Headlight Issue on Y33

[my12by60]

Driver side low beam has cut out on more than one occasion. I searched here to learn a bit about the Xenon headlights (I have 2000 AE). I see that a simple bulb replacement may not solve the issue. Nonetheless, I ordered a pair of bulbs because the pair was only $35 on ebay. I ordered the Philips 4300K bulbs that are supposed to be OEM replacements.

I checked the FSM (section bt) and see two bolts (outside engine bay) and three nuts (inside engine bay) to remove the entire headlamp assembly. Looks like I could also remove the airbox to access the back of the assembly while leaving the assembly attached to the car.

What is the easier way to go about this?

Anything tricky to watch out for when changing the bulb?

I am hoping a simple bulb change will make the problem go away, but realize that I may have a bad ballast or some other problem.

[Qbaby45t]

Sounds like a bad ballast

[Qbaby45t]

Air box has to b removed

[my12by60]

Headlight on driver's side has been cutting out a bit more frequently. I can usually cycle the settings at the steering column to get it to come back on. Today, I decided to install the bulbs I bought a while ago to see if that would solve the problem, but it did not. The driver's side continues to cut out even with the new bulb.

Any ideas of what I should check next?

[MowgliCSM]

Headlight on driver's side has been cutting out a bit more frequently. I can usually cycle the settings at the steering column to get it to come back on. Today, I decided to install the bulbs I bought a while ago to see if that would solve the problem, but it did not. The driver's side continues to cut out even with the new bulb.

Any ideas of what I should check next?

Sounds like a bad ballast

[my12by60]

Bad ballast makes sense because the problem is only happening on the driver's side. Looks like I can get the ballast on ebay, but I am confused as to what constitutes the entire ballast. Here is something that looks like just the ballast.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OEM-Infiniti-Q4 ... r#viTabs_0

Here is a series of parts including the whole path of ballast through to bulb.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/INFINITI-QX4-Q4 ... Zq&vxp=mtr

Has anybody out there with a y33 had a ballast failure or a failure of any of these other components? What is the name of that intermediate part that looks like a junction box between the ballast and socket? I know the ballast mounts on the underside of the headlight assembly, but where does the junction box go?

I am trying to avoid switching parts from side to side if at all possible. So far I have eliminated the bulb and HID relay as the source of the problem.

[my12by60]

I switched the ballasts and the problem followed the ballast. So I ordered a used ballast (and refurbished, according to the seller) from an ebay seller for $70 shipped to me. I will report back once the ballast comes in and is installed. Hopefully, that will solve the problem.

Getting the headlights out was a bit easier than I thought. On the driver's side, only one nut is a bit tough to get to with the airbox still in place. That is the lower nut closest to the fender. On the passenger, all nuts are easy access after removal of the battery.

[msjbhall]

I don't know if this helps, because I have a 2002 Q45, but I had what sounds like a similar problem with my headlight(s) - one at a time. For a few weeks before my low beam quit, it was working intermittently. The high beam works fine. I bought a D2S xenon HID bulb from Pep Boys $88, and it didn't work.
Then I went through the unbelievable misery of unbolting the grill and front bumper covers just to be able to pull the headlight assembly out to get to the ballast. Since the price of the bulb and ballast at the dealership was outrageous, I went to Amazon.com and found a thinner ballast that otherwise matched the features of the OEM part. (uxcell Car Headlight 35W HID Slim Ballast Black for 9005 9006 D2S Xenon Bulb) for about $12. It was so much slimmer that I decided to I just leave the old one where it was, cut off the old one's wire to the wiring harness, connected the new one to the harness, plugged it into the back of the headlight and it worked. The ballast came with a fitting to attach it to the vehicle, but I just let it lie in the area between the battery and the wall of the engine compartment. It has worked fine for 2 years now. Unfortunately, I realized too late that there are other bulbs seemingly the same for a fraction of the price on Amazon. I could have easily bought 2 for what I paid Pep Boys. Live and learn! Good luck to you.

[my12by60]

Thanks. That is all helpful info. Sounds like a good retro-fit that you were able to execute. I have already ordered a used OEM replacement for $70. If the replacement ballast or my other still working original ballast fails, then I might try to go the route you went since the cost is much less.

How did you figure out how to get the wire splicing done correctly? I think the wiring to my ballast is different than for your generation of Q. My ballast has wires that go to two female wire harness ports while I believe that yours has only one wire that goes to one port on the ballast. I wonder if that will complicate a retrofit for me?

The 99-01 headlight assembly comes out much easier than the third gen. I thought engineering was supposed to make things easier with each next generation.

[my12by60]

Ballast arrived yesterday and I installed it this morning. Lights on both sides are now working. We will see how long the replacement ballast lasts. I don't see much talk in these forums about failing y33 ballasts, so hopefully I will get quite a few years until I have to replace another ballast.

[michaich]

Glad you got it working! But if they ever fail again, just get this HID kit from eBay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/04-05-06-07-GSX ... KS&vxp=mtr

They are plug and play! I got the blue lights, so make sure you check which bulb color you want before you purchase. If you're unsure what to do, just send the seller a message and he will tell you exactly which ones to get. I would say do it anyway, and sell your originals with lights for 300 and use that money on something else!

[my12by60]

Thanks. I will definitely call these guys if I have another ballast fail. Paying $70 for another 17-year old is not the way to go if I can make the ballasts in your link work for my lights.