C5Dobie

I had these headlights professionally installed in April of this year - specifically because I had some issues previously w/ the headlights not popping up & really didn't like dealing w/ them whatsoever + I'm very limited when it comes to experience w/ anything involving electrical system/electronics in general.

Headlights worked fine until recently when I found out the driver's side low beam was not shining (regardless if its a defect or not - I will give Radioflyer props in that I literally couldn't tell it was out initially someone told me while I was out driving - that's how much better the output is over stock 1 ACA > 2 working stock lights) - now, all other aspects of the car's lighting are functioning as intended. The lights pop up & retract as they should, interior lights come on as they should, turn signals fine no hyper flash, no codes, & the hi beam functions on the driver's side too - just not the low beam.

I had an issue w/ the lights not coming up @ all not too long ago & that was traced to a faulty ground (unsurprising) however that bag ground was effecting a bunch of other stuff not just the lights. Why I think it is worth mentioning is because my horn is not working either currently AND when I had the ground issue previously that resulted in all sorts of weird stuff happening the horn also wasn't functioning, but once that ground was addressed it went back to working. SO now everything else functions electonically in the car as it should except for the low beam in the driver's side & the horn.

Could also be coincidence that the horn isn't working & could be a mechanical failure internally w/ the horn button pad which I know isn't uncommon to go on older C5's & replacement parts are available.

Looking for some advice on where to start tracing the origin of the problem, since I didn't do the install myself its a little difficult to do so - I did place a call into both the installer AND radioflyer for advice have yet to talk to either. I find it odd that only the low beam isn't working but everything else does.

aj98

seems to me if it worked, then quit...blown bulb?

I don't remember if the horn is on its own fuse or if there's other stuff on the same circuit.

TastyBacon

Carrying replacement bulbs in the glove box prevents the ones in the housings from burning out. That's how it works!

BRAVO1

I had a bad ballast

GCG

If you have the Radioflyer Bixenon ACAs and the left HID high beam in the projector works, then it can't be that the left low beam bulb and/or corresponding ballast are/is bad because there's is only one bulb and one ballast per projector performing double duty as low and high beams, depending whether the projector's shield is up or down. UNLESS, you meant that the left Bixenon projector is off all the time and only the inner high beam bulb is lit when brights are selected, in which case, yes, it could be that the left HID bulb is gone and/or it's ballast is bad.

Because there's a single bulb performing double duty, a Hi-4 Harness is a required component of this setup. If the left HID high beam in the Bixenon projector is working, then most likely the left low beam fuse (No. 10) is blown.

C5Dobie

Sometimes the easiest answer is the correct one. Went & checked all the fuses associated w/ the headlights, swapped the passenger side lo beam fuse to the drivers side low beam fuse to check if it was a bad fuse (visually looked fine) assuming if it still didn't come on then it must be the fuse since the passenger side works (& conversely I would expect the passenger side to NOT work if that were the case)

Turns out none of the fuses were bad, but at some point (I assume when the last tech was troubleshooting my grounding issue not very long ago) the little brass adapter clip that allows the ACA wiring to mate up to the fuses & run everything correctly must have loosened up & not had a secure enough connection. After cleaning everything w/ a little alcohol & cloth & pressing the brass clips up tightly against the fuse tips so there was a tighter fit & reinstalling everything went back to working as it should.

Except my horn....but judging from the sound coming from the fuse box that one most likely IS bad - so isolated coincidence.

Good to know that both the hi & low beams share a bulb & ballast per side & also hearing that 100% makes sense & would really limit the amount of things that could possibly cause ONLY the hi or lo beam to malfunction in a single housing.

Thanks for the replies guys - seriously doubt the bulb could have gone bad so quickly though as I barely drive much @ night.....but @ least w/ the ACA's I CAN drive @ night now!!!

TheRadioFlyer

Apologies for not getting back. I've been pretty busy in the shop. Good to know it was an easy fix.

C5Dobie

Thanks for acknowledging the call! I would've called back if I didn't get it resolved.

Horn turned out to be a bad mini-relay, not the fuse, $20 @ autozone & back in biz - both of these were items I NEEDED fixed in order to get a new inspection sticker....I have a friendly shop that will ignore my tints (the windows down lol!), wont even nudge the throttle during emissions test and/or look underneath @ my "cats", but you gotta have a functioning horn & headlights for starters!