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View Poll Results: Possible reasons my car has worked 8 months with HIDs without throwing errors
It has an error cancelling module 3 21.43%
A miracle of God 11 78.57%
Voters: 14. You may not vote on this poll

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      10-07-2010, 07:18 PM   #1
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Thumbs down Review: JLEVI/Depo82 LED upgrade

edit: just wanted to add this, my HID kit is MTEC, a quick search on google revealed this thread: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190949

to quote: "As far as I could gather, there are two HID kits that are error free: MTEC and XTREME (XenonDepot)." and "The MTEC HID kits are specifically designed to work properly on the European cars (Audi, BMW, Mercedes) since these cars are highly sensitive to aftermarket electronics." perhaps this explains how I got away with the HIDs working without an error cancelling module?

also see here: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=283505

"The best IMO on the market would be the MTEC kits. They last longer, do not fade after 1 year and DO NOT throw any errors."




I'm going to try keep it really brief because theres a lot to cover

1. I purchased the LED upgrade for my pre-existing Depo headlights which have HIDs

2. I've had these headlights working PERFECT with HIDS+standard halogen rings from march until now. Thats 8 months

3. When purchasing I had no idea & there was no indication on the JLEVI website that the LED upgrade was 16 leds in a plastic bag. Having seen plug n play videos on youtube of WeissLicht I thought these would be similar

3A. Had I known they were so small I would have objected to paying $28 shipping
& requested they be sent in a paper envelope or something like that.

Shipping on my matte black grilles cost $30 and they came in a massive box.
So why $28 for a plastic bag the size of my mobile phone?

4. So the LEDs arrive and to my annoyance they're not plug n play,
even though via emails with 2 of the guys at JLEVI it certainly appeared that installation wouldn't be too complicated

5. I take them to a friend who says there's no way they're plug n play or even an easy job.
So I take them to a mechanic who ends up taking almost 1.5 hours
(discounted me charging only 1.25) but still at a cost of $119 and who had to take off the front bumper!!!

6. I take them home and realise they're extremely hard to see in daylight, essentially invisible in sunlight

7. Next morning I wakeup turn on the car and to my delight, BULB OUT warning on dash

8. I ask around on forums and start to deduce that it appears to be the headlights, possibly the LEDs

9. A quick email to Nick at JLEVI who says the LEDs won't cause it because the car isn't coded for them,
but perhaps its the HIDs or a loose connection in the headlights somewhere.

Heres where it gets interesting
After speaking with Nick@JLEVI for over 1 hour,
it was Nicks analysis based on photos that I sent him and have attached below,
that I don't have error cancelling modules on my HIDs.

Now I'm quite confused.
Either the previous owner who installed these also installed some sort of error cancelling module,
or by some miracle of god I have driven my car for the past 8 months with absolutely no error cancelling module in the HID kit attached to my Projector82 Headlights and NO ERRORS!!!

Thats hard to believe & I welcome explanations by others as to how this could happen,
& more importantly as to why this would suddenly start throwing errors after the headlights were taken out and the halogen ring bulbs replaced for LEDs






Lastly, while Nick & other staff at JLEVI are a very friendly and polite bunch,
I'm still extremely dissapointed at this whole affair.
I told Nick that I've driven the car 8 months, HIDs installed by previous owner,
with NO ERRORS, so how could it be possible that suddenly now they would throw errors

It's cost mechanic fees and my own time away from work having them installed,
the only compensation I was requesting at this stage was for a pair of error cancelling modules to be thrown in,
but the response from Nick was that it's company policy that they "can't send out free product"

Look.
Everyone is out to make a dollar,
I get this better than most since I've been working in Computer Retail & Servicing for over 8 years.

My company has restocking fees, refund policies etc just like any other company.
But that DOES NOT MEAN we put policies ahead of keeping customers happy,
and furthermore, application of these policies is ALWAYS at our DISCRETION,
we don't hide behind them because customers know very well that if we like we CAN circumvent them.

Just want to give you a quick example, a month ago I had a customer purchase a D-LINK USB ADSL Modem,
only to return a few days later saying the software wouldn't install on his computer.

From a policy perspective we had no liability or obligation to refund the product,
because being there was no actual fault with the product or software, it simply wouldn't install for him.

Regardless I happily exchanged the modem for him with another one, waived the 25% restocking fee,
and not suprisingly he's been in once since then to purchase another small item.

Now I assure you, had I taken the stance that I wouldn't refund the product,
or that I would charge him a 25% restocking fee because it was "company policy", he would not have returned.

This is as simple as customer service gets.
No-one expects you to work miracles,
but to say hey no sorry we can't send you a $39 module (which probably cost us $20) as compensation,
but we're happy to refund you if you pay another 100dollars to remove the LEDs from your car, and post them to us

Seriously?

