Hello Everyone,

I know there have been some questions on how to install HIDs in the 2008+ Pontiac G8. I'm going to outline the overall process with most all of the necessary steps, in addition to pictures of where I mounted the components to make the install functional, while still fairly accessible. You don't want to bury that relay down deep in the engine compartment, only to have it fail one cold rainy night So I tend to keep things that could require replacement in a spot that does not require tools to get to. If that is not your cup of tea, then you can certainly do a lot better job hiding every last bit of wiring. I personally chose a 5000k 55watt kit for my G8 GT as I wanted very white light without a lot of blueish tint. At the end of the day, I got exactly what I was after.

Parts and Tools you need:

HID Kit (Ballasts, Wiring, H11 Bulbs) [Kit used in this article (http://www.gremlynsgarage.com/product_info.php?products_id=67)]
Optional Relay Harness (RECOMMENDED) [Harness used in this article (http://www.gremlynsgarage.com/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=53)]
Wire Ties
1" Spade Drill Bit and a Drill
Metric Socket Set
Lug Wrench and Torque Wrench for reinstallation
Jack and Jack Stands
Small-Medium Flat Head Screw Driver
Digital Volt Ohm Meter or Test Light
Small Cutters
Blanket (Helps in case you drop a bulb, you might get a second chance).Modifications to vehicle:
Drill a 1" hole in the center of each low beam projector dust cover. No other physical alterations are made to the vehicle.HID Install Procedure:
First things first, get all of the parts together and organize them. Make sure you have received the correct bulbs and any necessary pieces to interface with the factory harness.
Keep the bulbs clean. Use rubbing alcohol to clean the bulb with a soft cotton shirt. If you get anything on the bulbs, it could lead to serious problems, so make sure they are CLEAN.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4337-2/CIMG0828.JPG
Break the lug nuts loose and then raise and support the vehicle. You can remove one wheel at a time or both as you work to install the kit. This will aid in accessing the back of the headlight assembly. For reference, I'm going to talk mostly about the passenger side of the vehicle. Installation is the same on both sides, just mirror the procedure. Once the wheel is removed, there are six or seven black plastic retainers that hold the front half of the plastic inner fender to the vehicle. Use a flat blade screw driver to pop up the center section of these retainers and gently pop them out of the inner fender mounting holes. After you have them all removed from the front half of the inner fender, it should look something like this.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4340-2/CIMG0829.JPG
Reach in through the inner fender and remove the dust cap from the low beam projector. It rotates only one way about 1/4 of a turn and then just comes off.
Once you have the dust cap removed from the vehicle, remove the H11 bulb from the socket. Squeeze the two tabs on the socket, remove the harness connector, and then rotate the bulb so that it can be removed from the projector.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4343-2/CIMG0830.JPG
Now take the 1" spade bit and drill through the center section of the dust cap. You may need to adjust your drill bit size based on the kit your purchase. On the kit I used, 1" worked perfectly.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4346-2/CIMG0831.JPG
http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4349-2/CIMG0832.JPG
Once the hole is drilled, install the grommet and route the two additional wires with pin connectors through it.
Now you need to determine what pin is positive and what pin is negative on the OEM headlight harness. It's important to validate this, so connect a test light or DVOM to ground, and use the other positive probe to test for +12V. Make sure you turn the headlight switch full clockwise prior to doing this. Once you know which terminal is +12V, make it with a sharpie "+".
Take the HID H11 bulb and insert it into the projector, twist it so that it's secure.
The kit I used included two wires with a harness connector on one end, and bare terminals on the other. The bare terminals get inserted into the factory headlamp harness. On my particular car, the blue wire of the HID kit harness connected to +12V, and black connected to the other terminal which was ground. You need to validate this for your particular kit.
Once the bulb is installed, you can reinstall the dust cover on the projector housing. At this point you should have two loose wires with connectors on them, and a two pin wire harness that will control the relay harness or if you are not using a relay harness, it will feed power to the ballasts directly.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4310-2/CIMG0837.JPG
Now is a good time to test the ballast and bulb to make sure it functions. You do NOT need to have the relay harness installed at this time, we'll use the OEM headlight harness to supply the power. The kit I used is plug and play, simply connect the ballast to the two individual wires coming from the H11 HID bulb, and the other two pin ballast connector to blue and black wiring coming through the grommet being fed by the OEM headlight harness.
Once all the connections are made, rotate the headlight switch full clockwise and verify the HID bulb ignites and comes up to full brightness. Once validated, shut off the headlights.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4303-2/CIMG0834.JPG
Now we need to mount the ballast somewhere. I found that the bottom side of the headlight assembly lends itself well to this. The kit I purchased included a large two sided tape pad that I installed on the bottom side of the ballast. I then stuck it neatly to the lower side of the headlight assembly. Wiping the contact area down with rubbing alcohol and a lint free cloth isn't a bad idea to promote maximum adhesion on both the ballast and the bottom of the headlight assembly.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4313-2/CIMG0839.JPG
http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4316-2/CIMG0840.JPG
If you are not using a relay harness, then you are pretty much done with one side of the car at this point. Just be sure to disable the DRLs as the partial power feeding the ballasts can cause them to fail in a hurry.
If you are using a relay harness, disconnect the two pin connector that hooks to the the ballast and the OEM headlight harness. You will need to ready this side to accept the new harness to be installed next.
The relay harness consists of four two pin harness connectors, a fuse block, and a positive and negative ring terminal. Your relay harness may vary, but this should be pretty consistent with 'plug and plug' HID kits.
I chose to mount the relay and fuse block right in the front of the engine compartment for easy accessibility. I use a couple of cable ties to secure them to the already present engine fan harness which is on the left rear side of the radiator assembly.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4322-2/CIMG0842.JPG
I routed the short side of the harness to the passenger side HID ballast. Tuck the wiring down below the headlight assembly and secure with a cable tie or two. I then ran the longer ballast connectors to the drivers side of the car. I choose to run them along side the rear of the radiator assembly, sort of under the intake tube. I secured it with cable ties to keep it nice and neat. Leave enough slack on ballast side of the harness to reach just below the projector assembly on the drivers side.
Once that is done, you can connect the two, two pin harness connectors to the already installed passenger side ballast. They only connect one way in the kit that I purchased, but most should be the same.
Now we need to get power and ground for the relay harness. This is pretty easy actually since there is a relay and fuse block right behind the passenger side headlight assembly. Peel back the red protective cover on the fuse block power distribution terminal, and use a 13mm deep socket to remove the nut. I recommend you use your index finger to hold the main feed cable tight while removing the nut. That way the vehicle does not loose battery power. Once the nut is off, install the positive/red ring terminal onto these distribution stud, and reinstall the nut. Tighten so that it's snug, but don't break the relay block in the process.
One item to note is that the DRL system may operation on a pulsed width modulation system, instead of using an inline resistor for reducing power to the headlights, it varies voltage from +12>0>+12. Installing a small capacitor to smooth out this PWM signal to the relay harness may be necessary to keep the relay from buzzing. I will look into this further and update with whatever solution I go with.

http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4328-2/CIMG0844.JPG
For the ground, I choose to use the 13mm bolt that is holding part of the fender / relay block bracket. If you look directly to the left side of the relay block, you'll see the bolt. I used a 13mm box end wrench to remove it, inserted the black/negative ring terminal over the bolt, and reinstalled it. Tighten until snug. I know it's a little hard to see in the picture, but the bolt is at the center of the picture and installs horizontally next to the relay block.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4325-2/CIMG0843.JPG
Just like earlier, now it's a good time to test the relay harness to make sure everything is working as it should. Once you have validated that the positive, negative, and two, two pin harness connectors are hooked up on the passenger side, flip the headlight switch full clockwise and the passenger side headlight should turn on.
Once that is validated, tidy up any wiring on the passenger side that needs it. You can tuck any excess relay harness wiring down below the headlight assembly and secure it while the inner fender is partially removed.
Now that the passenger side is done, reinstall the inner fender, and the black retaining clips.
Reinstall the passenger side wheel, and torque to specs.
Now it's time to move over to the drivers side of the vehicle. This should go pretty quickly since most of the work is already done.
Remove the drivers side tire if not already done, and remove the inner fender clips just like you did on the passenger side. Pull the inner fender back so that you can gain access to the dust cover on the low beam projector.
Once the hole is drilled, install the grommet into the hole and route the two additional wires with pin connectors through the rubber grommet.
Now you need to determine what pin is positive and what pin is negative. It's important to validate this, so connect a test light or DVOM to ground, and use the other positive probe to test for +12V. Make sure you turn the headlight switch full clockwise prior to doing this. Once you know which terminal is +12V, make it with a sharpie "+".
Take the HID H11 bulb and insert it into the projector, twist it so that it's secure.
My kit included two wires with a harness connector on one end, and bare terminals on the other. The bare terminals get inserted into the factory headlamp harness. On my particular car, the blue wire of the HID kit harness connected to +12V, and black connected to the other terminal which was ground.
Once the bulb is installed, you can reinstall the dust cover on the projector housing. At this point you should have two loose wires with connectors on them, and a two pin wire harness that will control the relay harness OR will feed power to the ballasts directly.
Loosely connect the drivers side HID ballast to the two individual wires coming from the HID bulb, and connect the two relay harness connectors to the ballast.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4319-2/CIMG0841.JPG
Validate the functionality of both HID headlights, and once that is done, you can use the double sided tape to mount the ballast to the under side of the headlamp assembly.
Tidy up any loose wiring with cable ties, make sure the dust cover is secure, and you are almost done!
Now that the drivers side is done, reinstall the inner fender, and the black retaining clips.
Reinstall the drivers side wheel, and torque to specs.
Lower Vehicle to ground.
Do a final check of all wiring. Make sure nothing is going to chafe on metal brackets, or get caught in the accessory drive, prevent the hood from shutting etc.
Lastly check for any tools under the hood - sucks to smash something when you close the hood on a big socket!
Be proud of yourself for installing a plug and plug HID kit in an hour or two. The results are worth the effort and cost. Special thanks to our sponsor for offering a very nice kit at a very good price.http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4331-2/CIMG0845.JPG
http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4334-2/CIMG0846.JPG

Before:

http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4307-2/CIMG0835.JPG

After:

http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4303-2/CIMG0834.JPG

A couple of night shots (I'll update with better ones in a few days):

http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4373-2/CIMG0853.JPG
http://www.dmwtech.com/gallery2/d/4358-2/CIMG0855.JPG


If you find any errors with this install procedure, please PM me so that I can update it. It's not the most detailed in the world, but gives you a general idea of what needs to be done. It's a very easy project for those with basic tools and know how. Not everyone agrees that HIDs should be installed in a non-HID capsule or projector, so keep that in mind. I will post night shots once it gets dark.

