[snowe]

2006 BMW 325xi
I have an issue with my headlight flickering

the passenger side headlight flickers randomly while driving, and sometimes when going over a pothole or accelerating hard the headlight will just shut off completely, after it shuts off I turn all the lights off and then turn them back on which usually makes it come back on

sometimes it will also randomly start flickering when the car is just sitting in the driveway when warming up

looked through the forums and couldn't find anything like I'm experiencing, idk if I need new headlights or if I just need to check if the wiring in the connector is solid on that side

if anyone has had this happen please let me know

[snowe]

xenon headlights btw

[Serf27]

Check the wiring on plug of the headlight harness.
Make sure all pins are making contact with the headlight.
Flickering on start up is usually a sign of failing bulb or ballast.

[snowe]

Originally Posted by Serf27

Check the wiring on plug of the headlight harness.
Make sure all pins are making contact with the headlight.
Flickering on start up is usually a sign of failing bulb or ballast.

no flicker during startup, flickers when just driving around

[e90yyc]

How many miles on car? Are bulbs and ballasts original?

When you say “need new headlights” I assume you’re referring to the bulb or possibly ballast, not the entirely assembly—correct?

I would suggest scanning for codes too—anything FRM related being most relevant here. Not sure what you might find but that’s always a good starting point.

Depending on mileage on your headlight components—specifically the bulbs—it may be a good first step to simply replace them. If they’re old their light output will be considerably less than when new, so regardless of whether they are the cause of your problem, you’ll benefit from replacement.

[colorado.e9x]

Mine had the exact same issue. It ended up being the D1S cable from the ballast to bulb went bad. It got kinked at the connector and the connector was loose, both on the bulb side. Replaced it, works great now

[marvinstockman]

Hook up a voltmeter to the lights and run wire into the cabin, and if the voltage flickers when the lights flicker, it is wiring problem. Otherwise, the problem is in the assembly and electronics at the light.

Or, it can be a ground wire issue.

[Mantraxalos]

On my 06 330i xenons 272k mi, I began experiencing slight flickering on the driver side last year. Very subtle at first. After some months it slowly got worse. Then driving through mountain roads in North Carolina one evening, the driver headlight shut off completely. Turning the lights off and then on again would sort of reset it, but that would only last a minute or two. Then it would flicker more and more and shut off again. Not wanting to be pulled over for a headlight out, I turned on the daytime running lights and the fogs.

I eventually changed out the ballast. That fixed nothing.
Just last week I changed out the bulb which I believe has the ignitor built in, and that fixed it.

[Antchi]

The wiring isolation get dry and starts breaking off with age. This causes the copper to get in contact with other wiring (normally when turning). This happened on my X5. i used electrical tape to cover the exposed areas and no problems since.

[snowe]

thank you for all the help, i will try replacing the d1s connector and try to see if there's any other wires that are exposed, very much appreciated

[snowe]

so i got new bulbs put in, didn't change anything, and then driving one night I hit a pothole and both headlights just shut off completely, a couple of the techs at my shop were dicking around with it on Friday and they said that I would need to get new ballasts for both sides, is it a good idea to try and source some d1s connectors before i spend a paycheck on new ballasts?

[Welcome to NBA Jam]

Originally Posted by snowe

so i got new bulbs put in, didn't change anything, and then driving one night I hit a pothole and both headlights just shut off completely, a couple of the techs at my shop were dicking around with it on Friday and they said that I would need to get new ballasts for both sides, is it a good idea to try and source some d1s connectors before i spend a paycheck on new ballasts?

If you're good with wiring, I'd say, why not?

[snowe]

Originally Posted by Welcome to NBA Jam

If you're good with wiring, I'd say, why not?

just saying screw it and using my bonus to get new d1s cables and balasts, i think they are still the original ones after 180k miles so its time for them to go

[tx330i]

Originally Posted by Antchi

The wiring isolation get dry and starts breaking off with age. This causes the copper to get in contact with other wiring (normally when turning). This happened on my X5. i used electrical tape to cover the exposed areas and no problems since.

When people mention the wiring, where should I look? My 06 330i with xenon has the driver light flickering and sometimes goes completely out. Occasionally, it will throw a trouble light on the dash. It sometimes does it on turns and other times it seems to be related to changes in RPM.

Where should I look for frayed wiring?

[Serf27]

Inside the headlight. Remove the access cover on the back and inspect wiring.
Check wiring leading up to headlight connector.
Check pins on headlight connector and wire harness.

[tx330i]

Originally Posted by Serf27

Inside the headlight. Remove the access cover on the back and inspect wiring.
Check wiring leading up to headlight connector.
Check pins on headlight connector and wire harness.

Thank you!

[Dohc120]

Are there any other weird electrical issues going on? I had a bad ground in my taillight harness plug/connector that was causing my headlights to flicker. It was easy to spot because the connector was burnt at the brown/ground wire. Got a new connector and cut and spliced a new ground wire and everything worked as new. This is actually common in e46’s and e90’s

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Dohc120

Are there any other weird electrical issues going on? I had a bad ground in my taillight harness plug/connector that was causing my headlights to flicker. It was easy to spot because the connector was burnt at the brown/ground wire. Got a new connector and cut and spliced a new ground wire and everything worked as new. This is actually common in e46’s and e90’s

What area is this harness in? I'm going to try to figure out my headlight flicker this weekend, so might be good to check on this as well!

[Dohc120]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

What area is this harness in? I'm going to try to figure out my headlight flicker this weekend, so might be good to check on this as well!

It’s the connector that plugs into the back of the taillight. Typically the passenger side. Unplugged it and look at the pins and where the pins plug into and make sure nothing is burnt or discolored.

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Dohc120

It’s the connector that plugs into the back of the taillight. Typically the passenger side. Unplugged it and look at the pins and where the pins plug into and make sure nothing is burnt or discolored.

Gotcha' thanks! I'll check out both side and see!