Flickering xenons

abynormal · 01-14-2010, 05:34 AM

Hello all,

This is my first post on this forum, I have been visiting the forum since a while now. I am a proud owner of a E91 330D from end of 2005. I am happy so far with this car

. Now to my problem, I have converted my wifes X3 from halogen to EOM xenons using the official BMW conversion kit. I know I have posted this in the E9x part of the forum but an internet search does not bring anything up for the X3's...
The problem is that with the ignition key on both xenons come on and do not flicker, but as soon as whe start the engine, both xenons start to flicker like strobes...it stops after 15-20 sec. As said whe used OEM xenons/wiring etc. The car has been equiped with an upgraded LCM (compatible for xenons) and all has been reprogrammed by BMW. At BMW they say its caused by faulty ballast/ignitors...And they dont seem to be very interrested solving this problem... I have replaced both xenon bulbs, tried a different ignitor (the piece thats fitted on the back of the bulb) en fitted another ballast. Whe even tempory hooked up a FL OEM xenon headlight (thats the next step when whe get this working...

) but wathever whe try, the flickering stay's. The FL headlight does flicker at a lower frequency though...
I cannot believe that 4 bulbs, 4 ignitors and 4 ballasts are all broken, to me the problem is located in the car...the more because they are starting fine/first time and stay on on battery power...
Anybody has a similar experience/solution? Will fitting a capacitor across the pos and neg supply of the xenons cure this problem?

Rgds,

Yves

abynormal · 01-20-2010, 03:40 AM

Ok Guy's, problem is solved! Thanks for all the feedback I got here...

thwyld1 · 01-20-2010, 10:19 AM

May I ask, what was the problem? I have an HID fog light that does the same thing.

abynormal · 01-21-2010, 06:02 AM

Well the answer is pending at BMW...Our local BMW dealer does not seem to be very interrested in getting an answer/looking for a solution. Whe have asked BMW direct but I am not really expecting a usefull reply...

From wat whe found on the internet, the problem seems to be the lightcheck causing our problem, the solution is simple, place a capacitor between pos and neg to the ballast, no more flickering after eng start. But I expect that if I buy a complete kit from BMW to convert your car from halogen to xenons and I follow all the instructions including getting a new light switch and a new light module being reprogrammed for xenons that I dont have to cut into the original wiring loom and to fuck about with capacitors to get all working without any flickering. Of course the garage is willing to check the problem, they would start from scratch and do all the thing I already did, sorry I am not gonna pay for that...

Now to your problem, I suppose its only 1 side which is flickering? If it flickers on both battery power and after you started your engine and it is limited to one side I think that you have a problem with a bulb, ballast or wiring. Remember that in my case both are flickering only when the engine is started, they work fine on battery power...Good luck in T/S!

E91_E88_E21 · 01-21-2010, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abynormal

Well the answer is pending at BMW...Our local BMW dealer does not seem to be very interrested in getting an answer/looking for a solution. Whe have asked BMW direct but I am not really expecting a usefull reply...

From wat whe found on the internet, the problem seems to be the lightcheck causing our problem, the solution is simple, place a capacitor between pos and neg to the ballast, no more flickering after eng start. But I expect that if I buy a complete kit from BMW to convert your car from halogen to xenons and I follow all the instructions including getting a new light switch and a new light module being reprogrammed for xenons that I dont have to cut into the original wiring loom and to fuck about with capacitors to get all working without any flickering. Of course the garage is willing to check the problem, they would start from scratch and do all the thing I already did, sorry I am not gonna pay for that...

Now to your problem, I suppose its only 1 side which is flickering? If it flickers on both battery power and after you started your engine and it is limited to one side I think that you have a problem with a bulb, ballast or wiring. Remember that in my case both are flickering only when the engine is started, they work fine on battery power...Good luck in T/S!

i never heard bmw offers a genuie oem xenon conversation kit
this must be a single solution by bmw france or dealers idea.
but still interesting
can you please say something more about the kit?
part number or pics about packaging
glad they solved the problem

abynormal · 01-21-2010, 10:32 AM

This conversion kit exist not only in France

Here is the link for the conversion kit for the X3...
http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E8...t_xenon_light/
Here you have a link for the E91... http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E9...t_xenon_light/
Here is the site where you can check all models...
http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/#all
I am sure you can order these kits also in the States...but if your dealer is willing to fit this kit is another question, as it can produce problems like the one whe have... its to much hassle for them!
Just the prices may not match with your country...the prices mentioned match close to the prices in Germany, I never buy spares in France as they are 10 to 15% more expensive...

