Hey guys, I just started to see my headlight flickering on my 2009 GL450. I have not tested extensively yet but it seems to just be when the low beam is on and just the left side one. My batteries are about a year old...main one is an Odyssey and Aux is a Duracell. I am not sure if the headlight is sealed unit or if the bulbs can be replaced...I assume the latter. The low beams seem to be Xenon type of bulbs while the high beams seem to be halogen...is this correct?

Where do you guys recommend I start troubleshooting? I have a work trip coming up today so will do this next week but I drive at night often so need to do it quickly and order any necessary parts. Last resort is to take it to the shop but I am not sure if it is the bulb, the ballast, a fuse, switch, or battery. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

The bulbs are all replacable. It is not a sealed unit.

You might have xenon low beams and halogen high beams, or just halogens depending on the spec of your car. Do a data card search with your VIN and you'll get what options were fitted to your car of you're not sure. Search the forums for a link to that.

The xenon globes do flicker at the end of their life and also change color so if you're seeing a pink hue to the beam, then it's about to fail. Halogen globes typically give you little if any warning when they fail. If they are xenon globes, beware of buying online unless you have a reputable retailer as many are cheap counterfeit copies. This is DIY and change them in pairs.

Thanks for this, Black ML550! I appreciate the information. I'll do a search. They definitely appear to be the Xenons while the high beams are halogens. Any reputable online place to buy them? I'll search for a DIY video for complexity before attempting it but will only buy/use genuine Xenons. I am sure they are pricey but they last longer and give better quality light.

So the cheapest online price is around $140 per bulb. At the dealer, they are around $200. I am tempted to get two, change both, and keep the good old one as an emergency spare.

Before you spend any money on new bulbs, I would recommend you swap the right bulb into left housing and check if it indeed is a bulb issue. Could be bad connector, frail cables inside housing, bad igniter….

Good point, Ashish! I'll do that this weekend. Not driving it at night for now.

check this out. They have lifetime warranty

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/xen...-philips-d1sc1

It's likely you have halogen low and high beams. The low beams are in a projector housing that makes them look like they are HIDs. The high beams are in traditional housings. The low beams are outboard and the high beams are inboard. Switch the left and right bulbs to see if it's the bulb itself that is the problem. Or, easier, just switch the high and low beam bulbs on that side as they are both H7's.