Good luck!

A very excellent write up and thank you for the very kind words :)

^ Wow thanks for sending the pics & the detailed instructions. Thats the same exact look I want on my car. it looks really good, I also prefer the white lights. Im not crazy about the blue look. lots of luck, i will follow suit soon.

Sure thing guys. Feel free to PM me with any questions or update suggestions for the install procedure. Hopefully the post is useful to many, but I had to rush through it due to clicking "POST" while writing it. So once I had a incomplete post, I had to get it finished in a hurry. I apologize if any errors exist in the post!

I will say I'm very pleased with the kit after doing some driving last night. The headlights are now very bright, and very white. I did not reaim the headlights, though I make kick them down just a hair. I'm going to have someone else drive my car while we drive towards one another, so I can see if the lights are bothersome to other drivers. I took it by my Dads and had him go around the block and drive towards me while I stood in the road crouched down - it wasn't bad considering how much light these things are putting out. If you are looking for WHITE lights, 5000k is the way to go. It has only the slightest tinge of blue to them.

Thanks for the step by step directions, but can you recommend a kit or the type of HID conversion kit for the fog light I want to add the 3000k and I cant find what kind??

Thanks for the step by step directions, but can you recommend a kit or the type of HID conversion kit for the fog light I want to add the 3000k and I cant find what kind??

Which G8 do you have? From what I've seen, the GT's have an odd bulb type and I've yet to see a set to be able to compare them to something to use as a substitute.

If it helps you out the bulb for the fog lights says (ps24wff) and (7f28pc) there is no dust cover and its just a wire straight into the bulb. I want to get a HID conversion kit with a 3000k beam?!?! Any suggestions??

Wow, nice write-up. Please let us know how it looks coming and going. The biggest problem with plug and play is the glare above the cutoff. With projector housings such as the G8, this problem is reduced (when compared to reflector housings), but it is usually still there.

Those look like they are putting out about 4k and not 5k. 4k is what the OEMs use, and that is the brightest and whitest, so nothing really wrong with that.

I installed an HID kit in the factory projector fogs in my Bonneville. The glare is pretty significant for other drivers, so I may have to pull it out. Right now I don't run the fogs on 2-lane roads for that reason.

The car looks good and the glare seems to be pretty minimal. I was driving towards a brand new Mercedes sedan with dealer plate and it had about the same amount of glare as my G8. I have not had anyone flash me at night yet.

Excellent write-up.

I've installed quite a few HID kits in the past and I recommend skipping the double-sided adhesive in favor of mounting the ballasts with screws instead.

I installed a kit in my Cadillac years ago and only used the adhesive which doesn't hold forever. It only lasted a little over a year before one of the ballasts came loose. I ended up having to take everything apart again and screwing the ballasts down. Problem solved and the kit worked flawlessly for many years after until the car was sold.

Always mount the ballasts somewhere where they will stay reasonably dry from road splash, driven water from driving in hard rain and car washing. Do the same for the relays and fuses too.

Nice photos and how to instructions....
looks great too, now I will def be able to spot you when you hit up the next GTG....which btw...is this Saturday...I think its an RPM (Karting) than Hooters park and meet up ( by arden) PM me if you want to meet up..( thinking it starts around 4pm or so Saturday)

if you dont mind me asking what type of wheels you got on you're ride

if you dont mind me asking what type of wheels you got on you're ride

Breyton Race GTS 20x8.5 with 245/35/20 tires.

Did you have to disable the DRL's even with the relay harness?

Got mine installed Saturday. Nice, bright, white light w/a light blue tint with the 5000k and 35w kit from Gremlyns. Light is smoother and further out now and street signs shine back at me. With the fogs on, it is very smooth, bright, wide, and far away. Nobody has flashed me yet. :)

Also used the relay kit and did NOT disable the DRLs. I works okay that way except at full brightness during the daytime, which is fine by me.

The only problem I have experienced is an occasional unlit lamp. Happened 3-4 times on the left and once on the right. They have come back on after cycling the headlight switch, but I might not notice it one of these times and be driving around on one headlight. Any suggestions where to start troubleshooting this or will it go away as the bulbs "break in"?

Wow. Very detailed. Technical writer by day? I think I can pull the install off. Thanks!!

Has anyone changed the fuses under the hood after putting in my hids they are 10 amp rated my kit said make sure they are at least 20 amp.

Just installed mine. Can be done without removing the wheel. Super easy install. Thx for the great write up.

Excellent write-up.

I've installed quite a few HID kits in the past and I recommend skipping the double-sided adhesive in favor of mounting the ballasts with screws instead.

I installed a kit in my Cadillac years ago and only used the adhesive which doesn't hold forever. It only lasted a little over a year before one of the ballasts came loose. I ended up having to take everything apart again and screwing the ballasts down. Problem solved and the kit worked flawlessly for many years after until the car was sold.

Always mount the ballasts somewhere where they will stay reasonably dry from road splash, driven water from driving in hard rain and car washing. Do the same for the relays and fuses too.
x2... I cleaned the bottom of my headlight with alcohol and used the double sided tape and they only held for about two days. I ended up taking it all back apart and there is a flat spot on the inside of the fender just aft of the headlight I screwed them to.

You want to disable the DRL system this can make the system malfunction and cause one bulb to only be lit or different things. The ballast is equiped to put out 35 watts but in DRL mode the wattage is taken down causing them to have weird effects such as what you are mentioning. Definately take out the fuse on driver side kick panel for DRL when you get a chance so ballast does not get damaged. Also, make sure you check all the connections between the starter and the bulb itself to balast adn relay, if loose wil cause flicker. I had a 02 bonneveille and had the same problem before. I got mine from gremlins 5000k 65 watt and works excellent. One thing I dont like is the auto light feature on our cars when you start your car current is drawed and it like surges the ballast and if you watch lights in a glass window you can see them flicker for about 2 seconds while the engine is cranking and than illuminate to full. Most high end cars have a delay where the actual HID's dont come on untill ending is done fully cranking and started. To get past this I Hold the headlights switch to no auto while car starts at night becasue once its dark the sensor auto turns them on.

You want to disable the DRL system this can make the system malfunction and cause one bulb to only be lit or different things. The ballast is equiped to put out 35 watts but in DRL mode the wattage is taken down causing them to have weird effects such as what you are mentioning. Definately take out the fuse on driver side kick panel for DRL when you get a chance so ballast does not get damaged. Also, make sure you check all the connections between the starter and the bulb itself to balast adn relay, if loose wil cause flicker. I had a 02 bonneveille and had the same problem before. I got mine from gremlins 5000k 65 watt and works excellent. One thing I dont like is the auto light feature on our cars when you start your car current is drawed and it like surges the ballast and if you watch lights in a glass window you can see them flicker for about 2 seconds while the engine is cranking and than illuminate to full. Most high end cars have a delay where the actual HID's dont come on untill ending is done fully cranking and started. To get past this I Hold the headlights switch to no auto while car starts at night becasue once its dark the sensor auto turns them on.
Thats only if you don't use the accesory harness. It you have the harness the only thing that comes from the factory wiring is the turn on voltage. The ballasts are powered dierectly off the battery, but if you don't have the harness they need to be disabled. Mine are disabled even with the harness.

I've put in the 35w 5000k HIDs in my SSV wouldnt go back to the standard lights for anything!. Can see soo much better at night..

Here's short vid of mine..
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=KlDfKEuithk

I found a simple circuit that I will wire into the existing relay. It would be the same thing as a remote turn on delay for a car audio amplifier. It can also be adjusted for delay length. This should also cure the flicker I get when switching between DRL and lights on modes.

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/7/web/151000-151999/151662_121_full.gif

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/7/web/151000-151999/151662_121_full.gif

do drl and night approach still function? I read up and did not understand the bottom line.... Plug and play or no?

do drl and night approach still function? I read up and did not understand the bottom line.... Plug and play or no?



I put a 6000K kit in tonight and it looks amazing, I was so happy to see the G8 had projectors. My kit was very similar to the for mentioned one. I did it the hard way and went in from the top, I just had to loosen the fuse box, however it was still a PITA. My ballasts are just zap strapped down for now, I need to find a good spot to screw them to the car. TO bad the DRL's don't run of the High beams.

I just have the kit running off the Stock Harness for now, however I just ordered the relay kit.

I just tryed to install the relay kit and it seamed to work the first time I turned them on, but after that both of the 10 Amp headlight fuses blew. I tryed to change out the fuses to make sure it wasn't a fluke but sure enough they blew again. I have the same Harness kit as was posted in the first post.

Anyone?

With new fuses in and the HID's hooked up to the stock harnesses they're working fine.