01-14-2010, 05:34 AM	#1
abynormal New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW E91 330D Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: France iTrader: (0)	Flickering xenons Hello all, This is my first post on this forum, I have been visiting the forum since a while now. I am a proud owner of a E91 330D from end of 2005. I am happy so far with this car . Now to my problem, I have converted my wifes X3 from halogen to EOM xenons using the official BMW conversion kit. I know I have posted this in the E9x part of the forum but an internet search does not bring anything up for the X3's... The problem is that with the ignition key on both xenons come on and do not flicker, but as soon as whe start the engine, both xenons start to flicker like strobes...it stops after 15-20 sec. As said whe used OEM xenons/wiring etc. The car has been equiped with an upgraded LCM (compatible for xenons) and all has been reprogrammed by BMW. At BMW they say its caused by faulty ballast/ignitors...And they dont seem to be very interrested solving this problem... I have replaced both xenon bulbs, tried a different ignitor (the piece thats fitted on the back of the bulb) en fitted another ballast. Whe even tempory hooked up a FL OEM xenon headlight (thats the next step when whe get this working...) but wathever whe try, the flickering stay's. The FL headlight does flicker at a lower frequency though... I cannot believe that 4 bulbs, 4 ignitors and 4 ballasts are all broken, to me the problem is located in the car...the more because they are starting fine/first time and stay on on battery power... Anybody has a similar experience/solution? Will fitting a capacitor across the pos and neg supply of the xenons cure this problem? Rgds, Yves
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01-20-2010, 03:40 AM	#2
abynormal New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW E91 330D Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: France iTrader: (0)	Ok Guy's, problem is solved! Thanks for all the feedback I got here...
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01-20-2010, 10:19 AM	#3
thwyld1 Private 6 Rep 82 Posts Drives: Montego Blue 335xi E92 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: State College, PA USA iTrader: (11)	May I ask, what was the problem? I have an HID fog light that does the same thing.
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01-21-2010, 06:02 AM	#4
abynormal New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW E91 330D Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: France iTrader: (0)	Well the answer is pending at BMW...Our local BMW dealer does not seem to be very interrested in getting an answer/looking for a solution. Whe have asked BMW direct but I am not really expecting a usefull reply... From wat whe found on the internet, the problem seems to be the lightcheck causing our problem, the solution is simple, place a capacitor between pos and neg to the ballast, no more flickering after eng start. But I expect that if I buy a complete kit from BMW to convert your car from halogen to xenons and I follow all the instructions including getting a new light switch and a new light module being reprogrammed for xenons that I dont have to cut into the original wiring loom and to fuck about with capacitors to get all working without any flickering. Of course the garage is willing to check the problem, they would start from scratch and do all the thing I already did, sorry I am not gonna pay for that... Now to your problem, I suppose its only 1 side which is flickering? If it flickers on both battery power and after you started your engine and it is limited to one side I think that you have a problem with a bulb, ballast or wiring. Remember that in my case both are flickering only when the engine is started, they work fine on battery power...Good luck in T/S!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-21-2010, 10:32 AM	#6
abynormal New Member 0 Rep 5 Posts Drives: BMW E91 330D Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: France iTrader: (0)	This conversion kit exist not only in France Here is the link for the conversion kit for the X3... http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E8...t_xenon_light/ Here you have a link for the E91... http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/E9...t_xenon_light/ Here is the site where you can check all models... http://bmwfans.info/parts/catalog/#all I am sure you can order these kits also in the States...but if your dealer is willing to fit this kit is another question, as it can produce problems like the one whe have... its to much hassle for them! Just the prices may not match with your country...the prices mentioned match close to the prices in Germany, I never buy spares in France as they are 10 to 15% more expensive...
	Appreciate 0 Quote