Changing Xenon HID Bulbs

[psq43]

Right, question answered myself in the end

It would appear that the dealers don't know what they are on about, and their system of your car registration number being linked to exact parts is wrong

I was sold a bulb. What I needed to be sold, was a bulb pre mounted in a ballast box, which would explain why the bulb would not come out of the box. It's not meant to.

[FunkyMelon]

Wait, what?

Are you saying you cannot just replace a bulb, the bulb is built into the ballast and you have to buy a new ballast to get a new bulb??

[psq43]

Originally Posted by FunkyMelon

Wait, what?

Are you saying you cannot just replace a bulb, the bulb is built into the ballast and you have to buy a new ballast to get a new bulb??

Not sure if your being sarcastic or not here, but yes you do.

Bear in mind, this is my first experience with both an XC90 and HID bulbs, AND I was sold by a Volvo dealer, just a bulb that looks precisely like the bulb protruding from the ballast box.

I'm quietly confident that this would confuse even Stephen Hawking

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by psq43

Right, question answered myself in the end

It would appear that the dealers don't know what they are on about, and their system of your car registration number being linked to exact parts is wrong

I was sold a bulb. What I needed to be sold, was a bulb pre mounted in a ballast box, which would explain why the bulb would not come out of the box. It's not meant to.

Sorry but this doesn't make sense. On the XC90 the ballast is mounted on the underside of the headlamp and is nothing to do with the bulb (apart from they are connected by wires).

Like this.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZima5UOHg

[psq43]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

Sorry but this doesn't make sense. On the XC90 the ballast is mounted on the underside of the headlamp and is nothing to do with the bulb (apart from they are connected by wires).

Like this.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZima5UOHg

I got sold the one on the Right, What I needed the one on the left.

Simple in the end, dealer error

Like I said, first experience of both an XC90 and HID bulbs

[TruckbusUK]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

Sorry but this doesn't make sense. On the XC90 the ballast is mounted on the underside of the headlamp and is nothing to do with the bulb (apart from they are connected by wires).

Like this.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMZima5UOHg

Have the headlamps on the car been changed?

I thought the Active Bi-Xenon lamps were fitted from 2007 on (D1S), and I have only seen those come fitted with the square silver ballast.

The older Bi-Xenon lamps (D2R) were fitted to the non-active headlight cars.

[psq43]

Originally Posted by TruckbusUK

Have the headlamps on the car been changed?

I thought the Active Bi-Xenon lamps were fitted from 2007 on (D1S), and I have only seen those come fitted with the square silver ballast.

The older Bi-Xenon lamps (D2R) were fitted to the non-active headlight cars.

Possibly, could have been done before delivery by the selling dealer at the request of the buyer. One previous owner from a posh bit of Cheshire. Certainly the on/off switch for the active is fitted and the manual level roller isn't. It's a late 07 car, so maybe around the time of the design change.

Not being a car buff and new to the car, I'm not really in a place to say

End result, dealer sold me the wrong part that looks highly similar to the correct part to the uneducated, and now it's been rectified.

[FunkyMelon]

Originally Posted by psq43

Not sure if your being sarcastic or not here, but yes you do.

Bear in mind, this is my first experience with both an XC90 and HID bulbs, AND I was sold by a Volvo dealer, just a bulb that looks precisely like the bulb protruding from the ballast box.

I'm quietly confident that this would confuse even Stephen Hawking

No, not meaning to sound sarcastic at all, just struggling to understand Volvo here. With all my Volvo's with Xenons you just replace the bulb itself, the ballast is the separate unit that feeds to 20k+ volts to spark the bulb on start up.

I was struggling to understand how/why Volvo would design a car where you can't replace a light bulb without replacing a perfectly good ballast too?

[psq43]

Originally Posted by FunkyMelon

No, not meaning to sound sarcastic at all, just struggling to understand Volvo here. With all my Volvo's with Xenons you just replace the bulb itself, the ballast is the separate unit that feeds to 20k+ volts to spark the bulb on start up.

I was struggling to understand how/why Volvo would design a car where you can't replace a light bulb without replacing a perfectly good ballast too?

As I say, not being a car genius or an old hand with this design, and as another user has alluded, it might not be the ballast

For sure though, it's the large square metal mounting the bulb sits in that was missing from my initial purchase. Hopefully I supplied an image a few posts ago on here comparing what I was sold and what I needed

[Moose Test]

Not that it really matters, since the OP has his problem solved, but in the interests of clearing up any confusion, as Tannaton has already shown, the bulb and ballast ARE separate units and can be replaced independently. The OP has simply fitted a new bulb.

The bulb assembly does have a square metal base but it is just the base/mounting, not the ballast. The ballast is a larger unit, flat and rectangular, and slots into the underside of the headlight unit.