The HID kit I have is a massive improvement to the car its the Londoncolor  non canbus ebay kit coded for the car to get rid of bulb errors which it does. Also I have changed coming home leaving homes to fogs.

 

The only small issue is when using Auto lights and starting the car on a cold dark morning the HIDs come on at the first turn of the key, I wait for the glow plug light to go out, then as the starter cranks occasionally one or both lights will go off, presumably because of the voltage drops as the starter cranks and it upsets the HID. The lights then need turning off and back on again to get the HID to fire up again, which it always does reliably. Do others find this? Its not a big deal minor nuisance just wondered if Its something others experience?

If it's dark when using auto-lights, when you unlock the car via the remote, do the lights come on? I suspect yes. Auto lights draws current from the cold battery.

IIRC, HID's use a kind of 'starter' which also draws a lot of current.

 

Try turning auto lights off and go for a run to charge the battery.

If it's dark when using auto-lights, when you unlock the car via the remote, do the lights come on? I suspect yes. Auto lights draws current from the cold battery.

IIRC, HID's use a kind of 'starter' which also draws a lot of current.

 

Try turning auto lights off and go for a run to charge the battery.

Hi Lee the fogs come on when unlocking the car because the fogs are set to LH/CH. 

 

The problem is when starting the car when you turn the Ignition and the auto lights then turn on the headlights which are HIDS, the starter then drops the voltage which then upsets the HIDs. Its done it regardless of how charged the battery is (its a newish car so the battery is strong). As far as I can remember every car I've had dims the headlights when the starter cranks, but with the HIDs some times one or both go out completely I guess due to the voltage drop, until turned off/on again when the supply has stabilised. its not a big deal, It seems reasonable in fact, but I wondered if anyone else using Auto lights with HID kit has the same ?

Edited 16 February, 201412 yr by paddypaws

The problem is when starting the car when you turn the Ignition and the auto lights then turn on the headlights which are HIDS, the starter then drops the voltage which then upsets the HIDs. Its done it regardless of how charged the battery is (its a newish car so the battery is strong). As far as I can remember every car I've had dims the headlights when the starter cranks, but with the HIDs some times one or both go out completely I guess due to the voltage drop, until turned off/on again when the supply has stabilised. its not a big deal, It seems reasonable in fact, but I wondered if anyone else using Auto lights with HID kit has the same ?

 

i don't have this problem - though mine r factory fitted.

my CH/LH are also set to use fogs.

 

if set to auto and its dark, the xenons fire up without a flicker or complaint while the engine is being cranked.

Factory fitted lights do not have this problem because the headlights are wired differently so the lights retain their power, the problem is you have a car thats wired for standard lights which normally draw a lot of power. For these lights the car diverts as much power as possible to the starter, Xenon ballasts do not like voltage drops, so you get the symptoms the OP describes.

Thanks, I would imagine factory fit ones have a built in design in the power supply  to handle it. It was people with after market HID kits specifically I was wanting to hear from whether they do it or not.

Thing is after the voltage drop, the car ballast must fire up to full power to get the lights to come back on, it sounds like this is not happening. Another brand of ballast may help, one that is less sensitive to the voltage drop or one that detects the drop better and will boost its output after the drop to get the light back on.

Thanks guys.  mikeholroyd how long do the lights go off for when the starter is engaged?  Mine only go off for a split second which is what I think the problem is. If they went off for a second or two I think the balast would re-strike the bulb.

They literally flick off and back on, less than half a second.

 

As said, no problems at all in 5 years of use, with them being lit EVERY time the car is started, without fail.

 

And it's only the drivers side that ever flicks off and on, the passenger side always stays lit.

 

Mike

 

 

Sounds about right.

My HID's kits in all 3 octys did the same thing.

Never a problem.

Mine also does this with auto lights.

 

They flicker off and on when cranking.

 

I'm not worried or bothered. A whole new kit costs the same or less than a decent set of halogens so even if they last a few years then die it's still cheaper to just buy a new set.

 

Phil

Phil, I notice yours is an Elegance with auto lights. Both mine are Elegance models, but neither has the auto lights. Is this something you've sorted out yourself, or factory specced?

 

Mike

 

Yeah the light assist was an option on the elegance so not many people bothered choosing it seems.

 

I managed to find a used tunnel light switch on ebay for £18 with free p&p then fitted the missing wire and enabled it with VCDS.

 

Took me a long time to finally find one that wasn't either really expensive or off a car with galactic miles and all worn away!

 

Very pleased with it and only took about 30 mins to fit.

 

Got my Maxidot to fit now!

 

Phil

Edited 17 February, 201412 yr by Phil-E

Mine also does this with auto lights.

 

They flicker off and on when cranking.

 

I'm not worried or bothered. A whole new kit costs the same or less than a decent set of halogens so even if they last a few years then die it's still cheaper to just buy a new set.

 

Phil

I would expect them to flicker a bit whilst cranking but mine go out altogether on occasion, some times one then the other, not often, then they need a manual on/off cycle fire up again. No problems in normal use or bulb errors so its not a big deal. I think it must be the version of balast as mannyo pointed out.