jdj27x

Hey guys, i hope you all are enjoying your weekend.

Got a quick question. I ordered the piaa extreme white bulbs for the city lights, ( the small little blue wedge bulb) its the same one all you have got installed(from the threads)


I love the bulb, they look amazing, wouldnt want to go back to stock, however, last night i had the lights on and i was pulling up to a wall, (never done that before) and i noticed that the city lights were very slightly dimming or kinda flickering kinda often. They werent shutting off and turning back on, however it was a kinda slight slight dimming every few secs.

Its wierd, if the engine is OFF its fine, but with the engine running it does it. I have never noticed it before. Its probably only visable at night....

I was at lucent motors when it happend, and the head mechanic said that its wiered to the interior lights and when the engine is running, its probaly using a little to much volts and causing it.

If the engine is started, the drivers door open, radio on, and you will see the city lights flickering....

Will somone with these bulbs please check it out and let me know if i am the only one with this problem?

Once again, its got to be very dark (closed garage, or at night) to notice, ive had these bulbs for 4 months and this is the first time i realized.

-Thanks,
Jordan

Vic55

I have had PIAA 19168's, 19170, and 19172's on the E55 with no flickering. These are all 5w bulbs I believe, you might have an electrical issue?

jdj27x

nah no issue, its not a flicker, it just dimms ever so slightly. Check it out in a dark garage with the engine running.

Vic55

You said flickering in your original post thus my response but I just checked mine, no issues.

Do you have a large sound system with multiple amps? The amps could be pulling power??

jdj27x

nope stock. Did u turn ur engine on or was the car just off with the lights on?

Vic55

Both, and I have an aftermarket system with amps and I turned it up.

jdj27x

thanks for checking it out. Im gona keep my eye on it and see if it doest it later on down the road in a week or so. I have never noticed this, perhaps its the ecu learning the new way ive been driving from my new exhaust

Kev04C320

My 19172s do not flickers either.

Yacht Master

Sounds like a connection problem, I would check the bulb and socket first. This would not be the first Piaa that heated up and developed a loose connection (plastic socket). The engine running may be enough vibration to cause the problem. One question do both flicker/dim out at the same time? Your city lights are at the end of a huge and very complex electrical system, and could not be any further from the battery. Due to the size 5w they are sensitive to changes in voltage that occur in your cars electrical system, you may be seeing the voltage regulator at work or any one of your 100s of onboard systems may be cycling ie. a/c, air matic ect. I can't make mine flicker but I have replaced my piaas, as over time they browned out. I now use a hyper white from pep boys $6 ea and they are whiter than the piaas and get just as hot, time will tell if they are worth a cr4p. At this point I am waiting for my sockets to melt down.

jdj27x

Im actually thinking it might be an alternator or somthing this is whats going on.

If the Engine is running, not only are the city lights dimming, but if i open the cars doors and look inside of the car with the engine running, all the interior lamps are flickering. However, if i put the headlight selector switch at 0, when all the headlights and city lights fog lights ect are off, the dimming stil occurs with the engine running.

If the engine is off, there arent any problems once so ever. What do u think.

jdj27x

U sound like ur right. I think im gona check all my aftermarket bulbs before i call the dealership for an appointment. It almost seemed like it was more sever when the fan came on. If you are right on this, i will be so greatful! Do you think it would still affect the interior lights if the headlight selector is off, and no bulbs being on? Is the small short or what ever still possible with the lights not on?

Yacht Master

Because the condition occurs with the engine running, headlamps off and the interior lamps are flickering, I would say time to see the dealer, battery may be about to go and or alternator/voltage regulator. The dealer will probably recharge and load test your battery, but I would insist on a new one (and or two, I hear the E55 has a second small battery). They should load test your alternator/voltage regulator and check for bad diodes too (bad diodes can slip AC voltage). I would do this ASAP nothing is worse than electrical problems on cars this complex. The fastest way to burn out sensors and micro circuits is Low voltage. As batteries age their ability to hold a charge diminishes this can cause the alternator/voltage regulator to work over time. By this I mean that electrical loads added to a circuit will pull voltage down and cause the alternator/voltage regulator to react after the fact, to the added load, I think this is the flickering/ dimming you can see. If you have a good / new fully charged battery it acts like reserve power or a cushion and system voltage is stable hence no flickering/ dimming.

vader

If I am not mistaken there was a voltage reg service bulletin...