Help: Installed HID kit and now problems :(
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 52
From: Boise
Help: Installed HID kit and now problems :(
I will walk you through step by step of what I did so maybe someone can figure out what's going on.
1) Put the key in, turned to ACC, and turned on headlights, then went back to parking lamps
2) With headlights still up I popped the hood and disconnected the battery
3) Removed low beams, installed HID kit
4) Used manual adjuster to move right headlight up and down to check for clearence
5) Everything cleared fine so I put it all back together
Here is where the problems start:
6) Get back into car, turn **** back to 'Off' for headlights
7) Reconnected battery
8) Started car
My headlights wont go up or down now, they are stuck up. If I flick the high beams or go from off to back on, nothing happens, the HIDs wont fire nor the lights will go up or down. The high beams do still work though....
I checked the fuse box and everything in there looks good. So what now?
Edit: I got the exact same kit as 2004 Z06 in this thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1970375
I specifically bought this one because he reported no problems with it.
1) Put the key in, turned to ACC, and turned on headlights, then went back to parking lamps
2) With headlights still up I popped the hood and disconnected the battery
3) Removed low beams, installed HID kit
4) Used manual adjuster to move right headlight up and down to check for clearence
5) Everything cleared fine so I put it all back together
Here is where the problems start:
6) Get back into car, turn **** back to 'Off' for headlights
7) Reconnected battery
8) Started car
My headlights wont go up or down now, they are stuck up. If I flick the high beams or go from off to back on, nothing happens, the HIDs wont fire nor the lights will go up or down. The high beams do still work though....
I checked the fuse box and everything in there looks good. So what now?
Edit: I got the exact same kit as 2004 Z06 in this thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1970375
I specifically bought this one because he reported no problems with it.
Last edited by Milan; Mar 25, 2008 at 06:18 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 980
Likes: 18
From: Columbia, SC
The wires are backward on american cars from what they are on japanese. Pull the harness that goes from the factory bulb connection to the ballast, and flip it positive to negative at the ballast. The plugs are designed to fit a certain way, but if you argue with it, it will fit the other way.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
From: Norman OK
I will walk you through step by step of what I did so maybe someone can figure out what's going on.
1) Put the key in, turned to ACC, and turned on headlights, then went back to parking lamps
2) With headlights still up I popped the hood and disconnected the battery
3) Removed low beams, installed HID kit
4) Used manual adjuster to move right headlight up and down to check for clearence
5) Everything cleared fine so I put it all back together
Here is where the problems start:
6) Get back into car, turn **** back to 'Off' for headlights
7) Reconnected battery
8) Started car
My headlights wont go up or down now, they are stuck up. If I flick the high beams or go from off to back on, nothing happens, the HIDs wont fire nor the lights will go up or down. The high beams do still work though....
I checked the fuse box and everything in there looks good. So what now?
Edit: I got the exact same kit as 2004 Z06 in this thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1970375
I specifically bought this one because he reported no problems with it.
1) Put the key in, turned to ACC, and turned on headlights, then went back to parking lamps
2) With headlights still up I popped the hood and disconnected the battery
3) Removed low beams, installed HID kit
4) Used manual adjuster to move right headlight up and down to check for clearence
5) Everything cleared fine so I put it all back together
Here is where the problems start:
6) Get back into car, turn **** back to 'Off' for headlights
7) Reconnected battery
8) Started car
My headlights wont go up or down now, they are stuck up. If I flick the high beams or go from off to back on, nothing happens, the HIDs wont fire nor the lights will go up or down. The high beams do still work though....
I checked the fuse box and everything in there looks good. So what now?
Edit: I got the exact same kit as 2004 Z06 in this thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1970375
I specifically bought this one because he reported no problems with it.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 52
From: Boise
Okay I did some more testing and this is what I found:
1) If I leave the high beams on, and turn the lights off, they go down. Once down if I turn them back on into high beam mode they will go back up.
2) If I get them down using the high beam trick, and I turn them on, the headlights will go up but the bulbs will not fire. Now I am starting to think there is another problem other than needing a relay or resistor because I cant get the ballasts to ignite.
1) If I leave the high beams on, and turn the lights off, they go down. Once down if I turn them back on into high beam mode they will go back up.
