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Hid xenon bulb burned out

2K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  Cadillac Shawn 
#1 ·
I have the OEM factory Cadillac DTS 2006 HID XENON bulbs in my car. The passenger side burned out. I bought a set of 6000K new HID Xenon bulbs and installed them. They looked great. However, four days later, the driver's side is fine but he Passenger side, AGAIN, burned out! So, what would cause the bulb to burn out in 4 days?
 
#4 ·
You have to careful what brand and where you get them from. There are Chinese knockoffs of Philips and some of the other brands. Do a google search and read up on this. A few years ago I bought a set of Sylvania because at least at that time, there were no knockoffs of that brand.
 
#7 ·
NOT THE BULB GUYS!!! I swapped the drivers side over to the other side and it works. Both lights work. The passenger side STILL goes out when it wants to then comes back on. Someone mentioned I could replace a wiring harness from my bearing hub which I had an issue with a long while back that the wiring harness got yanked. I asked how far up it goes and how easy it was to replace let along how long it is and the cost. I forgot where the post was and don't know the answer. Since that bearing hub issue, I hit a bump, the dash lights up, service Traction Control, service Brakes etc. Hit the bump again or just driving down the highway it goes off. I believe that wiring harness got pulled and may be shorting on the driver side. Now I get, Washer pump heater not on. So I'm wondering.

I got under the car Saturday night. Light was out. Came right home, jacked the car up, pulled the skirt under the fender and with a flash light began moving all the wires looking for the headlight to go on. Nothing. I noticed a HARD DRIVE looking thing RIGHT UNDER THE LIGHT on both sides, under the fender support, just under the light didn't know what it was or if that could be it. Could it be the light itself. It has the bulb in it, and some braided metal wire that attaches to it.

And no, did not touch the Xenon. I know that from Halogens. I'm wondering, is there an LED replacement that would work with plain 12 volts I could put in it's place? Do I need a new wiring harness from the light to wherever it plugs in for the driver side to the bearing hub and if that's causing a short from not making connection from being yanked good a while back, how much would one run, and how hard is it to put in? How far does it go into the engine area and where does it hook up, back of there motor, top, sides?

Does it even have anything to do with the light? and what about those hard drive looking things. Is that the thing that makes the high beam go on? I hear a clunk every time I put my high beams on. I'm guessing a magnifier pops up from below as the bulb?

Don't know. But I got an appointment to speak with a guy that does a ton of Electrical work for GM dealers and hes going to look at it in about ten days. Until then, I risk a ticket driving.
 
#9 ·
It works for a few days, then start the car up, the light is out. Tonight, who knows. Is that the balast? Or short in the line somewhere? If balast, replace one or both on both sides?

Can I get one cheaply aftermarket? I have made loan payments on the car for 6 years, and it cost me an additional $500 about every three months in mechanical electrical stuff. Engine I saw inside the pistons when they removed it under warranty to fix the main engine seal when they had it in two halves with 4 days left on the warranty and it was spotless clean, no gunk. So I know the motor is in great shape and another problem I mentioned on here about the Detroit Axle shocks that cause me a few grand to find out they were the problem, the trans shop that looked at it said it looked like a brand new transmission inside and didn't need to be replaced. So now that it's paid for, I'm looking at about $350 to $500 every three months. And this is the latest issue. Now my windshield washer heater warning light comes on telling me it's not working. Ugh...

The LED's, are they easy to hook up? Require the balast or you bi pass them? I would love to get rid of the expensive balast HID system. I know LED's are usually cheaper.
 
#10 ·
Now my windshield washer heater warning light comes on telling me it's not working. Ugh...

If that’s a factory washer heater, Take it to your dealer. There is a recall on it and the dealer will give you
$100.00 to do the recall.

#10153B: Product Safety - Heated Windshield Washer Module Short Circuit - Permanently Disable and Remove Module - (Jul 20, 2010)

Subject: 10153A – Heated Windshield Washer Module Short Circuit – Permanently Disable and Remove Module
Models: 2006-2009 Buick Lucerne
2008-2009 Buick Enclave
2006-2009 Cadillac DTS
2007-2009 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade EXT
2008-2009 Cadillac CTS
2007-2009 Chevrolet Avalanche, Silverado, Suburban, Tahoe
2009 Chevrolet Traverse
2007-2009 GMC Acadia, Sierra, Yukon, Yukon XL
2006-2009 HUMMER H2
2007-2009 Saturn OUTLOOK
Equipped with Heated Washer Fluid System (RPO XA7/CHW)
 
#11 ·
I don't trust my local dealer at all anymore. They've taken me for money stating they did an alignment and a few weeks later Merchant tire said the front end was not aligned and there was no way they could due to the Camber bolts were unadjustable. They had to sell me two new one's that could be adjusted and the car pulling yanking one way or the other stopped the moment they did that. My dealer is not to be trusted anymore. Thus why I don't go to them.

