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passenger fog activates erratically

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Old Nov 16, 2013 | 12:54 AM
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CLK 550
passenger fog activates erratically

board members ... any on have experience with changing out their h7 fogs to HID with ballast? since we have active lights that activate in the direction Ive had bad experience with the fog light (HID extra with supplied harness) erratically turning on when I turn right (which should activate the fog)
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Old Nov 16, 2013 | 10:54 AM
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It shouldn't be a problem, but if you are concerned about reducing the life of the HID system, the curve illumination feature can be deactivated in the Front SAM Adaptations (using SDS).
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Old Nov 16, 2013 | 11:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudeney
It shouldn't be a problem, but if you are concerned about reducing the life of the HID system, the curve illumination feature can be deactivated in the Front SAM Adaptations (using SDS).
Rudeney to the rescue! I've brought this issue up a few times but the answer I get is that the adaptive lighting can not be altered - included at the stealership....

What is front sam using ads?

Thanks!
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Old Nov 16, 2013 | 11:34 AM
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The front SAM (signal acquisition module) is a computer logic circuit that is used to control several functions on the front end of the vehicle, such as lighting. It is actually part of the front fuse panel and its control over the lighting circuits are used in place of fuses. It has a few adaptations (i.e. settings), mainly related to options and versions of other equipment in the vehicel. Enabling/disabling the fog light curve illumination is one of those. If you want this disabled, tell the tewch to fire up SDS and go to "Control Units" -> "Body" -> "SAM-F" -> "Control unit adaptations" -> "Turning Lamps" and then change the setting to "Deactivated".
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Old Nov 29, 2013 | 08:15 AM
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C320 CDI Elegance
I have a C320 and when the lights come on in auto, only one fog lights up. If I switch the fogs on by pulling out the light switch (dipped headlighht mode),both fogs come on - which is the only time I would want the fogs on anyway. Could this be something to do with the SAM?
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Old Nov 29, 2013 | 01:10 PM
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The fog light should not com on in Auto mode at all. You can only turn them on with the switch in either of the last two positions ("park light" or "headlight"). It does sound like a problem in the front SAM. Also, there is a feature for "curve illumination" that will activate one side's fog light when turning the steering wheel. I'm not sure if your carhas that, but if so, maybe that is involved somehow.
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Old Nov 29, 2013 | 02:58 PM
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Hi all I am glad this thread is somewhat alive ... to be clear here is what is going on ...

Here's the story ...

PURCHASED FROM HID EXTRA
1 x H7 Standard HID Xenon Conversion Kit = $59.99
Model Year: 2009
Vehicle Model (eg. Civic): CLK550
Vehicle Brand (eg. Honda): Mercedes
Relay: No relay harness
Cancellor: No cancellor
Color: 6000K

PASSENGER SIDE WENT OUT

Please note for your vehicle it is required to install the capacitor with the HID kit to eliminate the error message you are getting. We have requested a pair of capacitor to be ship out to you within the next 24 hour. Please allow 3-5 business day to receive your order, please note due to holiday season there may be delay in shipping.

INSTALLED CAPACITORS BOTH SIDES - worked well for a week. Then passenger side out after a week.

Passenger fog comes on erratically only occasionally turning on when I turn RIGHT. It should always light up then turn off when turning right.

The driver side turns on, then dims off on driver side, works perfectly.

Its the DAMN passenger side that refuses to turn on like it should!!! VERY FRUSTRATING =(

Rodney - any thoughts?
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Old Nov 29, 2013 | 03:05 PM
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Rodney : is it worth trying to install new capacitors ?

http://www.hidextra.com/capacitor/
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Old Nov 29, 2013 | 03:05 PM
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Or should I replace the ballast with a different wattage??
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Old Nov 29, 2013 | 07:34 PM
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I had bad luck with the capacitors/cancelers on my CLK when I replaced the fog lights with LED "L" bars. I tried some plug-in capacitors (actually, I think they are resistors) and then I made my own with a big resistor block from Radio Shack. Both failed and melted, so I just re-installed the OEM fog lights inside the bumper, mounted backward, with the lenses covered and wired them in parallel. All is well now.
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Old Nov 29, 2013 | 10:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Rudeney
I had bad luck with the capacitors/cancelers on my CLK when I replaced the fog lights with LED "L" bars. I tried some plug-in capacitors (actually, I think they are resistors) and then I made my own with a big resistor block from Radio Shack. Both failed and melted, so I just re-installed the OEM fog lights inside the bumper, mounted backward, with the lenses covered and wired them in parallel. All is well now.
Wire them in parallel? Wow back to our V=IR days eh? Lol. That's a great novel approach.

Well from the looks of things the driver side fog fires up and dims down when I turn left.

The passenger side one will perform the same function albeit erratically. It was solid the first week I installed the capacitors supplied to me by hid extra.

I think I'm gonna try replacing the capacitors first it's only $6.99 for Black Friday (see link). If that doesn't work I'm gonna get a different wattage ballast.

