Aftermarket HID troubles

Hi all,

I purchased and installed a DDM 55W HID kit for my '07 Prius. Everything appeared to work well at first, but I soon noticed that the bulbs weren't always staying on. They would flicker on for an instant, then turn off and stay off. I had to turn the lights off and on a couple times to ensure they were both on. Sometimes one side would turn on and not the other. I couldn't find any reliable means to get both lights to turn on, so I called DDM, who suggested I install a relay harness. I did this and for a couple days afterward it appeared as if everything was working properly. Then the same old problems started to recur. A few days later, my left light went out as I turned on the turn indicator, never to turn on again.

Now that the left light doesn't turn on, the right light is much more reliable. I called DDM and the tech suggested testing the ballasts by switching bulbs. I could do this, but as you probably know, this is no quick task. Anyway, before I start mucking about I thought I'd ask if anyone out there has any theories or recommendations that may help.

Thanks in advance,

John

 

Thanks for the quick reply. That could be a possibility. I wasn't able to remove the bolt usually used for the ground, so I instead used the bolt that holds down the fuse box. Any suggestion as to where else I could secure the ground?

 

Scratch that last request. I was able to remove the designated ground bolt and use it as the ground. However, no improvement with the left headlight. The right one still turns on 85% of the time, but never the left one.

Is it possible to visibly inspect an HID bulb to see if it's burned out? If so, I think I could get to it relatively easily.

If you have any other suggestions, please let me know. Thanks again.

 

Thanks for your reply.

I don't think I contaminated the bulbs. They came with plastic housings and I was careful not to let anything (including my fingers) come in contact with them. I haven't tried new bulbs as I only have the two that came with the kit. The bulbs have less than twenty hours on them, though I realize that's no guarantee against failing.

Is it possible to tell from looking at an HID bulb if it has failed? Since it's on the left, I can remove it relatively quickly to inspect it, but I'd hate to have to take out the right one if it's avoidable.