One of my head lights (only one though), has turned to a pinkish colour. I assume that it is about to give out, correct? Are these easy bulbs to DIY change?

 

You are missing a couple of important pieces of information.

Which side is it ? ( helps figure out interference )

What kind of car are you going to be working on? Kind of important to know Model Year and Make.

Get back to us and maybe we can help out.

 

Which one?



Vern makes a very valid point in post #2. Model and Year are essential information when posting questions. I'll also add that Location (Country + City or State) can often make a difference.

If you have an early model it's likely to be simply a failing bulb. For later models with self leveling HID's it could be either bulb or ballast.

For all years access for bulb replacement is from the engine compartment except for the dipped beam bulb which is accessible through a panel in the front of the wheelarch liner.

Graham

 

It's a 2003 XKR, passenger side headlight. Thanks.

 

For a 2003 MY you could have standard or HID lighting. Different bulbs and alignment procedures but accessing the bulbs for changing is similar:






(click on the images to enlarge them)

Working though the top of the headlamp shell after removing the plastic cap is awkward for anyone with large hands but there's nothing technically difficult in the bulb replacement.

Graham

 

It is important while changing the headlight bulbs to try and not touch the bulb glass. The oil on your hands will shorten the life of the bulb by creating hot spots. If you have to hold it with your fingers be sure and wipe the bulb clean with alcohol and a clean rag.

 

Ok, thanks for the info and diagrams!

 

Going pink is a symptom of aging for HID bulbs. The also sputter and cut out. When it gets to that point it's advisable to replace the bulbs so they don't take out the control unit upon failure.

 

RESOLVED!


So after many weeks, yesterday my pink headlight finally went out. It still comes on at start-up, bright as it should be, but quickly fades to pink as it has been doing for about 6 weeks now. However as of yesterday it now goes out completely about a minute after start-up.


The bulbs I ordered showed up the day before yesterday, so some good timing there. (I went with cheap Chinese D1S bulbs to see how they perform. I hope it will not effect the ballast or cause any other issues, but this is the only way to find out.)


As a side note, I went to the local JagLR dealer to compare costs and they quoted me $326.95 (incl. 13% tax) for the part (1 only - D1S bulb) and $125.00 to install it. Needless to say I was nearly rolling on the floor laughing as I left the dealership without buying any of their parts nor services. (Since I was there I also priced their "OEM" Jag transmission fluid - $56.95 a litre, (comparing Mercon SP @ ~$7 / quart). The only reasonable items were the tranny filter and pan gasket at just over $100 for the pair.


So today it was warm enough (~12* C) for me to install the bulb. Twenty minutes, a few scraped fingers and knuckles and one broken fingernail later, it is as good as new. It's a pain in the *** to install because of the tight quarters, especially without removing the wheel. (Passenger side.)


This has prompted a few questions. The bulb I removed was an OSRAM make. I wonder if this might be the original bulb? I know they can last anywhere from 2000 to 3000 hours. It may be as my car has ~110K miles on it. (110,000 / ~35 MPH avg. speed = 3,142 hours of life, give or take considering idling and hwy. mixed driving.) It sure looked old, but it could be a replacement.
So for those with HID headlights, how long have your bulbs lasted on average? And what make of bulb have you chosen to use as a replacement? (Phillips, OSRAM, GE, or other?)