The irony here is that a detailed & largely negative experience review like this will most certainly cost JLEVI
more in terms of lost sales (even if its just 2 or 3) than that $20module+shipping ever would have

Good Day.

Last edited by fatjoez; 10-07-2010 at 07:30 PM..
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      10-07-2010, 09:21 PM   #2
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That sucks
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      10-07-2010, 10:38 PM   #3
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I don't really know much about electronics, but maybe the power of your LEDS + HIDs is what caused the bulbs out.

For example, lets say the limit is 1.0 for the signal error out to occur

HIDs have been made at .9 so no error occurs
Lets say the standard angel eyes have .05

.9+.05 = .95

Now lets say the new angel eyes have .11
.9 + .11 = 1.01 and BAM ur over the limit and the bulb error occurs

of course, I don't think this is right because aren't LEDS suppose to reduce power when compared to normal bulbs?

Sad to see these are so "expensive". I really think the entire kit should come with bulbs and HID for ~400-500 and not having to buy everything separately. After your story, it might have been cheaper to just get OEM xenons because those go for around $1000, and you had to pay extra installation fees.

I'm happy I took the wait and see approach. Too much going on right now with those lights. At first I was considering, but then saw they did NOT include HID's. Then I saw pics and the light was weak, so waited for the new LEDS bulbs, now they don't work.

I hope you resolve your issue soon. I wonder what JLevis has to say about this. I noticed when these lights came out first they were very behind the product. Then once they posted the pics of the new angel eye LEDs and said they were pure white, nobody could tell from the pics, and seeing yours, they look VERY BLUE. Since then they haven't posted much especially since the couple of negative reviews

But I also don't really think its JLevis fault completely either. If you remember, the DEPO's were the ones that came with the weak angel eyes to begin with, and they tried to find a solution. However, since you were one of the first to adopt them, I would think they would treat you differently.

I hope it works out : )!
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      10-08-2010, 04:30 AM   #4
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Thanks for the rundown on this.

I'm also having a bulb-out issue... however, it's only affecting my left headlight. The right headlight has had ZERO problems with starting up... But, after starting my car, sometimes the left headlight doesn't even turn on!! The angel eyes light up, but the HID bulb fails to turn on. Then, I have to fiddle with my headlight switch, and then it turns on. I'm beginning to really dislike people who make cheap products. I wonder if MTEC HIDs would do this?

I asked JLEVI what brand they were using, and they said in-house generic brands... I received them, and they were gigantic metal boxes with no labels. It looked like something a high school student made in metal shop. I looked at other kits and they appeared to be built much better.

In any case, I don't think I will order from JLEVI anymore, nor recommend them. I feel duped, too, because pictures on their webpage are outdated or things are missing. For example, I ordered the whole Depo set. Then, I remembered someone made a post about HID and needing error-canceling modules... I asked JLEVI about this, and it was "oh yeah, if you don't want bulb-out errors you need these cancelers" -- The cancelers were not on the webpage, so they were added after I placed my order. Imagine if these were without the cancelers and the errors started happening? Or, worse, the HID lights didn't even work, instead they simply flicker. Because that's what they did when I plugged them in without the canceling modules; they flickered and never ignited. Wow... So I would have to wait longer for the modules to arrive, or not drive at night, or switch back to my old lights.

Every time I ask about the webpage, it's 'in the process of being updated' -- bull crap. Update that damn webpage with proper, clear pictures of every component.

I'm thinking of cutting my losses on this product and buying some other aftermarket HIDs with a brand name... I'm basically going back to square one with money out of my pocket.

I will say that the Depos look better than stock halogens, but they come with a lot of baggage and inconvenience due to errors.
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      10-08-2010, 06:53 AM   #5
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I'm doing a fair bit of research on this,
I'll post another detailed outline once I make sense of it all

My comments thus far though

1. Greenkirby yeah perhaps you're right, maybe those LEDs are the straw that broke the camels back so to speak. I think the fact that Nick@JLEVI kept saying "the LEDs cant cause it" indicates an oversight as to how these things actually work. The LEDs and the HID are all running off the same wiring / power cable. So I'm pretty sure the car is reading the TOTAL power not the power specifically going to the bulb, hence possibly validating your theory Greenkirby

2. Greenkirby no-one said its "all JLEVIs fault", my issue really is that common sense is simply not prevailing here. Telling a customer you'll refund them if they send the product back, which really means telling them to pay another $119 to the mechanic + postage fees to remove & send them back, rather then sayin hey we'll send you an error cancelling module which is just a small plastic box the length/width of a house key at a cost to us of around 20/30$. Its just poor.

