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HID Low Beam Failure

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Old Nov 8, 2020 | 02:08 AM
  #1  
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Unhappy HID Low Beam Failure

Greetings everyone,

2007 BMW 530XI HID Adaptive Headlights

I have replaced the bulbs, and the ballast already.

My driver's side headlight will go out when turning left. It will come back on pretty quickly. After doing this 3 times, in say about 5 minutes, the error will pop up saying low beam failure and it will stay off. Really not sure what to look at here since the fault resets every time I restart the car, and it's just a generic fault. I had really hoped that the ballast would remedy the problem, but it behaves exactly the same.

Thanks in advance!
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Old Nov 8, 2020 | 03:27 AM
  #2  
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You need a new headlight assembly or fix the one you have. The wires in it a cracked too bad and are grounding out ( touching other wires)
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Old Nov 8, 2020 | 05:11 AM
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Even for the hid "low beam"? I am aware fo the cracking wires causing issues for the halogen bulb and the angel-eye bulb, but the wiring for the hid bulb seems to be made of firmer stuff, and doesn't appear to be capable of fraying.
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Old Nov 8, 2020 | 08:20 AM
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Originally Posted by insomvamp
Even for the hid "low beam"? I am aware fo the cracking wires causing issues for the halogen bulb and the angel-eye bulb, but the wiring for the hid bulb seems to be made of firmer stuff, and doesn't appear to be capable of fraying.
The HID and low beam lights are independent of each other. Your problem has to do with the "inner" headlights - correct?. Check the wiring on those lights. You probably changed the ballast and bulb for nothing on the HID.
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Old Nov 8, 2020 | 09:44 AM
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Been there done that. Check the wires
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Old Nov 8, 2020 | 10:56 AM
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I have a long thread on here about those dang wires.

What fooled me initially was the wires looked great until I did further disassembly and then found lots of exposed wires. I had to cut zip ties loose and unclip things in order to pull wires out from hiding.

It helps to remove the leveling motor. Behind there you will see wires near the yawing mechanism which are most likely exposed.
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Old Nov 9, 2020 | 03:35 AM
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Originally Posted by donpb
I have a long thread on here about those dang wires.

What fooled me initially was the wires looked great until I did further disassembly and then found lots of exposed wires. I had to cut zip ties loose and unclip things in order to pull wires out from hiding.

It helps to remove the leveling motor. Behind there you will see wires near the yawing mechanism which are most likely exposed.

This really goes that far? I thought that the electrical connector for the HID bulb came straight from the connector on the side of the headlight assembly itself...
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Old Nov 9, 2020 | 08:17 PM
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Originally Posted by insomvamp
This really goes that far? I thought that the electrical connector for the HID bulb came straight from the connector on the side of the headlight assembly itself...
It is not a simple as you think it is. You're probably thinking its just two wires but those wires are not separate. They are part of a wiring harness. And if any of the other wires short to those wires, you'll get a headlight notification even if its wires not associated with the lamp.

Most likely you have exposed bare wires galore in there. I could not see any of mine until I pulled them out of hiding. I had 13 total.




Last edited by donpb; Nov 9, 2020 at 11:33 PM.
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Old Nov 10, 2020 | 02:41 PM
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Yikes
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Old Nov 10, 2020 | 04:53 PM
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Originally Posted by tstiglich
Yikes
That was almost the exact word I used plus a few cuss words.
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