Thread: HID and DRL

I've been reading this thread with interest as i have recently fitted 35watt HID conversion to our D2 without fault so far at all!!
I'm about to convert our newly aquired P38 town car so this thread has been of interest.
The D2 is a 1999 model and the p38 is a 2000 model.
I think the link below shows a solution for your problem. If i'm correct i think the control system in the 2000 p38 differs from the pre 99 ones and maybe i wont have this issue?
I'll let you know after i've done it next week sometime,
cheers,
Deano

Seems that it was a dodgy ballast unit. Replaced it tonight and all is good again.

Still get the 4 warning messages of course. Have ordered a couple of those warning cancellers off eBay to see if they make a difference.

Cheers, Paul.

Originally Posted by bluedisco2

I've been reading this thread with interest as i have recently fitted 35watt HID conversion to our D2 without fault so far at all!!
I'm about to convert our newly aquired P38 town car so this thread has been of interest.
The D2 is a 1999 model and the p38 is a 2000 model.
I think the link below shows a solution for your problem. If i'm correct i think the control system in the 2000 p38 differs from the pre 99 ones and maybe i wont have this issue?
I'll let you know after i've done it next week sometime,
cheers,
Deano

I have a 2000 P38 which I just fitted HID lights to. I get all the light failure warnings still... I have also noticed that when I first turn the lights on the BeCM seems to "reboot" - the instrument cluster beeps, gives the globe failure warnings, runs through a self test and the radio turns off and on.
Has anyone else experienced this? To be honest it concerns me a fair bit - I was thinking I should take the HID's back out - I assume its caused by a power surge from the ballast??

Originally Posted by PaulieJ

Has anyone else experienced this?

No. What wattage kit did you fit?

Originally Posted by PaulieJ

I have a 2000 P38 which I just fitted HID lights to. I get all the light failure warnings still... I have also noticed that when I first turn the lights on the BeCM seems to "reboot" - the instrument cluster beeps, gives the globe failure warnings, runs through a self test and the radio turns off and on.
Has anyone else experienced this? To be honest it concerns me a fair bit - I was thinking I should take the HID's back out - I assume its caused by a power surge from the ballast??

that sounds scary. I get a small headlight flash when they come on but nothing inside seems odd. I'd be back out of the HIDs if they did that to me... wouldn't want to risk upsetting the BECM that way.

Scouse mentioned using a diode to prevent backfeed. Perhaps try that.

Do you have a HID controller unit, or are you running the ballast direct from the light power?

cheers
Paul.

Originally Posted by PaulP38a

Scouse mentioned using a diode to prevent backfeed. Perhaps try that.

That's only to stop the bulb failure warnings on high (or low) beam.
I used a cheapish 50/55w eBay kit with the sliding shield to switch between high & low.

I can't exactly remember which beam needs to operate the shield but I'll say 'high' as an example.
With the eBay kits, they come with a control unit which does the switching but you can't use this in a P38 if you want to avoid the bulb failure hassles.
So you cut the wires to this control unit & wire the ballasts directly to your headlight sockets.
In order to have the actual light itself stay on between low & high beams, it needs to be wired to both high & low beam circuits.
Now, the high beam also needs to activate the sliding shield as well as power up the light globe. This is where the diode is used - to prevent the power from the low beam circuit getting to the sliding shield so it only operates with 'high'.

I realise that I probably haven't explained this very well & I'm hopeless at wiring diagrams so you're welcome to have a look at my car at the Expo in a couple of weeks.

Originally Posted by PaulP38a

that sounds scary. I get a small headlight flash when they come on but nothing inside seems odd. I'd be back out of the HIDs if they did that to me... wouldn't want to risk upsetting the BECM that way.

Scouse mentioned using a diode to prevent backfeed. Perhaps try that.

Do you have a HID controller unit, or are you running the ballast direct from the light power?

cheers
Paul.

I use a HID controller that came in the kit (It's from Jaycar). The first control unit failed after the first few uses, but since it has been replaced the lights work fine. It only happens the first time you switch the lights on - if you switch them off and back on in a short period nothing 'weird' happens.
I'm definately leaning towards removing the HID's though - It's not worth risking a damaged BECM and getting stranded in the middle of the bush somewhere...

Why not drop into your local AUTO ELEC for a check on it all before you undo/back out everything?