I just bought a set of 8000k blue

How do i pull the DRL Fuse

I just bought a set of 8000k blue

How do i pull the DRL Fuse
You can find it in the fuse panel located inside the car on the left side of the drivers feet, it has a diagram to show you what fuse it what.

I just finished the install of my kit today and I couldn't be happier. The DIY is very helpful and thanks for it but my kit was a little different as i had no "lose" wires, everything had a plug on the end of it.

Second I tried to mount the Ballast below the headlight but the double sided sticky tape that comes with the kit seemed old, i bought new stuff and mounted it again but didn't like it. I found a great place on both sides though. I'll post some pictures of it tomorrow.

I also had a grounding issue on the harness for a while but i think i got it fixed finally.

I just finished the install of my kit today and I couldn't be happier. The DIY is very helpful and thanks for it but my kit was a little different as i had no "lose" wires, everything had a plug on the end of it.

Second I tried to mount the Ballast below the headlight but the double sided sticky tape that comes with the kit seemed old, i bought new stuff and mounted it again but didn't like it. I found a great place on both sides though. I'll post some pictures of it tomorrow.

I also had a grounding issue on the harness for a while but i think i got it fixed finally.

Pics would be awesome. Would like to see other mounting spots

Sorry for the delay... the location is the same on both sides of the car, behind the headlights almost directly.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/khaneric/SPLm2FC1SiI/AAAAAAAAC-I/J2dUKQnXCVI/s640/IMG_1412.JPG
http://lh4.ggpht.com/khaneric/SPLm8XjwwWI/AAAAAAAAC-U/G956retZkNk/s640/IMG_1413.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/khaneric/SPLm-KhMwZI/AAAAAAAAC-k/XmaTkvZDrtI/s512/IMG_1414.JPG

Excellent write-up.

Sorry for the delay... the location is the same on both sides of the car, behind the headlights almost directly.


Ahh...best spot yet.

Can't you just remove the headlights to install the HID kit like on the Grand Prix, or don't they come out the same way? I want to install an HID kit in my G8 but doing it thru the inner fender seems kinda strange to me.

Khaneric was there enough room to drill mounting holes in the location that you mounted the ballasts?

I believe that I read that two bolts are located on the bottom of the headlight assembly and that that front bumper cover must come off to get to them. I believe thats why you are supposed to go to the dealer to get the turn single bulb replaced.

Great write up. I used Khaneric's location on my install. I bought the 35watt kit in 8k. I also purchased the additional accesory harness.

how did you go around the plastic piece that unscrews off do you drill through it.thanks for any help on it

how did you go around the plastic piece that unscrews off do you drill through it.thanks for any help on it

You have to drill through it...

I just tryed to install the relay kit and it seamed to work the first time I turned them on, but after that both of the 10 Amp headlight fuses blew. I tryed to change out the fuses to make sure it wasn't a fluke but sure enough they blew again. I have the same Harness kit as was posted in the first post.

Anyone?

With new fuses in and the HID's hooked up to the stock harnesses they're working fine.

you might have gotten the polarity mixed up (postitive negative) -- try fliping the wires. Also you dont need two fuses if you have the harness.

You have to drill through it...

...with a $5 1" spade bit from Lowes or Home Depot. Seal up the grommet with some silicone.

Installed the 35w 6000k HID this morning, if you have a rotofab intake you have to pull the box out to get to the light at that point you have lots of room to take the light out, no need to take the tire off.

I also got the kit from someplace else, alot cheaper and everything is plug and play, no figuring out what is positive and negative, almost too easy.

Installed the 35w 6000k HID this morning, if you have a rotofab intake you have to pull the box out to get to the light at that point you have lots of room to take the light out, no need to take the tire off.

I also got the kit from someplace else, alot cheaper and everything is plug and play, no figuring out what is positive and negative, almost too easy.

So where is everyone buying the kits? It would make a nice addition to this thread to start compiling a list of the kit options available, and whether they are direct plug-and-play or hardwire kits.

Additionally, I'm curious on the effects of the 35W kits vs the 50W kits on the wiring and/or headlight housings.

I would recommend anybody doing HID's to use the 6000K bulbs. Any higher and you start actually removing visible light and it's usually just for the color you're searching for (eg: bright blue, purple). 6000K is a very white light. Lower temperatures turn the color more amber, like stock halogens.

Thanks,
Brad

i have an apexcone brand 35w/5k kit from gremlyns. did the install about a month ago....no wiring harness....zero problems....great light output. super white light with the faintest blue tinge. looks oem.

Really nervous about this. I would love to do it, but I know myself. I would screw something up. Does anyone have any long term testing with an HID kit? Any issues?

Its easy. The hardest part is jacking the car and removing the wheels. The connectors are keyed. I read somewhere that the HIDs have a longer life than regular lamps.

I installed HID kits in my Grand Prix and our minivan, and I didn't have any problems in 3 years, except for one burned out bulb in my GP. I don't have the GP anymore but we still have the minivan, and the HID's are still working flawlessly.

Its easy. The hardest part is jacking the car and removing the wheels. The connectors are keyed. I read somewhere that the HIDs have a longer life than regular lamps.

where can I buy a wrench to remove the wheels ? Sears? Dealer? is it a 20mm ? Does anyone know?

You need a 22mm or 7/8" socket.

You can do the drivers side easily without removing the wheel (remove the air box).

You can do the passenger side without removing the wheel (it will be much easier if you do remove it), but you can do it just remove the fender liner pins and you can stick one arm up there. Only caveat is if your arms are too short/too big gotta remove the wheel.

I just did direct wire(no relay) and disabled the DRLs by pulling fuse 21.

man the passenger side looks a little tight to just go through the top.....also what kit did you get? I just ordered the 35w/6k kit....

no you still have to remove the fender liner and go through there. Can't really get to it from the top. I have 35w/5k from jetttstream.

HID Pics
http://www.stormdrake.com/g8/HID/P1010322.JPGhttp://www.stormdrake.com/g8/HID/P1010319.JPG

HID is on the passenger side, driver is stock headlight.

Difference is even more noticable at night.

Whats the details on the lights?

Expensive way to waterproof your ballasts... dielectric silicone dip coat.

http://www.ellsworth.com/display/productdetail.html?productid=238

If I cant do it by my self ...

How much it's gonna be to do it in an Auto Expert shope or somesthing like that ??

I've order them and I have them on the back seats 3 weeks ago ,,,

Regards..

read the install, all it is is taking out the old bulbs putting in the new ones, drilling 2 holes and plugging everything in. $50 install would be alot its not hard, driver side is very easy. Print out the first couple posts and take it with you and they should not have any problems.

Whats the details on the lights?

35W/5000K got them from Jetttstream (won them on another board).

I'd be worried if I went to a real shop and they only told me $50 for the install. I'm sure you could find somebody to do it for $50, but then I would expect a $50 job. It takes time to do everything right, and make it look good.

no you still have to remove the fender liner and go through there. Can't really get to it from the top. I have 35w/5k from jetttstream.

I got mine done on both sides through the top
I have the 55w, 8000k, and accessory harness from gremlyn's

Same here, I have small hands. :p

eek, 50 watt kits would be killers in these projectors, i got a 35 watt kit and once you go below the cutoff it blinds you like your looking at the sun. i paid $65 shipped for my slim kit 6000k off ebay

pictures

http://bmode.rmbuckbuilders.com/g8/hid1.JPG

http://bmode.rmbuckbuilders.com/g8/hid2.JPG

Are you guys taking out the DRL relay? I took mine out and the lights still turn on! Also mine blink on and off before turning on all the way. Are you guys seeing the same thing? I have the 55w 6000k kit.

Are you guys taking out the DRL relay? I took mine out and the lights still turn on! Also mine blink on and off before turning on all the way. Are you guys seeing the same thing? I have the 55w 6000k kit.

I'm not, are you sure you pulled the correct relay?

i didnt take out the relay, just the fuse, and it works perfectly, not flashing

i bought the 6000k 35watt kit and installed without the opt. harness I also pulled the drl fuse. My lights go off during startup then back on.

i pllued fuse number 21. drl has never come on since.

just to clarify, is fuse 21 a normal spade fuse, or is it a bigger black relay/fuse??

just to clarify, is fuse 21 a normal spade fuse, or is it a bigger black relay/fuse??

normal two-spade fuse. inside the car near your left leg (fuse panel).

hmmm, i took out the DRL relay, and I just took out fuse 21

but whenever I press unlock on my remote, only when it is dark out, the headlights will turn on

is there something I am doing wrong

Mike

Hmmmm.....that's interesting???? Is your kit a 35w or 55w? Did you use a wiring harness? I'm not an expert, but I have a 35w kit, pulled #21, and did not use a wiring harness and I don't have any issues with headlights flashing. My marker lights flash with remote, but that's it.

Hmmmm.....that's interesting???? Is your kit a 35w or 55w? Did you use a wiring harness? I'm not an expert, but I have a 35w kit, pulled #21, and did not use a wiring harness and I don't have any issues with headlights flashing. My marker lights flash with remote, but that's it.

same here

I have the 55 watt kit with the accessory harness

and I have both pulled, fuse 21 which was 15amps and the DRL relay, I think relay 11

There are 2 things I can think of, 1st what is happening is the automatic headlamp circuit, which is different than the DRL, 2nd my car is a canadian car so DRL are mandatory no matter what you do???

I have the 55 watt kit with the accessory harness

and I have both pulled, fuse 21 which was 15amps and the DRL relay, I think relay 11

There are 2 things I can think of, 1st what is happening is the automatic headlamp circuit, which is different than the DRL, 2nd my car is a canadian car so DRL are mandatory no matter what you do???

