BMW 1 Series Coupe Forum / 1 Series Convertible Forum (1M / tii / 135i / 128i / Coupe / Cabrio / Hatchback) (BMW E82 E88 128i 130i 135i)
 





 

Post Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      02-13-2013, 12:14 AM   #1
adobeee
Captain
adobeee's Avatar
United_States
170
Rep
821
Posts

Drives: '23 X6 M50i
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

Angry Alpine V3s flickering upon startup

Dear 1Addicts community,

Lately my Alpine V3 angel eyes flicker upon engine startup on my 2008 128i. As soon as I turn the ignition on, they flicker, then return to normal within about 5 seconds.

What's strange is that I've had them for about 1.5 years with no problems. My current headlight settings are on auto (bi-xenons).

Was wondering if anyone knew how to solve this problem.

Thanks in advance!

P.S. Apologize if this is the wrong section to post..
Appreciate 0
      02-13-2013, 09:04 AM   #2
rking117
Lieutenant Colonel
United_States
118
Rep
1,668
Posts

Drives: Z4 3.0i & 320i
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: USA

iTrader: (0)

with all the forums here, noone really has time to post in the right one. I think i might start a rant thread on this.
__________________
Enjoying an E89 Z4, F30 320i and Fiat Abarth //
E85 Z4 (sold), E82 128i (sold), Fiat Pop 500 (sold)
Appreciate 0
      02-13-2013, 10:53 AM   #3
adobeee
Captain
adobeee's Avatar
United_States
170
Rep
821
Posts

Drives: '23 X6 M50i
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by rking117 View Post
with all the forums here, noone really has time to post in the right one. I think i might start a rant thread on this.
hence my note in the first post......

if anyone knows the solution to this.....

Last edited by adobeee; 02-13-2013 at 11:01 AM..
Appreciate 0
      02-15-2013, 01:04 PM   #4
adobeee
Captain
adobeee's Avatar
United_States
170
Rep
821
Posts

Drives: '23 X6 M50i
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

Just sent a private message to Alex@Alpine and waiting for his response. In the meantime, if anyone knows a fix, I would greatly appreciate.
Appreciate 0
      02-15-2013, 01:11 PM   #5
1speedbike
Brigadier General
1speedbike's Avatar
728
Rep
3,272
Posts

Drives: 2022 X4 M40i, 2008 135i
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: MKE

iTrader: (15)

Check all the wires and the connections. There are supposedly no problems with the V3 and I haven't heard of any. Alex told me a while ago that I was literally the only one who had a problem, and what happened was that the wiring shifted and ended up resting on the hot engine block. It melted the plastic and exposed the wires and messed up the HID kit pretty bad, but Alex sent me replacements ASAP. If that's not the case, then you might have one of the first ballasts to go bad, but if it's only 1.5 years old it should still be under warranty and Alex should send you a new one right away.
__________________
Scruffy's gonna die the way he lived... Mmhm.


Appreciate 0
      02-16-2013, 03:34 AM   #6
litebulb
Captain
litebulb's Avatar
Canada
68
Rep
627
Posts

Drives: '09 E88 135i M-Sport/6MT/SGM
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Vancouver

iTrader: (3)

Garage List
Feel free to read my thread. Please let us know if you actually get a hold of them.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...light=litebulb
__________________
| Dinan S2=>MHD | e46 M3 trans mounts | Dinan CF CAI | ER CP | HKS SSQV4 BOV | RB PCV Valve | VRSF DP | N55 MP | BMW PE | OC | VRSF 7" FMIC | UUC Evo3 SSK | EBC GD Sport Rotors | EBC Redstuff | TRW F+R | | Whiteline KDT918 | H&R Front Sway | BMWP 313 | MPSS 225/255 | Scopione CF Rear Diffuser | iCarbon CF Rear Spoiler | P3 v2.1 Gauge | Interior LED Retrofit |
Appreciate 0
      02-21-2013, 06:16 PM   #7
E92-Lighting
E92-Lighting's Avatar
United_States
856
Rep
35,253
Posts

Drives: Next Generation LED Lighting
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Walnut

iTrader: (324)

we offer flicker free angel eyes from many different brands
Appreciate 0
      02-28-2013, 10:23 AM   #8
adobeee
Captain
adobeee's Avatar
United_States
170
Rep
821
Posts

Drives: '23 X6 M50i
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by litebulb View Post
Feel free to read my thread. Please let us know if you actually get a hold of them.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...light=litebulb
I uploaded a video to Youtube showcasing the problem I am having:


I contacted Alex and he told me to contact him a few days later. He said it might be a battery problem, but the car doesn't show any odd signs of an old battery (however, sometimes when I leave my GPS plugged in, it shows up with a message saying that I need to plug in for power). The flicker varies (a lot vs. a little) and only happens when I unlock my car or start up my car. Anyways, I contacted him a few days later, but he never got back to me. I will continue to ping him.

