I have to replace the HID ballast on the left side of my 2005 XJ8L. Can anyone give me an idea as to the best way to get at it without taking the whole car apart?

Thanks!

 

I may be heading down the same road. Did you find a good source for a part, reasonable that is?

I haven't even tried to find the stinkin thing yet.

 

Remove the front bumper, the only way I know. Sounds scary, but not as bad as you might think.

 

I think I have a good source for new ballasts. I just got one shipped (Valeo LAD5GL) and it should be the same as the one I am going to pull. When I get the old one out I will post photos of both and then let you know how it worked out. I am assuming it is the ballast as putting in a new light with igniter didn't work - but the old bulb was good as I checked it out on the other side - after I had already bought a replacement bulb, go figure!

Anyway, I'll post the source (less than 130.00 shipped), when I'm sure it is okay!

Also, anyone have any sketches as to how the from lbumper comes off?

 

Everyone's mechanical apptitude is different. It is difficult to evaluate that online. Taking the bumper off is rather intuitive. The bumper itself is a plastic shell, not like in the old days where you are reomving a significant piece of car. It really has no very big hardware, all small machine screws and plastic push rivets (some of which will inevitably break).

Assuming you don't have a lift, start by getting the front end off the ground so you can work underneath. Remove both front wheels, remove the plastic skid plates, remove the screws and plastic pins that hold the front of the plastic wheel wells in place. From there, keep removing screws along partlines on the bumper until nothing holds it in place. There is a "plastic spring snap" I'll call it, on the top of each headlight assembly that must be released. Do these early in the disassembly because if you don't the unbolted bumper will end up putting too much pressure on these plastic clips and crack the headlight housings.

 

ron44094, Did the Valeo LAD5GL ballast work for you?

All, My passenger side light had some water in it(which I saw later). At the start, it used to flicker for a while and then turn off. Now, it is completely off. I did some looking and finally got a pair of D2S bulbs for it. Dang! My car uses the D1S bulb, which I realized only after I have received the other ones. I cannot return them anymore so, that money is gone.

But anyways. I will get the new D1S bulbs now. My passenger side bulb's internal metal and the small oval round container(maybe gas) in the middle of it shows black/burnt. But I think my ballast is gone too since I tried to put the bulb from the driver side(where it works) to the passenger side and that same bulb did not work on passenger side.

Looking for some info here on the type of ballast that I may need to buy since I have heard for 2005 XJ, there are two types since they had a split during the year on the model and some parts.

Any help is appreciated.

Also, I have a general question. When someone has attached their pictures to their posts, I am never able to open them. As soon as I click then, it takes me to a page with message... you either do not have permission etc. etc. How can that be fixed? I would think pictures posted by posters with the messages on the forum should be visible to all. Right?

 

Only our Admin can manually lift all the restrictions for you , here is the link for you to request
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...ew-user-53483/

My advice for you is to take a look at h20boy's signature