I wonder if the wiring harness being hard wired to the battery is causing this? Th Canadian thing in interesting too, but why would GM bother installing a fuse if it were non-overridable?

Is your polarity on the plug-in connections correct (neg to neg, positive to positive)?

I wonder if the wiring harness being hard wired to the battery is causing this? Th Canadian thing in interesting too, but why would GM bother installing a fuse if it were non-overridable?

Is your polarity on the plug-in connections correct (neg to neg, positive to positive)?

I am pretty sure my connections are good, as I have had no problems since I put them in about 2 months ago

I got a good HID kit for $85, but I just realized these are most definitely not "slim" ballast.

Will this guide still work for me? My ballast are much bigger than these. They are Xentec brand.

As long as you can find a place to mount the ballasts they will be ok.

I'm not, are you sure you pulled the correct relay?
No, I had pulled the ones in the engine bay instead of the one near the hood release. I got it right now.

I put in the 55w 6000k kit from Gremlyns tonight and they look awesome! They're so bright. I was probably driving on the road for 30 minutes and got flashed 4 times. This may be a dumb question but how would I click my headlights down a few notches?

Nevermind I figured out how to lower the lights. A couple of swift turns of the screw on each headlight and it makes a huge difference on the intense glare oncoming cars see. Still bright as hell lol. I do suggest to follow up and get some 6-LED 194 bulbs for 4.99 (shipping included) off ebay for license plate lights to have that front to back matching look. Looks better than mercedes and lexus lights anyday.

I have the same kit and the same issues of cars flashing. Before I lowered them, it seemed I could see 1 mile of road ahead of me. I just followed the alignment in the owners manual and lowered them about 3/4" below that.

Don't think anyone mentioned that the headlight caps have a rubber seal/gasket type thing, kinda like an o-ring, so the caps seal tight.
I didn't realize it fell off on mine and the caps felt loose til I saw it laying there.

Great step by steps! Just finished up my install, well sort of. Looks like I have a bad bulb. Figures it happens on my last side right after i've finished buttoning everything up. Thought it might have been the ballast so i undid EVERYTHING and check the ballast against the good side and all still worked.This was after replacing the 10 amp fuses in the fuse box that were getting blown. I'm guessing its something in the bulb since i've double checked my wirring with and without the accessory harness and still no luck. Anyone else have any issues like this? I hope that they will be willing to fix this quickly since one side looks great and the other is the stock halogen.

Don't think anyone mentioned that the headlight caps have a rubber seal/gasket type thing, kinda like an o-ring, so the caps seal tight.


That would seem to imply that the caps need to be sealed to prevent moisture from getting into the headlight. All those posts about condensation in the headlights after HID's are probably related to a bad seal after drilling the hole in the dust cap. You might want to consider using silicone around the wires to ensure an airtight seal in the modified dust cap after installing the HID kit.

Update:

Spoke with another member who has the same kit and found out my problem. Apparently the headlight connector can go on two ways. I thought the correct way was to line up the slot and post but it ended up being opposite. Lights look great! Can't wait to the car out tonight to see how well the work!

Just installed my hid's today and unfortunately one of the ballasts seems to be bad. It's the one that's on the passengers side. I've plugged the hid bulb into the good ballast and they both work. I'll be driving around with one headlights for a week or so now. Luckily, I don't drive at night that much. I've installed the ballasts in the same spot that Khaneric did in his post (http://www.g8board.com/forums/showpost.php?p=107254&postcount=32) but added something of my own. I used twisty ties to tie down the rectangular box to the top of the ballast. Here's some pics:

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr299/Audiophile1178/G8/DSC_3307.jpg
http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr299/Audiophile1178/G8/DSC_3309.jpg
http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr299/Audiophile1178/G8/DSC_3311.jpg

I assume that it's ok but if it isn't please someone tell me. I just thought that it'd be better than having that heavy thing swinging around loosening up my double sided tape.

Also, I bought the 35w 5000k kit from ddmtuning but noticed that the stock bulbs say that they are 12v 55w. It's hard for me to tell with only one hid working but from my understanding these 35w hid bulbs are supposed to be brighter than the stock bulbs. I can't tell if they are or not with only one hid working. I ordered the 35w ones because most people say that they're bright enough. Should I have ordered the 55w kit since the original bulbs are 55w?

Thanks for anyones help on this matter.

It would be better to use zip ties, then you know they won't come loose. Plus the metal wire inside the twist ties can rust. Also don't forget to remove the DRL fuse, it's #21 on the drivers side kick panel fusebox. The DRL's operate at lower voltage and that can fry the ballasts.

Just installed my hid's today and unfortunately one of the ballasts seems to be bad. It's the one that's on the passengers side. I've plugged the hid bulb into the good ballast and they both work. I'll be driving around with one headlights for a week or so now. Luckily, I don't drive at night that much. I've installed the ballasts in the same spot that Khaneric did in his post (http://www.g8board.com/forums/showpost.php?p=107254&postcount=32) but added something of my own. I used twisty ties to tie down the rectangular box to the top of the ballast. Here's some pics:

http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr299/Audiophile1178/G8/DSC_3307.jpg
http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr299/Audiophile1178/G8/DSC_3309.jpg
http://i493.photobucket.com/albums/rr299/Audiophile1178/G8/DSC_3311.jpg

I assume that it's ok but if it isn't please someone tell me. I just thought that it'd be better than having that heavy thing swinging around loosening up my double sided tape.

Also, I bought the 35w 5000k kit from ddmtuning but noticed that the stock bulbs say that they are 12v 55w. It's hard for me to tell with only one hid working but from my understanding these 35w hid bulbs are supposed to be brighter than the stock bulbs. I can't tell if they are or not with only one hid working. I ordered the 35w ones because most people say that they're bright enough. Should I have ordered the 55w kit since the original bulbs are 55w?

Thanks for anyones help on this matter.

I had the same issue if you see my posts above. Make sure you've got the bulb hooked up correctly inside the dust cover. That was the issue with mine and after changing that it worked perfectly. Matter of fact I just got back from a trip into town to test them out. Very bright and crisp light!

It would be better to use zip ties, then you know they won't come loose. Plus the metal wire inside the twist ties can rust. Also don't forget to remove the DRL fuse, it's #21 on the drivers side kick panel fusebox. The DRL's operate at lower voltage and that can fry the ballasts.

Yes, I'll put zip ties on it later but didn't have any in my house at the time. Do the ballasts get hot at all? I was wondering if the box being on top will create any problems. Also, the first thing I did after the install was pull the fuse. I think I read all the posts about hids on this board before I made my purchase.

I had the same issue if you see my posts above. Make sure you've got the bulb hooked up correctly inside the dust cover. That was the issue with mine and after changing that it worked perfectly. Matter of fact I just got back from a trip into town to test them out. Very bright and crisp light!

I saw your post and went outside to check that but the connectors only go in ONE WAY. My whole kit has connectors on everything that can only go in one way to pretty much make it idiot proof. I didn't purchase the wiring harness as it's not needed with the 35w kit. I got my kit from ddmtuning which seems great except the passenger side isn't working. Was the side that you had the problems with the passenger side? I guess I could file down the slot in the hid bulb connector to put it on in reverse but don't understand why it would work in the drivers side normally but have to be put on backward for the passenger.

I don't know if the ballasts get hot, I never had the new slim ballasts with the separate box, just the older one piece ballasts. The kit I bought the other day has slim ballasts, but I'm going to screw mine down so I won't have to zip tie the box to the ballast.

That would seem to imply that the caps need to be sealed to prevent moisture from getting into the headlight. All those posts about condensation in the headlights after HID's are probably related to a bad seal after drilling the hole in the dust cap. You might want to consider using silicone around the wires to ensure an airtight seal in the modified dust cap after installing the HID kit.

The rubber gasket thing I am referring to is stock. There is a rubber piece around the lip of the dust cap. Without it, the dust cap will be loose when turning it back in. When I removed mine it fell off the dust cap and when reinstalling the dust cap, it was super loose still after twisting it.
Later I noticed there was a rubber gasket laying on the floor.

The rubber gasket thing I am referring to is stock. There is a rubber piece around the lip of the dust cap. Without it, the dust cap will be loose when turning it back in. When I removed mine it fell off the dust cap and when reinstalling the dust cap, it was super loose still after twisting it.
Later I noticed there was a rubber gasket laying on the floor.


Right, and all I'm saying is that if the stock dust cap comes with a rubber o-ring to ensure a good seal, it's probably not a good idea to just drill a hole in the dust cap for wires and not seal it when you're done.

Right, and all I'm saying is that if the stock dust cap comes with a rubber o-ring to ensure a good seal, it's probably not a good idea to just drill a hole in the dust cap for wires and not seal it when you're done.

I installed my hids yesterday and I don't know how anyone isn't sealing theirs. There was about a 1/16"-1/8" play on the 1" diameter of the hole that I drilled and in between the two rubber lips. If they put an o-ring on it then i'm sure they want it to be sealed for a reason. I used RTV silicone adhesive sealant that I had lying around on the outside lip of the dustcap and it should work great. Boy that o-ring just falls off very easily. One time I was on the ground right when I was about to put it on and I didn't even know it fell off. I was looking for something and saw it on the ground.



A little follow up on my earlier problem getting the passenger side hid to work. Today, I ran a connection from my battery straight to the passenger side hid and it lit right up. So following snakey's advice I filed down the notch on the hid light that's inside the hid dust cap which connects to the stock connector. Once I got it filed down enough I then was able to connect it backwards (which is the correct way for this car) and the hid lit right up. I guess on the passenger side the pos and neg connections reversed as compared to the drivers side. Thank you snakey for getting me thinking about how to troubleshoot this issue! Everything works fine now. One last question is do I need to replace a fuse? I see that it was mentioned to replace a fuse because they were getting blown but i'm not having that problem. Is that only for the 55w kit?

