here's another one for everyone to worry about!

just this past weekend I've had a problem with my HID's twice. I was driving along minding my own business enjoying being able to see at night for the first time in a long time. when suddenly my lights go out! the fog lights remain on so it actually took me a while to realize that I had lost my headlights, but for some reason they didn't seem to be as bright as they did a minute ago. I discovered that they were in fact off. flipping the switch off and back on and they returned instantly. I thought that was extremely strange, but then it happened again the next day! both times were in intersections over slight bumps. I'm wondering if my headlight switch is going bad and this is another side effect. remember the HID's draw more current than the stock bulbs during the warm up process, this additional current is current the headlight switch was not designed to handle. so far I have not read any other reports from any of the many people who did this upgrade with headlight switch failure, but its possible. I'm pretty sure my switch is malfunctioning to begin with, I have the odd failure which at least one other person here has, occasionally when I use my right turn signal my cruise turns off. I think the switch is toast and its starting to do strange things.

on the other hand if anyone else has experienced this, chime in! it may be a problem we should work on solving.

 

what do you expect with conversion kits.

 

I've learned not to, every time I do I get disappointed.

 

On the C5 (and probably most newer cars) the headlight switch does not directly connect to the headlights. The switch actuate a relay that turns on the headlights.

Check for loose connections where you connected the HID ballasts. Check your grounds. There is the possibility that the ballasts are bad.

Gary

 

How is it grounded - any different to the stock lights? Is there a common connection or ground? If both went out simultaneously it could be a grounding issue.

On a stock set up, Relay 44 drives the lights via the T/S switch then through 4 fuses to the individual high and low beam circuits so you may be correct. The T/S is the single point of failure

 

Not so according to the service manual. the headlights get power from B+ through HDLP Maxibreaker 54 (20A) which goes to the headlight switch via the red wire. it comes out of the headlight switch through the Tan Wire (low beams), light green wire (high beams) through P200 (gromet through the fire wall) and into the underhood electrical center. from there it is attached to one side of two different fuses #8 and #10 for the low beams, #9 and #12 for the high beams and then connects directly to the headlight bulbs. Left Low yellow, left high dark green white, right low tan/white, right high light green/black.

no relays involved at all, which I thought was strange myself...

 

ALC HDLP relay 44 is controlled only by the BCM so that the BCM can turn on the headlights independent of the headlight switch position when the twilight option is enabled. during the normal usage of the headlights relay #44 plays no part.

the problem must have been something common to both lights. it must have been somewhere between B+ and the split through the 2 fuses in the underhood electrical center. the headlights are grounded at different places so even that wouldn't cause both to go out at the same time.

 

Didn't know that.

Can't work out why it would be both. The circuits seem independent downstream from C208. Cant see why both would go out together.

Is it the same for high and low beam? - do they go out on both settings?

Looks like the switch, doesn't it.

 

My left one occassionally doesn't fire, but always fires the second try.
Neither has ever gone out while in use....
On some of the kits the 12V side was wired backwards and guys flip the dry pack connector around and use it without the locking feature engaged... rather than disassembling the connector and swapping the pins around...

Are the 12V dry pack connectors locked or just friction fit?

 

it does kind of look like it. and given that I already suspect the switch for causing my other problem, it would make sense. I only noticed this on the low beams. its happened twice but only twice. both times I only had the low beams on. it does seem strange that both would go out at the same time though. its got to be something in common, the only thing I can think of would be the switch. both happened after a bump too. if the switch is worn out, maybe the bump was enough to make it drop out.

 

if you are referring to the pins in them, you can use a small flat blade screw driver to release the pins. I don't remember exactly how I did it, but it was really easy to do. there is like a plastic clip which holds the metal pin in place, just push the screw driver next to it and it released very easily. I had to reverse the pins on my high beam HIDs, the lows and fogs both came with the connector disassembled.

 

I think you're in denial, dude, but I can see why. Replacing that stalk looks like a real PITA.

 

If you do replace it, please document the process for the rest of us

Mike, I thought your separate 16g HID wiring harness took the load off the switch......not so ?

 

Here's post that covered the switch replacement:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...unction+switch

 

Aaaaaaaanother great find by DeeGee!

 

it does for the fog lights, but I'm running the stock wiring for the high and low beams. maybe this is a sign that I should do the same. I left plenty or room in the distribution block to be able to implement that. I just hope I don't have to.

as for the switch I'll take lots of pics if I do have to take that on. I did it in another car and it was much easier than I thought it would be. the Vette has a power telescoping wheel however...that might complicate things. every car is different. hopefully its not too bad, because with this and the cruise thing, I thing I can see a new switch on the horizon.

 

Thanks!