Btw Rodney what wattage goes to our oem fogs?
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Old Nov 30, 2013 | 11:56 AM
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OEM fogs ar 55w bulbs. Most HID kits draw 35w. My LEDs draw maybe 1w. ANd that makes me think you might not want to do what I did becayse that would give you a total draw of 90w and that's too much for the circuit. If you could find a 15w bulb to wire parallel to the HIDs, that might work.
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Old Nov 30, 2013 | 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Rudeney
OEM fogs ar 55w bulbs. Most HID kits draw 35w. My LEDs draw maybe 1w. ANd that makes me think you might not want to do what I did becayse that would give you a total draw of 90w and that's too much for the circuit. If you could find a 15w bulb to wire parallel to the HIDs, that might work.

Thanks for your valuable weigh ins.

It sounds to me that you interpret my issue to be ballast / wattage pull related?

What if I got a 55w ballast ? Would that help things? Strange how I don't have any issues on the driver side....

http://www.hidextra.com/hidextra-replacement-ballast/
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Old Nov 30, 2013 | 10:15 PM
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The issue is that the SAM has circuitry in it to detect a burned out bulb. It does this by measuring the current draw. A 35w bulb (or bulb + ballast) will have less resistance in the circuit than a 55w bulb and that will cause the SAM to see the bulb as defective and it will disable it. If can get a 55w current draw, the SAM should be satisfied that the bulb is working. If you can find a 55w ballast, that might work, but the ballast is just a step-up transformer. I am not sure what the output of a 55w ballast would be and if that would adversely affect the HID bulb.
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Old Dec 1, 2013 | 05:02 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudeney
The issue is that the SAM has circuitry in it to detect a burned out bulb. It does this by measuring the current draw. A 35w bulb (or bulb + ballast) will have less resistance in the circuit than a 55w bulb and that will cause the SAM to see the bulb as defective and it will disable it. If can get a 55w current draw, the SAM should be satisfied that the bulb is working. If you can find a 55w ballast, that might work, but the ballast is just a step-up transformer. I am not sure what the output of a 55w ballast would be and if that would adversely affect the HID bulb.
All points well taken and sound.

What does the capacitor do then that was supplied to me?

Any hypothesis why the driver side always works they way it supposed to be the passenger side working funny? Btw all night tonight i drove and the passenger side worked beautifully.

I have no idea what triggers it to work erratically like this ....
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Old Dec 1, 2013 | 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Rudeney
The fog light should not com on in Auto mode at all. You can only turn them on with the switch in either of the last two positions ("park light" or "headlight"). It does sound like a problem in the front SAM. Also, there is a feature for "curve illumination" that will activate one side's fog light when turning the steering wheel. I'm not sure if your carhas that, but if so, maybe that is involved somehow.
Thanks Rodney - but - Although I don't have Intelligent Light system I have discovered that an individual fog lamp comes on when I turn the steering wheel (in the dark) and it leaves the lamp on until the steering wheel is straightened - so for example when I drove into my friends driveway - later when I left he pointed out that only one of my fogs was on! I said I hadn't switched any fogs on and I didn't want them on. Then as I reversed out of his drive he said it had gone off - then as I went into opposite lock he shouted that the other fog had come on!!!
I searched for something in the manual but no mention at all of it.
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Old Dec 1, 2013 | 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by midnight AMG
What does the capacitor do then that was supplied to me?

Any hypothesis why the driver side always works they way it supposed to be the passenger side working funny?
I think that is a resistor and capacitor combo that is designed to always draw 55w from the vehicle's supply no matter what the bulb/ballast is actually drawing. I have a very cursory knowledge of electronics such as this, but I know that adding just a resistor into a circuit will increase the total resistance, but adding a resistor + capacitor can be "tuned" to create a constant resistance even when the actual load varies. I know we have some smart guys on the forum - maybe one with that knowledge will chime in.

I suspect the problem you have is a defective "canceler" unit. Like I said, I had two fail on mine before I just used the OEM bulbs as the proper load. I am not sure that will work for you, though, as my setup is using LEDs as the load which pull maybe 1 watt.
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Old Dec 1, 2013 | 10:39 AM
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Originally Posted by brigill123
Thanks Rodney - but - Although I don't have Intelligent Light system I have discovered that an individual fog lamp comes on when I turn the steering wheel (in the dark) and it leaves the lamp on until the steering wheel is straightened - so for example when I drove into my friends driveway - later when I left he pointed out that only one of my fogs was on! I said I hadn't switched any fogs on and I didn't want them on. Then as I reversed out of his drive he said it had gone off - then as I went into opposite lock he shouted that the other fog had come on!!!
I searched for something in the manual but no mention at all of it.
Look int he manual under the section dealing with fog lights - it's call "corner-illuminating fog lights".
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Old Dec 2, 2013 | 12:56 AM
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Well upon further inspection ...

http://www.hidextra.com/universal-55...allast-single/

The so called "55 w" HID ballast is rated only at 35W as per the ballast label. But like you said , its possible with some electronic trickery perhaps the device fools the computer that 55 W is actually being drawn?? not sure but im gonna order and try this plus try a new capacitor.

What's a relay harness do btw??

http://www.hidextra.com/relay/
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Old Dec 2, 2013 | 11:16 PM
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The relay gets hard-wired to the vehicle battery for power supply. Then it just gets triggered by the voltage from the headlight wiring harness. It would still need the canceler, though, because the relay will only draw a watt or two from the headlight wiring harness. Personally, I think this kit is a bit of overkill. A basic "CAN-Bus" HID kit should work just fine. It just sounds like you have a bad one.
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