit the driver's side headlight...
04-26-2008 | 06:28 AM
#9
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excites your girlfriend
I bought a ballast on ebay, it works fine. I have my low beam back!
But I think I know what happened. I feel like an idiot now though.
When I wash my car, I also rinse the undercarriage. When I was underneath my car, I noticed there is a hole next to the front bumper, probably for drainage. I think that when I had rinsed my undercarriage, water must have gone up and damaged the ballast. I believe this to be true since the very next day my light was out...Also after inspecting the ballast it looks like water got on it...
So yeah live and learn...Oh and as far as the drivers side, there is no hole like that, and the windshield washer pump thing is directly under the headlight, so even if there was a hole, it would be very difficult for water to hit the driver's side headlight...
But I think I know what happened. I feel like an idiot now though.
When I wash my car, I also rinse the undercarriage. When I was underneath my car, I noticed there is a hole next to the front bumper, probably for drainage. I think that when I had rinsed my undercarriage, water must have gone up and damaged the ballast.
I believe this to be true since the very next day my light was out...Also after inspecting the ballast it looks like water got on it...So yeah live and learn...Oh and as far as the drivers side, there is no hole like that, and the windshield washer pump thing is directly under the headlight, so even if there was a hole, it would be very difficult for water to hit the driver's side headlight...
