Car is a 2003 S-Style-R:
I replaced headlights (bulbs only), and they worked great for a few days until the passenger side kept going out, but then comes back on at any time on it's own.
Took to dealer, no issue with headlamp, they figured maybe electrical wiring? They didn't know even after having it all day and night. I jiggled wires, disconnected/reconnected with no results. Bulb is firm in socket.

I noticed that when the lights come on the passenger light starts up real slow and eventually brightens up to match the other. I'm no mechanic, but I am thinking the issue may be with the ignitor?

Anybody? Thank you in Advance!

 

I'm currently suffering the same exact issue. I replaced a burned out driver's side LH bulb and decided to replace both at the time. Shortly after getting it working and all back together again the RH passenger aside went intermittent.

No good deed of thoughtful prevention goes unpunished ...

IN the spring it gets addressed once again. Honestly, I have no idea what the problem is but it's too cold here now to address. But I am thoroughly sick of these GD headlights. With any luck and it will take a bunch I'll find out what is causing this.

BTW, one of my threads has link for an inexpensive supplier for the original exciter.

 

Cheapest but not easiest way to determine is switch the igniters, but that is likely the issue. I had a similar problem and replacing the igniter fixed it.

 

Thank you guys for your help. As it is, it's been that way for about 2 months and it started after I changed out both HID bulbs and I went 6000K for pure white color and let me say, soooo much prettier to look at when coming your direction and the white also makes the night look brighter and more defined.

I bought (2) new ballast and (2) new ignitors and I am going to replace this weekend. And as if the joke is on me, the light have not acted up since the day (2 days ago), when the parts showed up! Dang little Boogers!!

I got the OEM ignitors "new" for $52 each and the OEM ballast "new" for $39 each. Cheapest fix on that car yet!!!

The other problem is that the defroster is run by the AC. No kidding! It takes for ever for the windshield to defrost as well as get rid of the interior fog. Why doe it not use the heater to defrost? And during the summer the AC won't kick in until about 20 miles down the road.

Back to the headlights, have you had to polish your headlights yet? I've been doing it since 2009 and I don't think the plastic can handle much more. When I take them out this weekend I'm going to really buff those things out and try and find some sort of sealer to try and make them stay clear for a longer period of time. Any suggestions? And do you know where I can buy just the lenses and bezel rubber seal?

Thank you guys ever so much for your help. God Bless.

 

Well when it takes so long take everything apart and put it back swapping for an intermittent problem is a real PITA unless you can drive the car without the bumper cover in place? You'd have to leave the belly pan off as well I think?

I don't remember but I think fender liners have to be detached at the front as well?

I'm not looking forward to this.

 

Could you share your sources? Thanks.

 

Sure thing...

Ballast @ $39 ea, http://www.ebay.com/itm/282107980037

Ignitors @ $52 ea, NEW OEM Authentic Hella Mercedes Jaguar Xenon Headlight Igniter 5DD008319-10 | eBay

If clicking on the links does not work, cut and paste into address bar.
As for removal of bumper and skid plate no problem once you've done it once. And I never take the bumper fully off. In fact, you can get to the ignitors without bumper removal by removing the fuse box (just lift and set aside without all wiring disconnect), and I can actually (If I remember correctly), by reaching behind driver light, unscrewing the cap, reach in and remove the ignitor, and I have decent size hands. I'll reassemble completely, pretty quite sure that's the issue after scouring the internet for days for all sorts of remedies. However, some said it was a bad wire in the steering column connected to the turn single or some sort of thing like that. The reason I am removing the bumper is that I am also taking no chances and replacing the ballast as well which does require bumper off.

Bumper removal:

You can remove the HID bulb without removing the headlamp assembly but it's not easy. You will need to turn off the cover then turn out the ignitor and remove the clips for the bulb. You can remove the bumper and the lens assembly which will be more work but less of a headache. The bumper is fairly easy to remove but you will need a 10mm socket, an extension, and a T30 torx socket. Once the bumper is lowered you need to remove the three remaining 10mm bolts and then the connector. You will then see the cover that needs to be turned counter clock wise and the ignitor that also will need to be turned counter clockwise.
Remove the three 10mm bolts holding the bumper under-tray to the lower engine cover.
Detach front fender splash shields by removing the torx T30 screws.
Remove the left-hand front bumper cover retaining bolt (10 mm inside wheel arch).
Remove the right-hand front bumper cover retaining bolt (10 mm inside wheel arch).
Remove the top 10 mm bolts.









I hope this helps!

 

Can someone tell me where I can get new or near perfect lenses and bezel? And while your lights are out, install 5,000-6,000k HID bulbs, looks so nice and can see much better. In case you don't know, Kelvin is the light's color temperature and it's usually locate on the light package either on the bottom or lower portion of box. Not saying your dumb, just being helpful.

 

Yes I've seen the Youtube before.

Thanks for the links.

I tried twice to change the bulbs WO removing the bumper. Wasted about 6 hours trying.