As to the headlights. Just put in the new ballast. Worked for one minute. Light went out on the driver side. Tonight, light went out out on the passenger side. Starting thinking, could the switch be the problem. Began jerking it fast to the right and left over and over. Saw the light flicker that was out, then did it again and it went back on. So it appears it was the light switch in the dash that I now have to get from the dealer or a junk yard. Would have been nice to know this was a possibility in the first place to avoid me blowing so much money on new bulbs and new ballast if it turns out there was a simple switch in the dash issue. Thought these forums were suppose to help you fix your car and keep you from going to the dealer. Only thing I saved at this point is the labor. When I sell this car, very shortly I might add as I'm getting sick of the demon possessed GM, someone's going to get a car with a ton of new parts in it.

I'm praying someone hits me hard and totals it before hand because this car belongs in the junk yard the way they put it together and the lousy parts they put in it.
 
#12 ·
Shawn,
We’re truly sorry to hear about your experience with your dealership. Here at Cadillac, we like to pride ourselves on exceptional customer service, so we can understand how this situation can be frustrating to you. We would welcome the opportunity to look into this situation further and contact the dealership for clarification. If this is something that you would be interested in, please send us a private message with your VIN, mileage, contact information, and your involved dealership. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused.

Best,
Jerel J.
Cadillac Customer Care
 
#13 ·
Thanks Jerel but this took place over a year ago last winter. Like two february's ago. I'm in Ellicott City. I'm sure you can figure out the dealer from that. I don't care to talk to them anymore, ever again for that matter. I won't even take my car in for a key ring recall they keep pestering me about. So I'm just letting the washer water heater sensor keep going off rather than take it to them to fix from what someone here said was a recall. It took me several months to figure out the steering YANK to the left or right whenever it felt like it, car steering had a wobble too. Kind of like tank slapping on a cafe racer bike on the road at 140 when it begins to wobble back and forth uncontrollably once you got it started and let go the steering wheel. It was crazy. Never have seen something like that on a car. Motorcycle yes, but not a car. Dealer actually said to me, "I think it's dangerous to drive," when discussing the wobble. Yet they tried fixing the problem and didn't. He said I needed new strut mounts. I got them put in at Merchant tire and it didnt fix the problem. So merchant then went for a drive in it and said, "That's all front end alignment." They said the camber was SO off it was causing it. They told me that there was NO WAY the dealer could have aligned the car with the original camber bolts from factory still in as they were splined and would not move. They had to buy me two new camber bolts that are adjustable at $60 plus labor and alignment fee.