3. SchlauCow your experience somewhat mirrors mine, not suprisingly though.
Mainly in that

A. When we ordered, we BOTH had no idea that these things would need an "error cancelling module", and we BOTH didn't even see the error cancelling module listed on the page until AFTER we ordered

B. The staff attitude towards the error cancelers is funny really cause they seem to think it's an optional accessory that customers may or may not want?

C. I also feel duped. You pay $99+$28 shipping you dont expect a plastic bag of LEDs, more importantly, that'll endup costing you over 100 to install & then deal with errors.

-------------

Now. Lets get to the technicalities

--------------

Schlau I've been researching a fair bit on the forums and it would appear that the MTEC HID kit have a "relay" in the wiring that supposedly addresses the errors.

If you look above at the photo I posted where you can see my hand, the plastic connections you see I believe are the relays. They're basicall in between the ballast & the connection to the headlight. So I assume they're doing something

Have a look at this thread/page, you'll see everyone talking about MTEC kit being error free thanks to the "relays"
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...=84882&page=11

Scroll down and get to the photos and you'll see the same looking plastic connectors as per my photo.

--------

Then have a look here http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...=143927&page=3
Again people saying the "relay" in the mtec kit is the key to being error free

Apparently a user called "parachute" made the fix and actually suggested against the error cancelling modules which bring the power output/input/whatever up to 55W from 35W in favour of his relays.

So I contacted him and let him know my scenario where I think I've already got them installed but still getting errors with the new LEDs to see what he has to say,
will drop that feedback here once i get it

--------------------------

Another potential avenue I've found is OBD coding.
Check this out
http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...highlight=mtec

Apparently the dude paid a german guy to plugin to his OBD port and do an assortment of things from increasing the power to his angel eyes, to changing some errors.
So perhaps it's possible to program the ECU to look for 35W instead of 55W

---------------

re: error cancelling modules, quite hesitant to use them. They're destined to fail, one dude on another thread said he got some generic ones off ebay and soon as he plugged them in and turned them on they started getting hot/smoking

Do you have the error modules from JLEVI installed Schlau?

Last edited by fatjoez; 10-08-2010 at 06:59 AM..
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      10-08-2010, 07:44 AM   #6
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$28 to ship a small bag? Where are you located -- Outer Mongolia?

Seriously - I don't know all the facts here, so won't make a judgment on what they charged you for shipping, but I can say that I avoid companies that try to make a profit on the shipping charges, so they can keep the advertised price of the item artificially low. I'll even spend a couple of bucks extra to buy from a competitor that doesn't do that.
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      10-08-2010, 07:44 AM   #7
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Yeah, I am also using the Jlevi error canceling modules... funny thing, is that I wouldn't be mentioning much of the stuff now if my HIDs didn't fail... but of course, that's not the case. I should have gone the 'illegal' route and installed MTECs after the fact... at least they would have worked. I'm tired of figuring out other peoples'/so-called experts' problems...
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      10-08-2010, 11:21 AM   #8
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Meely,

I am really sorry this product did not work out as planned but I'd like to clarify a few points first.

1) You purchased your car from a previous owner who purchased the headlights only from us. We did not originally supply the HID kit for these headlights and from photos that you sent over to me, it became apparent that the HID kit was added after the fact. After spending several hours diagnosing with you via email and online chat, it was clear that these were causing the errors as they did not have the error cancelers.

We don't refuse to support customers because they don't purchase the full product from us. However, it would be hard for you to expect to call Apple to get support on your Dell branded computer. With that said, we are familiar with the product and components and have extended ourselves to help you get it working properly.

2) You had asked us if it was possible to upgrade your headlights to the LED look with our new kit. I advised that your headlights were indeed DEPO brand based on photos you sent over and that our LED bulbs will work. You had asked repeatedly if this was similar to the WeissLicht upgrade, I advised repeatedly that it was not at all similar given the DEPO headlights us 4 individual T5 style bulbs per ring. However, it was entirely possible to install them from the back of the headlight. We sell this upgrade as a preinstalled option however I understand that some want to add it after the fact so we offer this option if you are willing to go through the installation.

We preinstall these for you if you choose the option but if you purchased these before the LED option came out, then you can definitely purchase the LED upgrade and do it yourself. I advise having it preinstalled by us for the easiest transition but again I can't control that so I am sorry that your mechanic charged you that much to do the installation.

4) After speaking with you via email and chat, I offered a full product refund given that you were not happy with the product. We have been in business for over 7 years and as enthusiasts, we understand that it can be very upsetting to install a product you are not at all happy with. As such, I provided you the opportunity to send it back for a full refund- I am not sure what else we can provide for you.

I don't want you stuck with a product you are unhappy with but we sent the product as ordered and advertised. We offer refunds for any product you are unhappy with, that has always been a policy we stick with. I fail to see how sending error cancelers will a) fix your issue and b) is a suitable substitute for this policy.

