My passenger side headlight has been flickering more often over the last couple months. Time to replace that ballast under and secured to the headlight.

This conversion is really only of interest to the 2003 (for you UK members) to the 2005-ish model years. I say 2005-ish, because I honestly don't know where the cutoff is where Jaguar stopped using the older 12-pin LAD5G to the newer 4-pin LAD5GL. The difference here is that the 12-pin is still being manufactured, but at prices around $250 each. The 4-pin is only $115 most internet sources, as there are many brands (Audi, VW, etc that use them)

LAD5GL on the left, LAD5G on the right



Internet sources show the split was at VIN G40555, and I was somewhat relieved that my XJ has a VIN G40967, and it should have the newer Valeo unit in it.

I ordered a new LAD5GL, and proceeded to pull my headlight out to make a direct swap.

Note that the pictures in this thread also show how to get the headlamp off the car without totally removing the bumper. i figured others might like to know in order to replace their bulbs safely w/o screwing up the cover or the gasket that keeps it sealed. The bumper is really awkward and difficult to reinstall by oneself once it is completely pulled off of the car (as I have had it off twice before this) and this method doesn't require you to rest it on anything and worry about it being scratched in the process. No other lamps or wires need to be disconnected besides the headlamp itself.

1. Remove the single fender splash shield connector, and pry out the park lamp indicator from the bumper. I like to slide a credit card on the bottom side, get a small screwdriver under it, and tilt it outward. The spring clips are on the top, but this is easier to get to then going at it from up top, where any slip of a tool can be easily seen.



2. Remove all of the fasteners (5 I think) from the underside of the bumper to where it meets the underskirt.



3. Remove the torx screw on each side of the grille, lift its side 'wings' from their position atop that guide and carefully maneuver it away pulling it straight ahead. There are three flat legs that slip through openings in the bumper, so wiggling it and making sure they aren't still snagged on their paths. (sorry no pics of this, but there are others in the 'bumper removal' thread.

4. Lift the bumper cover tabs (2 at each headlight) so that it is loose.



5. Pull the bumper cover away from the fender well but lifting slightling, and pulling hard outward. Its just a snap-lock type of fit. The cover can now slide forward just enough that you can get to all three bolts for the headlamp (one on top, two on the underside) and turn, twist, and squeeze it from the opening. When you have some space, reach down and lift the red 'tab' piece of the headlamps electrical connector first, then you can pull it free. That red piece is integral in 'locking' the connector to the rear of the lamp. Putting it back on, and pressing the red tab slides it further and seats it completely.

See pic for Item 1.









What do I find underneath my headlamp? A 12-pin LAD5G. Guess that VIN cutoff information isn't correct after all.





You'll notice that there are several wires still on this 12-pin, and another connector lay unused in the housting. No idea what that was for, and after I completed my little conversion, all functions still work.



I took a week to ponder on it, and google some other's similar experiences, I found a thread in the Audi forums that described how to use the newer LAD5GL ballast on an older Audi that originally uses the older ballast and has a 12-pin harness. The trick is to know that the vehicle doesn't use the other pins in that harness to control something of the ballast, and those extra 4 wires of that unused skinny connector aren't attached to something else. Perhaps such as the automatic leveling in my xk8 (which I know has the 12-pin ballasts) I'm not sure that this 'conversion' would work on it, and I hope I don't have to find out, my lights ware fine on that car.

Our x350, however, uses the air suspension to provide the 'headlight' leveling, so I was willing to try this same conversion that the BMW and Audi owners were successfully completing.

The cheapest, and most destructive option, is to cut apart the 12-pin plug so that it ends up the same 4-pin plug needed on the new LAD5GL ballast. It can be done, but I didn't like that approach. So, I wanted a 12-pin to 4-in adapter, and found it here on ebay - $30



My only concern was making sure the +12V and ground were correct from our harness as the audi's. The 4-pin side obviously was confirmed to work on the LAD5GL already. Connectors matched up perfectly.



After I had the headlamp out, I checked the pins of the headlamp harness with my voltmeter, and the locations for +12v and ground were exactly where they were supposed to be using this connector; I didn't have to jack with this adapter at all!!



Be sure to transfer the gasket carefully from the old unit to the new one. Dimensions are the same, it fit perfect in the old spot in the housing.



Plugged it into the car (lamp not put back in yet, obviously to test)



SUCCESS!



Total spent - $150, a savings of $100 over the original 12-pin LAD5G would have cost me. If I notice anything weird at all as a result of this little project, I'll definitely let everyone know and update this thread. But, I'm pretty confident this fix is permanent, and no other systems were harmed in the process.

 

Nice work and write up.
Thanks

 

Excellent info H2O, hope this gets put into the 'how to'.

Stu

 

Thanks guys, I'm sure there will be a few that will benefit from my experimentation. Most of the threads I've read have involved 04 years, a few 05s, and one 06 that I recall.

I really have to give the guys over on that Audi forum all the credit, they did all of the legwork and most of the practical tests.

 

Does the headlight leveling still works? If it does, I might try this the next time my HIDs go out.

 

Surely the headlight leveling circuit doesn't go into the ballast unit ?