I installed my hids yesterday and I don't know how anyone isn't sealing theirs. There was about a 1/16"-1/8" play on the 1" diameter of the hole that I drilled and in between the two rubber lips. If they put an o-ring on it then i'm sure they want it to be sealed for a reason. I used RTV silicone adhesive sealant that I had lying around on the outside lip of the dustcap and it should work great. Boy that o-ring just falls off very easily. One time I was on the ground right when I was about to put it on and I didn't even know it fell off. I was looking for something and saw it on the ground.



A little follow up on my earlier problem getting the passenger side hid to work. Today, I ran a connection from my battery straight to the passenger side hid and it lit right up. So following snakey's advice I filed down the notch on the hid light that's inside the hid dust cap which connects to the stock connector. Once I got it filed down enough I then was able to connect it backwards (which is the correct way for this car) and the hid lit right up. I guess on the passenger side the pos and neg connections reversed as compared to the drivers side. Thank you snakey for getting me thinking about how to troubleshoot this issue! Everything works fine now. One last question is do I need to replace a fuse? I see that it was mentioned to replace a fuse because they were getting blown but i'm not having that problem. Is that only for the 55w kit?

Glad it worked out for you. Helping one another out is what we are all here for. Well some of us anyways! Haha

I have the 55W kit and haven't had any issues with the 10 amp fuses. I personally wouldn't want to put anything higher in there for fear of messing something up.

Hey everyone, I've been getting a lot of questions lately on the harnesses. It has had a design change, and one of the connectors has been eliminated, so there should only be three now.

Two of the connectors on the harness provide power to the ballasts, and two on the old harness took power from the stock headlight connector to the relay, and would switch it on and off. One of those two that connected to the relay switch has been removed; it was redundant and served no purpose, other than to put the cost of the harness up (which is why the harnesses are now cheaper). We also found that on a small number of harnesses that one of the two connectors would be wired backwards and cause fuse-blowing havoc.

So you should have two connectors running to the light on the same side as the battery, and only one running to the other headlight. There will be a couple of extra wires coming from the bulb on the side with one connector, just don't connect them to anything and zip-tie them out of the way.

I just installed HID's the other day without a harness and they work perfect. There's no flickering and both bulbs light up every time. I did pull the DRL fuse so the ballasts don't get damaged from reduced power. They work great with the projectors and I can really see the road now!

Just finished installing my HID's today. Had problems with the passenger side as well but did get it fixed thanks to reading this. Went to take it out for a night drive and the lights are very bright and look amazing. Now something I haven't heard of anyone else saying. Turned the high-bems on to see the difference and both lights come on. So now when I turn the high-bems on the low-bems also stay on. I have no idea how that happened. Anyone have any ideas on this one. I didn't even touch the high-bems at all so why would the low-bems stay on with high-bems. So confused!!

I'm pretty sure the low beams stayed on before you upgraded to HID's. I'll have to check mine.....

Just finished installing my HID's today. Had problems with the passenger side as well but did get it fixed thanks to reading this. Went to take it out for a night drive and the lights are very bright and look amazing. Now something I haven't heard of anyone else saying. Turned the high-bems on to see the difference and both lights come on. So now when I turn the high-bems on the low-bems also stay on. I have no idea how that happened. Anyone have any ideas on this one. I didn't even touch the high-bems at all so why would the low-bems stay on with high-bems. So confused!!
I noticed this too, but who cares! haha

I noticed this too, but who cares! haha

Yeah I think its a good thing!

I have this posted in another thread, but when anyone installed their Gremlyn's or DDM kit (they are the same) did they get the HID lights "jiggling" or "bouncing" when you go over sharp bumps or rough spots in the road. I can see a noticeable difference in the light when I go over sharp bumps almost like the bulb is slightly shaking in the projecter. I wondered if anyone else experienced this or if something is wrong with mine. I still can't imagine how the bulbs would be shaking in the project, although they didn't seem very secure when I screwed them in...

Mine do bounce, but that's because the front end dips down quickly when going over large bumps. They don't jiggle when I go over small imperfections in the road, if yours do then then bulbs are loose in the socket.

Pop the dust cover off the drivers side (it's easy to get at) and see if the bulb wiggles in the socket. If it does then you will have to bend the tabs to get to to fit snug.

Mine do bounce, but that's because the front end dips down quickly when going over large bumps. They don't jiggle when I go over small imperfections in the road, if yours do then then bulbs are loose in the socket.

Pop the dust cover off the drivers side (it's easy to get at) and see if the bulb wiggles in the socket. If it does then you will have to bend the tabs to get to to fit snug.
The bulb doesn't wiggle in there, I checked. When I go over crappy road and I'm sure you have that in Chi-Town my lights jitter. Maybe I just didn't notice with the weak halogens.

If the bulbs are tight, then it must be the bumpiness of the road and our stiff suspension. I notice it sometimes in my car, but it's only when the road is really rough.

they are not in right..take out and do it again

they are not in right..take out and do it again
FML!

Guess I'll bend the damn clips and change the gasket.

Mine do bounce, but that's because the front end dips down quickly when going over large bumps. They don't jiggle when I go over small imperfections in the road, if yours do then then bulbs are loose in the socket.

Pop the dust cover off the drivers side (it's easy to get at) and see if the bulb wiggles in the socket. If it does then you will have to bend the tabs to get to to fit snug.
I wouldn't say the driver side was easy to get at by any means and I don't have huge hands either! How did you get at the dust cover. I unlatched the airbox and pulled the top part away, but the damn tube is still in the way.

Sorry I forgot that some still have the stock airbox, I have a CAI so it's wide open there. There's one bolt and 2 nuts holding the lower part of the airbox in place, so it's easy to remove it.

UPDATE: I undid everything again and checked the light security in the projector and there was indeed a slight bit of movement in the projectors. Very little, but I could see how they would look like they're bouncing around.

Took out the bulbs, replace w/ the stock gaskets (not much bigger if at all) and bent the tabs down. I had to crank those puppies in there when I was done. Shouldn't be any problems now! Thanks for the help guys.

The lights should be much better now!

The lights should be much better now!
UPDATE: Drove last night and nothing at all is different. Maybe I'm just OCD about the light bouncing around, who knows. All I know is that those things are cranked in there now, so I'll just get over it.

I think it's because there's a cutoff line and you can see it bobbing up & down over the bumps. Mine does that too, and there's nothing you can do about it. It's possible that your headlights are loose, I had that problem with my 2004 Grand Prix. The whole light assembly would jiggle when I hit bumps. Eventually GM issued a kit to fix that with metal mounting brackets to replace the plastic ones.

I think it's because there's a cutoff line and you can see it bobbing up & down over the bumps. Mine does that too, and there's nothing you can do about it. It's possible that your headlights are loose, I had that problem with my 2004 Grand Prix. The whole light assembly would jiggle when I hit bumps. Eventually GM issued a kit to fix that with metal mounting brackets to replace the plastic ones.
Ahhh, more issues with my car! I'll try playing with the cutoff. I lowered it a lot from the stock. It's not the cutoff I can see, it's about 10 feet in front of my car where there is a semi-bright spot in the lighting. I have been thinking it might be that I turned the cutoff down so far that it's dispersing the light strangely, making any bounce more noticeable. OR I'm nuts... one of those two. I'll try adjusting it tonight.

I didn't adjust mine, they seem good at the factory setting. The cutoff line is just above the bumper on other cars so I figure that's ok.

I didn't adjust mine, they seem good at the factory setting. The cutoff line is just above the bumper on other cars so I figure that's ok.

I didn't adjust mine either and they seem to be fine. The only thing that I wish I did was get the 4300k kit instead of the 5000k kit. They're a little too blue for my taste. I wanted pure white and the 5000k has a tint of blue. When there's a white car in front of me the car looks like it has a blue tint to it instead of being white. That's why I didn't get the 55w kit because I didn't want to mess with the adjustments and leave it at stock. I think the rule of thumb is leave the cutoff stock for the 35w kit and lower it for the 55w kit.

I have 5000K and they have a slight blue tint but I like it. I had 6000K in my Grand Prix and there's too much blue. You can always buy 4300K bulbs, they are only like $20 a pair plus shipping on Ebay.

I have 5000K and they have a slight blue tint but I like it. I had 6000K in my Grand Prix and there's too much blue. You can always buy 4300K bulbs, they are only like $20 a pair plus shipping on Ebay.

How do you just replace the bulbs? I bought the ddm ones (apexcone.com) (same as gremlyns) and it didn't look like you could take just the bulb out. I treid to take the bulb out before I put them in for that same reason and it looked like I was going to break it so I stopped.

You would replace the whole bulb assembly, including the wires & plugs that connect to the ballast.

You would replace the whole bulb assembly, including the wires & plugs that connect to the ballast.

Thanks, that's what I thought. I'll just keep it like it is because I've already siliconed them to the dust covers and don't feel like going through that whole mess again.

I didn't adjust mine, they seem good at the factory setting. The cutoff line is just above the bumper on other cars so I figure that's ok.
Drove a Town and Country tonight just to see if I could replicate the 'jittering' of the light over sharp bumps. It was nothing like in my G8, none whatsoever, so now I'm even more pissed off. I can't understand what would be loose and allowing the light to bounce around. This happens on side streets going 25 MPH, so as you can imagine, it's very annoying. Seems like both sides bounce equally...

Adjusting the tabs on the bulbs and replacing the rubber gasket didn't help at all. I guess that narrows it down to the housing or the front end being loose??? What the hell.

