Technical Car/Motor Issues > SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Mike H Replies: 7

 SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights - Mike H
My Saab has bi-xenon headlamps fitted. In an attempt to improve the brightness, I replaced the 8-year old original (AFAIK) D1S bulbs with brand new ones. Just for interest, it didn't make a lot of difference. However, a couple of months ago I started getting a problem where just one would give a sudden burst of extra light then return to normal. It gradually got worse so I put the old bulb back in. Now that has started doing it although not as bad as yet.

I will of course check the connections, but it seems odd that it flares higher rather than going out if it's a loose connection or bad earth.

Has anyone else had the problem?
 SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights - Zero
It sounds like the ballast. Or the supply/earth to the ballast. The hgh flare sounds like its temporarily loosing the supply
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 9 Aug 12 at 12:37
 SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights - MJM
It looks as if you have ballast problems.

From wiki -----

Continuous operation: all metal salts are in the vapor phase, the arc has attained its stable shape, and the luminous efficacy has attained its nominal value. The ballast now supplies stable electrical power so the arc will not flicker. Stable operating voltage is 85 volts AC in D1 and D2 systems, 42 volts AC in D3 and D4 systems. The frequency of the square-wave alternating current is typically 400 hertz or higher.
 SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights - Mike H
I'm assuming the ballast is the large lump attached to the bottom of the lamp? And if so, by implication, if both bulbs are exhibiting the same symptom, then the fault is more than likely a loose connection.
 SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights - VxFan
Be very careful tinkering with the wiring. HID headlights emit high voltages and can seriously bite. Switch off and disconnect where necessary before carrying out any work.
 SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights - Zero
>> Be very careful tinkering with the wiring. HID headlights emit high voltages and can seriously
>> bite. Switch off


and wait a while, they can carry voltage for quite some time after turning off.
 SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights - Mike H
A little bit of research came up with the "fact" that 80% of Philips xenon discharge bulbs are cheap fakes, as here:

www.hidbulbzrus.com/HID_Legitimacy.html

complete with pics of how to spot fakes.

Having compared the new bulbs to the pictures in the second link, I think that my "genuine" Philips may well have been fakes, hence the short service life of months instead of the 8 years of the originals, and the hardly better output of the new ones. I have since bought a new Osram to replace the RH side one, and so far, albeit only after a short drive, no flickering is evident. This would seem to indicate that it was the bulb, not the external ballast, that was at fault. Time will tell.

 SAAB 9-5 - 03 2.3 Flickering bi-xenon lights - carmalade
Interestingly ,I have a customer with a renault Laguna who asked me to replace a failed Hid bulb.The part he supplied was in a white box with a (suspect) Osram label.When fitted,the beam pattern and light intensity were total carp,worse than the other headlight.The bulb was half the price of a real one,so I guess you only get half the performance.Fitted a genuine bulb ,and all was restored.Remember,buy cheap,buy twice.hth
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