HID's for my BE will not work!! :(

[LegacyPimp]

I just got a set of 9007 hid conversion kit but it will not work. Can anyone tell me what is being done wrong? I've got a couple guys doing it with lots of experience installing hid's in other vehicles but this is the first time they've encountered something like this. All connections are good, fuses are also good.

[KAG]

Did you make sure it's a bi-xenon HID kit?

Did you disable the DRL's?

[LegacyPimp]

Bi-xenon as in hi/low? cuz I think it's only low beams. And, was I supposed to disable the DRL's?

[LegacyPimp]

Is there a way to override the bixenons if I've only got the single?

[KAG]

I'll give you the basics. Maybe this can help you.

If you look at your OEM 9007 bulb, you will see two filaments. One lights up for low beam, and then, when the high beams are activated, the other filament lights up simultaneously. Bi-xenon bulbs are not similar, but close, nonetheless. When bi-xenon low beams are on, an area above the light is blocked to make it appear as low beam. Once the high beams are activated, a magnet pulls the bulb so it is no longer blocked.

If the place where you bought the kit from is for sure a 9007 conversion kit, it should be a bi-xenon bulb. If not, it could be a -2 bulb that has a weird shape with a high beam sticking out of it. Where did you get the kit? If you got it from a good place, I'd believe it's the right one.

As long as there are three wires and not two, it should be a bi-xenon bulb. Check and make sure there all three wires are connected.

On the DRL's, yes, you need to disable them when you run HID's. This is because DRL's are run at a lower voltage than when you actually have your headlights on. HID's cannot be ran at that voltage, which is why you need to disable them.

Rougeben83 and subaru_terrence both have bi-xenon bulbs in their L housings. I wouldn't doubt either one of them could help you find out exactly what's wrong.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

[LegacyPimp]

alright cool, one last question.. how would I disable the DRLs?

[blackgtbeauty]

Under your steering column there is a black(?) box with two plugs in it, one is for DRL's, I just can't remember which. Unplug it and you should be good to go.

[KAG]

I'll finish what Rob said. He has a GT, it's a little more for L owners.

The big black box has two aluminum plates on the sides, you cant miss it. Unplug the white one, BUT, you can't leave it unplugged. You need to clip the black and blue wire about a 1/2in back, then you can plug it back in.

[rougeben83]

Subaru uses a negative switch for it's system.

The center prong is the + power, the two sides are for lo and high negative (can't remember which one). Make sure your guys aren't putting in the wires backwards -

Also, it's better to just ground the low beam directly to chassis, and NOT back to the plug. You'll get better light output from having a bigger gauge wire to ground, reduce risk of burning out the stock wiring (the negative wires are much smaller than the positive wire for the harness), and your lo beams will now stay on when you switch to highbeam.

[SilentRacer]

Here is how you disable DRL. And you MUST do it.
https://sl-i.net/FORUM/viewtopic.php?t=4527

[KAG]

Also, it's better to just ground the low beam directly to chassis, and NOT back to the plug. You'll get better light output from having a bigger gauge wire to ground, reduce risk of burning out the stock wiring (the negative wires are much smaller than the positive wire for the harness), and your lo beams will now stay on when you switch to highbeam.
Ben - Can you explain this a little more?

I'm trying to figure out how you ground just the low beam to the chassis. Isn't there only one wire? My low beams turn off when I switch to high beam, that's all I want to figure out.

[rougeben83]

Also, it's better to just ground the low beam directly to chassis, and NOT back to the plug. You'll get better light output from having a bigger gauge wire to ground, reduce risk of burning out the stock wiring (the negative wires are much smaller than the positive wire for the harness), and your lo beams will now stay on when you switch to highbeam.
Ben - Can you explain this a little more?

I'm trying to figure out how you ground just the low beam to the chassis. Isn't there only one wire? My low beams turn off when I switch to high beam, that's all I want to figure out.

For the Neg. wire going from your ballast/bulb, instead of connecting it back to the 9007 socket, put an O-ring end or similar wire crimp and bolt it to one of the bolts around the headlight area...I used one of the fender bolts in my case.

Like I said, subaru switched the system around, there's actually one common power (+) (the middle prong on the 9007 socket), and two neg (-) ends that act as the switches for lo or high beam. What you think is the common ground is actually the common power wire. If you can get a multimeter you can verify which one is which :smile:

[KAG]

Damn you're good.

(It worked :lol: )