Smitty1017

I have a cobalt SS/TC that I bought about a month ago and it has HIDs installed. I have never used HIDs before and dont know much about them.

The second day I had the car the drivers side headlight was off. Then I checked all the connections and it still wouldnt turn on. The next day and for the next 2 weeks it worked fine again.

Then, the drivers side light started flickering. If I was parked it would put out a light pattern like water flowing almost, it wouldn't flicker as if on or off, it would like "flow"

Then, both headlights went out. I checked the fuse (30A) and it was blown. So I changed it. It blew again instantly.

It has been raining so I am wondering if water got into something and caused a short. Can someone give me some suggestions on what to do? I am considering going back to standard bulbs.. Or perhaps buying an all new HID kit and wiring it from scratch myself. The current one has wires going all over and its not mounted very well, allthough it looks like the connections were good and the wires were properly installed.

If I have projector headlights can I put standard bulbs inside? Will it cause any problems? I like the look of the HIDs but honestly it doesn't seem any brighter than standard bulbs and it definatly isnt worth the hassle they have been so far.

DPaul6590

iTrader: (1)

Try switching the ballasts around and see if it follows the ballast....they don't do well with water

Smitty1017

Switching the ballasts would have been an option before, but since they are currently both out and the main fuse keeps blowing, it wouldn't really tell me anything to do that.

I think I am going to just buy a new kit and start from scratch, only trouble is I dont know if I can run normal headlights in there temporarily. And I also don't know what the bulb size is.

chevygirl2006

Try getting a relay harness

DPaul6590

iTrader: (1)

Ah, I missed that fuse part...my bad....what kind of headlights are they?

Smitty1017

I believe it has a relay harness. Some kind of bosch harness.

They are morimoto if I remember correctly what they said. Its been raining and my part out car is taking up my garage, so unfortunatly Ive only been able to look at it for about 15 minutes under the gas station roof.

chevygirl2006

Warranty?

DPaul6590

iTrader: (1)

Most likely H1 bulbs if they are retros

blu3_v1p3r

iTrader: (6)

Also most likely H1 bulbs if they are any headlight except stock. Pics of headlights and wiring?

DPaul6590

iTrader: (1)

I thought so, but I wasn't for sure....I think there is one gen that has a different bulb

Smitty1017

Can get pics in the morning. No image sites work here. (I am at work all night)

Lets say water did happen to get somewhere and cause a short which blew the fuse. And then I sort it out and fix the problem. Should they still be usable after that since the fuse saved it, or would the whole thing be garbage after that?

z062007vette

iTrader: (4)

Where abouts in MI are you? Cuz I can contest to the amount of rain we've been having.

Smitty1017

I am in Holland.

I went outside and checked it out a bit today, and every looked mostly kosher. How do headlight ballasts work? Do you need both of them to complete the circuit? because when I unplugged the drivers side ballast and put a fuse in, it did not blow...stupid me never looked to see if the passenger side headlight was on before plugging in the drivers side and having the fuse blow.

My headlights are retros I believe, and are H1 bulbs. I think I am going to throw some plain H1 headlights in there for now, and order a whole new HID kit and wire it from scratch, this time with the wires tucked away better and more protected. Ill keep you all posted on how it works out.

JshLnsctt

iTrader: (15)

I have two bad ballasts currently, one HID turns on when it feels like it and the other flickers constantly and then shuts off. They have run fine for 3yrs, and fortunately my ballasts are under lifetime warranty and once it stops snowing long enough for me to pull them off I can swap them.

Smitty1017

Post is old, but for anyone that was curious what the problem was: the prongs in my ballast werent lined up perfect on one of the connections, so when you pushed the plug in, the prongs would touch and cause a short, which would blow the fuse. And before that I imagine the loose prong is also what would cause the flicker, considering I have a harness and a high-lo beam setup with power for DRLs and what not.

Ive since gone back to standard headlights because it is just simpler that way. I drive mostly in the city anyways with street lights everywhere, so light output really isnt a huge concern to me.

mkulrey13

iTrader: (39)

If your ever looking for a HID kit, Shoot me a PM we can do a deal

Smitty1017

if you recognize the ballast I used in the pic on my for sale thread and want to/can sell me a single to fix my set-up so I can sell it, let me know. I would be interested.