5) We have sold a number of these LED upgrades for both E90 and E8X 1-Series vehicles both with and without HID kits. Those that have HID kits, purchased error cancelers through our site and have not received errors. This is the first error I have seen after installation of LEDs. We would not sell a product that was known to cause errors but I have helped you with troubleshooting to determine the source of the errors. Given that you have an after the fact HID kit, my guess is this is the cause of the error.

6) Shipping costs on our website are pulled straight from USPS and FedEx. We do not propose to profit on shipping, it is a service we provide to you to get the product to you. We are a car parts company, not a shipping company. USPS and FedEx profit off of shipping, not us. As I explained to you, USPS charges a base rate for packages up to a certain weight.

As such, it is entirely possible for it to cost the same amount to send a set of LED bulbs as it is to send a matte black grille. I understand it's very expensive in some cases which is why we encourage you to combine orders to spread the shipping cost over several items. I cannot control USPS' base rate, I am very sorry about that.

I hope this provides a sufficient explanation of our side and as always, the offer to send them back for a refund does stand. We are here to help you work through the issue even if the parts were not originally purchased through us.
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      10-08-2010, 11:24 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nick@Jlevi SW View Post
Meely,

I am really sorry this product did not work out as planned but I'd like to clarify a few points first.

1) You purchased your car from a previous owner who purchased the headlights only from us. We did not originally supply the HID kit for these headlights and from photos that you sent over to me, it became apparent that the HID kit was added after the fact. After spending several hours diagnosing with you via email and online chat, it was clear that these were causing the errors as they did not have the error cancelers.

We don't refuse to support customers because they don't purchase the full product from us. However, it would be hard for you to expect to call Apple to get support on your Dell branded computer. With that said, we are familiar with the product and components and have extended ourselves to help you get it working properly.

2) You had asked us if it was possible to upgrade your headlights to the LED look with our new kit. I advised that your headlights were indeed DEPO brand based on photos you sent over and that our LED bulbs will work. You had asked repeatedly if this was similar to the WeissLicht upgrade, I advised repeatedly that it was not at all similar given the DEPO headlights us 4 individual T5 style bulbs per ring. However, it was entirely possible to install them from the back of the headlight. We sell this upgrade as a preinstalled option however I understand that some want to add it after the fact so we offer this option if you are willing to go through the installation.

We preinstall these for you if you choose the option but if you purchased these before the LED option came out, then you can definitely purchase the LED upgrade and do it yourself. I advise having it preinstalled by us for the easiest transition but again I can't control that so I am sorry that your mechanic charged you that much to do the installation.

4) After speaking with you via email and chat, I offered a full product refund given that you were not happy with the product. We have been in business for over 7 years and as enthusiasts, we understand that it can be very upsetting to install a product you are not at all happy with. As such, I provided you the opportunity to send it back for a full refund- I am not sure what else we can provide for you.

I don't want you stuck with a product you are unhappy with but we sent the product as ordered and advertised. We offer refunds for any product you are unhappy with, that has always been a policy we stick with. I fail to see how sending error cancelers will a) fix your issue and b) is a suitable substitute for this policy.

5) We have sold a number of these LED upgrades for both E90 and E8X 1-Series vehicles both with and without HID kits. Those that have HID kits, purchased error cancelers through our site and have not received errors. This is the first error I have seen after installation of LEDs. We would not sell a product that was known to cause errors but I have helped you with troubleshooting to determine the source of the errors. Given that you have an after the fact HID kit, my guess is this is the cause of the error.

6) Shipping costs on our website are pulled straight from USPS and FedEx. We do not propose to profit on shipping, it is a service we provide to you to get the product to you. We are a car parts company, not a shipping company. USPS and FedEx profit off of shipping, not us. As I explained to you, USPS charges a base rate for packages up to a certain weight.

As such, it is entirely possible for it to cost the same amount to send a set of LED bulbs as it is to send a matte black grille. I understand it's very expensive in some cases which is why we encourage you to combine orders to spread the shipping cost over several items. I cannot control USPS' base rate, I am very sorry about that.

I hope this provides a sufficient explanation of our side and as always, the offer to send them back for a refund does stand. We are here to help you work through the issue even if the parts were not originally purchased through us.
Excellent reply Nick.

Additionally, this was the only customer who purchased just the LED's. The $99 price includes the labor to install these LED bulbs, so I think we probably should offer a $50 refund because he did the labor himself. Unfortunately our site isn't set up to sell the bulbs alone, so you got charged the $99.

Thanks
JL
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      10-08-2010, 05:54 PM   #10
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Hi Nick

I'd like to respond to your points

1. I have had this car for over 8 months,
the previous owner for 2 months.
HE bought & installed the DEPO Headlights&MTEC hid kit

For the entire time I have had the car until now,
it has had halogen bulbs powering the rings

DURING THIS TIME..
There have been NO ERRORS.

