Car keeps popping the pass side headlight fuse, low beam (HID conversion)

[drlee50]

Car keeps popping the pass side headlight fuse, low beam (HID conversion)
I have had HIDs on the car for over a year, no problems other than an odd intermittent loose connection on the pass side. I'd turn on the lights and have to get out, smack the headlight housing, and the headlight would come on. found the wire connector to the bulb was a bit loose and not a major deal.

However, now, the last time that happened, I hit the light and no workie. Got home, changed the bulb, the ballast and the whole works, and nothing. Checked the fuse and saw it was blown. Replaced it and blew it as soon as I tuned on the lights. Tried different ballast and bulb and wire harness and still blowing the fuse as soon as I turn on the lights

SO- Whats the most common place for failure? the switch? the wiring at the fuse box? the wiring in the front of the car? I feel like I have ruled out the HIDs. Only other thing I fear is the fact that I have twin turbos in the foot wells and its possible, on the drivers side, the heat may be having some effect. I do have an aluminum shield between the turbo and the fuse box and the turbo does have a turbo blanket and the pipes are all wrapped, but, its still pretty damn hot in that area. Seems like an odd symptom to occur from heat in that area. I am looking for ideas on where the most common failure point is in the wiring system to the low beams.

Thanks for any help or direction!

Lee

 

[Viper98912]

Put in a halogen bulb to rule out the hids

 

[supersnake]

First off, Unplug your light, Pull your switch and see if it blows the fuse. If it doesn't,then chances are it won't be the wiring to the light.

 

[Visker]

If your blowing just the passenger side headlamp, I am assuming it is going to be fuse 10, 10amp in the PDC??? Correct me if Iam mistaken, that circuit is going to have two possible locations for your short to ground if you have already ruled out the HID ballast. It will be in the wiring, (fuse to headlamp) or it appears that the daytime running light module is also on that circuit (if equipped) If you do have an excessive amount of heat, it may have damaged the wiring causing the short. If i was going to be looking for that short, I would check a splice, S126 located somewere in the wiring harness behind the fan shroud kinda on the left hand side of engine bay, may have some corrosion?? The wiring diagram shows that you don't have to be concerned with the switch, fuse 10 is located after the headlamp relay. I did just replace an aftermarket HID ballast today for an internal short!!! Good luck, shorts ****

 

[ulllose]

Wow...nice explanation!

 

[Stonep185]

” I have had HIDs on the car for over a year, no problems other than an odd intermittent loose connection on the pass side. I'd turn on the lights and have to get out, smack the headlight housing, and the headlight would come on. found the wire connector to the bulb was a bit loose and not a major deal.”

I have that same problem with the passenger side light! What exactly did you do/see when you fixed that loose connection? You have any pictures?

 

[Visker]

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Hey, just checking in? how is the headlight situation? Have some illistrations that may help the situation. That splice may be a long shot with a viper, probably doesn't sit outside in the rain and snow, but its worth checking.

 

[drlee50]

Thanks for the info there Visker! I did find the problem. It was in that 126 area! My car has a lot of miles on it. I had a hot wire grounding out in the light housing. the wires run along the top of the inside of the housing and there was a hot wire that was cut into by the sharp metal in there. It was seemingly caused by the ballast being pushed into the housing and it eventually caused it to rub the wire into that metal and was grounding it out.
Additionally, once that was found and fixed, I had already replaced the ballast. Well, the new one had reversed polarity and it wasnt working and was popping the fuse too because the previous installer had added a ground wire from the frame to the bulb negative wire for some reason. Well, with reverse polarity, it was on the hot side, hence popping the fuse again. When I put a voltage meter on it, I could see the (-) sign and figured out it was reversed polarity. swapped the positive and negative and no more popped fuse. So, I ended up with 2 problems in the end, but the original was a short in the housing.
Works just fine now!

Thanks for all the help!

 

[drlee50]

” I have had HIDs on the car for over a year, no problems other than an odd intermittent loose connection on the pass side. I'd turn on the lights and have to get out, smack the headlight housing, and the headlight would come on. found the wire connector to the bulb was a bit loose and not a major deal.”

I have that same problem with the passenger side light! What exactly did you do/see when you fixed that loose connection? You have any pictures?

The added ground wire the previous installer added (see my other reply) was added by was of a splice clip thing. it just didnt have a great pinch on the wire so a little tap would reconnect it. I just folded the wire over the splice and taped it and that made the contact constant. no more tap needed to trigger the connection. I have since removed that added ground wire because I cant see a need for it. Working just fine now.

 

[Blown408]

Is this all pretty easy to access with the front bumper off? Might be working on a short somewhere in my system as well.