Xenon Problem!

[bummer007]

Hi guys and gals,

Only had the 182 for a couple of weeks so trying to get it up to scratch now!

Basically when I got it, one of the Xenons was out and I assumed it was the bulb that had gone.

Bought a replacement bulb and the Birchdown boys fitted it yesterday whilst it was in for the Aux belt. It worked...for the drive home at least!

Now the light isn't coming on again and it's not the fuse anyway.

Could it be the ballast/starter pack? How do I diagnose which?

If this could be an issue, the light gets quite fogged up inside when it's cold, could this be causing it?

Any help much appreciated! :approve:

 

[The Boosh!]

probably ballast mate. Try swapping the working one with the broken one?

 

[bummer007]

Ok nice one, bumper off job?

Could it just be a coincidence that the new bulb worked when it was fitted?

 

[Dave..]

My headlights like to stop working from time to time.

Both times, I've taken them apart, and after putting them back together they've worked. Could just be the wire to the starter, working itself loose

 

[jobac]

dont get the ballast from renault, i had mine done today. £168 before VAT.

 

[DannoTheGreat]

how much? fook me!

 

[Dave..]

dont get the ballast from renault, i had mine done today. £168 before VAT.

Was that including lube?

 

[jobac]

no lube was extra. also they charge £146 for each xenon bulb.

 

[Dave..]

Facking hell!

You can get them for £30 or something like that, from eBay!

 

[jobac]

yeah i did in the end but the ballast i couldnt find anywhere else so 168 it was. bloody renault their parts are so expensive

 

[Dave..]

Everytime I pass a Renault dealer, I'm always tempted to pop in and ask how much it'd be for an exhaust system, including cat.

Then laugh.

 

[jobac]

i had a quote from renault just for part (exhaust middle and back box) over 350 and a month wait. so i now have a ktec mild steel stealth, so much better and 100 notes cheaper.

 

[steve79]

I have xenon bulbs ,ballast and voltage reg for sale all the time if anyone needs one just pm me.

 

[mark_182_54]

yea they raped me last year for one try scrap dealers or a few people had these on sale here , also before u buy one check that the relays under the passenger side footwell are pushed in completely

 

[weemark]

I had an intermittent problem with one of my xenons, the bulb had either come slightly loose or had got wet causing it to electrically arc and melt the plastic. Took it apart - gave it a "reshape" with sandpaper and its worked for a year now - could be something similar ?

 

[ali-ham]

I had same sorta problem, going ok for a few months then one day blew a fuse. swapped the bulbs n starter over and tested the powers coming to the ballast. identified the ballast as the problem and got a brand new 1, genuine hella part for £62. from some company in czech or somewhere!! LOL!!! they are the same as used in audi's and bm's so a breaker of thos mite have something too. if i can find the address of the guy i got it from ill post it up!! everybody loves a bargain!! i was temped on approaching renault to supply them!!! lol!!

 

[Sash]

Make sure you dry the unit out with hair dryer or similar and that the rubber seal is on properly, ive had the same problem today.

 

[Rossy197]

Make sure you dry the unit out with hair dryer or similar and that the rubber seal is on properly, ive had the same problem today.

N/S ?

 

[bummer007]

Ok, cheers for all the advice guys!

Have got a new ballast pack...so how do I fit it? I looked through the guides but couldn't see one for this.

Is it a case of bumper off and then it's obvious?

All help much appreciated!

Cheers.

Adam

 

[bummer007]

Any advice guys? Looking to swap the ballast on Saturday...so all advice appreciated.

Cheers.

Adam

 

[Sash]

As there is naff all room to breathe behind the lamp units I'd suggest taking the bumper off (search for fubar's guide) and do it that way, as for a guide to dismantling the lamp unit I'm clueless!

 

[Da]

To change the ballast you will have to remove the headlight from the car.
The ballast is screwed to the base of the headlamp, I forget exactly but I'm pretty sure it's just two screws and then plug and play.

Oh and for those that mentioned it, a complete 182 exhaust including CAT for a 182 is over £1K plus fitting, from Renault.

 

[bummer007]

Cheers boys, indeed think it'll be a bumper off job.

Is the headlight unit easy to take out when the bumpers off?

Cheers.

 

[Higgy]

Hi bummer,

I did this a few weeks back and took loads of pictures. I will see about hosting them somewhere or creating a guide.

Basically as Sash says follow Fubars 'remove bumper' guide. Headlights are held on by three bolts. One on the bonnet slam panel and two on the front of the headlight. Dead easy to remove.

In the end my problem was a doodgy connetor on the bulb! everything seems to work now after disconnecting and reconnecting! French eh!

From memory the ballasts are held on with 4 smallish TORX screws.

The main problem I had was (typically the last bolt to remove) one of the bumper bolts kept spinnning! Renault use these rivet captive nut things (Rivnut?), someone previously must have murdered it up tight and the rivet now spun in the bodywork/engine subframe.

In the end I just managed to get my hand in there with molegrips to stop the rivet spinning and undone the bolt and bumper came off quite easily (same thing happened on one of the engine undertray bolts ).

Higgy.

 

[Sash]

Most prob TORX 20 most renaults are held together with them!