Any further insights?
Appreciate 0
      03-03-2013, 12:33 AM   #9
adobeee
Captain
adobeee's Avatar
United_States
170
Rep
821
Posts

Drives: '23 X6 M50i
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by 1speedbike View Post
Check all the wires and the connections. There are supposedly no problems with the V3 and I haven't heard of any. Alex told me a while ago that I was literally the only one who had a problem, and what happened was that the wiring shifted and ended up resting on the hot engine block. It melted the plastic and exposed the wires and messed up the HID kit pretty bad, but Alex sent me replacements ASAP. If that's not the case, then you might have one of the first ballasts to go bad, but if it's only 1.5 years old it should still be under warranty and Alex should send you a new one right away.
The Alpine V3s don't turn on at all now when I unlock and aren't functioning while I am driving, as opposed to before. Alex said he would replace the bulbs and says my battery might be going out...but I'm not sure. I've checked the wiring and everything seems to be okay...
Appreciate 0
      03-03-2013, 06:58 AM   #10
litebulb
Captain
litebulb's Avatar
Canada
68
Rep
627
Posts

Drives: '09 E88 135i M-Sport/6MT/SGM
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Vancouver

iTrader: (3)

Garage List
Sorry to hear about your continued issues buddy. I gave up on Alpine and took everything out. Hope you get some resolve but I wouldn't count on it.
__________________
| Dinan S2=>MHD | e46 M3 trans mounts | Dinan CF CAI | ER CP | HKS SSQV4 BOV | RB PCV Valve | VRSF DP | N55 MP | BMW PE | OC | VRSF 7" FMIC | UUC Evo3 SSK | EBC GD Sport Rotors | EBC Redstuff | TRW F+R | | Whiteline KDT918 | H&R Front Sway | BMWP 313 | MPSS 225/255 | Scopione CF Rear Diffuser | iCarbon CF Rear Spoiler | P3 v2.1 Gauge | Interior LED Retrofit |
Appreciate 0
      03-03-2013, 11:24 AM   #11
tracer bullet
Brigadier General
tracer bullet's Avatar
United_States
2291
Rep
3,464
Posts

Drives: '11 135i , '15 X3 35i
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Saint Paul, MN

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by adobeee View Post
The Alpine V3s don't turn on at all now when I unlock and aren't functioning while I am driving, as opposed to before. Alex said he would replace the bulbs and says my battery might be going out...but I'm not sure. I've checked the wiring and everything seems to be okay...
I could buy that it's a battery problem when the car is off, perhaps not giving up enough voltage to get them turned on. However once it's running, w/ the alternator up and going you should have plenty of voltage. FWIW this implies to me it's a problem w/ the lights, not the car. Then again, BMW's are strange and it's possible the voltage to the light is limited in some way separate from the alternator, and if both lights started acting up at the same time, that might imply it's not the lights.

Hmm, guess that wasn't much help.
Appreciate 0
      03-03-2013, 04:21 PM   #12
christopherkriens
.
United_States
18
Rep
260
Posts

Drives: 2011 BMW 135i Coupé
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Minnesota

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
2011 BMW 135i  [8.62]
If it helps, I actually have a battery that is going bad from sitting this winter, to the point of throwing codes and telling me to take it in for service.. and my Alpines are working perfectly.
__________________
2011 135i Black Sapphire Metallic / Coral Red
Appreciate 0
      03-03-2013, 04:23 PM   #13
Satalite
Colonel
Satalite's Avatar
United_States
165
Rep
2,926
Posts

Drives: 128i
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Georgia

iTrader: (9)

Garage List
2009 128i  [10.00]
I've read that the electronic system sends signals before the car is fully running (5-10 seconds) to 'check' the lights.

Seems like those low electric signals are showing?
__________________
Appreciate 0
      03-04-2013, 08:18 PM   #14
tracer bullet
Brigadier General
tracer bullet's Avatar
United_States
2291
Rep
3,464
Posts

Drives: '11 135i , '15 X3 35i
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Saint Paul, MN

iTrader: (1)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Satalite View Post
I've read that the electronic system sends signals before the car is fully running (5-10 seconds) to 'check' the lights.

Seems like those low electric signals are showing?
I think (but don't know for sure) that occurs when the car is started up. Not at the door lock / unlock step. Could totally be wrong, good idea either way.
Appreciate 0
      03-06-2013, 07:21 PM   #15
JK135i
8:39
JK135i's Avatar
United_States
37
Rep
696
Posts

Drives: 2010 135i
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Jacksonville, Florida

iTrader: (1)

Garage List
2010 135i  [9.50]
Adobeee if he is gonna send you new bulbs get ready to wait for-fucking-ever. I ordered new bulbs January 27th and I still haven't got shit but keep getting replies to my emails saying that the bulbs will get shipped out.... Needless to say I have received nothing. Good luck.
__________________
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."
Appreciate 0
      03-06-2013, 08:26 PM   #16
1speedbike
Brigadier General
1speedbike's Avatar
728
Rep
3,272
Posts

Drives: 2022 X4 M40i, 2008 135i
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: MKE

iTrader: (15)

It really sucks that Alpine is letting so many of you guys down I have always been a huge fan of the angel eyes and the customer service, but I guess it happens..