Further, I provided a large amount of research,
(links/quotes), which seem to suggest,

the MTEC HID KIT, does NOT throw errors.

One of my key points via chat,
was that for 8 MONTHS, these HID have been FINE

SOMETHING triggers it
I applaud your extending yourself to help resolve this,
but I think we won't get far until we start thinking outside the box,
rather than sticking to the same "LEDs cant have caused it" story

-----------------

2. I was going to post our email dialogue but I decided to cut to the chase
I'm sure you speak with plenty customers on a daily basis,
so I don't have an issue with your recalling of the email dialogue being a little off,
just want to clarify it thats all.

You only advised me once that there was a major difference between the WeissLicht and DEPO upgrade
And that was AFTER I received them and emailed in confusion!

Regarding the cost of the LEDs,
a refund of the labour component would indeed be appreciated
,
it will go towards further diagnosing/resolving this problem!

-----------------

4. I appreciate the offer of a refund,
but I think the more logical & low cost solution for BOTH parties,
would have been greenlighting an error canceller

That said I'd like to further discussions both on the forums and with yourselves,
because as I said I have found numerous threads/discussions which suggest,
the MTEC kits do not need error cancellers, and also a "parachute" relay fix
(are you jlevi boys familiar with this one?)

which I believe is what is visible in the photo with my hand that you were uncertain about Nick!

-----------------

5. To be honest with you I don't agree.
If I've had MTEC HIDs for 8 months, then get bulbout errors a day adding LED's
I don't think it's fair to say its the HIDs fault, you need error cancellers

"Those that have HID kits, purchased error cancelers through our site
and have not received errors.
We would not sell a product that was known to cause errors"


Honestly I couldn't care less but just in the spirit of keeping everything clear.
Its contradictory to say you don't sell any product that causes errors,
when in fact technically you do, you just offer an error cancelling module.

End of the day you're a reseller so I'm not attacking you,
I'm simply suggesting that in this scenario,
vigorously defending these products won't help You, Me, Schlau or anyone else
Take a look at poor Schlau, he's got it way worse than me.
Feel sorry for the guy, not even error cancellers are working.

-----------------

6. I never once said you profit on shipping,
my issue is cheaper more sensible options need to be offered for international shipping.

You've been in business 7 years, surely you're able to send a plastic bag of LEDs,
which weighs not even 50grams, for less than $28 (without insurance)

Thats my only issue this whole time.
I couldn't care less if a bag of LEDs is insured.
I'd take cheaper postage + bubblewrap anyday over insured

Please don't even respond to this point,
I don't want this thread to waste time on low priority issues.



Finally as per above..

A refund regarding labour on the LEDs would be appreciated
Your offers of help in resolving this are also appreciated,
but could you please consult with your technicians,
and advise where you think we should go to from here

Cheers
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      10-09-2010, 11:21 AM   #11
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fatjoez,

Are you receiving errors for both headlights or one?

It's obvious that my right headlight is working properly, but my left one is just having problems like none other. I think it's the ballast, because the error switched over to the right after I switched it out (huge pain in the ass and waste of time, btw). I also touched the glass bulb trying to finagle it out of the headlight system, will this affect its longevity?

I think I'm going to buy some MTECs (I should have done this in the first place, although 'illegal') -- at least then I know I would have had a quality product with no stupid errors or roll-of-dice chance that the light will fire up.

In total, I have wasted a lot of money due to a bad product... Next time, I will go with my instincts instead of trusting those who sell snake oil. Furthermore, I'm going to inform everyone I possibly can about Jlevisw.

Now that I'm a bit fired up (unlike my left HID bulb), let me say that Jlevi has consistently messed up my previous orders.

-LED light kit order was messed up. I didn't have enough lights for my car. Jlevi eventually sent the missing lights to me. This happened to many other folks on this board. Guys, count the lights in the car, then count the lights on hand. Add, then package, then ship to customer.

-The Weisslicht LED footwell lights did NOT properly fit on either side. The OEM ones did, of course. I had to use tape to get the lights to stay flush. Guys, install these on 1-series cars for proper fitment. If it doesn't fit like OEM, then fix it and don't sell the product to customers.

-Orders were piecemeal, e.g. one LED turn signal would come in, then a few days later the other one would arrive. Guys, fix your ordering system online, or wait until whole systems/components can be shipped out. What good is one LED light to me?

-LED sidelenses do a rapid-fire blink every so often. The LED sidelenses were very cheaply made, there was no rubber base like the OEM ones so it wasn't as waterproof, and only one connector device was caulked with sealant. The other one was attached on like a sweatshop product. No caulk. Guys, let your customers know that these lights don't have a rubber backing. Also, proper checks and QA/QC of your equipment are in order. When you put a product in a box, look it over and make sure that all the caulking is there. Let's have some consistency here.