 

I am referring to Fig. 08.2 and Fig. 08.6 in the "2004-2008 Model Year Electrical Guides", the Ballast is listed as the "Headlamp Leveling Module". The wiring for the bulbs and stepper motor go to the Ballast/Leveling Module. The stepper motor is housed between the low and high beam lamps.

Note: on non-HID units, the low beam wiring does not go to the ballast as indicated by the dashed lines on the first doc.

I was planning on doing the same ballast replacement but noticed the figures in the guide so I stopped. I found a way to bypass the ballast and install a separate ballast just for the HIDs but have not attempted it since my HIDs are currently working fine.

 

It will work, unlike my xk8 which HAS a leveling stepper-motor, the x350 does not. That is what I believe the extra cable is for connecting to.

 

Thanks for posting, I was trying to figure out how to get the stupid headlight out. glad I search the forum.

 

The stepper motors were apparently used on the first generation xj (2004) but stopped using them somewhere before my 2005. It probably was the same split where the car went from 4 level sensors to only three (can't remmeber which end got the short straw)

I still believe that the stepper motor may still be operative with this L ballast and the adapter, might require a pin-to-pin loop if the ballast was intentionally to pass another signal back through the same harness connector. Also, I've said this before, if the stepper motor wasn't reduntant to the headlight leveling with a working air suspension, they would have continued installing the motors after year 1. I think its removal was an afterthought of the engineers following the new model's release.

 

Nice as usual Matt, and yes the vin split seems to be wrong as we often find out to late too. Also when cars are close to the split you find the earlier part and things partially modded to work. Reason, they use the remaining parts they have in stock to assemble cars and make on the fly changes on the assembly line.
1 other thing for those pulling bumper, DO NOT undo the bumper to splash shield bolts but the ones to the wheel arch liners and engine under tray screws. Its much much easier to refit going back together than trying to get the splash panel slid back onto the bumper cover correctly.
PS thanks for the pizzas Matt, They were great

 

Ok, since I have an early MY 2004 VDP with the stepper motor and forth sensor, the Electrical Guide is correct.
Why didn't Jaguar remove/correct the other Electrical Guides up to MY 2008? I looked at all the Guides and they all show the Stepper Motor for HID equipped vehicles. What I understand from the Guides is that all vehicles without HIDs do not have the stepper motor.

:icon_ denk:: icon_denk:

Anyone get the same conclusion from the guides?

 

Thanks for this write up! I had visited the Audi forum as well and will be performing the ballast replacement this weekend. I'm probably going to cut the original connector to fit the 4 pin housing. I've got to study the electrical guide because I'm pretty sure my XJ has the leveling motor because on start up the lights would do a self test of the motor moving the lights up and then down. My ballasts went out after I replaced the original flickering xenon bulbs with new ones. It's good to know the bumper doesn't have to be completely removed. I got my Valeo ballasts from factorymoparparts.com.

 

Please report back on your results, and especially the level of those lights and if the stepper motor still works.

 

After fixing the passenger side by putting in the 4-pin ballast, my driver side started flickering once every 3-4 nights. I squashed it before it got any worse and did the driver side also.

Brutal's tip on the removal of the star screws farther back than on the undertray instead of that front lip is good avice. I missed an overlap point for the bumper on the undertray and was forced to undo almost all the front undertray screws to get it back on (The bumper was already snapped back into the fender). The ballasts are rated for 2,000 hours (at least the new ones are) and I did a little math on my car. Since the previous owner drove the car with daytime lamps on, and at 50,000 miles, averaging say 30 mph, that equates to 1,667 hours. The dates on the old units were 6/2004...so 8.5 years on this high voltage electrical part seems acceptable.

 

H20 how are the headlights working with your Fix? My 2004 XJR just started to have the Hid flash problem so will be looking into getting the parts. Do we know for certain from what year that this fix will work?

 

Not a flicker since I changed them both out Robert.

2004 will have the older 12-pin ballasts, no doubt there. This 'new' ballast, with adapter, may or may not operate your stepper motor...if you have them. Part change should have been mid 2005 MY production, according to the parts catalog.

 

H20Boy

So 12 pin is the only answer for my 2004 XJR as well? I have no issue right now, but suspect they are due with 70K on the odometer.

any recommendations on suppliers?

RyeJag

 

I spoke to my jag dealer today who are great and very except able to ideas to save money, but said that on the 2004 XJR only the LAD5G will work. So looks like I will be saving and trying to not drive at night. The list on Ronnie as of today is Trans cooler lines, possible lower front control arm bushings, undiagnosed Groan from front end and now Hid ballasts both sides, but they do have 94000 miles on them so can't complain really.lucky it's not my daily driver!

 

I have 2004 had them fliker then turn off on me so decided to mod the lights.
They do have automatic leveling so when you turn them on they adjust. The way i did it was to leave the old ballast in place for the leveling part and install a slim ballast for the lighting part. I spliced the wires as u can see in the picture then butchered the back plate that holds the service port se the pictures attach. Did it this way no warning lights came on so I'm happy with 165 i fix the 2 headlights. just need to figuer out how to upload more than 1 pic.