Hello,

I am hoping someone can help. My 2006 LR3 has a frustrating problem.

In the past two years I have gone through 4 ballasts on the passenger side exclusively!

The previous owner put in 35W aftermarket ballasts with the newer style connectors that were professionally installed at the dealership (he was a LR sales rep) through one of the mechanics. The wires were properly spliced and joined, but I keep blowing ballasts on the passenger side. What I notice is there is always a strong burnt smell when I open up the ballast covering.

What should I be checking next? Voltage? If so, what should my number(s) be and would someone be kind enough to walk me through it.

Thank you

 

The issue is the cheap ballasts. They need to dissipate heat and can't do so covered. Put an OEM ballast in and be done, used ones are less than $50 USD.

FYI, no dealer will ever professionally install some aftermarket ballast. Thats a line of crap. Also there are no wires to splice if they did it "correctly".

 

Thanks for the reply.

Both driver side and Passenger side have been modified to use the aftermarket ballasts, however, the driver side has never had an issue. That in itself is puzzling.

If they are total crap, and utter garbage, why would the driver’s side not have any issues since owning the vehicle?

This is more of a general question

I bought the OEM ballast but, I required the denso koito D2S connector and unfortunately I have bought from two different sellers on eBay only to keep getting the wrong style connector that goes in to the back of the ballast.

The prongs on the OEM ballast are in line, and the denso koito connector I keep receiving has female connector receivers that do not line up with the male connectors.

I was hoping someone would chime in with an explanation as well as more experience than me.

I fear putting that if I put the OEM ballast back it b might lead to the same result which wouldn’t be fun.

I think what I am asking is there something I should be looking for to ensure there isn’t a larger problem electrically just to be safe? Should the consensus be it is just the ballast, then I will replace the ballasts once I find the right connector cable.

Thanks

 

Because the crap ballasts are very hit or miss. Long ago when HID conversions were popular ad brands not well known I had the same issues. Buy a kit and either the ballasts fail within a year but the other keeps working. The production quality is just all over the place and every once and a while they seem to pump out a good one. And how do you know that the ballast that replaced the one that originally blew was the exact same brand?

The ballast going in should be a 35 watt 12 volt. The lamp technically can be any wattage since the ballast drives it, but its best to have the proper lamp rated for he proper ballast or either can cause the other to fail.

The connectors are just pretty much regular spade type, so you dont even need an actual connector you can just crimp (I prefer solder) a spade onto each supply wire and connect it to the ballast. Which is also why if the conversation was done correctly they would have used a small adapter harness that uses male spades that plug into the original headlamp lead. That would have left the original ballast connector intact for easy reversion.

As for what is being sent, sounds like you might be ordering the wrong ballast. You should be looking for a 39000-76943 - That is the part number for a very common ballast used on all sorts of vehicles and it will have the proper connectors. Given how many fakes are out there, I would probably put my money on a genuine used one over some that come up "new" for $35. Genuine ballasts are Denso/Toyota. The ballast will have a D2S lamp cable attached and a two-print spade type connector for power.

 

I actually ordered the same brand aftermarket ballasts as I was able to find them. Alas, this time around I went for a brand that was supposed to be better... but it turns out it was crap as well.

Ah, the OEM ballast I ordered is the one you referenced. The connector that I require was incorrect they sent me, the two-print spade type connector was misaligned as seen in the image below.



Wong connector (see where the spades align)

This is the proper style connector that I need (see image below)... now I have found out where to order them from



The space connectors line-up!

 

Good, that will help. But like I said, if all else just put in to spade connectors and they will be fine.

 

Thank you very much for your time and help, as always, it is much appreciated

 

And to circle back to the OEM setup, I think the consensus is the lamps last longer than then the ballasts. The lamps in my 3006 LR3 are factory according to the date codes. 140,000 miles. Last year I tried two Wagner lamps (I think that was the brand). They were too warm looking, so I put the factory lamps back in and ordered two Hella 5000k. Very bright, really nice color. But a couple week ago one already failed, just over a year old. So I am back on the factory lamps until I order two new Hellas, hoping it was just a fluke. I actually assume it was a ballast issues until I swapped lamps around. The ballasts themselves are both factory.

 

I suppose you could always swap the drivers side ballast to the passenger side, this will prove whether its a wiring/connector fault

 

A little follow up...

Haven’t changed anything yet, so I still have those aftermarket ballasts.

First thing in the morning, I get the adaptive error code on the dash. The headlights come on, but do not work adaptively.

If I drive for 15-20 minutes and shut the vehicle off, grab a coffee and get back in, the adaptive error is off and the headlights work fine all day with adaptive ness.

If it is a cold morning the adaptive error happens... if the vehicle ends up sitting in the sun before I fore it up for the first time, no adaptive issue...

just bizarre but for now it will do