HID's in a CLK W209

[Johnboy99]

Hi

Has anybody had any experience with retro fitting HID's in a vehicle delivered with regular lamps.

I purchased a pair of LHD headlamp units for use on the continent, while I was at it I went for HID's (spanking new genuine MB units) as I was led to believe they will drop straight in.

Before I fit them permanently I've been attempting to fire them up sitting on top of the existing units, but I'm not having a lot of luck. They seen to have an inversion switch as the HID won't fire up when inverted (trying to make the cable reach!) and only seem to want to work on the wrong side of the vehicle, is it me straining the cable to connect them? The lighting control seems smart as it does not supply voltage when there's no load, is it sensing somethings changed?

Will they actually work on my vehicle?

Any help appreciated.

John

 

[television]

Not quite sure if you mean xenon if so they have built in leveling device. required by law.

malcolm

 

[Johnboy99]

Yes they are Xenon arc lamps (as opposed to tungsten bulbs in Xenon), I believe the law is an EEC ruling on vehicle manufacturers to provide auto leveling, I not sure it is a road traffic rule in the UK, it's certainly not part of the MOT test.

But that was part of my question, is the self levelling totally built into the unit and therefore sensing an out of tollerance attitude. (My renault for example has sensing potentiometers on the suspension which report the vehicle loading to the headlamps to adjust them i.e. an external input, this doesn't seem to be there on the MB units, unless the second connector I'm assuming is for the swivelling function also carries levelling connections, but there are only 4 connectors, with the earth present in the main connector I suppose that's enough)

I just don't want to drag the existing units out if the new ones will never work in situ.

 

[Johnboy99]

Seem's they just needed an additional earth run from the ballast units