intellis

I have read different terminology about the lights in the headlamp for the IS, and now I am confused. So basically there are 3 different types of lights in each headlamp (drl, highbeam, hid?). If I am looking directly in the front of my IS, starting from the grille towards the headlamp, the first light would be the day time running light which is really close to the high beam...correct? The next light will be a rounded glass ball looking fixture. This is the bulb that comes on when I turn my headlights on, I do not know the name of this bulb but I will assume it is the HID bulb correct? I have the adaptive lights on my car so I will assume that this is the bulb that turns.

I have heard the term ballast thrown around here, what is that?

One day my rounded circular bulb ( which i think is the hid bulb) for the passenger side was not on, I flick the switch inside the car on/off and then it came on. Is this a sign that this bulb is going out?

Sango

iTrader: (10)

Well, there is HID, drl/lowbeam/high beam, LED Daytime and Parking Lights.

Depends which car you are referring to. If it's a car before 2011 and if it has HID, then the drl/high beam is the same light with drl operating at 30%. If non HID, then it's two different lights. The first light which I believe you mean as the very tiny ones, those are the parking lights.

Since you said it has AFS, then it's the HID. It could be in fact the light is going out or the ballast. One way to figure it out is to swap right with left bulbs and see what happends.

intellis

Thanks... I have a 2007 IS 350 and I was just referring to the headlights. I don't think there is any LEDs in the headlamp fixture. It would be interesting to know if I have the high/low beam drl... but this may not be on my model. As far as the ballast, I think that is what is going bad.

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

You have an 07 with AFS, so you have HID and...

Like Sango said, the first light near the grill would be the DRL/highbeam. Which functions like Sango described. The 'round glass ball looking fixture' is the projector, inside which is a D4S HID bulb. The fixture concentrates and focuses the light, you cant see the actual bulb. The projector unit is where AFS is integrated, so your right, that bulb (D4S) is the one being used by AFS for turning.

The ballast is a little unit (usually a little square box) that controls the voltage of the D4S bulb when its started and then when its running.

If your bulb inside the projector didn't turn on once, its probaly the ballast probably hiccup'd on you. When the ballast is dying, it will constantly do that and then one day the bulb will just not turn on (because the ballast isn't regulating start up and running voltage correctly) It can also be the bulb, but a bad bulb usually dies completely.

intellis

Aaahh that is what I was looking for the "D4S HID bulb". Thanks to you both... I was under the impression that I had to replace the projector, but now I know that I can buy a bulb which goes inside of the projector. Hopefully the bulbs aren't too expensive. The ballast unit on the other hand does sound expensive if I have to replace it.

Fjaw

iTrader: (5)

Does this help?

KillaIS250

iTrader: (1)

If your still under warranty just take it to a dealer, they will replace it for you.

Sewell parts sells the stock HID bulb for $175 For an 07 IS350...i don't see the ballast on there though. Dealer will charge you more than that most likely if your out of warranty.

Fjaw

iTrader: (5)

here's a link for D4S bulbs http://store.ijdmtoy.com/HID-Light-B...4s_d4r_d4c.htm

Sango

iTrader: (10)

If one goes out, best to change both bulbs. The reason being is that over time the color changes, so if you have bulbs at two different points of life, it would one bulb's color output would appear differntly than the other unless it too was changed out.

I do not recall, but ballast life does not affect the color if I am correct.

intellis

Yes it does thanks.

intellis

This may be the case. My passenger low beam was not on. I had my headlights in auto mode while I was driving, when I parked my car and got out the passenger low beam light was not on but the driver's side was. When I got back in the car and switch my lights "on" the passenger side came on and stayed lit. I proceeded to turn the car of and switch the lights in different positions and everything seemed fine. I am wodering if I have a shortage somewhere?

MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

Try swapping out the left D4S bulb with the right D4S bulb and vice versa to rule out a bad bulb or ballast. If the light goes out again (but on the drivers side now since the bulbs were switched) then it's a bad bulb. If the light still goes out on the passenger side, then it's a bad ballast. Hope this helps.

Vroomin350

iTrader: (28)

man, this sucks, last night I got home and realized my driver's side bulb was out.... turn the **** to off and back to "on"... the bulb turns on for about 2 seconds and shuts back off... ideaS?

MrBBQ

iTrader: (9)

Try the method I posted above, should eliminate whether it's the bulb or ballast.

intellis

I am tying MrBBQs method this weekend. Hopefully for me its just the bulb.