So to take it back to that dealer? After spending over $5400 on the car in repairs since buying it from that dealer in 2010 and everything that continues to break on it, I'm going to be honest with you Jerel, this will be the last GM car I ever purchase in my life. I'm done. I blew $17K on a shiny sleek looking clunker with 72K miles on it. Thought I was getting a nice used cadillac but I should have known better when they had to pull the entire motor out to put a brand new engine seal on it from all the oil it was leaking and the power steering rack that was leaking day one. Thank GOD it was under warranty for five more days when I had it done. I wouldn't take the car till they put new tires on it. Car shook going down the road on test drive. I drove it a few days later for like 30 minutes as the sales guy said it was flat spots on the tire from sitting in the lot. Didn't fix the problem. After all that front end yanking ordeal, I no longer trust the dealer, the salesman that I knew as a friend seeing him for years in night clubs, we talk all the time but at this point, I realize, the car had problems, and he sold me the car to make his living. Hearing what Merchant said, after I blew another $100 or so on an alignment and two adjustable camber bolts at $60 bucks, I made the decision that I had enough. They never aligned it according to Merchant's mechanic and Manager and fact is the Dealer said I needed new shock mount/boots at the top to fix it as well. After Merchant put those in, two brand new moogs, it didn't stop. Thus why I went back to Merchant and told them it was still doing it. Basically I was just putting all new parts on per suggestion of the dealer as to what it was after they said they aligned it and it was still yanking off the road at random. When Merchant did the shock mounts, it didn't fix it at first. Thats' why they said upon driving it when I took it back, the guy said in a few seconds of driving it with me in the passenger seat, "That's all front end alignment!" When I told him I didn't believe him, and that I just came from the dealer a few weeks earlier, he swore it was. After they aligned it, the problem was gone. Two camber bolts. That's all it was. To think the dealer aligned it and their alignment guy did not align the camber! That said to me they didn't align it. As Merchant said, without adjusting the camber, there was no way they could have aligned it. But I got charged like $125 for it from the dealer for an alignment. So at this point, I no longer trust that dealer ever again and with constant problems with the car, I chalk it up to being a UAW GM. Sorry but that's how I feel about it now. I just put in two new bulbs, two new ballasts and now I'm finding it's probably the switch in the dash. Warning lights go on and then go away. Sometimes hitting a bump, the warning light for service traction control, service ABS, service brakes, mind you, right after I put all new brakes on it. Hit a bump again, light goes out for weeks.

I paid $125 two days after I got it to have it inspected at a place called Catonsville Auto Clinic. Turns out there was some minor stuff wrong with it. One was a rear passenger brake caliper was leaking brake fluid. Mechanic there said, "There was no way this car should have passed Maryland Dealer inspection with this caliper leaking the way it is. I took it back to them and had them fix it. That was when they took it in on the last day of the warranty to pull the motor. The good news is, I saw the interior of the motor and it was spotless clean inside. And a trans shop that looked at the front end shaking a few months back told me that the trans was in mint new condition when they opened it. So the engine and trans are fine.

Needless to say, once I can get it fixed and save the dough, I'm unloading it to an unsuspecting person. At a huge loss I'm sure. Hopefully the demon in it will leave once I let it go. 77 Olds Cutlass, 78 Delta 88, 85 Olds Delta 88, 90 Cadillac Deville, a 92 Corvette lemon, won a new 93 Corvette repaint, then won a new 94 corvette to fix the other two that was actually was what I paid for, still sitting in my garage with 23K miles on it, and now a 2006 DTS. My father born in 1926 swore by Olds and GM. He had over 30 in his lifetime selling them every two years and buying new. My olds ran like a watch. But my 90 Cadillac, broke a lot. Now the DTS, nothing but constant repairs. It's shoddy parts and equipment. Once the lights are fixed, I now have to tackle the Air Conditioning problem that just went up on me a week ago. Thank GOD I got heat for this winter.

P.S. You don't want me to post the list of broken parts I've had to replace with repair costs. I'm at $5400 before the ballasts went up and that's with me doing all the work, that's $5400 in just parts. It's a long list of big expensive parts. Radiator, power steering rack, control arms, fuel modules, high pressure hoses, engine mounts, you name it. Add my car payment that I use to pay before I paid it off in May and I'm was looking at $373/month plus an extra $100/month for all the repairs when I divided up the cost over six years. So I basically paid $473/month for a 4 year old Cadillac with 72K miles on it. For that kind of money I could have bought a new car from another company and had no problems.

It is what it is Jerel. When Merchant told me the dealer never aligned it a few weeks later, I asked them to put it in writing so I could go back to the dealer and ask for a refund. They said they would not get involved in customer's legal issues. Otherwise, I would have asked for the $125 alignment fee back. The main thing is, once Merchant did the camber alignment, the speed wobble and the yanking of the car off the road stopped. It was safe to drive after Merchant worked on it. And to save an argument between Merchant's word for it and the dealer, I ate the $125 they charged for the alignment and figured I got two new strut mounts.

If the motor goes or trans, I'm junking it. Wasn't worth the grand to fix the timing chain on the non interference motor in they 90 deville. That's why I bought this car. Now I'm thinking that grand would have prevented me from being out $23K in six years. It is what it is.

I know it's a rant, but if you see the repair list and the cost to me, you realize I'm fed up with GM. I'm just done. I'd never blow $45K on a new CTS. When I get rid of it, I'm switching brands.

P.S. I'm sure you'll see me on her in a few weeks asking for help with another serious cost repair.
 
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