See if you can move the housing. Also there's 2 screws on the top, make sure they're tight.

See if you can move the housing. Also there's 2 screws on the top, make sure they're tight.
I'll check that out right now. Thanks for helping me out, btw.

Just checked and they are very tight. I was lightly hitting the headlight housing with my fist and notice there was some "flex" in it, but that has nothing to do with the bolt tightness and seems perfectly normal. I refuse to believe the bulbs are loose in the projector.

It must be the stiffness of the suspension on our cars that's being transmitted to the headlights. The Town & Country minivan has a much softer ride, so that's probably why it isn't as noticeable. After you bent the tabs and reinstalled the bulbs I doubt they are loose in the sockets, so it doesn't seem like you'll be able to eliminate it. The only alternative would be to have the dealer look at it, maybe the projectors are loose in the headlight assembly.

It must be the stiffness of the suspension on our cars that's being transmitted to the headlights. The Town & Country minivan has a much softer ride, so that's probably why it isn't as noticeable. After you bent the tabs and reinstalled the bulbs I doubt they are loose in the sockets, so it doesn't seem like you'll be able to eliminate it. The only alternative would be to have the dealer look at it, maybe the projectors are loose in the headlight assembly.
I have to take it in tomorrow for the front suspension noise. i know they will screw up my HIDs or claim I screwed up the projector if I ask them to check it...Guess I'll live with it.

I know it's a hassle but you could throw the stock bulbs back in. If you can do a video I can tell you if it's the same or worse than mine. Mine do move up & down slightly, but it's not bad enough to bother me.

Maybe ive missed something here. But way cant we just remove the headlights from the car to install the hids? Why remove the front wheels an fender linings an do it that way? On my 01 gp just had to remove 2 bolts each headlight an pull them out. I just picked up H9 an H11 hid kits. Will be installing them was i get my car back from the dealers problems with it already 1week old.

You can't remove the headlight assembly without removing the fascia...

You can't remove the headlight assembly without removing the fascia...

Well that sucks.

Has anybody installed high beam hids? Can you get to it the same way as the lows? Anybody just crack the wheel to one side unscrew the fender liner and install their hid? Dont see why you'd have to remove the tire unless there is no room to play. I have not tryed yet thats why im asking. thanks

Thanks for this thread. I installed HIDSpeed 35w 8K slim ballast kit on my GXP mounting the ballasts in the fender pockets. Couple Comments:

I did have the remove the passenger front wheel, I have large mitts.
I did remove the DRL relay and fuse under the dash.
I did upgrade the headlamp 'low profile' fuses to 20AMP in the power distribution box under the hood, my first encounter with these fuses.

I have not adjusted the lamps yet, but do appreciate the night time and rain driving performance, a bit of work to install, but a great enhancement to the car. As for Highs or driving lamps, I've driven before w/o realizing the driving lamps weren't on, the just offer such low, supplement fill compared to the LO HID's.

Great Thread, thanks again.

You should never install a higher amperage fuse than the one that was in there. The wiring is rated at the fuse amperage that's in there, and doing so can cause the wiring to overheat and start a fire.

I still need to get in gear and order a set... I miss HIDs so bad... but I have to find the time as well to do the install...

Good Point.

I'll double check, but the majority of what comes out of that box appeared to be the same gauge/spec wire and there are bigger fuses in there than 20amp.

It's not the size wire that's coming out of the fusebox that matters, it's what you can't see further away where there are plugs and connectors. Hey it's your car you do what you want, but if GM thought the circuit could handle more amperage they would have put a higher amp fuse in there.

romey- i just installed my HIDs this weekend. Right away, I noticed a little jiggle in the beam concentration about 10-15' in front of the car. It almost appears like the arc is bouncing inside the bulb...which is probably not possible, but that's what it looks like. I don't think anything's looser than before (how could it be?), its probably just because the HIDs are a much more intense source of light, so everything's more pronounced.

The one thing I'm worried about is the wires inside the assembly. I noticed that when I plugged the kit in (on the inside of the caps), there's alot more wiring crammed in there, and I don't want the metal reflector melting the wires, should they be touching it, because once you screw that dust cap back on, there's nothing you can do about it...

HID's don't get that hot so there's no chance of melting the wires. In most cases they are cooler than a halogen bulb with a filament.

cool! (pun intended, i guess...)

romey- i just installed my HIDs this weekend. Right away, I noticed a little jiggle in the beam concentration about 10-15' in front of the car. It almost appears like the arc is bouncing inside the bulb...which is probably not possible, but that's what it looks like. I don't think anything's looser than before (how could it be?), its probably just because the HIDs are a much more intense source of light, so everything's more pronounced.

The one thing I'm worried about is the wires inside the assembly. I noticed that when I plugged the kit in (on the inside of the caps), there's alot more wiring crammed in there, and I don't want the metal reflector melting the wires, should they be touching it, because once you screw that dust cap back on, there's nothing you can do about it...
This is exactly what I am seeing as well. I even took the bulbs out, bent the tabs down and reinstalled the bulbs and the second time I had to really try to get them in there. They are super tight, so I don't see how they could be bouncing around. I thought maybe it was just because the HIDs are more intense, but I really don't think it's correct.

If you drive a car with halogens you can still see that more intense beam concentration in front of the car, but it will not bounce around. I confirmed this is another vehicle.

I'm at a loss on what to do to be honest. I was going to rip it apart again today, but it was too cold.

As for the wires...don't worry about those at all.

i'll admit its a bit annoying, but i don't think theres anything we can do about it. OEM stuff usually isn't replicated to exact specs, so i'm sure there's subtle differences in the base of HIDs, and how they fit.

just the way it is, i guess.

i'll admit its a bit annoying, but i don't think theres anything we can do about it. OEM stuff usually isn't replicated to exact specs, so i'm sure there's subtle differences in the base of HIDs, and how they fit.

just the way it is, i guess.
What's interesting and annoying is that nobody else has noticed this expect me and you. Kind of makes me wonder....

Something is obviously moving. I'm having trouble pinpointing it, but when I do I will most def. fix it.

Interesting that Gremlyn hasn't chimed in on this yet. Wonder if he's ever seen it before?

Mine bounce too, but it's not bad enough to be annoying. Like I said before, the stiff suspension on out cars has a lot to do with the lights jiggling.

Mine bounce too, but it's not bad enough to be annoying. Like I said before, the stiff suspension on out cars has a lot to do with the lights jiggling.
Hmm, as much as I want to believe you Doc, I don't buy it. The suspension really isn't that stiff. Plus, the bounce isn't in accordance with the suspension bounce. For instance and practical purposes, if you hit a sharp bump the suspension will shift the car up, but the light will bounce up and then down, then back to normal. Mind you this is all very quickly, but you know it oscillates so to speak.

When the suspension goes up, it has to come down, then back to normal. I don't see that being an issue. You need to make a video of this and I can compare it to mine, then I'll be able to tell if it's normal or not.

When the suspension goes up, it has to come down, then back to normal. I don't see that being an issue. You need to make a video of this and I can compare it to mine, then I'll be able to tell if it's normal or not.
I'll make a video of it tonight Doc.

When the suspension goes up, it has to come down, then back to normal. I don't see that being an issue. You need to make a video of this and I can compare it to mine, then I'll be able to tell if it's normal or not.
Tried making a vid tonight. The resolution of the camera is good, but you can't see the beam bouncing. I did however get flashed tonight for the first time by some minivan....interesting.

I tried only the fogs to see if I could see them doing the same thing, but they beam obviously isn't as clear and bright. Guess I"ll just live with it. The cutoff doesn't seems to bounce around, more like the brightest spot of the light about 10 feet in front of the car I can see jiggling around. Unless someone can come up with some explanation, I'm lost.

That's odd because a camera is more sensitive than the naked eye. I would think if you can see it the camera would too. If the cutoff line isn't bouncing, the projectors aren't moving, so it must be the bulbs. If you bent the tabs on the bulb bases then there' not much else you can do, except buy some new bulbs from a different seller, or live with it.

Romey that's exactly what my lights do. It's like the most intense part of the light that does jitters. I just cut the foglights on when it starts to bother me and they'll drown out the slight jittering.

Romey that's exactly what my lights do. It's like the most intense part of the light that does jitters. I just cut the foglights on when it starts to bother me and they'll drown out the slight jittering.
I guess I'll just keep the fogs on then, thanks for the tip!

Glad I'm not the only "nut job" that's seeing this.

No, others are seeing it, but you are the only nut job...



lol jk

No, others are seeing it, but you are the only nut job...



lol jk

Well.... I'm alright with that :drink:

I'm ripping apart my lights again tomorrow, I can't stand it. I'm wondering if something in my projectors is loose. If I find anything I'll let you guys know.

UPDATE: Alright, I've torn apart the drivers side and have it all opened up right now. I just pulled my car into the garage where it's dark and was flicking the projector and voila, the dreaded jittering I've seen for the past month. There is just enough play (deflection) in the projector that the light beam moves noticeably. I did some more observing last night and on the highway the bounce is really bad. Especially disgusting looking on dark roads where the speed limit is 45 or so.

Now the problem is figuring out a way to fix this or somehow reinforce the projector. Seems not right that the projectors came like this from the factory, although I doubt any dealer would deal with this .... I tried deflecting the projector from left to right and there was none at all. Figures, the only way the projector would deflect is up and down. This is apparently on both sides and seems to be a "normal" thing with these projectors as others have said they noticed the same thing. I was thinking an epoxy of some sort, but I have no idea how to get into the housing. I believe it requires removing the front fascia, which I am not willing to do.

Anybody else have any bright idears?

Does it only happen after putting in a HID kit or did it happen with halogens as well? If the projector is loose, I'd think you'd have noticed it prior to the HID install.

