Need help trouble shooting HID AEs

[MysticblueX3]

So when I bought my used 08 135i, it already had HID angel eyes installed. Last week, the passenger side AEs stopped working. I didn't buy/install them so I didn't know which vendor it came from or how it worked. First thing I checked was the fuse. That was ok. Next I swapped the ballast from side to side. No change, the passenger side AEs still didn't light up. I also checked the voltage coming out of both ballasts. Both looked normal. So I'm guessing that everything up to and including the ballasts are working properly. I wanted to switch up the HID bulbs to see if the passenger side bulbs are just dead but the way its wired up, it makes it really hard to swap them. Here is a wiring diagram I drew up.



There is this long device that is shrink tubed. Its on both side. I labeled it on the wiring diagram with a question mark. On the passenger side, its connected to the controller. But on the driver side, its not connected to anything.

There are four wires going into each side of the headlight housing. Two are from the ballast that goes to the HID bulb. The other two comes from the question mark device that goes to another connector. What does that question mark device do and what does it power? Why is only one of the question mark device on the passenger side connected to a power source?

Side note: I noticed that when I flash my high beams, the other xenon lights work but the inner of the four head lights doesn't light up. What gives?

So I'm guessing its either that question mark device went bad or the the passenger side or the HID bulb is bad on the passenger side.

I'm kind of fed up with these HID AEs as I can't figure out how get the passenger side to light back up. If I want to go back to just regular halogen bulbs, how do I do that? I never seen what the original setup looks like so I don't even know how I would plug it in.

BTW, these are the ballast, anyone recognize which vendor it came from?



Thanks for the help guys. Its been driving me crazy for the past few weeks that my AEs dont' work.

[Pig Farmer]

You may want to do a google search for Alpine HID. I'm not sure you have Alpine HIDs but they have an install video that may help explain the setup.

[Dackelone]

IF you swapped out ballasts and one AE light doesn't work, why not try swapping out the xenon AE bulb and see if that is the cause. ?

Maybe also check voltage going TOO the ballast(input!). But be VERY CAREFULL bc the output of the ballast can be a real shocker!! Do not attempt to measure output voltage.

[MysticblueX3]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

IF you swapped out ballasts and one AE light doesn't work, why not try swapping out the xenon AE bulb and see if that is the cause. ?

Its not possible to swap the HID bulbs because the bulb and question mark device are all wired together. If you look at the wiring diagram, the question mark device on the passenger side has a connector that plugs into the controller. The driver side does not. So I can not just swap sides. The only way to do it is to start cutting wires which I don't want to do. I also can't pull out the HID bulbs because the wires run through a rubber gasket which goes into a hole in the back of the headlight cover.

[MysticblueX3]

Originally Posted by Pig Farmer

You may want to do a google search for Alpine HID. I'm not sure you have Alpine HIDs but they have an install video that may help explain the setup.

I watched the video and every thing about my kit looks the same EXCEPT for one thing. On the alpine kit, they notch out a small piece on the side of the headlight cover and route their wires through there. On my kit, the wires are routed directly through the back of the headlight cover. Look like a hole was drilled through the back over the cover and a rubber grommet was put in so the wires can feed through there. I will take some pictures soon to show.

[MysticblueX3]

Here are some pictures. What makes it difficult to swap the bulbs is that the wires runs through a rubber grommet thats located on the headlight cover. The connector is on the outside of the cover. I can't pull the wire through the grommet as the connector is too big. I can't swap the entire grommet wire/bulb assembly as the driver side is different from the passenger side. What I ended up doing (what I really didn't want to do) was to cut the wire on the inside of the cover and adding a connector there. After doing that I was able to swap the bulb and indeed the problem is the bulb. The million dollar question is where is the best place to get some HID bulbs? Alpine's HID bulbs are $25. I really don't think it cost that much.

2nd question. I still don't know why my inner headlights won't light up when I flash my high beams =(

[MysticblueX3]

Here are some pictures.









What makes it difficult to swap the bulbs is that the wires runs through a rubber grommet that's located on the headlight cover. The connector is on the outside of the cover. I can't pull the wire through the grommet as the connector is too big. I can't swap the entire grommet wire/bulb assembly as the driver side is different from the passenger side. What I ended up doing (what I really didn't want to do) was to cut the wire between the bulb and the rubber grommet and adding a connector there. I guess I would have to do that eventually as I wouldn't be able to feed the new bulb/wire/connector through the grommet. After doing that I was able to swap the bulb and indeed the problem is the bulb. What is the HID bulb size/type? Alpine's HID bulbs are $25/ea. Ebay has a pair for $15.

2nd question. I still don't know why my inner headlights won't light up when I flash my high beams =(

[MysticblueX3]

So I finally go some new bulbs in the mail. Decided to go with 8000k.

(left) what was on the car already, I think its 6000k. (right) 8000k.


(left & right) 8000k


The 6000K definitely matches the stock xenon bulbs more. But I think the slight hint of blue on the AEs make the car sexier.