DIY: HID kit install in a Halogen T1

[kazanski]

OK, so I installed the kit that a few of you have here (the nightvision kit from retro solutions), and I am getting an error message. I can't remember it off the top of my head, but it has to do with a short in the front lowbeam. I have vagged off the DRL's already, and all of the lights are functional and working properly, but I have the bulb error message on the dash and the error code int he vag. I am perfectly fine with going ahead since everything is working (traded a DRL light on the dash for the Bulb Error) but wanted to see if anyone else had this issue, or feedback on if I would have any issues down the road. Any info is appreciated...

I am going to pull the headlights back out and check all of my connections just to be sure that I have everything where it should be as well...

Mike

[krnboy817]

Originally Posted by kazanski

OK, so I installed the kit that a few of you have here (the nightvision kit from retro solutions), and I am getting an error message. I can't remember it off the top of my head, but it has to do with a short in the front lowbeam. I have vagged off the DRL's already, and all of the lights are functional and working properly, but I have the bulb error message on the dash and the error code int he vag. I am perfectly fine with going ahead since everything is working (traded a DRL light on the dash for the Bulb Error) but wanted to see if anyone else had this issue, or feedback on if I would have any issues down the road. Any info is appreciated...

I am going to pull the headlights back out and check all of my connections just to be sure that I have everything where it should be as well...

Mike

leave the DRL on... leave everything stock spec.

go to radioshack get your self a 5dollar capacitor... solder it on according to the polarity and problem solved.

nightvisions are 35w kits there for you need a 55w kit. but i found out that even with 55w kit you still need this done because DRL mode doesnt use enough current to turn the kit on.

[kazanski]

Originally Posted by krnboy817

leave the DRL on... leave everything stock spec.

go to radioshack get your self a 5dollar capacitor... solder it on according to the polarity and problem solved.

nightvisions are 35w kits there for you need a 55w kit. but i found out that even with 55w kit you still need this done because DRL mode doesnt use enough current to turn the kit on.

Thanks for the suggestion; when I went back to check things out I noticed that I hadn't fully tightened down the left front head light so it wasn't seated properly in the connector. Once I cranked that down the error went away, now I am only getting it when I turn the lights on then off (seems like by going through the full light switch dial to turn it them off triggers something, but turning them on doesn't??) regardless the error light comes up, but if I turn the car off then on again it is gone. This is something I can live with for now since you usually turn your lights off when you are shutting the car off anyway.. I may look into putting the capacitor in there, I am just too lazy right now since I had the headlights out yesterday and don't feel like pulling everything out again. Thanks again though, I appreciate the feedback on it.

[krnboy817]

a lot of people here in this forum thinks that putting in a capacitor on a HID kit is like a pain in the neck for some reason.

forum for my previous car (MB c230) it was like a standard thing to put in when placing a HID on a non xenon equipped mercedes.

just in case you think its a pain... just take the red and black wires that goes from the ballast to the bulbs and splice them open tap the capacitor on. electrical tape and youre done.

5 min job. that solves so many probs.

[kazanski]

Originally Posted by krnboy817

a lot of people here in this forum thinks that putting in a capacitor on a HID kit is like a pain in the neck for some reason.

forum for my previous car (MB c230) it was like a standard thing to put in when placing a HID on a non xenon equipped mercedes.

just in case you think its a pain... just take the red and black wires that goes from the ballast to the bulbs and splice them open tap the capacitor on. electrical tape and youre done.

5 min job. that solves so many probs.

that doesn't sound so bad, maybe I will give it a try tonight... Again thanks for the feedback, if you have a few minutes, can you please clarify:

I will need 1 RadioShack electrolytic 50w capacitor per headlight or per wire? I splice the red and black wires coming from the ballast, and put the capacitor across those wires or a capacitor on each one? And which way do I want the arrow pointing? This sounds like something I can handle, just need some thorough instructions to follow.

[krnboy817]

you will need ONE per SIDE and yes the 50w.

remember these caps are for motherboards and such so the arrows are always pointing towards the ground.

do not get this mixed up because they will pop in your hands like fire cracker.

ARROW IS POINTING TOWARDS THE GROUND. THE BLACK WIRE.

so the cap would go in between the red wire and black wire bridging them together. so one cap for every red and black wires.

make sure the cap gets a good contact with the wires or else when the car is moving it will throw a LIGHT OUT CODE.

(red) --- CAP---> (black)

[kazanski]

Originally Posted by krnboy817

you will need ONE per SIDE and yes the 50w.

remember these caps are for motherboards and such so the arrows are always pointing towards the ground.

do not get this mixed up because they will pop in your hands like fire cracker.

ARROW IS POINTING TOWARDS THE GROUND. THE BLACK WIRE.

so the cap would go in between the red wire and black wire bridging them together. so one cap for every red and black wires.

make sure the cap gets a good contact with the wires or else when the car is moving it will throw a LIGHT OUT CODE.

(red) --- CAP---> (black)

I will give it a shot when I have a chance to run over to Radio Shack; thanks again!

[joli]

I JUST LOOK FOR THE INSTALL WAY. USFUL INFO

[phml]

Originally Posted by platbr

I followed Chris344's awesome DIY instructions last night and installed the Nightvision H7 HID lights from Retro Solutions LLC. They were $89.99 shipped. Honestly, I would have bought from Direct Connection Tuning, but they are currently "disabled" by PayPal and unable to receive orders.

NightVision H7

I bought the 35w kit and it installed super easy. Took less than an hour, all together, including my inept first attempts to get the headlights out (forgot exactly how they worked... again). Got the lights in, started up, and worked the first time. Very nice setup, with a lifetime warranty on bulbs & ballast. Retro Solutions seems well respected, and their guy Todd was super helpful. A highly recommended upgrade.

Cutoff on the bulbs was perfect, and I felt better going 35w on an aftermarket kit than 55w. In any event, a great option.

One last thing, Chris344's instructions were right on for the wiring colors and matchup, too (just FYI for anyone that tries this with the Retro Solutions kit).

Thanks for posting up....any issue the vag com coding for you?

Some ppl have issues...while others don't....weird....maybe it has something to do with the model year?

[ttpham220]

Just installed my HID kit on a 2004 V8. Instructions were GREAT, thank you. I've also VAG'd the code and added ( 128 ) for the new Xenon bulb. My old codes were 0100446 + 128 = 0100574.

After the install and code change, the "Please Check Light" warning went away, sort of. Now it gets triggered when I FLICK on the high beams (pull lever towards me). But the high beams doesn't actually turn ON. It just beeps and the "Please Check Light" comes on. If I push the lever away from me and fully engaging the high beams, they work just fine with no warnings. The Fault Code below is recorded when this happens. Again, completely turning on the High Beams by pushing the lever forward away from me works fine, but flicking it by pulling it towards me, throws the fault code and the light warning. If I remove the 128 from the VAG-COM code, both pulling or pushing the lever does not give any errors. But the "Please Check Lights" will come on every once in a while by other triggers, like (turning the light ON and OFF, or when the lights turn OFF automatically as I drive from a dark area into to light). I have also installed and uninstalled capacitors that came with the kit, both had no effects. Any one else having these issues?


This is the fault code when I flick the high beam lever towards me.
02088 - Lights for Auxiliary High Beams
007 - Short to Ground - Intermittent