Infiniti M35 driver's side headlight flickers and goes out

[eilonshoham1]

In the past week after i'm starting the car it takes about 20 second until the driver's side headlamp starts flickering slowly and stops working. i have changed the bulb and the issue stays the same.
i have checked the connectors and the battery's terminal and all looks good.

Does anyone knows what it could be?
Has anyone has the same issue?

Thanks a lot.

[EdBwoy]

I am thinking it is a ballast issue... if you have the HID headlights.

[Ilya]

Yep, if you have HID/xenon lights, it's your ballast. Since you changed the bulbs, you know what size they are...were they D2S? If so, then you definitely have HID lights.

You'll need to change both ballasts and both lights...otherwise your output won't be the same and it won't match as bulbs/ballasts age they lose some intensity/color.

[eilonshoham1]

Thank you guys for the reply. my bulbs size are d2s and they are HID with ballasts.
i am thinking like you said Ilya that the problem is with the ballast.
i saw many people add a HID Relay Harness and they say it solves issues like mine.
what do you think i should do first? changing both ballasts or adding a power harness relay?

-my car is 2006 infiniti M35

[Larz]

Knowing how Infiniti goes to no limits to make things like this near impossible to fix with OEM parts, it's probably best to go to The Retrofit Source and purchase a ballast "kit" (they probably call it something else) that contains a new wiring harness and ballasts that will match your year and model. I know this sounds difficult, but to buy a new Infiniti ballast, find out where the bad ballast is located, and dismantle half the car to get to it is probably a lot more trouble. The retrofit Source will have a wiring system that installs without removing the grille, bumper, etc.
Here is a link that should get you what you will need.

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/matsu ... r-kit.html

Perhaps other members who have already done this will chime in with specific advise.
*** Warning: do NOT buy anything from Ebay, Craigs, Amazon, etc. 75% of what they sell as 'name brand' are actually cheap copies with a name brand on them ***

[LIBRILZ]

I would look for a used Ballast on eBay and go from there

[Ilya]

I wouldn't get used...it's a PITA to do this job and you only want to do it once. I'd get new from TheRetrofitSource.com like Larz said and forget about it for the remainder of the cars life (I doubt you'll own it longer than a set of OEM replacements from TRS will last). I used TRS to replace mine cause mine were doing the same thing (2011 M56x) and haven't looked back since. Not even so much as a flicker.

[Tsowdsun]

Ballast...I just went through this. Do yourself a favor and not replace the ballast. Instead convert to LED with a kit and you can thank me later.

[Ilya]

Eh...I wouldn't use LED. I can go into a long explanation as to why but this cars headlight or projector wasn't designed for it.

[eQlipse]

Ballast...I just went through this. Do yourself a favor and not replace the ballast. Instead convert to LED with a kit and you can thank me later.

I was thinking to go this route. What kit did you go with?

[eQlipse]

Eh...I wouldn't use LED. I can go into a long explanation as to why but this cars headlight or projector wasn't designed for it.

Care to elaborate on the issues you had with LED?

[Ilya]

LED, unless in a headlight (like a new Acura or Audi) SPECIFICALLY designed for it, is bright but has EXTREMELY limited 'throw' (distance). Your projector was engineered for HID. Keep it that way.

[LIBRILZ]

And Generally, at least in my case my projector can swivel and turn with corners I take, I think that's neat, wouldn't want to lose that functionality

[Eilonsh]

Alright guys.. so what I did was that, I ordered an OEM ballast replacement and decided to change it by myself. I removed the tire and the plastic panel to reach the ballast. And I saw that I have access to remove the ballast without removing parts like the bumper.. now it seems to be working good and even brighter than the passenger headlight, so I'm thinking to replace the passenger's side ballast too

[Ilya]

Yes, definitely do both sides otherwise they won't match.

Here is an image of my old 2013 Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R which has halogen projectors and a comparison of HID vs LED. Similar concept and issue. LED is bright, but only works for like 5ft where as HID has much better throw/distance.