If you are looking for new bulbs, check out DDM tuning (http://www.ddmtuning.com/) and look at their HID bulb sets. They are not 100% plug and play with Alpine's kit, but they are very similar. If you are comfortable simply cutting the connectors for both bulbs, and splicing the Alpine connectors onto new DDM bulbs, it works 100%. I did this to get a bluer color bulb than what I bought with my Alpine kit for cheap. It's even better if you can solder them together, but just cutting, twisting the wires together, and packing it up with electrical tape should work fine.

If that doesn't work, it sounds like a ballast problem. As far as I know, the V2 ballasts were riddled with problems, but no V3 ballasts have had issues thus far. These new problems could be the earliest reported batch of V2 problems, but I'm not an expert. If it's the ballasts, then I'm not sure if the DDM ones could be configured to work.
__________________
Scruffy's gonna die the way he lived... Mmhm.


Appreciate 0
      03-07-2013, 10:23 AM   #17
adobeee
Captain
adobeee's Avatar
United_States
170
Rep
821
Posts

Drives: '23 X6 M50i
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Satalite View Post
I've read that the electronic system sends signals before the car is fully running (5-10 seconds) to 'check' the lights.

Seems like those low electric signals are showing?
Quote:
Originally Posted by tracer bullet View Post
I think (but don't know for sure) that occurs when the car is started up. Not at the door lock / unlock step. Could totally be wrong, good idea either way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JK135i View Post
Adobeee if he is gonna send you new bulbs get ready to wait for-fucking-ever. I ordered new bulbs January 27th and I still haven't got shit but keep getting replies to my emails saying that the bulbs will get shipped out.... Needless to say I have received nothing. Good luck.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1speedbike View Post
It really sucks that Alpine is letting so many of you guys down I have always been a huge fan of the angel eyes and the customer service, but I guess it happens..

If you are looking for new bulbs, check out DDM tuning (http://www.ddmtuning.com/) and look at their HID bulb sets. They are not 100% plug and play with Alpine's kit, but they are very similar. If you are comfortable simply cutting the connectors for both bulbs, and splicing the Alpine connectors onto new DDM bulbs, it works 100%. I did this to get a bluer color bulb than what I bought with my Alpine kit for cheap. It's even better if you can solder them together, but just cutting, twisting the wires together, and packing it up with electrical tape should work fine.

If that doesn't work, it sounds like a ballast problem. As far as I know, the V2 ballasts were riddled with problems, but no V3 ballasts have had issues thus far. These new problems could be the earliest reported batch of V2 problems, but I'm not an expert. If it's the ballasts, then I'm not sure if the DDM ones could be configured to work.
Guys,

I met up with Alex and he's been extremely helpful with fixing my Alpine v3s. Turns out the person that helped me install it a year ago placed the wires and power block very close to the oil tube left of the engine. The flickering occurred because part of the wire and power block melted (thus being partly functional) and eventually gave out. I should have been smarter to notice the issue. He helped replace the wire and installed an additional power block and all was fixed in 10 minutes.

It helps if you guys are local...Alex is extremely busy. I met up with him around 8 at night to help fix. Overall a pleasurable experience..
Appreciate 0
      03-07-2013, 12:16 PM   #18
1speedbike
Brigadier General
1speedbike's Avatar
728
Rep
3,272
Posts

Drives: 2022 X4 M40i, 2008 135i
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: MKE

iTrader: (15)

Quote:
Originally Posted by adobeee View Post
Guys,

I met up with Alex and he's been extremely helpful with fixing my Alpine v3s. Turns out the person that helped me install it a year ago placed the wires and power block very close to the oil tube left of the engine. The flickering occurred because part of the wire and power block melted (thus being partly functional) and eventually gave out. I should have been smarter to notice the issue. He helped replace the wire and installed an additional power block and all was fixed in 10 minutes.

It helps if you guys are local...Alex is extremely busy. I met up with him around 8 at night to help fix. Overall a pleasurable experience..

that is exactly what happened to me. it was the only instance (up to that point) that alex had ever heard of his v3 kit failing. it was an installation error and alex still hooked us both up i'm glad you were able to sort it out!
__________________
Scruffy's gonna die the way he lived... Mmhm.


Appreciate 0
      03-22-2013, 04:51 PM   #19
The Black Pearl
Private
5
Rep
92
Posts

Drives: 2008 135i
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Dallas, TX

iTrader: (2)

Has Alex responded to anyone, other than going to see him in person?
Appreciate 0
Post Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:02 PM.




1addicts
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST