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Driver side headlamp "Flicker" ?

a66cobra1

By a66cobra1
in 996 TT, 996 TT S, 996 GT2

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a66cobra1 Member

a66cobra1

Posted
Posted

I just waited a week for a new headlamp from Pelican and once installed... you guessed it, FLICKER!!!

1. Is it certain that it needs a ballast? If so, does anyone know where I can get a used one (THAT WORKS) for a decent price?

2. Can the Litronic system be upgraded/changed to something without the ballast systems? I would think that with modern LED and Xenon technology someone would understand that all it needs is a 12 volt supply.

As always THANKS for any responses.

  • Admin
Loren Member

Loren

Posted
  • Admin
Posted

Know problems are loose or corroded bulbs, broken connectors (at the socket inside the fender), pins in the connector pushing out when the headlight is pushed into it.

Please do a search in the 996 series cars for more details.

rprieto Member

rprieto

Posted
Posted

Does the headlamp ever ignite? Usually if both sides flicker then it is most likely the headlight switch. That's how mine started. You can confirm this by pulling the switch out (foglights) and slamming it closed (firm but not too hard) with the palm of you hand. I did mine a few times. If the headlamp comes back on then it is your switch.

You might want to take a look at the following topic.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=21315

a66cobra1 Member

a66cobra1

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

It only happens on the drivers side, it acts as if it is trying to start and then nothing. No, it never comes on, not just to tease me to know that it is some kind of connection. BULB IS NEW as well.

Kind of thought it was maybe the ballast because it acts like a fluorescent bulb when the starter goes bad. I'm military and am used to having a drawer of starters around to keep the lights on.

Edited by a66cobra1
a66cobra1 Member

a66cobra1

Posted
  • Author
Posted

OK, must say out of all the years of "fixes" this one goes in the books as the most BIZARRE. Rprieto recommended that I simply smash the headlight on/off switch to the on position and I must admit... it worked. Sorry, but what the Hell? To fix a malfunction by smashing/hitting/striking/etc is very mush Detroit technology and to be honest, was very shocked that this worked.

Thank you Rprieto. You just saved me from buying a new ballast and I owe you a round of drinks indeed.

rprieto Member

rprieto

Posted
Posted (edited)
OK, must say out of all the years of "fixes" this one goes in the books as the most BIZARRE. Rprieto recommended that I simply smash the headlight on/off switch to the on position and I must admit... it worked. Sorry, but what the Hell? To fix a malfunction by smashing/hitting/striking/etc is very mush Detroit technology and to be honest, was very shocked that this worked.

Thank you Rprieto. You just saved me from buying a new ballast and I owe you a round of drinks indeed.

Just passing along what someone else told me before. You STILL need to replace the switch. You have only verified the problem to be switch related. This is the link I used to R&R the switch. Fairly easy to do.

http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?s...mp;p=14800&

Sunset Porsche was asking ~$76 plus shipping/handling a year ago. The local dealer was asking $123.

If you dare, you can attempt to open up the switch and scrape clean the dirty contacts. It worked for at least 2 of us. Mine still works after over 1 year. This is NOT for the faint of heart. Lots of patience needed here but it does work.http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=18801

Good luck.

Edited by rprieto
  • 1 month later...
a66cobra1 Member

a66cobra1

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Forgot to post up about this as an update.

Replaced the switch and it still is doing the same thing as before.

Swapped the ballast from the other side and the issue remains in the original location.

Swapped in a known good headlamp assembly and it worked perfectly. So, the problem is somewhere inside my headlamp assembly, most likely a bad ground or lose wire somewhere.

I have been chasing the real issue for nearly a month and am so tired of it.

a66cobra1 Member

a66cobra1

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Nope, it's not the bulb, ballast, switch, a relay, high beam/low beam switch on the column... it is IN the headlamp assembly.

Today, after Thanksgiving meal, I wandered out to the garage for some more troubleshooting. I put the headlamp on my work bench and extended it again with the 10 foot leads that I made.

This time, instead of connecting the wires from the car to pins 11 & 12 (PICTURE #1) to the normal male connector, I bypassed the connector and went directly to the ballast input (PICTURE #2), started the car, turned on the switch and the low beam comes on and works PERFECTLY 10 times in a row.

So, the issue is somewhere between pin 11/12 and where it enters the input side of the ballast.

Is there ANYONE that services headlamp assemblies? This thing internally is pretty complex and getting to the backside of the connector that pins 11/12 are on is tough because of where it physically is.

post-37987-1259272241_thumb.jpg

post-37987-1259272368_thumb.jpg

Edited by a66cobra1
a66cobra1 Member

a66cobra1

Posted
  • Author
Posted (edited)

Pic of my test setup that allows me to work on the headlamp assembly while it is on the bench and still under power from the car. Notice in the pic, it was one of the times that I had it working and thought I had it fixed only to discover that it is somewhere in the connector between pins 11/12 and the ballast. Going to rip in to the connector in the 2nd pic above to see if it is there first. I'm getting close to finding it. :D

post-37987-1259272461_thumb.jpg

Edited by a66cobra1
a66cobra1 Member

a66cobra1

Posted
  • Author
Posted

IT's FIXED!!!!!!

Today I set out to dig deep in to the headlamp assembly itself and discovered that at pin 12 on the main socket, there was supposed to be a ground that provided a ground to the low beam, high beam and the flapper. Got in there with the ohm meter and discovered that it had some resistance, more than normal, so I pinned out the other two ground points (Pin 6 and Pin 2) and they read perfectly. Sooooooooo, I went to fixing it, soldered all new connections and made the repair. WORKS PERFECTLY NOW!!!!

Thanks to those that helped me as well as those that tolerated my updates.

If anyone needs help fixing a headlamp, I am now more than capable.

rockjock Member

rockjock

Posted
Posted

Congrats on the fix, but I cant get over-you made 10' extensions for your headlamp? You need to roof mount that at least once and drive a bit :lol:

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