[PhiL P]

Hi all,

Just got myself a 2003 Mondeo 2.0 Ghia estate with the optional xenon headlamps and was just curious as to whether anyone has ever suffered a xenon failure?

My last car was a high-mileage 2001 Citroen C5 with xenons and during it's two years with me both lamps suffered failed ignitor units, which due to the design couldn't be replaced seperately and so required entire replacement headlamps at ~£500 apiece!!!

I really shouldn't have gone for a car with xenons again after that experience but found the right car for the right price that happened to have them..

Cheers,

PhiL

 

[magic919]

I've only seen one such post on here. Was a failed ignitor box.

 

[thelongmile]

ignitor ? how the hell do those things work?

 

[magic919]

They step the normal voltage up to some thousands of volts to get the arc going. Then they current limit as the bulb exhibits negative resistance from then on.

 

[PhiL P]

It seems the problem with xenons is that often they are paired with automatic lights which means they can be turning on and off numerous times if it's raining or simply a dull day, which requires the ignitors to fire repeatedly during just one journey.

Think I'll refrain from using the auto function on mine just incase.. onder:

 

[RBagnall]

My passenger side xenon headlamp failed on Monday. Car is going into Fords on Friday. The full beam lamp has also stopped working. I assume it is just because the dipped beam has failed. Hopefully the problem is just the igniter as I could not find any fuses blown. Does anyone know if the igniter is covered by the warrenty?

Thanks

Richard.

 

[thelongmile]

i would imagine everything minus the bulbs are covered by the warantee mate

 

[RBagnall]

Took my mondeo into fords today for them to have a look at the passenger side xenon headlamp. They rang me to tell me that the xenon bulb was broken and that a new one would be needed. It would cost me £210 to replace as the xenon headlamps are only covered for one year. I resigned myself to having to pay this as I can't go round with only one headlamp. However when I left work tonight and put the dipped beam on, both headlamps worked. Even full beam is working now. I can only assume that the problem was the connector block to the headlamp and disconnecting it and re-connected fixed the problem without them realising. I am however going to go back to ford tomorrow to see if they can give an explaination why it now works.

Richard.

 

[PhiL P]

On my previous car the o/s xenon failed then sprung back into life for a couple of days before failing again (for good). Initially the dealer diagnosed a failed xenon bulb, however when they fitted a replacement they discovered that it was infact the ignitor that had gone, requiring a whole new headlamp.

They had no explanation for how it was that the lamp had come back to life for a couple of days..presumably the ignitor in it's death throws! :shifty:

Odd that your main beam would have also gone since that is a separate halogen bulb I believe, certainly on my Citroen the main (also halogen) bulb still worked when the xenon ignitor failed.

Btw following the xenon ignitor failure on my Citroen I actually bought a pair of new halogen headlamps for about a third the cost of one new xenon headlamp and had them fitted by the Citroen main dealer instead!

 

[RBagnall]

When I went back to Fords today and told them that the headlamp was working (both dipped and full) they still insisted that the bulb should be replaced. I was however not convinced. I might of paid the £210 if only the dipped xenon lamp had gone out, but both dipped and full seems a bit odd. I am more inclined to think that it was a dodgy connector. However if in the next few days it goes again I will have to replace it. Does anyone know if you can get the xenon bulbs and ignitors from anywhere else other than Ford?

Thanks.

Richard.

 

[Raffe]

I am not sure about this but can´t you cahnge the bulb by youself ? have seen like 20 different bulb sizes and shapes for xenon lights on ebay and replacement bulbs were like max 50 £ a pair.. Could be worth to check out..

 

[magic919]

You can get HID bulbs from many other sources than Ford.

 

[squelch]

i had my N/S xenon fail about a week after i picked it up (nearly 2 years ago)

but sometimes it would work and sometimes it wouldn't
i took it to ford and the service bloke said yeah no probs its the ignitor bring it back friday and we'll replace it under warranty as theres a TSB for that
It took them all of about 15mins to do

oh and the car was just under 2 years old at the time

 

[RBagnall]

Hi, Do you know what the TSB number was just in case mine goes off again? Fingers crossed it has been okay. I still think mine was down to the connector as I can't see that the ignitor or the xenon bulb would have also stopped the full beam from also working. Thanks.

Richard.