Does it only happen after putting in a HID kit or did it happen with halogens as well? If the projector is loose, I'd think you'd have noticed it prior to the HID install.
Never noticed it with the halogens. But I was never paying attention to the light at that time and the clarity of the beam with the HIDs is a lot more noticeable. You're right though, I would think I would have noticed it before. Other people have seen it to though, so I don't know...

Plus, after reinstalling the HIDs tighter (an understatement), I noticed no change at all in the bouncing. This is how I know it's not just my mounting that I screwed up.

Very good onfo on HID conversion but I have one question. I plan to upgrade myself but I was wondering how does this affect the "flash to pass" feature? I do use it occasionaly when the slowski's are in the way but dont want to damage the HID's either. Any thoughts?

Very good onfo on HID conversion but I have one question. I plan to upgrade myself but I was wondering how does this affect the "flash to pass" feature? I do use it occasionaly when the slowski's are in the way but dont want to damage the HID's either. Any thoughts?
I think this still works.

Yep it still works, I use it quite often on slowski's.

Perfect, thanks for the info

Tried reinstalling my HIDs today and look what happened when I tried turning them into the projector housings:

http://www.g8board.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=138&pictureid=558

This is an Apexcone kit.....quality stuff here :bs:

Hmmm not good, but at least you can get some better bulbs now. These are the same bulbs from the same kit I have, give them a try.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280314542399&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=

Mine are supposed to have a lifetime warranty, but I don't necessarily even want a new set. Oh well...

Having issues with fuses blowing, no clue why, I did everything to the letter. DRL fuse is unplugged. ??? Haven't even seen the HID's on yet.

Sounds like you have a short or a bad connection in the HID wiring. I pulled my DRL fuse and I have no issues with fuses blowing. I have the 35 watt slim ballast HID's.

just a thought, have you tried driving or riding with someone else and have someone follow in your car at night? reason im asking, is we all know we can tell headlights that are loose and jiggly when we meet them or have them in our rear view mirrors. wondering if yours is bad enough to look like that....alot of sport bikers have that issue with their HIDs too...im betting its gonna be something you are going to have to live with. halogen isnt as intense so you may not notice it or it be detectable but if the projecters jiggle up and down the HIDs will just amplify that. honda S2000's are horrible about that when they are behind you.

just a thought, have you tried driving or riding with someone else and have someone follow in your car at night? reason im asking, is we all know we can tell headlights that are loose and jiggly when we meet them or have them in our rear view mirrors. wondering if yours is bad enough to look like that....alot of sport bikers have that issue with their HIDs too...im betting its gonna be something you are going to have to live with. halogen isnt as intense so you may not notice it or it be detectable but if the projecters jiggle up and down the HIDs will just amplify that. honda S2000's are horrible about that when they are behind you.
No I haven't tried that, but my passengers see what I'm talking about and they said it's not right either.

I can see there is a more intense part of the beam pattern both with the HIDs and halogens, more noticeable with teh HIDs, but I don't see that beam pattern moving like I do with the HIDs. Maybe I'm delusional :)

Just get the Ebay bulbs I posted from their store HID Direct and it will solve the shaking problem.

Just get the Ebay bulbs I posted from their store HID Direct and it will solve the shaking problem.
Alright Doc, I'm going to get the ones off of ebay. I have to pay both ways shipping to get them warrantied anyways, so it will only be little more for the new and (hopefully) better bulbs!

Can someone get a pic of the dustcovers after putting silicone on them?

Can someone get a pic of the dustcovers after putting silicone on them?
If nobody posts one, I'll get one when I get my new bulbs shipped to me.

Speaking of dust covers...Did anybody ever find out the correct part number for replacement dust covers?

Speaking of dust covers...Did anybody ever find out the correct part number for replacement dust covers?
Negative, but I wouldn't mind getting a few extras. Maybe ask the dealer?

Just got my new bulbs. They don't have the connector from the OEM harness to the ballast, so I'll have to do some surgery on the new bulb's grommet. More ***** to do. All I have to say is that these ones better not bounce.

Can someone get a pic of the dustcovers after putting silicone on them?

Here ya go:

http://www.g8board.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=138&pictureid=678

And you can see where I had to cut through the grommet to get the stock power source to ballast connection through...

http://www.g8board.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=138&pictureid=679

You can remove the plastic connector from the stock power source to ballast connection, and just poke the metal contacts through the grommet. Then you won't have to cut the grommet. So did you try them out, is there any shake?

Speaking of dust covers...Did anybody ever find out the correct part number for replacement dust covers?

Mine haven't come in yet to see if the are right.

You can remove the plastic connector from the stock power source to ballast connection, and just poke the metal contacts through the grommet. Then you won't have to cut the grommet. So did you try them out, is there any shake?
This way works well too, especially after the caulk has set. Now everything is nice and snug in there.

I'm about to put them in right now, the moment of truth will be tonight when I drive...

You can remove the plastic connector from the stock power source to ballast connection, and just poke the metal contacts through the grommet. Then you won't have to cut the grommet. So did you try them out, is there any shake?
Same shake. Maybe slightly better, but the projector is moving. Apparently the normal play in the projector is causing the light to shake. Oh well, I'm done messing with it. The projector needs to be reinforced in the housing with some bracket or something. I'm not willing to do that, it seems very involved in those tight quarters.

You can see if the dealer will replace the headlights, that's the only solution.

Having issues with fuses blowing, no clue why, I did everything to the letter. DRL fuse is unplugged. ??? Haven't even seen the HID's on yet.
After this I tried both ballasts and bulbs on both sides, I can get them to work on the drivers side but not on the passengers side at all. It seems that the wiring from the original headlight plug are opposite the drivers side. Checking the power and ground, the power and the positive don't line up on the pas side, but they do on the drivers side. I can't figure it out.

See if you can remove the terminals and reverse them in the connector.

You are correct. On the drivers side, the connector will go in just normally how you think it would, but the passenger side is opposite. You will have to force the plug in "reverse" from the drivers side.

After this I tried both ballasts and bulbs on both sides, I can get them to work on the drivers side but not on the passengers side at all. It seems that the wiring from the original headlight plug are opposite the drivers side. Checking the power and ground, the power and the positive don't line up on the pas side, but they do on the drivers side. I can't figure it out.

You can cut the tab inside the connector to make them work so you don't have to force the connector together. I had to cut both of the tabs on my kit to get them to work.

So I installed my kit a while back, worked fine until today. One of the lights wont come on anymore. How to I find out if it's my bulb or my ballast?

Plug the unlit bulb into the other ballast, that will tell you if the bulb is good or bad.

Plug the unlit bulb into the other ballast, that will tell you if the bulb is good or bad.


Thanks, that's so obvious I feel dumb for not doing that first. Due to time constraints I was hoping someone would have some super quick solution but I guess that really would be the easiest way. I'll try that tomorrow afternoon, I really really hope it's the bulbs :slap:

Usually the bulbs go out before the ballasts, but with electronics anything can happen. If you just got yours they should come with a warranty.

So guys, I did my HID Apexcone kit install...everything went awesome.

I have one question..

Do I really need to pull the fuse of the DRL ? What's the issue with this?

Yes you do, the DRL's operate at reduced voltage and the ballasts can get damaged because they need a constant 12+ volts to function properly. The only you can avoid removing the DRL fuse is to turn the headlights on & off manually with the dash switch during the daytime, but that to me is a hassle. And if you forget to do that it will shorten the life of the ballasts.

Okay done.

Thanks

or you could block the sensor on the dash and have your headlights on all day

Speaking of dust covers...Did anybody ever find out the correct part number for replacement dust covers?


The correct part number for the dust cover is 92193038 which is listed as the high beam cover but fits the low beam also. Part number 92193037 is the number GM says is the low beam but after the dealer ordered it three times and it was the wrong one each time plus the pictures of the headlight assembly show the wrong one also. That one is to small in diameter to fit.

You can cut the tab inside the connector to make them work so you don't have to force the connector together. I had to cut both of the tabs on my kit to get them to work.
Ya I was considering that, maybe I'll try it.

Thanks for the write up I used this recently and I was glad I read everything here first. Made the install much easier.

For the life of me I can not get the DRL to turn off. I have removed both the relay #11 and fuse #21 on the driver side kick panel and I can not get the DRL's to turn off. What gives?

Go out and look at the headlights, they won't be lit during the day but the dash indicator will still be on.

Go out and look at the headlights, they won't be lit during the day but the dash indicator will still be on.

DRCUSTOMPARTS

Funny you say that I was working on the car in my garage and thought to myself. "I bet I am seeing the auto headlights and thinking the DRL on." Sure enough I took the car outside turned the car off and then back on and presto the DRL are not on.

Take care
Blade

The correct part number for the dust cover is 92193038 which is listed as the high beam cover but fits the low beam also. Part number 92193037 is the number GM says is the low beam but after the dealer ordered it three times and it was the wrong one each time plus the pictures of the headlight assembly show the wrong one also. That one is to small in diameter to fit.

Have you verified that part number 92193038 fits the low beams as expected?

Have you verified that part number 92193038 fits the low beams as expected?

Yes they do fit and they look exactly the same as the originals. I just wanted a extra pair to have in case I needed to go back stock. It just took awhile to get the covers to come in.

Finished my HID install. But before I finished I took this pic to show HID-vs-Halogen.

4019

Take care
Blade

I have a question for anyone in here. After installing each HID bulb I would test them and everything was fine no buzzing sound. However after going for a short test drive. I come back turned off the car for a short time. I then go in the house to show the wife the new HID's however this time when I turn them out they emit a loud buzzing sound that dies out after about 10 seconds. If I turn off the light then turn the right back on afterwards it does not make this sound. It only happens after the car has been off for about 2 or 3 minites. BTW I did remove the DRL fuse 21 from the kick panel. Any help would be great.