2) If I get them down using the high beam trick, and I turn them on, the headlights will go up but the bulbs will not fire. Now I am starting to think there is another problem other than needing a relay or resistor because I cant get the ballasts to ignite.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,284
Likes: 0
From: Norman OK
Switch the wires going from the GM harness into the ballast . then give it a try. If its a decent ballast it should have a protection circuit to keep you form burning it up! Good luck
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Lemme help you with the wiring.
Bulbs have three leads on them. 2 single connectors, go to the 2 single connectors of the ballast. Can't get these wrong.
LONG double connector goes to the ballast. Can't get that wrong.
SHORT double connector goes to the factory harness. This is where you can get backwards! Make sure that when you plug the SHORT one to the factory harness that you have the colors matching. Black to black, red to red, blue to blue, whatever color wires you have. This should get them to fire.
The up/down issue will most likely always be there.
Let us know how you make out. 
Bulbs have three leads on them. 2 single connectors, go to the 2 single connectors of the ballast. Can't get these wrong.
LONG double connector goes to the ballast. Can't get that wrong.
SHORT double connector goes to the factory harness. This is where you can get backwards! Make sure that when you plug the SHORT one to the factory harness that you have the colors matching. Black to black, red to red, blue to blue, whatever color wires you have. This should get them to fire.
The up/down issue will most likely always be there.
Let us know how you make out.
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Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: South Beach, FL <-> Silver Spring, MD
I installed these on my car a couple weeks ago and havent had any problems so far, they havent required me to flicker my high beams to close them.
Only thing I didnt do was manually close and open the headlights to check for clearence.
If the ballasts aren't firing up I'd send them back.
Only thing I didnt do was manually close and open the headlights to check for clearence.
If the ballasts aren't firing up I'd send them back.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 52
From: Boise
Got it figured out. Like IM28702 said, the plugs were reversed.
Went and switched the plug to the 'wrong' way, and electrical taped it to stay in place and now everything works as it should.
Thanks for all the help.
Edit: You can actually see in the last pic of 2004 Z06's post he has them also plugged in the "wrong" way....that's how i figured out my issue.
Went and switched the plug to the 'wrong' way, and electrical taped it to stay in place and now everything works as it should.
Thanks for all the help.
Edit: You can actually see in the last pic of 2004 Z06's post he has them also plugged in the "wrong" way....that's how i figured out my issue.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: South Beach, FL <-> Silver Spring, MD
Got it figured out. Like IM28702 said, the plugs were reversed.
Went and switched the plug to the 'wrong' way, and electrical taped it to stay in place and now everything works as it should.
Thanks for all the help.
Edit: You can actually see in the last pic of 2004 Z06's post he has them also plugged in the "wrong" way....that's how i figured out my issue.
Went and switched the plug to the 'wrong' way, and electrical taped it to stay in place and now everything works as it should.
Thanks for all the help.
Edit: You can actually see in the last pic of 2004 Z06's post he has them also plugged in the "wrong" way....that's how i figured out my issue.
Well if its not broken, dont fix it right.......I'll leave mines alone
Glad everything worked out
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 52
From: Boise
You shouldn't be worried. But see where the factory harness plugs into the extension harness that came with our kit? You have that plug backwards. You can tell because there is a little tab on the plug that goes into the ballast that the factory plug is supposed to clip around, your is done the opposite way, which is the right way apparently for American cars but it's backwards for any other car.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 4,797
Likes: 52
From: Boise
Here is what I am talking about in detail. The part I highlighted in red is really supposed to clip onto the part in green, thats how the plug stays together and is technically the right way. If you do do it this way, however, the ballasts wont fire, which was the problem i was having.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 6
From: hagerstown md
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Here is what I am talking about in detail. The part I highlighted in red is really supposed to clip onto the part in green, thats how the plug stays together and is technically the right way. If you do do it this way, however, the ballasts wont fire, which was the problem i was having.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
From: South Beach, FL <-> Silver Spring, MD
Here is what I am talking about in detail. The part I highlighted in red is really supposed to clip onto the part in green, thats how the plug stays together and is technically the right way. If you do do it this way, however, the ballasts wont fire, which was the problem i was having.
Thanks Milan