Problem with my HIDs starting up...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
From: Pgh PA
Problem with my HIDs starting up...
I am having a problem with my HIDs, just the low beams, the fogs are perfect and do not have this problem.
The problem: When I first turn the lights on, the headlight pop up, but the HIDs do not turn on, so I have to flip the switch to HI beams, then back to lows, and turn them on and off a few time really quick, and the HIDs will flicker and sometimes stay on, and sometimes go out. If they go back out, I have to continue to flick them on and off real quick until they both stay on. Sometimes one will stay on and the other will go out. But once they are both on, they will stay on until I shut them off.
Sorry if that is really confusing, but that is what happens. What can be causing this? I have a wiring harness on its way to correct the dropping issue, but what is causing this? Anyone else have this problem?
BTW, I had to change the fuses for the fogs and low beams from 10-amp to 15-amp because the fuses kept blowing out every time I would start the HIDs up.
The problem: When I first turn the lights on, the headlight pop up, but the HIDs do not turn on, so I have to flip the switch to HI beams, then back to lows, and turn them on and off a few time really quick, and the HIDs will flicker and sometimes stay on, and sometimes go out. If they go back out, I have to continue to flick them on and off real quick until they both stay on. Sometimes one will stay on and the other will go out. But once they are both on, they will stay on until I shut them off.
Sorry if that is really confusing, but that is what happens. What can be causing this? I have a wiring harness on its way to correct the dropping issue, but what is causing this? Anyone else have this problem?
BTW, I had to change the fuses for the fogs and low beams from 10-amp to 15-amp because the fuses kept blowing out every time I would start the HIDs up.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 51
From: How the hell can I make it faster???
Most aftermarket HID's are installed incorrectly. Although running wattage is lower than a halogen bulb, startup is high (the cause of your fuses blowing). Placing a higher amp fuse in the circuit is probably the worse thing you could do (hey, unless you don't mind spending hours and hours someday in the not too distant future trying to diagnose and find the burned up wire in the headlight circuit).
I hope you also got rid of those garbage plastic headlights and installed euro's.
Anyway, back on subject. Spend the extra few bucks and install a relay into each HID hot circuit.
Good luck. Hopefully no real damage occurred yet to your light circuit.
I hope you also got rid of those garbage plastic headlights and installed euro's.
Anyway, back on subject. Spend the extra few bucks and install a relay into each HID hot circuit.
Good luck. Hopefully no real damage occurred yet to your light circuit.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 255
Likes: 0
From: Pgh PA
Most aftermarket HID's are installed incorrectly. Although running wattage is lower than a halogen bulb, startup is high (the cause of your fuses blowing). Placing a higher amp fuse in the circuit is probably the worse thing you could do (hey, unless you don't mind spending hours and hours someday in the not too distant future trying to diagnose and find the burned up wire in the headlight circuit).
I hope you also got rid of those garbage plastic headlights and installed euro's.
Anyway, back on subject. Spend the extra few bucks and install a relay into each HID hot circuit.
Good luck. Hopefully no real damage occurred yet to your light circuit.
I hope you also got rid of those garbage plastic headlights and installed euro's.
Anyway, back on subject. Spend the extra few bucks and install a relay into each HID hot circuit.
Good luck. Hopefully no real damage occurred yet to your light circuit.
I have a harness with individual relays for the low beams as well as the fogs being made as we speak, so hopefully that will fix my issue.
What is the difference between the headlights I have now and the "euros"?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 1
From: Sartell Minnesota
get the resistor kit and be done with it. JWMotoring has them. I'm gonna be doing the HID's from them and will be sticking with stock housings. Don't waste your money on getting the Euro's.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 16,105
Likes: 7
From: Canal Winchester OH
CI 3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11 Vet
CI X Blind Auto-X Champ
Woo Hoo the search function actually worked. 
I just installed the Xentec HID's from that auction site last night. I seem to be having a similar problem. I did install mine in the breathless fixed headlights so I didn't think the resistor was an issue? I always thought that had to do with the pop-ups going back down.
Right now it seems to be working all right if I turn the headlights on AFTER I have started the car. When I try to use the twi-light sentinal, they don't start up with the car
I am hoping to use that again as I kinda like the twilight sentinal, especially since the pop ups aren't there 
I've got the same kit in my Grand Prix with twilight sentinal and have never had a problem.
Here are a couple of pictures with them working BTW
I just installed the Xentec HID's from that auction site last night. I seem to be having a similar problem. I did install mine in the breathless fixed headlights so I didn't think the resistor was an issue? I always thought that had to do with the pop-ups going back down.
Right now it seems to be working all right if I turn the headlights on AFTER I have started the car. When I try to use the twi-light sentinal, they don't start up with the car
I am hoping to use that again as I kinda like the twilight sentinal, especially since the pop ups aren't there I've got the same kit in my Grand Prix with twilight sentinal and have never had a problem.Here are a couple of pictures with them working BTW
Last edited by 87 Ragtop; Apr 16, 2009 at 08:47 AM. Reason: added pics
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski