fun with headlights
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 692
Likes: 73
From: Houston, TX
2003 E55 AMG; 2013 GL550 4Matic; 2003 CL600
fun with headlights
This car came to me with faded/yellow headlight covers and halogen bulbs. "Enough of that!" I said almost immediately, and started to explore options and gather parts as I found them. I bought a passenger-side xenon light w/cornering, a perfect cover, broken case and mounts, for $28+s/h. That was such a good deal. It took another 6 months to find an equivalent driver-side headlight, but this one cost a bit over $100, and did not have cornering.
The plan was to merge inner components, electronics, and lenses from the xenon lights with the good housings from my lights. Thats 6 trips to the oven, and some dremel work to create openings for the ballasts and one of the cable harnesses. It took about 6-7 hours and worked quite well. The high beam works, and I removed the cornering and auto-leveling components.
The lights shine steady when the engine is off, but flicker or go out when the car is running, and show a fault. I'm hoping this changes when it gets re-programmed? Here are the pics:
old look with faded lenses:
everything is off:
old lights, a new light, and one of the new lenses:
two merged lights are complete:
installed:
on:
I have lots of spare parts left over, and have a project in mind for a few of them, which I'll reveal if I go through with it.
The plan was to merge inner components, electronics, and lenses from the xenon lights with the good housings from my lights. Thats 6 trips to the oven, and some dremel work to create openings for the ballasts and one of the cable harnesses. It took about 6-7 hours and worked quite well. The high beam works, and I removed the cornering and auto-leveling components.
The lights shine steady when the engine is off, but flicker or go out when the car is running, and show a fault. I'm hoping this changes when it gets re-programmed? Here are the pics:
old look with faded lenses:
everything is off:
old lights, a new light, and one of the new lenses:
two merged lights are complete:
installed:
on:
I have lots of spare parts left over, and have a project in mind for a few of them, which I'll reveal if I go through with it.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 692
Likes: 73
From: Houston, TX
2003 E55 AMG; 2013 GL550 4Matic; 2003 CL600
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 692
Likes: 73
From: Houston, TX
2003 E55 AMG; 2013 GL550 4Matic; 2003 CL600
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Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 692
Likes: 73
From: Houston, TX
2003 E55 AMG; 2013 GL550 4Matic; 2003 CL600
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 320
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From: North NJ
06 E55(SOLD), 03 E500(SOLD)
Most of the damage is caused by UV from the Sun. The lens is coated to protect it from UV. Prolonged exposure deteriorates the coating causing the haze.
Replacing the lens and housing is not the only option.
Replacing the lens and housing is not the only option.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,281
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From: Longmont, CO
04 E320 4 Matic, 95 Audi S6, 99 Carrera 4 Cabrio, 12 Fiat 500 Sport, 00 BMW R1200C 10, BMW R1200R
You might have already gotten the computer programmed, but in the meantime make sure you don’t have the daytime running lights on. This will definitely cause the Xenon to flicker. DTRL don’t send full voltage to the bulbs to prolong bulb life (on conventional headlights), with Xenon, they are not dimmed since you can’t dim them.
Technically, you should not have any flickering if you turn the lights switch on manually. But maybe I’m wring about this one.
Looks like great work, I hope that you don’t get any moisture in the headlight assembly in the future though.
Steve
Technically, you should not have any flickering if you turn the lights switch on manually. But maybe I’m wring about this one.
Looks like great work, I hope that you don’t get any moisture in the headlight assembly in the future though.
Steve