I'm happy for you if you can do it but on my car it's simply impossible. Getting those igniters on is too difficult WO being able to see and my hands don't fit in that long drainpipe at the back of the lamp fixture. God what a horrid design!

Even with the headlamp assemblies on the bench getting that igniter back onto the bulb is a SOB. It took me an entire day just for the igniter!

I think there must be some kind of manufacturing quality issues with this stuff because for my car at least these don't fit well at all. I have read from other people that you need to file/sand the tabs so that they fit more easily.

WTF? That's just insane. But it does explain why I can have a wildly different experience with these lamps than you have had. Poor manufacturing quality.

I'd love to just smash these things with a sledge hammer if the halogen lamps could be fitted. I don't really see any benefit to leveling low beams? The high beams are halogens anyway. Just a stupid gimmick IMHO.

But I fear that this is going to be one of those forever broken issues along with the GD cooling system reservoir. I'm on my 3rd and it weeps slightly so I just ignore it. Lots of crummy parts on these cars. The dealer couldn't fix it either. I'm certainly not letting them anywhere near the headlights. I can just imagine the bill and it probably would soon be broken again. I got complete new headlamp assemblies under warranty when I bought the car and they were fine until this. Maybe that's the only reliable way?

We'll see in the spring. It's hard to beleive it's anything else but the bulb/igniter.

All I did was change the bulb as a precaution ...

 

I can't stop laughing, you're a crack up! And yes I had the same troubles as you the first couple of times around. In fact get this, a local auto shop tried changing my bulbs for me and told me never to bring the car back. They never got the bulbs in. Also they ordered twice and along with Les Schwab who order (4) times, (4) different front set of rotors. Why so many you ask, because the car is hard to match, even when using the VIN which says the jag is a V6, yet it actually has a Shelby Gt engine. (6) times these guys failed. I went online, research best made rotors and contacted the manufacture and they sent me the right ones the first time. I also replaced the brakes with racing brakes and new mounts.

As far as getting the bulbs in without removing bummer that never happened even though I could get to it. I found out why and you're having the same issue. I had to build up soldier on the outside post without over heating the bulb.
Part store was giving the repair shop the wrong bulbs (3), even though it was listed in their catalog. The shop put the bumper back on and told me never to bring that @&^$)*&^ car back, ever! So I myself, a commercial builder, “no mechanic by any means,” took the bulb into the parts store to match it and after several open boxes at their service desk was given a bulb that worked. Except I had to modify the contact with soldier. Also the catalog bulb lock pins did not line up with the one I had. That's why you are not able to replace the bulb with or without the bumper on/off. I soldier a knob on the contact because it was not large enough to be making contact. I guess maybe one could bend that tab up some to connect? I even had a specialized Jag service shop in Calif try and fix the light. $500 later the bulb


worked for a few days and upon opening the rear cap, I found they stuffed a grease rag to hold the bulb in place. What does that tell ya? That was a wasted $500.
My wife has a Martin Day off Monday which I am going to remove the bumper to replace ballast and ignitors to both sides and I'll add a couple of modified bulb pics to help you out with the bulb and to be sure I am telling you correctly as my memory serves.


I'm sure you pretty much know the “R” Jag is a beast of its own in every way, but it's an awesome car. However, with that said, I've requested several times for my wife to get rid of it....yep...it's her car! I myself drive a dodge 2500 - 5.9 Cummings extended cab 4x4. I've been wanting to get her the Jeep Trail Hawk, fully loaded...anything, just get rid of that dang car!! LoL. But Jeeps I found out have a serious rain leak issue which nothing is being done about it. Last year we got 96 inches of rain and the (2) storage compartments under my back bench seat filled with water to where I had to drill a 3/4” hole in each compartment pan to allow drainage. Carpet behind seat and in compartments still has never fully dried. I know where the leak is and I have the driver side solved, just been too lazy to work the other side.


As for the reservoir, I'm in total agreement. The repair shop broke the hose connecting nipple off without saying a word. What a mess it made, anti-freeze everywhere. The reservoirs are under pressure to be sure water travels quickly and it'll shoot that pink juice out like a squirt cannon at the slightest crack. So that's my next project, $150 for a OEM “water bottle” they call it. Absolutely ridicules! Oh,
one more thing, having to replace the $70 drive wiper arm. Spring worn to where it's not able to add enough pressure against the windshield and leaves a puddle right in the center of driver view. Never ending I tell ya!!


We're going to have to meet someday, this is too much fun talking with you. I live in Brookings, Oregon, you?

 

I posted a photo of the modified bulb but for some reason it didn't make it into the reply.

 

Seeing if this time it works

 

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January 17, 2017 Reply

Good Morning, I changed out the ballast and ignitor for both sides yesterday and I am including some pictures of what I had to do for the bulb modification. Also the new ignitor did not come with the flex contact ring so be sure to move from old to new.

You can see I soldiered a piece of copper wire to expand the length of the contact in order for the so called "catalog bulb" to function. If you have any questions please let me know. sabuilders@charter.net

I hope this helps!