Thank you
Blade

I have a question for anyone in here. After installing each HID bulb I would test them and everything was fine no buzzing sound. However after going for a short test drive. I come back turned off the car for a short time. I then go in the house to show the wife the new HID's however this time when I turn them out they emit a loud buzzing sound that dies out after about 10 seconds. If I turn off the light then turn the right back on afterwards it does not make this sound. It only happens after the car has been off for about 2 or 3 minites. BTW I did remove the DRL fuse 21 from the kick panel. Any help would be great.

Thank you
Blade

The sound is normal. Its the ballast igniting the bulb.

Really nervous about this. I would love to do it, but I know myself. I would screw something up. Does anyone have any long term testing with an HID kit? Any issues?

I have two hid kits on two motorcycles... One been going flawless for three years and the other two. Drove cross country, ZERO issues.. 6603 miles in 10 days...

Got my Kits from here...
FLAWLESS and EASY...
200 bucks for a set !

http://www.xenonrider.com/

Wow that's over $100 too much for an HID kit. I paid $75 shipped for mine on Ebay.

I had a kit in my 04 GTP for 3 years and my wife's minivan still has the same kit after 4 years with no problems with either one.

So these kits are low beams only? What about high beams, do we keep those as standard?

Does anyone know what bulbs the 2008 Escalade comes with? My mom has one and thats the temperature (correct wording?) I want.

So these kits are low beams only? What about high beams, do we keep those as standard?

Does anyone know what bulbs the 2008 Escalade comes with? My mom has one and thats the temperature (correct wording?) I want.

The HID on Highs take too long to get up to full brightness..
Tried em on my bike.. just didn't' work.. KILLS the life of the ballast.

Most factory HID's are 4300K, or you can go with 5000K which is what I have and most people get.

I had HID's in the Lows and Fogs on my Silverado (08). I found out when I traded that my light bulbs were the same P/N for the G8, so I stripped them off and will be re-installing them next time I get a chance.

I ordered my kits from www.vvme.com (http://www.vvme.com) (v v m e.com), and the ones I used for the fogs (factory bulb is 5202, IIRC) is the 880 bulb kit. It doesn't mount like stock, but the base is a perfect fit for the bulb opening, and a little silicone and some electrical tape (to hold it in while setting the silicone) works great on the truck. It should be just as easy on the G8. I paid just over $130 for both sets, shipped. Got 'em quick, too.

I think I'm just going to stick with the low beam kit for the G8, tho. I don't really need HID's in my fogs when the lows put out so much light to begin with.

And yes, high-beam HID's are pointless and a waste of money. ;)

Any of you guys have a problems with you HID's as of yet...had an issue with condensation in the lense casing...took it in got that fixed now i've noticed that from time to time both lights don't light up...i have to physically turn my light switch on for the other one to fire up...at first it was just the passenger side but this morning i've noticed it happened on the driver's side...any ideas as to what the problem could be....i've only had them since March/April 09

Last week I saw condensation on my DR side.

Did you take it to the dealer for this? How they fixed it?

Haven't had any lightning issues.

Iverson003 if you haven't pulled the DRL fuse you probably damaged the ballasts because they run on pulsed current.

Hmm well i didn't install it myself..took it to an aftermarket shop in my area...i went to them regarding the condensation...they said they put some "****ing" around the back cap which solved the condensation...but now since then i've had the light problem...not at the same time but every few days now one would go on and i would have to physically turn my lights on for the other to fire up...sooo they've obviously made some sort of mistake again...its irritating.

Did you pull the Daylight Running Lights fuse or are they still coming on during the day?

They're still coming on during the day...but thats what i want..i want them on during the day and then obviously at night...sorry...i'm not car techy soo...from your point i'm assuming they SHOULD have pulled that fuse...yes or no?

Yes you should pull the DRL fuse, having them come on during the day can damage the ballasts. But then they might be damaged already.....

See thats the thing i've read many threads where they were able to have them running throughout the day as well as night time driving with no issues..i dunno maybe its a connection error after they sealed the cap after i took it back...ive read in some places that they've had issues like this because of the wiring harness is junk...some have ordered a DDM harness which has solved the issue so i'm thinking that may be an issue with what i've got.

The DRL's run at reduced voltage and will damage the ballasts, it has been proven.

you can put black electrical tape over your light sensor on the dash board, they will run full power full headlights all day all night

Nick that will reduce the life of the bulbs, so I just pulled the fuse. You can always use the parking lights as DRL's, they are a lot cheaper bulbs to replace.

yeah i here what your saying but there's gotta be another way...i like having my DRL's running during the day and then a full power at night. How many amps is the fuse for the DRL's...what if you put in a stronger fuse would that solve the problem or just burn out the lights or ballasts even more..haha.

I wish the DRL set up was like my civic..
The DRL is the highbeams on low current.
This way when I fire up my headlight's it's my HID.
I have PIAA Ion Yellows in my Highs and they are AWESOME at night with HID !

Using a fuse with a different rating won't change the pulsed current in the DRL circuit. I like the DRL's automatically coming on too, but I don't want to have to buy new ballasts everytime I turn around. Besides I think the yellow parking lights look better than the white headlights during the daytime.

Ahhhh c'mon someone with another opinion pls...there's gotta be a way around it. haha

Another opinion was already given:
you can put black electrical tape over your light sensor on the dash board, they will run full power full headlights all day all night

hmmm yeah..ok how bout a third opinion..i'd rather not fry the ballasts by keeping them on all day and night.

I've had HID's in 3 different cars so everything I told you was correct. I'm done here so you're on your own now.

Don't do the install. :stickpoke:

Did mine today... had the reversed polarity issue on one of the harnesses... no biggie... jewelers screwdriver to release the pins, quick swap no rewire, and we're in business.

Did it without removing either wheel... man that pass. side was a tough one!

I've been ticked off about the no DRLs for while. I just ended up running parking lights and fogs on all the time by turning the light switch one in the clockwise direction and pulling out the knob for fogs.

I wish I could have it that way without manually switching, but oh well!

haha well the instal was already done...anyways thanks for ur input guys much appreciated.

The DRL's run at reduced voltage and will damage the ballasts, it has been proven.

I'm confused..... I thought that if you used the wiring harness and the ballasts were connected directly to the battery and getting a constant 12V that the damage due to lower/pulsed voltage wasn't an issue anymore.

I've heard that too but I don't know if it's true.

Thats how I had it in my GP and they flickered with the drls...
http://www.milehive.com/stories09/myth-busted.jpg

Great info, thanks for the writeup

I install my hids today. I wanted to retain the factory drl function. I used a different style of relay which is perfect for the drl system. The standard relay is a 12vdc turn-on which will not allow the proper turn on of the relay under 12 volt for drl. The switch smart relay allows a low trigger turn-on from 1vdc to 14vdc which is perfect for the drl turn-on trigger and standard turn-on for the headlamps. Works great. The relay is called switch smart. Here's the link
http://northeast-edc.com/

but they will still run all day... you will weaken your ballasts I've been told

Lifetime warranty on the ballast. =) But you can always turn the auto to off at the light switch. I like the DRL function.

The DRL's still come on with the switch set to off, the auto function is only for the headlights. So have fun driving in the dark when you're waiting for your free lifetime replacement ballasts!

so just pulling the DRL fuse in the cabin for alright for everyone?

Yes indeed Shane.

Yes indeed Shane.
thanks never put hids in any of my last car/trucks..

one of my aftermarket bulbs i had in the gto that got wrecked(removed them and put them in the g8)finally burnt out last night at the track so i just said screw it and just ordered a set of hids..

Any long term issues with those of you who have had these on for several months? Any heat, melting, discoloration, etc. Thanks!

No problems with mine after 3 months. I highly recommend them for the low beams!

So far so good...

None...just brighter lights

I received my kit from Gremlyns last Monday and installed them that night. If you want to get the headache out of the way right away, do the passenger side first. What a PITA! :banghead: Tried to take the whole relay/fuse block out and just couldn't. Mind you I went in from up top instead of taking the wheel off. Had another person pushing the fuse/relay assembly out of the way once I loosened it up enough for it to move. Besides that side, the only issue I had was having to put both plugs in backwards from the vehichle. I know many just had to do that with one side. Over all, about an hour and a half to do the passenger side. Driver side, 15 minutes. Glad I did it though. Looks amazing. Just need to adjust the lights now. Actually looks like I need to raise the passenger side just a touch to make it level. Oh I got the 35w 5k kit.

To make sure mine were straight I just parked close to my garage door at night and adjusted...reversed the car a little more and adjusted and a few more times and they're dead on.

For the record since I didn't see a definitive post on this here... the driver's side is the one with the reversed polarity. With the Raptor kit I just used an Xacto knife to slice off the little peg inside the harness to get it to plug in.

Also this can be done without jacking the car up - just cut the wheel hard to the opposite side and you can get in to the fender. I only had to do that with the passenger side since I have a CAI and could do the driver's side easily.

Last but not least the DRL fuse is the fifth one from the left on the bottom row.

what is the final word? if i use the wiring harness can i still use the DRL's? or does the relay still pulse the ballast?

Well after a few nights of driving, something just didn't look right. Driver side is great, nice and bright, and a great beam. The passenger side however just didn't look right. Pulled up to the garage door and sure enough, the passenger side looks "off". Almost like the light is difused improperly. It's bright, but doesn't have that nice "beam" straight ahead of the vehicle. Has anyone else had this problem or know what might be causing it?

It sounds like the bulb is in there crooked.