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Thread: HID Ballast Caught on Fire. Now what?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Bolton, CT
    Posts
    22
    My Cars
    1996 M3, 1993 325i

    HID Ballast Caught on Fire. Now what?

    I've been noticing lately that ALL of my HIDs have had trouble starting, (both fog lamps + both headlights), I have this kit that I bought from BavToys:

    http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=980407

    Im used to having to switch my lamps on and off about 10 times for the headlights to come on now, thats an everyday thing.... when i left work today and switched on the headlights, both lamps didnt come on, and after switching them off and on about 6-8 times i got just the driver lamp to come on. i gave up and just drove with them off. when i was leaving my house so i could goto class, same thing happened, driver lamp came on in about 3-5 cycles, no passenger light.... i drove with no lights to class...

    as i was pulling into the college parking lot, i switched the headlights on for the hell of it, and pulled into my spot, right as i pulled in i noticed quite a bit of smoke bellowing from the passenger side of the engine compartment, along with that electrical burning smell that you just know is electrics burning. i turned off the car, got under the hood, and noticed that the black ballast piece was actually on fire! like with flames!! i ripped the unit out and smashed it into the snow.... i will not even be turning ANY lamps on when i need to go home, i'll choose emergency flashers instead.

    If i had just driven with the one lamp on, i would have lost my car in a firey blaze, no joke or exaggeration here.

    So, I had/have a 1 year warranty on these things.... Where do i go from here? I want EVERY LAMP and BALLAST replaced. Wouldn't you?

    Comments, suggestions? Am i being too much of a dick here?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Southeastern U.S.
    Posts
    8,057
    My Cars
    Yes
    Where in the engine bay are the ballasts mounted? It's important to keep them away from water and engine fluids.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    Dallas, TX
    Posts
    11,551
    My Cars
    2000 M Coupe - 2014 435i
    They come with warranty right? I'd contact BavToys and explain everything to them...no ballasts should act the way yours are acting.
    -Joe

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    PQ & USA
    Posts
    9,398
    My Cars
    --97 SC'd ///M3--04 ///M3 VERT--07 ESCALADE--
    it takes a whole lot for a ballast to catch fire, the board is insulated with silicone so chances are the ballst did not catch fire but your wiring did or at least thats where it all got started.
    as long as it was wired properly without being spliced or ANY of the connectors being cut and spliced it will should be trouble free.

    send me some pictures of the ballasts and the connectors as well as the connectors on the car, both the one thats bad and the one you still have on so we can take a look at what may have caused this.

    -zkw- -hella- -bosch- -depo- -prolumen- -kwd- -bbs- -predator chromium- -predator ice- -simota- -ecis-

    //-install guides-//-total lighting group buy-//-zkw group buy-// -exhaust group buy-//-ellipsoids+hid group buy-//-led tails group buy-//

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