Dame Edna Xenon Ballast(control unit)

[Mr Linear]

I have a feeling my flickering xenons may be down to the ballast/control unit.

Do all HID equipped 9-5's use the same units Valeo LAD5G with 12 pins?

The flickering is getting worse. 

Thanks.

Mr L.

[sgould]

Article : Electronic unit
PartNo : 5408497
Order Quantity : 1

Same part in 2006 and 2010.  Same both sides.



[EDIT]  Just gone back further and the ballast unit is the same for the 2002 car too.

And over £200 new

[Mr Linear]

Thanks sgould.

My suspicions lead me to the control units....don't want to buy new bulbs as well.

It's a tricky one to diagnose without buying expensive parts on a trial an error basis!

I have also read that the control units need to be programmed if replaced.

Is that correct?

May just wait till they die

[sgould]

No they just get unscrewed and a new one screwed in.

Just watch the 23,000 volts......... 

[sgould]

Just double checked this, and I think that you only need the Tech2 calibration for the headlamp levelling, if you change the levelling module or the sensors.

[Mr Linear]

I can just imagine leaving two smoking footprints in the snow!!   

[Saabman]

I'd very much doubt it would be both ballast packs have failed they are pretty much bullet proof, is it both lamps flickering?? if not swop ballasts from side to side to see if it transfers the problem? If both sides I'd be thinking more along the lines of a wiring fault or earth fault

[GeoffW]

I seem to remember someone having both Xenons flickering fault recently and that was caused by an earth fault somewhere that seemed totally unconnected with the headlights (like the rear light cluster).
I had a recent problem with one xenon failing (see my post from pre-Christmas) was confirmed as the control unit by swapping the headlight units over temporarily to eliminate possible fuse holder solder fault under the main fuse box behind the battery.

[Mr Linear]

When the weather gets better i'll swap the units over an see what happens.

Incidentally I noticed a few flickers when I drove over some bumpy stuff.....iirc did somone on the forum solve flickering lights by replacing a load sensor???

[Mr Linear]

Managed to swap the control units over and it appears that it is the drivers side that was causing the problem.

OEM from Saab are £205 + vat.

I may go down the used route. 

Mr L.

[Mr Linear]

Getting confused now 

Yesterday when I swapped the ballasts the left hand light flashed a few times, so I thought problem solved.

This evening checked again, this time the right hand light (the one that was causing problems) flashing and flickering again.

Will have to swap the bulbs now to double check.

Mr L.