-LED turn signals rapidly blink every so often. I installed the error canceling modules, which work, but the damn things do this crazy blink like they're having seizures. What's this all about?

-I ordered 4300k HID with my Depos and I'm rather certain I got 6000k. Can anyone else tell from looking at my pictures??? I don't see yellow hue, I see a purple/bluish hue when I look at my lights. If I do have 6000k, that means my order was (not surprisingly) messed up.


I know there are other posts on the board about the quality of Jlevi products, so you can go from there.

Their webpage is always being 'updated' -- like the issue with the error cancelers. These things are VITAL and CRITICAL to the Depo system with HID!!!!!!!! I say this because I took the modules off and my lights don't work!!! They flicker!!!! They will never work without the assistance of these error canceler modules!!!! They should be offered as part of the Depos since they're a critical component!!! I'm lucky I asked questions about it, otherwise, I'd have a huge mess of a situation and more wasted time.

I'm suffering from battered wife syndrome with these guys -- except this time I cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger.

Folks, do your research before getting sucked into cheap products and obfuscated or vague descriptions. Demand pictures and ask for name brands. I'm fairly new to the aftermarket car scene -- but I know I won't trust Jlevi anymore... I'm simply fed up with them and now I will make it my goal to dissuade anyone else from buying these products. I'll use any opportunity I can because I don't want someone else ending up extremely dissatisfied like I. I was nice and understanding at first, but my tolerance level can't handle this anymore.
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      10-09-2010, 01:14 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SchlauCow View Post
fatjoez,

Are you receiving errors for both headlights or one?

It's obvious that my right headlight is working properly, but my left one is just having problems like none other. I think it's the ballast, because the error switched over to the right after I switched it out (huge pain in the ass and waste of time, btw). I also touched the glass bulb trying to finagle it out of the headlight system, will this affect its longevity?

Finger oil does decrease bulb lifespan. The reason is the oil heats up with the bulb and degrades the glass surface, causing premature failure. What you can do is use a clean...emphasis on clean, tissue to try to remove the oil or grime and prevent degradation.

This definitely sounds like a ballast/igniter issue. If you swap these units and the problem switches sides, then you were sent a faulty ballast and we owe you a replacement. Contact us if this is the case and we'll replace it.

I think I'm going to buy some MTECs (I should have done this in the first place, although 'illegal') -- at least then I know I would have had a quality product with no stupid errors or roll-of-dice chance that the light will fire up.

In total, I have wasted a lot of money due to a bad product... Next time, I will go with my instincts instead of trusting those who sell snake oil. Furthermore, I'm going to inform everyone I possibly can about Jlevisw.

Now that I'm a bit fired up (unlike my left HID bulb), let me say that Jlevi has consistently messed up my previous orders.

-LED light kit order was messed up. I didn't have enough lights for my car. Jlevi eventually sent the missing lights to me. This happened to many other folks on this board. Guys, count the lights in the car, then count the lights on hand. Add, then package, then ship to customer.
You are right, we did not count the bulbs correctly and I am sorry about that. The reason was that the test car did not have the premium package so some interior lights were not on the car. BMW changes the bulb specifications based on packages now, we were not aware as most cars come with a standard set of interior lights. The only thing we can do is make it right after realizing our mistake which I think we did. Again, you should not be the guinea pig for these products but mistakes happen and we go above and beyond to fix it.

-The Weisslicht LED footwell lights did NOT properly fit on either side. The OEM ones did, of course. I had to use tape to get the lights to stay flush. Guys, install these on 1-series cars for proper fitment. If it doesn't fit like OEM, then fix it and don't sell the product to customers.
I've had these installed on my 135 and never had a problem with gaps. With that said, if you are unhappy with the fit and finish, then contact us and send it back for a refund. We don't want you stuck with a product you don't like. We test each product and coming from an enthusiast background, understand that perfect fit and finish is a must. We strive to offer this but some aftermarket products vary in quality so if we do run into this problem, we pull it and revise. It is hard for us to do this without it being brought to our attention but having done several local installs and running this product on our own car, I haven't see an issue with it.

-Orders were piecemeal, e.g. one LED turn signal would come in, then a few days later the other one would arrive. Guys, fix your ordering system online, or wait until whole systems/components can be shipped out. What good is one LED light to me?
While we do have a 2700 SQFT warehouse in Santa Clara, CA, we cannot stock each and every product. Some products do get sent direct from our supplier and we cover the additional shipping charge to send your order "piece meal" so that you receive the products quicker.

