Member Since: 15 Aug 2015
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 108
Flickering headlight - Xenon or bulb?
Morning #Team.
My nearside headlight has started flickering.
It's quite hard to photo/video - very noticeable on the road.
Q - I'm assuming this is the Xenon headlight - not just a bulb?
TIA
10th Jul 2023 8:58 am
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2889
The Xenon bulb is replaceable in a Xenon headlight - they do age and fade over time. Also worth worth checking the wiring is pushed in the back of the unit and cabling isnt breaking down but probably the bulb - swap the bulbs around see if the issue follows the bulb.Must stop buying shiny toys....
10th Jul 2023 2:12 pm
disco chris
Member Since: 25 Apr 2022
Location: London
Posts: 281
+1 what darrind said. Swap the bulbs and see if the problem follows the bulb.
You can buy replacement bulbs fairly cheaply. Amazon, Osram XENARC original D2S 35W, £27 per bulb. And they're dead easy to change.
If it's not the bulb you could be looking at the ballast which is probably a bit more of a pain to buy and change.
10th Jul 2023 2:37 pm
Dickthebuilder
Member Since: 15 Aug 2015
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 108
Many thanks guys
TBH I had it in my mind it was a sealed unit - and mega money. (Car is under extended warranty)
Will try the lamp swap
11th Jul 2023 4:38 pm
disco chris
Member Since: 25 Apr 2022
Location: London
Posts: 281
Nope, not sealed, and super easy to switch the xenon bulbs. Plenty of videos on youtube if you want to watch for reference.
Just make sure you have the ignition turned off when you do it, and don't touch the glass of the bulb itself - only the plastic base. Good luck.
11th Jul 2023 4:51 pm
Dickthebuilder
Member Since: 15 Aug 2015
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 108
Hmm - it got a bit complicated.
Bulb-swap was inconclusive as the flickering stopped on both sides but the original side lamp was 'duller'
Swapped the whole headlight unit and the fault moved with the whole unit, as you'd expect - but proved-out whether the fault was wiring.
Swapped everything back to where it was when we started - everything is working fine, both lamps are bright and no flicker.
2 days later the whole xenon lamp goes out.
*Then* I remember my warranty has roadside - so I just call out a Land Rover assistance guy (AA) - who swaps the ballast over and the fault moves with that - so we have one of those on order.
He says the whole headlight unit can be bought, but it's ~£2500
More news as it breaks on Friday
26th Jul 2023 4:20 pm
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1664
I had headlights replaced by LR about 18 months ago. They were around £1100 each. Took a long time to arrive though. I’ve also seen genuine 2nd hand units for significantly less in breakers sites and eBay.
Good luck getting sorted.Gary
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Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
26th Jul 2023 6:14 pm
disco chris
Member Since: 25 Apr 2022
Location: London
Posts: 281
I don't think you'll need a whole unit...
I had a load of issues with xenon headlights in my BMW Z4 recently, issues are 99% of the time either a xenon bulb, a ballast, or an ignitor.
You can get hold of the ballasts on ebay for £25-100. Way more expensive genuine, in my case from BMW they were around £300 each. We will see how long the chinese part lasts ...
I hope fitting a new ballast sorts it for you. Hopefully an easy enough fix once it arrives.
26th Jul 2023 8:59 pm
Dickthebuilder
Member Since: 15 Aug 2015
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 108
For completeness - and to complete the thread -
AA (LR Assistance) swapped the bulbs around - inconclusive.
Swapped the ballast resistor and the fault followed that - so they ordered me a new one, on warranty and came back and changed it.
I bought 2 new Osram Xenon OEM Bulbs and changed them as one side was significantly 'whiter' than the other - so all good, fixed.
29th Aug 2023 5:36 pm
Gary_P
Member Since: 03 May 2016
Location: Kent
Posts: 1664
Thanks for completing the story on this. It makes the forum even more useful to know actual rectification actions.
Can you confirm what replacement bulbs you used exactly. The Osram Xenar. D2S 35w show not fitting my 2015 registered D4.
Many thanks.Gary
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Discovery 4 HSE 2016MY
30th Aug 2023 8:20 am
Dickthebuilder
Member Since: 15 Aug 2015
Location: Cornwall
Posts: 108
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