Xenon, flickering with lights off ???

[JFP_turbo]

Dear All,
Sorry to bother you but I am slowly being driven mad by the Xenons on my 2002 AERO. Until I can get the lights working there is not much point in fixing the ever growing list of other faults as the is no hope of passing an MOT in 6 weeks.

With the ignition on, engine running or not, both the Xenons flicker when the lights are off or on side lights, the dashboard lights also flicker at the same rate.

I have swopped the dashboard light switch with my other 9-5's, swopped pretty much all the grey relays with my other 9-5's and this makes no difference.

I took it to the main dealer who suggested swapping both Xenon bulbs and both the energiser packs, but this would come to £900 and under the gentleist of questioning they did not seem that sure this would fix it, a master mechanic from another branch thought this would probably work......

So long as I drive around with the headlights on then they don't flicker and work pretty well, I guess I could change the wiring so they stay on all the time but again I doubt this would pass an MOT.

Any ideas? Cheers

[Steve440]

I have a spare set of used Xenon headlights with bulbs you could try if you are not to far from me? Its only a 15 minute job to swap them over.

Steve

[JFP_turbo]

Steve440, it is very kind of you to offer, I live in snowy Nuneaton nr. Coventry.

The thing is (and I know there is one sure way to find out) do you think this would fix the problem?

Its a bit weird that the lights flicker even when only the ignition is on without the engine having run & or the lights having been turned on. I can see the theory about discharging stored energy when turning the lights off would apply after the lights have been turned off but not before?.

Also, its double weird that both lights flicker, I tried taking one of the headlight fuses out and this seems to double the rate at which the flickering happened.

[Steve440]

I have no idea if it will fix it but if the ''experts'' reckon it will it has to be worth a try.

I live near Witney in Oxfordshire so your about an hour and a bit if you come through the Cotswolds.

I am happy to give it a go, its your petrol and it will be interesting to see if it does. I have a garage so it does not matter what the weather or what time of day it is.

Let me know with a PM so we can make arrangements if you want to have a go.

Steve