YogiFTLC

iTrader: (1)

MODS i posted this in lighting but this is possibly better handled for the 3GS section. If you deem this to be a double post. Feel free to take it down

First off I'd like to start off that, This is not a Rant. Im not trying to stir up anything or bash who ever I mention below.

So 14 Months ago
I purchased a set of HID's from DDM tuning
I've personally used them for all my HID needs & So do my friends.
They're still a reputable company with great promises as far as warranty
Anyways, I purchased 1 kit with Ballast & Bulb for the fogs, Which work great. (NOT the problem)
Another kit for my Highbeam and a set of D4S bulbs for my low's (Using the stock ballast built in the 3GS HL)

About a week and a half ago give or take
One of my bulbs blew out, sucks. But It happens.

I took in the bulb and also a ballast from my Highbeam, It went out a few months after installing it but honestly I never use my Highbeams. At the time, didnt care for the drive from LA to Huntington beach. It was something that could wait for, Like an important trip to DDM if my lights stopped working. What better time than now! haha. The dude was super helpful and got me underway. But when he was inspecting the bulb he was telling me the D4S bulb I handed him wasn't a bulb they sold. I assured him I did and asked him to look it up and sure enough he found that I purchased it there. Though there was a little bit of confusion cause the bulb looked different as far as manufacturing from the new set they were giving me. Whatever, Should work the same!. Unfortunately since it was about 13 months since I purchased them. It was 1 month over the Bulb warranty of 12 months. They also replaced my ballast that was still covered under warranty and works great The rep tells me they're only 15 bucks each, So I took the opportunity to purchase a higher temp, From 5k to 6k to match my DRL LED's & Fogs... Everything went smooth and install went easy. I fired them up and I noticed both of them flickering pretty heavily. Then shorty after I smelled smoke. then they shut off instantly

I open both and caps and looked inside if I did the install correctly. Everything was sure enough how it was before I removed them. I did them in a very well let garage with all the parts necessary for easy access. Also I didn't touch the actual bulb for those who will ask. I was going to call them that evening but they're location closed and was closed for the weekend to bad, so sad, lifes hard, whatever. 3 days i'll be fine. I tried reinstalling it one more time but same problem. Next attempt I took them out of the housing, Plugged the bulb outside to if it may be a bad connection. This way I know its the bulb and not the D4S Plug/Harness. This time I fired it and BOOM smoke!

Heres a video of the flickering and smoke
I did fire ups and they would turn on and instantly turn off. You can see by the video the driving light continues to stay on.
2nd part is the same I ran to the front to capture it turn on and shutting off almost instantly (ignore the buzzing sound RH was not plugged into a bulb)
3rd part is the fire up, shuts off on its own & smokes. The white grommet inside now looks charred.



I was like wtf is going on. So i reinstalled the old bulb I had from the one blown set i had. It fired up on left perfectly and right perfectly, no smoke or flicking. I grounded the car for the weekend or at least during the nights since I didn't have a extra bulbs to install. Don't need cops to pull me over for a headlight being out I just I also had work Monday morning so I was only free Tuesday (Today)

I arrived and the Gentlemen at the desk is more than helpful. I tell him and show him what's going and he tells me it might just be a bad Set. He gives me another set and I install it at a near by parking lot because I have to head to work. Same thing happened on the left side and I was like another bad bulb? Can't be. I head back and I show him a side went out. We take out that one and he test it. It wasn't good. As soon as he gives me another replacement. I tried to install it quickily, but another worker came out and told me I couldn't do installs in the lot they can get in trouble. I understand, so I left down the street, Parked then installed. First i Installed the good bulb I had on the leftside to make sure its not the line again. Works and Fires up perfectly but now I noticed the what i thought was a good bulb goes out yet again -_-.

