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Another dim Xenon post Posted by ChuckD [Email] (#2127) [Profile/Gallery] (more from ChuckD) on Thu, 1 Jan 2015 22:28:37 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I just replaced both the D1S bulbs in my '02 Aero sedan and there's clearly (or not) something wrong. I'm the only one who's ever owned/driven this car and I don't remember this being a problem so something's changed and what I'm seeing isn't normal.
The ones I replaced were a couple years old and I was finding the road in front of me not being lit up on low beams like it seems it should be. In fact a side-by-side comparison with my wife's 2010 9-3 Sportcombi on the garage door showed a stunning difference. Hers are by my estimation, twice as bright. In addition, my beam patterns on the wall are a more flattened "V" shape. Each light, isolated by blocking the other, has a flare up on either side. I'm familiar with "E" code halogens and know how they flare up on the outsides, think that but each light does that on both sides. Both outer lenses are fairly clear, one having been replaced last year thanks to a wayward infinti SUV that cut me off and the other I just received from a professional refinisher on eBay.
Changing the bulbs with some Osram\Sylvania 39663's was easy enough, but there's still the brightness and beam pattern problem. As others have posted here and in other forums, it's actually a bit scary on the rural back roads I drive. Fortunately I was one of the early adopters of the inner halogen, fuse 666 hack which turns night to day, when appropriate.
So in summary:
- The general weakness of the lights (both are about the same) got me thinking there may be a problem with power to the units but I'm not sure what to test (I can handle a multimeter).
- The less-than-distinct and oddly shaped pattern got me wondering about the clarity of the lenses which lead me to an interesting post on a Lexus board on how to dissemble their units and clean the projector lens. Anyone ever try this on a Saab?
Thoughts anyone?
Thanks in advance.
C.
The complete headlight HOW TO clean DIY + projector refinishing
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