If you would rather us hold the entire order for a week to collect it and send it in one shipment, that's not a problem. However, it's been our experience that customers would prefer to receive at least part of the order sooner so we get what we can out first and rely on our suppliers to send the rest of the order direct.

Again, we are happy to collect the order and send it out together but I am sure you would rather get parts of the order first rather than wait.

I should add that most major online retailers do the same including the all famous Amazon


-LED sidelenses do a rapid-fire blink every so often. The LED sidelenses were very cheaply made, there was no rubber base like the OEM ones so it wasn't as waterproof, and only one connector device was caulked with sealant. The other one was attached on like a sweatshop product. No caulk. Guys, let your customers know that these lights don't have a rubber backing. Also, proper checks and QA/QC of your equipment are in order. When you put a product in a box, look it over and make sure that all the caulking is there. Let's have some consistency here.
This is due to the vehicle's bulb out system checking the bulb with an electrical pulse. Unfortunately there is no way around this and it has occurred on just about every BMW we've installed sidemarkers LEDs on for the past 7 years. The car sends an electrical pulse to the socket to check if the bulb is there which is not enough to illuminate a halogen but is enough to flash an LED. It happens on start up only and IMO is not a huge deal but if it's bothersome, send them back for a refund.

-LED turn signals rapidly blink every so often. I installed the error canceling modules, which work, but the damn things do this crazy blink like they're having seizures. What's this all about?
Same issue as above. Send them back if it's annoying, Solaris bulbs don't do this if you need a substitute.

-I ordered 4300k HID with my Depos and I'm rather certain I got 6000k. Can anyone else tell from looking at my pictures??? I don't see yellow hue, I see a purple/bluish hue when I look at my lights. If I do have 6000k, that means my order was (not surprisingly) messed up.
We check the shipment via part numbers to ensure that the proper color temperature is sent out. If you feel you have received one in error, let us know and we can check. Do understand that 4300k bulbs, and any xenon bulb for that matter, does appear very blue/purple when first started. They will warm into the correct color temperature over the course of 5-10 minutes.

I know there are other posts on the board about the quality of Jlevi products, so you can go from there.

Their webpage is always being 'updated' -- like the issue with the error cancelers. These things are VITAL and CRITICAL to the Depo system with HID!!!!!!!! I say this because I took the modules off and my lights don't work!!! They flicker!!!! They will never work without the assistance of these error canceler modules!!!! They should be offered as part of the Depos since they're a critical component!!! I'm lucky I asked questions about it, otherwise, I'd have a huge mess of a situation and more wasted time.

I'm suffering from battered wife syndrome with these guys -- except this time I cocked the hammer and pulled the trigger.

Folks, do your research before getting sucked into cheap products and obfuscated or vague descriptions. Demand pictures and ask for name brands. I'm fairly new to the aftermarket car scene -- but I know I won't trust Jlevi anymore... I'm simply fed up with them and now I will make it my goal to dissuade anyone else from buying these products. I'll use any opportunity I can because I don't want someone else ending up extremely dissatisfied like I. I was nice and understanding at first, but my tolerance level can't handle this anymore.

I'm again very sorry that you've had such a terrible experience ordering from us. I have tried to reach out and provide support for the product but understand that you paid for and expected a product to work perfectly outright. We do our best to make up for any mistake or issues with a product and pride ourselves on customer support and service.

While I don't expect you to shop with us in the future, I hope you will at least read and understand what I have said above.

Jon and I started this company over seven years ago as enthusiasts and bring that philosophy to everything we do. Alas, some orders will get mixed up and some products don't work properly. I do take great offense to being called a sweatshop. The only sweat here is the round the clock work ethic each and every one of our seven employees puts into this company.

I wish we could promise a 100% success rate but know that's not possible. Even my Apple computer, a $2500 machine, crapped out. What made me a lifetime customer is that they not only diagnosed but fixed the issue. I understand how valuable it is to find a company that stands behind their products.

We try to do the same and I feel the level of support and service we have offered thus far has done that. Complaining and disgracing our company on the forum will surely get your post count up but the only way we can help you is if you contact us.
If you got this far, I really appreciate you taking the time to read the entire post and what we have to say. I look forward to helping you get the issues resolved and have a working set of headlights.
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      10-09-2010, 06:23 PM   #13
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Perhaps schlau got a little too worked up,
understandable given his circumstances,
but as per above everyone here has good intentions,
and we now need to focus on resolving the issues at hand.

I look forward to some diagnostic advice
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      10-10-2010, 04:50 PM   #14
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Nick,

I am almost 100% sure the left ballast is faulty. I got the same error reading on the right side. Again, I have to shut off the lights to '0' then turn them on, wait, and then repeat if the light doesn't turn on... WHen I start my car, I instantly see the little triangle with exclamation mark near my odometer.

