HID's Installed
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
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Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 122
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From: Mercer Island, WA
09 GL320 BTC; 07 BMW 335i
I installed my bulbs this morning. The installation was very straightforward. However, I have a weird problem. When the car is off and the headlights are on, the bulbs look great. When the car is running and the headlights are on, the bulbs flicker, both sides. The driver side even went out, then came back on after I shut the car off. Weird. It's as if the power to the lights is different when the car is running compared to when the car is off.
I called George and left a message, but does anyone have advice? Thanks.
I called George and left a message, but does anyone have advice? Thanks.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=180441160127
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 66
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Thanks! Is there a reason you bought this one from ebay instead of the one that George sells? Also, did you hear crackling in your radio when the lights were flickering? Weird, I have that as well.
I had similar problem with the same kit. I installed this and they've been working fine since then, it's called HID Kit Computer Warning Light Canceller
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=180441160127
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=180441160127
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 24
From: NYC/NJ
2022 E53 SG
I installed my bulbs this morning. The installation was very straightforward. However, I have a weird problem. When the car is off and the headlights are on, the bulbs look great. When the car is running and the headlights are on, the bulbs flicker, both sides. The driver side even went out, then came back on after I shut the car off. Weird. It's as if the power to the lights is different when the car is running compared to when the car is off.
I called George and left a message, but does anyone have advice? Thanks.
I called George and left a message, but does anyone have advice? Thanks.
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
I have a 2007 GL450 October 2006 build. Yeah, it's weird, you can hear a crackle noise when the lights are on and the radio off. The noise stops when I turn the lights off. Anyway, I am not too stressed about it. One other member above, Ray, had the same problem with the same kit. He, and Blown V8 offered up a solution. Might depend on build date or model year, who knows. I just need to get it fixed over the course of the next week.
Thanks.
Thanks.
this should not be the case. I did not need any code canceling parts or resistors, etc. I did not need anything else. Don't worry, George will take care of you and make sure you're set. The radio issue and flickering should not happen at all. You may have a bad bulb or bad ballast. I put this on a 2008 'GL450. what car do you have?
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 66
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Well, I finally got this all straightened out. I ordered a set of cancelers from George, waited about four days, then called him. He was out of stock. A little disappointed that he did not return my earlier call and then did not send me an email about the lack of inventory. I then ordered a set from the link that Ray gave me a few posts up. Long story short, they work great and all is well. George and I did end up speaking, he was apologetic and refunded my money on the cancelers. I would buy from him again.
If you are thinking of an HID kit, I would encourage you to do it. The lighting is better and the install is straightforward (thanks to all who gave me advice). However, I would get the cancelers and install them on any Mercedes. They are cheap and it might save you a giant headache. I drove around for 10 days with my lights flickering intermittently. Anyway, good upgrade and worth the time and expense.
If you are thinking of an HID kit, I would encourage you to do it. The lighting is better and the install is straightforward (thanks to all who gave me advice). However, I would get the cancelers and install them on any Mercedes. They are cheap and it might save you a giant headache. I drove around for 10 days with my lights flickering intermittently. Anyway, good upgrade and worth the time and expense.
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Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 122
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From: Mercer Island, WA
09 GL320 BTC; 07 BMW 335i
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,105
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From: NYC/NJ
2022 E53 SG
This is so strange. I have a slight flicker in the beginning before the bulbs light up, but that's only about 15 seconds and no issues whatsoever. I don't have any cancellers unless they are somehow built into the 3G slim ballast design I got from George at xenithxenons.
Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 122
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From: Mercer Island, WA
09 GL320 BTC; 07 BMW 335i
I have the same 3G from George... it seems the canceller slightly stabilized the lighting as well. I also got 3 "light bulb out" warnings in 2 weeks before the cancellers was installed.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,105
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From: NYC/NJ
2022 E53 SG
Well, I wanted to get more of an OEM HID look so George sent me the 4300k 3G HID bulbs. Look at the comparison. Passenger side has 4300k, driver's side 6000k. This HID kit is still running strong, really lights up the road. I ordered them from www.xenithxenons.com
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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 377
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From: .
08 GL450
The higher temp bulb looks " ghetto" and is inappropriate, IMO, for a high end vehicle - and as has been discussed elsewhere for years ,gives driver LOWER lighting ( lumens ) of the road . But , gee, " I'll trade safety/visibilty to impress the strangers on the road driving their rice- rockets to their jobs at McDonalds with my oh-so-bluewhite bulbs "
This pic shows what I'm talking about : aftermkt high temp bulb on the driver's side .
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg52/ddcha/147.jpg
This pic shows what I'm talking about : aftermkt high temp bulb on the driver's side .
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg52/ddcha/147.jpg
Last edited by MKW; Mar 28, 2010 at 11:57 AM.
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Joined: May 2007
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
2004 RX330, 2008 Scion xB, 2001 Honda Insight Hybrid, 2010 Toyot Prius v ATP
While certainly I wouldn't trade safety, wouldn't a proper bulb at about a 5800K temperature best approximate sunlight? And therefore illuminate things in a way that would look the most familiar to our eyes? I'm just trying to get a sense of what is, honestly, the safest "color" for headlights to be (if such a thing exists). I don't care if they look blue or green or whatever, as long as they let me see as much as possible, as naturally as possible. Yes?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 24
From: NYC/NJ
2022 E53 SG
The higher temp bulb looks " ghetto" and is inappropriate, IMO, for a high end vehicle - and as has been discussed elsewhere for years ,gives driver LOWER lighting ( lumens ) of the road . But , gee, " I'll trade safety/visibilty to impress the strangers on the road driving their rice- rockets to their jobs at McDonalds with my oh-so-bluewhite bulbs "
This pic shows what I'm talking about : aftermkt high temp bulb on the driver's side .
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg52/ddcha/147.jpg
This pic shows what I'm talking about : aftermkt high temp bulb on the driver's side .
http://i245.photobucket.com/albums/gg52/ddcha/147.jpg
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 24
From: NYC/NJ
2022 E53 SG
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 377
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From: .
08 GL450
Not true - US DOT regs require all three approved versions of OEM HID bulbs to be between 4100-4300 Kelvin color temp. The color difference some people perceive depends on whether it is a projector or reflector housing and also whether the front glass or reflector has a tint . Every notice how the first gen Audi TT with it's smoked glass headlamps glow purple at night ? It's not the bulb !
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 361
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From: Chicagoland
2008 ML350 4matic
I have had my kit in since Nov of 2009 with ZERO issues. XenithXenons did send me resistors after errors were received on the dash (no charge). The pics are on the web site, the ballasts are thinner than a deck of cards and everything fit inside the headlight housing, no holes or cutting.
Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 77
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I have had my kit in since Nov of 2009 with ZERO issues. XenithXenons did send me resistors after errors were received on the dash (no charge). The pics are on the web site, the ballasts are thinner than a deck of cards and everything fit inside the headlight housing, no holes or cutting.
Will be watching out for more review before I pick up a set or two.