In my head I'm like. Is it just me or am I going krazy?! I return to him without installing the 5th bulb so My system wont blow another one out. In my head I'm thinking. Is it because I did a 6k Install?? Or is it the bulbs they're giving me bad/faulty or not compatible with my system. But then again I bought my working set from them... I Returned, I can see he was a little frustrated with seeing my ugly face again and again, haha. Sorry. This time I can't prove that my old bulb works fine because there was no available parking that was near and they told me I can't work on the car in the lot. This time both of us couldn't figure out whats going on. I asked if he can swap it out for 5K's maybe that could be the problem. He told me Temp shouldn't matter, But i wanted to try. He was nice enough to let me take the new swapped 5k Sets but now I'm late to work. I rushed to my store in DTLA from HB to try to install this set of 5K's before I run into the store and open. But, Sure enough same problem with both

Heres a shot of the new Bulb compared the old one.



Left on with thats blank is my Orig Bulb that worked for 13 months & the right one that says PINGMXD is the last one received from them.

Things I've noticed:
-Looks, By the picture you can see different design. I dont know if they went through a new Distributor.
-The new one is a bit loose when tightening and setting, No play but just doesn't snap in like the working bulb. The older (working) bulb snaps in more firm.
-Visuallly side by side the mold on the old one looks off a little from the working one. But I understand they're aftermarket and everyone has their own casts of the casing.

Can anyone tell me if they've run into this problem with DDM or any other company.

Is it my bulb's that are bad or the OEM Ballast or do I need to run some sort of relay.

Any help would be great. I'd just like to get other opinions and options before buying another set somewhere else. I Don't want to run into the same problem with more money spent.

Thanks guys.
Again DDM tuning has great service.
My experience is just a little frustrating ATM.
Just trying to figure out whats going on

TexasTaco

I'm guessing that OEM ballast is too much for their bulbs

SoCal_450h

iTrader: (14)

Yogi, Cannot see the youtube, it said private

timmy0tool

iTrader: (7)

agree here yogi. the redesign of the bulbs may cause them to not work properly with the OEM ballasts.

GS350Lexus

iTrader: (5)

Looks to me like cheap bulbs, $15 for bulbs? I would stay far away from them. Where is all the glass that popped? In the headlight housing? Nothing beats OEM bulbs, or OEM phillip bulbs from japan.

SidhuGs300

iTrader: (2)

Hello sir, the new one does visually look different than the old one, I have made a recent purchase from ddm tuning for a friend of mine, but it is a full aftermarket kit, I will let you know if we have any problems.

XxGoKoUxX

Garax, 2 years no problem. My uncle's purchased 4 sets of d4s bulbs at $35/ea in that 2-yr span and now he is going to purchase the same Garax bulbs I purchased.

worker

my HID 4300k fog are from DDM tuning. I turn it on now and than, been over 2 years. I think DDM went with a new distributor.

When buying bulb, I stay away from that plastic base. I prefer metal holding the glass part of the bulb. Below is my old and new bulb.

YogiFTLC

iTrader: (1)

So, update. It ended up being their product. Again, which ever product they gave me last year, It work perfectly. They have great prices, which matched up to a little more expensive kits and a good warranty. Sucks, cause I kept saying it was their bulb, but they told me it was my stock ballast and wouldn't really hear me out. I'm not gonna argue 30 bucks. I guess shame on me for using a very cheap product, haha. Plus they didn't look to happy when I kept coming back. I'm sure i'll get more attitude next time I try stepping in.

So after tuesday, I got off work a little later than usual. I dropped by my parents house because I remember I did the install there last year. LUCKILY I found my factory bulbs in my old tool box! So I tested the old Bulb, Then OEM bulb I found, Then installed the last new remaining bulb I just got from DDM. Smoked, Flickered and blew out just like the last 4 or 5. Womp Womp...

worker

^ I just paid $30 too for my bulbs. ebay from Hong Kong. Like you I want a cheap *** bulb and it has been working just fine with stock ballast.

TexasTaco

Been running garax 6k for the past few months, no problems. Still kinda want to try the $200-300 whatever Philips bulbs, but can't grasp spending that much on bulbs.

cerius

iTrader: (1)

yea i purchased aftermarket d4s 6k bulbs from ijdmtoy or whatever and 1 month later the heavy flickering began then a few days later just went out completely..finally forked out the $275 for oe bulbs and let me say they work awsome the.light output is way better. Maybe the 3gs foesnt like the aftermarket bulbs since i switched to.oem bulbs ive had no problems.

masterchri

3 years with garax 8k and no problems thus far with stock ballasts