I initially ordered 4500k, but I honestly think you guys gave me 6000k. The blue/purple-ish hue still remains. The light is really white with no yellow anywhere. When I look at the reflection of my lightbulbs on other cars, I see purple/blue hues. When I step out and look, same thing. See the pics below and let me know... I also compared side to side of a few other OEM xenons from Audi/BMW while driving, and their lights appear more 'yellow' than mine. http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=439995 -- I still have more light than my halogens and the 6000k honestly don't seem too bad... but of course, my initial order was 4500k.

I hope the ballast doesn't correspond with temperature, so I can just get a new ballast and be over with this problem.

I will send you an e-mail and reference this thread.

///BREAK///

I am also having an issue with my dome lights. They do not turn on while I am driving. The floor lights will turn on and the spotbeam lights turn on, but not the dome lights. Has this occurred before? What could be the issue? The same thing applies to my glovebox LED light. It turns on, then flashes off then turns back on and flashes... then finally it settles down.

You're correct about fixing the missing LED issue. You asked me for proof via a picture and I also sent that to you, so I hope the issue is now resolved for everyone who orders these.

///BREAK///

Regarding the Weisslicht floor lights -- I love them and I love the color. However, it's just a rather annoying issue to not have them fit. I have them in my 2010 128i and they don't 'click' when you push them in... the OEM ones 'clicked' and caught on the edge to secure the module.

///BREAK///

Regarding the LED sidemarkers, perhaps it would be nice to put this caveat somewhere on your webpage. It's a minor problem and doesn't create errors, but it's not 'normal' to have 'seizure bulbs' without someone thinking 'what the hell was that?'

///BREAK///

The comment about the sweatshop was inaccurate and I redact that. I really have an issue with some of the quality of the products you sell, however, and I stand by my initial assessment of Jlevisw as a whole. I thought maybe it was one thing, or two, but almost everything I've purchased has had some sort of error or discrepancy. It was mostly attention to detail issues.

I'm not looking to get my post count up; I'm looking for an open forum where folks can read about issues and make informed decisions. I initially came to you guys and stated some issues over AIM (mostly to Cal) and in private, but I found the responses slow, lacking, or simply vague. Other responses were helpful. I understand that you're all extremely busy, so I can accept the slow responses sometimes... but after working a long day, the last thing I want is a slow, protracted response to my questions.

Again, if you can make these issues go away, I'll be happy and it will all be documented on the thread, then readers can make informed decisions.

Thanks.
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      10-10-2010, 06:08 PM   #15
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Hi Rob,

Thanks for following up with the email. Just responded to you with some troubleshooting tips.
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      10-11-2010, 04:09 AM   #16
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ello ello
who would I best be suited to email for some diagnostic info on my bulbout warnings
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      10-11-2010, 04:28 AM   #17
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fatjoez,
Email Nick. In any case, I apologize for hijacking your thread. I'll let you know if my issue with the ballast gets resolved.
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      10-11-2010, 04:29 AM   #18
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no worries mate probably better that we both post here to keep things centralized for people stuck with these issues later on haha

I'll drop nick an email now

edit:
didnt email nick cause I realised he's the person I was speaking to for over an hour on friday
So not sure he'll have anymore in the way of diagnostic info.
His diagnosis on friday was simply error cancellers but as per his post in this thread,
given what I've posted (quotes, info about MTEC, parachute relay fix etc) not sure if he still thinks this is the case going by what he said "I fail to see how sending error cancelers will a) fix your issue"

Anyone else at JLEVI with a technical background I could perhaps contact?
Or someone on the forums?

Last edited by fatjoez; 10-11-2010 at 06:31 AM..
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      10-11-2010, 02:33 PM   #19
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Meely,

Cal and I handle product support over here so we will be able to help out via email. It's not a lack of technical knowledge but rather we have never had these LED bulbs cause errors on any car- E90 or E8X 1-Series. As such, we have not had experience using error cancelers for anything but preventing errors related to preinstalled HID kits.

We have them available for you if you want to give them a shot but I don't want you to purchase them with the expectation that they are 100% guaranteed to solve your error codes. It's not a situation we have encountered before so we haven't tested them for that application as I am sure you understand.
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      10-11-2010, 08:24 PM   #20
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mate end of the day, bulbout warnings are coming from what not enough current or power reading from the headlights yeah.

So isn't that power rating a combination of everything plugging into that headlight meaning LEDs, HIDs, turning lamps etc

What about connecting to the OBD port. Is it possible to recode the expected power rating or something
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      10-22-2010, 06:46 AM   #21
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Ok. Received a new ballast box... The left lowbeam will now light up on the first ignition, which is a good thing. I still get a quick "left headlamp" error initially, but after three seconds it disappears.

Thoughts?
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      10-22-2010, 06:47 AM   #22
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is that with the error canceller?
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