stickygreen

What modifications would be required to fit oem xenon headlight assemblies to halogen-equipped w210? What changes would I have to make to the wiring and/or connectors?

I did a search, and it looks like I may have to change something on Star Diagnosis...any idea what a dealer would charge for such a service?

I'm not worried about the lack of self leveling or headlight washers...just want to make sure that these can be made to work without too much effort.

Thanks for any input.

Semikolon

ohlord

does need to be version coded to allow the hid's,Where did you pick up a set and how much did they hit you up for?

lkchris

See WIS AN82.10-P-0001FB, "Retrofitting zenon headlamps."

This is the official document from Mercedes.

In the Euro market headlight washing and headlight self-leveling are required with xenon headlights, so document covers installation of that as well.

No version coding mentioned in document.

Semikolon

not true.

These headlights is just a regular 12V ballast connected directly to the 12V low beam. No electronics or whatever. And when a bulb is out the W210 does not disconnect the power to the disfunctioning bulb. so why should it then be any need to reprogram anything?


There is one thing though, you MAY get a bulb warning because of the lower wattage drawn by the HIDs than the halogens...


Also, your 7,5A fuses may blow when igniting. Change them to 10 or 15A in that case...

stickygreen

Fron the post sitting a few below this one at a very fair price.

Unless anybody knows for sure, I may just have to install the headlights once they arrive and see if there are any problems. These are for the earlier '96-'99 models, so I would hope the electronics are less finicky that the later models.

If this is the case, is there any way to get rid of the bulb warning?

Semikolon

The only electronics in these headlights are a universal ballast, same with the facelift models. Not additional electronics, sensors whatever. There are an electronic height leveling motor, but you can't use that, and it has no effect on the headlights when not connected.

IF you get a warning, which I would believe you don't, you will either have to reprogram the control unit for the bulb warning so it knows you have xenons, or you can simply add a resistor pulling about 10W connected parallell with the ballast. 18ohms would be the most correct, but as that is not a standard value, 22ohms would work fine. remember it has to be a resistor made for high power, minimum 10W

raymond g-

for the 97-99 model year, it is very likely that the dreaded "HID PRESENT" option
tweakable via SDS is *not* a concern. I had Sunil with his SDS hooked to my
99 E320. After some time hunting, he did not locate this in my car's menu of
options. He is very familiar with resetting this for other models but declared that
my car didn't need it.

Note that I had already been using HID equipped headlights, Hella gen3 ballasts
(which is OEM), and I had not seen the Lamp Malfunction warning for months.
I was asking Sunil to set for HID since he was already working on my car....
installing ortho/multicontour seats.

stickygreen

Thanks...

How about for the connector? I cant imagine that the xenons take the same plug as the factory halogen bulb plugs...do they?

Semikolon

yes they do. It's the same 4pin connector for both halogen and xenon headlights. The xenon housings have an additional connector for the height leveling motor, but after the pictures I saw in the thread where you bought the headlights it looks like they are two separate connectors.
The halogen housings have a vacuum line for height adjustment, xenon headlights don't.

stickygreen

Thanks!

Semikolon

no problem

just shout if there's anything else

Polar Bear

+1
1996-1999 does not need version coding.

2000-2002 does.

Semikolon

Still not true.

W210 does not need any recoding at all to use xenon headlights.

Polar Bear

You are contradicting what you stated in Post #7 above.

Semikolon

it is not REQUIRED.


you may get a bulb warning, but usually that DOES NOT happen with the oem ballasts.

Polar Bear

But there is a chance the 2000 up will display a lamp failure unless version coded correctly.

Semikolon

that chance is practically not there with good ballasts. you won't know it before you try. but still the headlights will work perfectly fine.


anyways, the dealer will probably not code a car with illegal headlights.

Polar Bear

There are many more people other than dealers that have SDS machines that would be glad to version code this. And they are not illegal if the entire system is installed, including auto leveling and washers.

ohlord

this.
One guy saying version coding not needed and contradicting himself with possible lamp malfunction warnings.Auto leveling is only needed in The U.S.
Find an indie with an sds or wait till Steve comes through your town and version code it,avoid the problems.Or disconnect the warning lamp and install a relay at full voltage to the output side of the alternator and a separate switch for the hids.Much brighter and the ballasts will last longer and fire up quicker.

Semikolon

whatever...


autoleveling is required in europe too...

ohlord

correctedI meant auto leveling only required in Europe.
I guess the best solution is just install them and then go through the trouble shooting process if any issues crop up(flickering lamps and all those other pesky items, luckily solved with your resistor suggestions or sds coding.

raymond g-

ohlord erred?! hey, I think a pig just flew by my window. j/k j/k

Yacht Master

Saw the same pig,

Can't find the Daniel Stern link in this thread



version coding is on W211s