I've had the "light out indicator" since I bought my SSB coupe. All lights are on. I just assumed that maybe the PO installed one of those low volatage parking lights, but when I had my HID's replaced (because the driver's side light was out most of the time) the shop said that sometimes HIDs cause this false positive condition. They suggested they should install some transistor to solve the issue/ I'm not sure I'm buying that, so I figured I would ask here first. Any thoughts?

 

What MY is your XF? Are the HIDs you're using a standard or slim ballast?

This has not been an issue on mine, for the lows, highs nor fogs. However, there are times when one of my fogs doesn't fire (weak bulb) and the "light out" illuminates as it should.

Any chance it might have been an innocuous side marker or faulty license plate bulb?

 

Typically, HID kits come with a "CANBUS" option.
It is basically just load resistors to fool the car's electronics into thinking you still have traditional bulbs.

See : http://www.theretrofitsource.com/com...l#.UxSOEPldV8E

 

My Crossfire is an 04. Not sure if it's slim or standard. I can post a pic later. What's the differance between these? I agree it might be a side marker of license plate elight. I'll check those by putting on OEM type lights.

 

The slim ballast integrates the igniter and ballast inside a smaller package. Where the traditional style has a large ballast box and external igniter (an additional, but smaller inline box for starting the bulb arc).

I'll grab a pic of mine for you.


Edit:

These are Xenon Depot Digital slim ballasts...

 

The ones you are talking about are the older ballasts, there are newer ballasts incorporating the ingniter that are fatter than the newer slim line ones.
I may be wrong but that is what I think I have seen.

 

Yes, totally possible to get the analog ballasts with igniters included, though I've not seen them commonly sold in this form. The added costs for incorporating the igniter generally mean the cost of a digital slim is the smarter buy, and so-on... Having started out with the thicker, heavier analog ballasts, I am ever-so grateful for these new digital units!

 

FP,

I have to ask, since no one else did: the "BO" indicator comes on only after you turn on the headlights, right? Not when you start the car, or when you only turn on the fogs, or sidemarkers?

 

Right. Only when I turn on the lights.

 

.................................................

 

Well, truth to tell, it does not come on when I turn on my headlights. BUT, when driving, and I use my HIGH beams (LOW beams OFF), it comes on for ~ 1 minute-and then shuts off.

This I can live with.

 

If I remember correctly, my indicator will only comes on when headlights are turned on before starting the engine.
No light if I start engine then turn on the headlights
Off topic; I do notice weaker FM reception when HIDs are turned on.

 

Hey FP I'm using the Morimoto H7 elite kit which I got last year from retrofitsource. For mine, the BO light comes on when one of the lows misfires, which only happened a few times when it was REALLY damn cold here in Chicago since Scarlet Rose is "almost" my daily driver.

What I found was interesting, was that sometimes that issue with the misfire would go away completely if I REMOVED the "canbus" harness from the kit. Been running the kit without the harness, and there's no BO warning while the lights are running. My kit is the 35watt one too, and it seems the car doesn't need the canbus harness at all to play nicely with the kit.

 

My "light out indicator" comes on for a few minutes ONLY AFTER I turn off my HID headlights but not any other time

 

I am running the cheap ebay specials on my '05 roadster. I only get a bulb out indicator when one misfires upon cold startup. No other times and I didnt order any special adapters/harnesses or anything to make them CANBUS compliant.

 

^^ Ditto.. but I've never noted a misfire on mine.. never had a light out indicator up till the LED tail light bulbs.. so if the HID has misfired since.. I wouldn't know it from indicator, but both lights are a shining.

 

That tells me the problem Gary is having with his HIDs must be somewhere along the input powerlines from the car itself to the headlights. That's how the canbus cpu actually tracks if the lights have enough juice to begin with so it would make sense.

 

I'm guessing my problem is with either a parking light or side markers. Maybe the PO put LEDs that are sending a false positive. The indicator comes on even If I only turn on the parking lights.

 

I've notice this too JM.

 

Installed LED bulbs in the small top corner light in each headlight unit... out light indicator light stays on?Carl