HID Issues S60

[paddys09]

Hi folks,

Noob question again. Bought an HID kit off eBay for my 2001 S60 T5, they are 35W 6000k.

I know I should really have auto levelers and projectors, but did a road test and they aren't dazzling down hill, or over bumps etc so I am comfortable with it. Might try and put one of the projector kits in, but the pattern is actually pretty decent anyway.

Anyways safety talk out of the way, I installed them fine, they work great, but getting an intermittent 'dipped beam failure' in the message centre. It's off most of the time but occasionally it will flash up quite rapidly. Googling led to me to believe that it might have something to do with DRLs or PWM. It's UK spec obviously so I can turn my headlights off during the day, but if I I leave it in the on position they switch on when the ignition is engaged, is this still classed as DRL? Also is PWM an issue on 01 S60's?

It might just be that I need a resistor, but could any of the above be the issue? There's a Volvo specialist near me with VIDA/VADIS who I am going to visit and hopefully can disable those features if necessary.

Thanks

[M-R-P]

If you had drl they would be on when the switch is off.

You need a 25 or 50w load resistor and all will be fine.

[paddys09]

Thanks any li ks for the type I need and what wire would I plug into?

Also is there PWM on an s60? Would that still not be an issue?

[p fandango]

i wouldn't be surprised if you've got a ballast about to fail, the only time i got a bulb failure light with hid's on my 2002 S60 was when the ballast caught fire

[stribo]

Some have a problem where if the switch is left on, while the engine's off, and you then start the car, one or both won't light. Try leaving the switch off until you've started the car, then switch them on.

[paddys09]

I assume you guys had no issues then? Maybe I just got a bad kit. Quite a few threads online talking about similar issues to mine. All US spec models I think as it was on swedespeed. Hmm... I'm going up to the Volvo specialist tomorrow so can take a good look over them then, eouldnt mind getting it plugged into vadis anyway. But nobody else had an issue with PWM. It is a sort of rapid rippling warning.

[p fandango]

My 2002 was fine, my old mans 2003 used to complain about everything

[paddys09]

Cool guys well I'll have a little play about here and see what happens and I'll post my results in case anyone else has this issue. Might just be a cheap kit, works great though in terms of output.

Volvo's they last forever but all they do is complain about it lol. Such drama queens, would love an independent ECU, but I'd lose some of the features I like and my car isn't really worth it.

Cheers

[paddys09]

Okay the issue is definitely down to the kit itself it seems. I think it's just cheap components. Looked like one of the better ebay kits tbh though.

Could anyone who has fitted a kit to their S60/V70 send me through a link to the one they picked up? and I'll take another roll of the dice.

Edit: BTW, tried running one halogen and one HID and vice versa and that solved the issue. Obviously that is not an option so still interested if someone could point me in the direction of a kit that works.

I have another question that I might as well post here instead of flooding the forum with my ££££££££. The car is looking pretty tidy now and have refurbed the Tethys wheels in anthracite, looking to drop it 25mm, but I have nivomats, can I replace these with standard shocks?

[paddys09]

Ahh my heads ruined with this, made lots of other little tweaks so the car is sitting quite nice now. Just need my springs and bumper without the headlight wiper slots and it should at least look the part.

These HIDs though, nothing works. The lights themselves work fine, nice output, no flickering. Feel like Stevie Wonder having to go back to halogens.

Tried two kits so far, cheap eBay kit and a more expensive kit purchased locally, both are giving me this intermittent 'dipped beam failure' on the dash.

Interesting points-

Running one halogen and one HID gives no errors

Adding the capacitor add on made the warning appear less often, this might be a placebo effect, but I'm pretty sure it made a difference

I have done a full LED conversion in the interior and replaced the dash bulbs with LEDs and the sidelights are LEDs, also just replaced a fog light and the other bulb is blown. Wonder if any of this is making a difference. I doubt it though as I have no errors running halogens.

Any ideas anyone?

[M-R-P]

The reason it's not throwing a warning when you have 1 halogen fitted is because the halogen is putting enough resistance into the circuit that it keeps the CEM happy. You need something like this fitted to the power supply cables to the ballasts. This will stop the error (as I said earlier).

Interior lights, sidelights and side repeaters aren't monitored by the canbus system so won't give a warning.


With regards to the lowering - are you sure it has nivomats? if it does, just swap them for standard shocks when you change the springs. You won't need to change the shock mounts as they're universal.

[paddys09]

Thanks again for your help, you've been an absolute legend.

I did doubt your first post as I assumed these canbus kits had the resistors built in. Both kits did, the first kit I also added caps and the second kit came with them. Understand now that PWM was never an issue anyway.

So I guess your load resistor idea would work, but I cam across this:

http://www.xenonvalot.com/xenonfixvolvo.html

Good idea? Bad idea? The resistor itself is only a few quid from Volvo themselves. Wondering would it cause any damage if I ran it with halogens or a future owner did etc. I assume I would still get a bulb failure warning if the bulb did totally blow.

Thanks for the suspension info too, was really wondering if the mounts were different. Definitely Nivos checked with the dealer and can see the rubber boot myself, has that funny stance as well. Whoever bought the car really spec'd it out so I didn't want to see it die, but whoever was working on it before didn't have a clue.

Cool though will pick up some shocks and springs next week then get the wheels sprayed (possibly spacers) bumper painted, a little grille mod and she'll be photo worthy.

[M-R-P]

The resistors go on the supply cable to the ballast so when you (or the next owner) remove the HIDs, the resistor will go with it.

And it's best not to mess with the cem as it can be a nightmare if you upset it.

[paddys09]

Yeah really don't want to do that. Would be the end of the car, still it would look much cleaner and remove hot resistors from the bay. Will prob go with your idea though.

Ended up returning both kits so will have to order up a new set, at least I know I can go with a set of eBay specials again now. The pattern was actually far nicer than the more expensive kit I bought. It'll be next week before the stuff comes in but i'll update the results. Need my HIDs back, cant see ££££ all with my halogens.

[M-R-P]

I extended the wires to the resistors and mounted them next to eachother, under the airbox, on the inner wing. The heat is dissipated nicely through the body.

[M-R-P]

[paddys09]

Yeah nice, think I'll mount mine there too.

The bays are so cluttered in the s60s, really want to relocate some of the stuff in there if possible. Think I'll actually start with the factory airbox and replace it with the in line cold air induction kits and pipe it up to the ram intake at the front. Oil based filters probably aren't too good for the MAF, but they are cheap anyway. Already have the updated ETM in there so shouldn't be any issues there.

Be nice to polish the rocker cover and get it anodised blue and plastidip the engine covers yellow and do the brake calipers too, some nice blue Samco hoses. Car is blue, go for the Swedish theme lol. Springs I'm looking at are yellow too so bonus win.

[paddys09]

Also got to thinking, maybe I might only need the one load resistor as like I said I got no errors running one halogen and one HID.

They come in pairs but worth a shot and might save me from running a cable across the slam panel if I were to mount them neatly together.