HID Relay Harness Problem
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 154
Likes: 0
c240
HID Relay Harness Problem
I have searched the forum but cannot find an answer to my problem.
Currently I have aftermarket HID installed on my car with no problems except for occasional flickering upon starting the car.
To solve this flickering I decided to install a relay harness to draw power directly from the battery.
I installed the relay harness but the relay seems to trigger an inconsistent flow of power from my battery to the ballast. I cannot figure out what the problem is??? Pos/ground connections have all been dbl checked and are correct.
Please view the problem here.
My car is a 2002 c240. Anyone with a prefacelift 203 successfully install a relay harness?
Does anyone know why or how I can fix this??
Currently I have aftermarket HID installed on my car with no problems except for occasional flickering upon starting the car.
To solve this flickering I decided to install a relay harness to draw power directly from the battery.
I installed the relay harness but the relay seems to trigger an inconsistent flow of power from my battery to the ballast. I cannot figure out what the problem is??? Pos/ground connections have all been dbl checked and are correct.
Please view the problem here.
My car is a 2002 c240. Anyone with a prefacelift 203 successfully install a relay harness?
Does anyone know why or how I can fix this??
Last edited by yeloaw; Dec 7, 2009 at 12:50 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,441
Likes: 1
From: France, Lebanon
03 c320 coupe
i dont know if we are talking about the same problem, but when i first installed my xenons the lights used to flicker when they were not on...
i did now know about the set xenon=present thing... so i fiddled with the on board computer, i dont remember what exactly, but there was an "thing" in the lighting submenu that you can set to "continuous / alternative".... i set it to alternative or something like that... and it solved the problem.. now its working perfectly altaught i did not set xenon to present !!!!!!!
i did now know about the set xenon=present thing... so i fiddled with the on board computer, i dont remember what exactly, but there was an "thing" in the lighting submenu that you can set to "continuous / alternative".... i set it to alternative or something like that... and it solved the problem.. now its working perfectly altaught i did not set xenon to present !!!!!!!
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,295
Likes: 22
From: VA
THE C350
i dont know if we are talking about the same problem, but when i first installed my xenons the lights used to flicker when they were not on...
i did now know about the set xenon=present thing... so i fiddled with the on board computer, i dont remember what exactly, but there was an "thing" in the lighting submenu that you can set to "continuous / alternative".... i set it to alternative or something like that... and it solved the problem.. now its working perfectly altaught i did not set xenon to present !!!!!!!
i did now know about the set xenon=present thing... so i fiddled with the on board computer, i dont remember what exactly, but there was an "thing" in the lighting submenu that you can set to "continuous / alternative".... i set it to alternative or something like that... and it solved the problem.. now its working perfectly altaught i did not set xenon to present !!!!!!!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,078
Likes: 4
From: NYC
2012 C300 4Matic
This is because the headlights are dimmer during they day in DRL mode. I imagine this is not good for your HIDs!!
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,295
Likes: 22
From: VA
THE C350
Yes, but it should be noted that when the headlights are set to continuous (DRL mode) the lights will be getting LESS THAN 12 Volts during the day time and 12 Volts when the ambient light sensor detects that it's getting dark out / night time.
This is because the headlights are dimmer during they day in DRL mode. I imagine this is not good for your HIDs!!
This is because the headlights are dimmer during they day in DRL mode. I imagine this is not good for your HIDs!!
Trending Topics
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,295
Likes: 22
From: VA
THE C350
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,295
Likes: 22
From: VA
THE C350
interesting then i would say bad connection or ballast or something. the car does not regulate power until you turn it on. when i put in my bix i used that so that they would work until i got the setting changed. turn the lights on wait 20 seconds then start car no error.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 5,034
Likes: 6
From: Corona, CA
03 g35 coupe...........02 c32 Sold
check all your grounds...it looks like a bad ground or bad ballasts. I'm would say its more on the side of a bad ground somewhere. Make sure you have the ground connected to the battery as well. Also make sure you didn't cross the grounds and pos some where.
This is a video of my s2000 hid projector retro with quick start up of my xentrac ballasts on philips 4200k bulbs. I have a relay harness directly connected to the battery and i used the side marker as the trigger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNidKl4kHME
This is a video of my s2000 hid projector retro with quick start up of my xentrac ballasts on philips 4200k bulbs. I have a relay harness directly connected to the battery and i used the side marker as the trigger.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNidKl4kHME
Last edited by TemjinX2; Dec 7, 2009 at 01:49 AM.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 18,677
Likes: 9
From: OC
a quarter mile at a time
If you are using a relay, then it's because the relay isn't using any electricity. Once the car sees that no electricity is used, it will cut all power, thereby turning off the relay. This happens over and over again, and that's why you're getting the flickering. You'll need a resistor on the car side of the wiring harness so the computer will think there is a bulb present.
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,295
Likes: 22
From: VA
THE C350
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,545
Likes: 0
From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,078
Likes: 4
From: NYC
2012 C300 4Matic
Probably a 05+ thing.
I would never have realized that they were dimmer during the day had I not been shining the lights on a shady wall when I switched from AUTO to the headlight symbol. After that I did it a few times to see if I was crazy, but it's a pretty big difference.
Last edited by acr2001; Dec 8, 2009 at 02:25 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,545
Likes: 0
From: Saint Augustine, FL
1999 CLK320 (sold), 2007 C230 SS (gone), 2000 Grand Marquis, 2011 CR-Z, stay tuned...
Something is weird about this. I can tell you that they are functioning on my car as they did from the factory (no modifications).
Probably a 05+ thing.
I would never have realized that they were dimmer during the day had I not been shining the lights on a shady wall when I switched from AUTO to the headlight symbol. After that I did it a few times to see if I was crazy, but it's a pretty big difference.
Probably a 05+ thing.
I would never have realized that they were dimmer during the day had I not been shining the lights on a shady wall when I switched from AUTO to the headlight symbol. After that I did it a few times to see if I was crazy, but it's a pretty big difference.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 8,384
Likes: 800
2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
Drew is right, and hate to throw a wrench into your thing ACR.. but my car's lights run at full power AND run all outside lights when I set Headlamps = Constant in the IC. I've seen 2007 cars running their low-beams on lower-power during the day and no exterior lights.
My car is just special, I guess.
My car is just special, I guess.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,078
Likes: 4
From: NYC
2012 C300 4Matic
Drew is right, and hate to throw a wrench into your thing ACR.. but my car's lights run at full power AND run all outside lights when I set Headlamps = Constant in the IC. I've seen 2007 cars running their low-beams on lower-power during the day and no exterior lights.
My car is just special, I guess.
My car is just special, I guess.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 8,384
Likes: 800
2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
My car is weird, anyway. I have a HID kit that gave me no errors, ever. But it hasn't worked for others with 2005 C230s. It's also accepted that if you have a HID kit, you cannot set your headlights to "constant" or they will flicker. Not on my car, but I guess that's because my car just runs all lights at full power in that scenario.
