Maxima headlight issues.

[LeakySeals]

03 Maxima with HID headlights. Have a couple of issues.

1) Drivers side low beam keeps going out. I've tracked it to this connector, is that a 9006? Does that mean that if necessary, I could bypass the ballast, go straight to LED?

2) The prior owner bent both bulb holder retainer clips. So both low beam bulbs flicker over mumps. I found used replacements on eBay for different years that fit, except for this one groove. Prevents a D2R HID light from going flush into the clip. What is it for, was planning on grinding it off.

 

[nthach]

Looks like one of those Chinese "retrofit" kits was installed. If it was me, I'd take it off and swap back in the proper bulbs. That clip is there to make sure the wrong bulb isn't installed.

 

[Skippy722]

Do you have a "real" D2R bulb? That little notch is to prevent you from slapping a D2S bulb in there. The little bump in your retainer looks like it goes to a D2S bulb.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted by nthach
Looks like one of those Chinese "retrofit" kits was installed. If it was me, I'd take it off and swap back in the proper bulbs. That clip is there to make sure the wrong bulb isn't installed.


It's the original HID ballast as far as I can tell. Looks like it's been on there for years . This car did come with HID from the factory. I bought Philips bulbs for it which were not cheap.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted by Skippy722
Do you have a "real" D2R bulb? That little notch is to prevent you from slapping a D2S bulb in there. The little bump in your retainer looks like it goes to a D2S bulb.


I thought it was. They were Philips bulbs in the yellow box. But they did not have that little notch in the base which would allow it to fit. Maybe I got the D2S vs D2R and it's on the other side. I did get it off eBay though. Even though it was in a yellow box it might be counterfeit I'm going to take it off later for a look. They do work. I just notched a hole in the plastic

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by LeakySeals
Originally Posted by Skippy722
Do you have a "real" D2R bulb? That little notch is to prevent you from slapping a D2S bulb in there. The little bump in your retainer looks like it goes to a D2S bulb.


I thought it was. They were Philips bulbs in the yellow box. But they did not have that little notch in the base which would allow it to fit. Maybe I got the D2S vs D2R and it's on the other side. I did get it off eBay though. Even though it was in a yellow box it might be counterfeit I'm going to take it off later for a look. They do work. I just notched a hole in the plastic


There are a TON of counterfeit bulbs, especially on eBay. Do your bulbs have the shielding painted onto the bulb?

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by LeakySeals

It's the original HID ballast as far as I can tell. Looks like it's been on there for years . This car did come with HID from the factory. I bought Philips bulbs for it which were not cheap.

Ah, in that case, you did well and that clip is there to make sure only the right bulbs go in. The ballast and connector did look a little like a Chinese system.

Yes, Philips bulbs aren't cheap but also the most counterfeited as well. If you wanted to go LED, you have a few ways of doing it - but your existing headlights are probably reflector-type HIDs. If $ isn't a thing, an aftermarket LED projector can be retrofitted into the housing. If you find a set of good used OEM halogen headlights and install LED "upgrade" bulbs that have identical photometrics to halogen(LED chip placement and light distribution is close to an filament bulb), that could work as well. There's only a few companies that make a "drop-in" LED bulb that matches the photometrics of an halogen bulb, and Osram sells a road-legal bulb in Canada.

 

[LeakySeals]

Originally Posted by nthach
Originally Posted by LeakySeals

It's the original HID ballast as far as I can tell. Looks like it's been on there for years . This car did come with HID from the factory. I bought Philips bulbs for it which were not cheap.

Ah, in that case, you did well and that clip is there to make sure only the right bulbs go in. The ballast and connector did look a little like a Chinese system.

Yes, Philips bulbs aren't cheap but also the most counterfeited as well. If you wanted to go LED, you have a few ways of doing it - but your existing headlights are probably reflector-type HIDs. If $ isn't a thing, an aftermarket LED projector can be retrofitted into the housing. If you find a set of good used OEM halogen headlights and install LED "upgrade" bulbs that have identical photometrics to halogen(LED chip placement and light distribution is close to an filament bulb), that could work as well. There's only a few companies that make a "drop-in" LED bulb that matches the photometrics of an halogen bulb, and Osram sells a road-legal bulb in Canada.

Thank you for the info. Is that connector a 9006 into the ballast?

 

[LeakySeals]

Another view. It's just a bad setup it hits that bumper brace every time it goes in. Which probably explains why it failed. Either that or it's just corroded hanging upside down.

 

[JTK]

I'd put a good used set of OEM incandescent headlamp assemblies in this 2003, or some decent aftermarket ones.

If the headlamps themselves were designed around HID, I would think the glare and light output fitting them with LEDs is going to be an issue.

 

[bbhero]

^^^^^^^^^
Exactly exactly right....

I would just about one hundred percent guarantee that the whole assembly is set up for HIDs.,. Just like my Nissan.

Get the CORRECT bulbs. $110 a bulb from either AZ or AAP... But way cheaper than the dealership prices at more than twice that price.

 

[Skippy722]

Originally Posted by bbhero
^^^^^^^^^
Exactly exactly right....

I would just about one hundred percent guarantee that the whole assembly is set up for HIDs.,. Just like my Nissan.

Get the CORRECT bulbs. $110 a bulb from either AZ or AAP... But way cheaper than the dealership prices at more than twice that price.


Could get these, they're actually very high quality.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2r-morimoto-xb-hid.html

Or Philips for $85.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2r-philips-85715.html

 

[Melectric]

Originally Posted by Skippy722

Could get these, they're actually very high quality.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2r-morimoto-xb-hid.html

Or Philips for $85.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/d2r-philips-85715.html


I have the Morimoto setup. Bulbs are still going after 5 years. Relays failed me a long time ago...

The XB Led and 2-Stroke are worth a look too. They'd fit the 9006 connector and the d2r bulb socket.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted by LeakySeals

Thank you for the info. Is that connector a 9006 into the ballast?

It looks like it. Pigtails are available everywhere, just not the nicer Delphi/AMP/Tyco(TE)/Molex ones. Those come from Digi-Key, Mouser or the dealership and do need some assembly.

 

[LeakySeals]

Thanks everyone. New pigtail was the answer. For the first time I tried these waterproof heat shrink butt connectors with solder I see all over the internet. It really was easy and helpful. Just use a heat gun for 20 seconds.