W211 E200 Ballast & Battery Wanted!

[Guest mychristeo]

Hello bros,

This couple of weeks been having error messages popping up one after another...

Saw "headlight dim" error message, and noticed one of my original front Xenon HID headlight is out while the other side is working. Tested high-beam, both functioned, so its only the low beam. Visited my usual workshop - MBM and was told either ballast is the culprit and I should replace the entire light assembly with the quotation of SGD1+K each! Because the other head-lamp casing is foggy, he recommended to change both headlights with the costs running over SGD2+K! Anyway, I believe most of you can understand and relate to how I felt at that precise moment without me articulating my exact sentiments here

Anyway, I found some 2009 threads on about SGD100 HID mods, but not sure exactly whether its the same as the one that's factory fitted in the car... Anyone bros there had the same challenge before?

I'm not keen on changing the entire headlight assembly, just want to replace the low-beam light ballast. Does anyone knows who and where this can be done and at what price?

Secondly, my W211 battery (Watta) replaced at MBM about 11 months ago seems to be having problems again with the error message "visit workshop" and the red-colored battery logo appear on top of this message. It seems the batteries doesn't last long this last two years. MBM checked and said nothing is wrong with alternator or etc, just the battery "normal tear and wear"!!!??? Anyone had to replace their W211 battery every year? More importantly any bros got any lobang for good and cheap battery?

Also, anyone can recommend a good workshop for normal service? Currently MBM has high turnover rate, and one of the guys that was servicing my car was staring at the engine casement and wondering how to open the black plastic covering the engine... in the end, he broke one of the pin! Haiz... I refrain myself from further comments!

Thanks in advanced folks!

[Guest iankaw]

mychristeo wrote:

Hello bros,

This couple of weeks been having error messages popping up one after another...

Saw "headlight dim" error message, and noticed one of my original front Xenon HID headlight is out while the other side is working. Tested high-beam, both functioned, so its only the low beam. Visited my usual workshop - MBM and was told either ballast is the culprit and I should replace the entire light assembly with the quotation of SGD1+K each! Because the other head-lamp casing is foggy, he recommended to change both headlights with the costs running over SGD2+K! Anyway, I believe most of you can understand and relate to how I felt at that precise moment without me articulating my exact sentiments here

Anyway, I found some 2009 threads on about SGD100 HID mods, but not sure exactly whether its the same as the one that's factory fitted in the car... Anyone bros there had the same challenge before?

I'm not keen on changing the entire headlight assembly, just want to replace the low-beam light ballast. Does anyone knows who and where this can be done and at what price?

Secondly, my W211 battery (Watta) replaced at MBM about 11 months ago seems to be having problems again with the error message "visit workshop" and the red-colored battery logo appear on top of this message. It seems the batteries doesn't last long this last two years. MBM checked and said nothing is wrong with alternator or etc, just the battery "normal tear and wear"!!!??? Anyone had to replace their W211 battery every year? More importantly any bros got any lobang for good and cheap battery?

Also, anyone can recommend a good workshop for normal service? Currently MBM has high turnover rate, and one of the guys that was servicing my car was staring at the engine casement and wondering how to open the black plastic covering the engine... in the end, he broke one of the pin! Haiz... I refrain myself from further comments!

Thanks in advanced folks!

I sympathize your situation and feel the agony u went thru... Try call Benzline, they carry OEM headlights for W211 FL or pre-FL.

i hope u will get some good advises from Bro here. Good Luck n Cheers.

[Guest jtang]

Batt has a 1yr warranty. If yours is only 11 months old, get MBM to replace it under warranty.

[Guest blackmercs]

Yap $100 HID is a hot topics during 2009. To check whether yours is factory fitted or not, just check yr light bulb. Is it squarish with a socket or is a normal HID bulb. Below is the sample :

Left is xenon, right is a HID bulb

If is a left then is expensive to repair as for whether remove xenon change to HID is something new to me. U can look for Sonic or Starblack for headlights mods.

[Guest kepiting1sg]

blackmercs wrote:

Yap $100 HID is a hot topics during 2009. To check whether yours is factory fitted or not, just check yr light bulb. Is it squarish with a socket or is a normal HID bulb. Below is the sample :

Left is xenon, right is a HID bulb

If is a left then is expensive to repair as for whether remove xenon change to HID is something new to me. U can look for Sonic or Starblack for headlights mods.

Correction my friend! :becky:

Left side if correct is a D1S for the original Xenon Head lamp bulb

Right side looks like a H11 blue tint Halogen Bulb

Below is a typical after market H7 HID bulb for headlamp that is not fitted with original Xenon. This is what Sonic use to hook up for after mkt HID set.

This is what an original Xenon Headlamp ballast usually looks like!

This is what an after mkt HID ballast look like

Dear mychristeo,

If your Headlamps are original Xenon - imho dun think it's viable to retrofit it with "cheap" after mkt H7 H.I.D as your original bulbs are likely to be D1S and not H7.

Like bro iankaw had said, get a quote from Benzline for a set of original xenon headlamps. OR

Get a set of original headlamps that are fitted with H7 halogen bulbs and retrofit it with after mkt H7 HID.

Please do not attempt to buy from eBay unless you know whether the headlamps are for RHD or LHD - cos they are different.

[Guest blackmercs]

Orh!! So Unker xenon light can convert to normal HID? Coz no experience on this one. After conversion can the auto levelling system still function??

[Guest Cklasse]

About the engine cover, I believe the W211 cover is the black with silver strip in the middle. This particular cover that is used in the W203 tend to hardened after many years in the hot engine bay and is susceptible to crack. This explains why the pin was broken because the cover needs to be forced out of its' connectors. It's a hard plastic characteristic to break under constant heat exposure.

If you see the newer covers in the W204, they are the softer plastic type that I believe will last longer and more resistant to heat damage.

[Guest kepiting1sg]

blackmercs wrote:

Orh!! So Unker xenon light can convert to normal HID? Coz no experience on this one. After conversion can the auto levelling system still function??

IMHCCBO - auto levelling will not work after conversion - end game - replace original xenon lah!!!

[Guest Roland106]

Batteries should last at least 2 to 3 years.

I changed to a brand whose battery is green in colour

went for the more expensive maintenance free one where no top up is needed

(aka VRLA battery).

these ones are more consistent and can last up to 4 years

remember it is 12V 100Ah 520A DIN for the big one in the boot.

can use 90 or 95Ah if you dont have GPS/command)

There is a small one in the engine compartment.

just under the air filter. that is 12V 12Ah 170A (DIN)

keeps the settings and can crank car one time!

the warning message can also occur if there is an electrical fault in the system

for example your lighting issues. Advise to go for the entire lighting cluster as mention by the bros here

[Guest mychristeo]

Hello good folks,

Thank you for all your prompt replies. I've took all your advise and spent my weekends calling and visiting shop and below are the results for the perusal of other bros out there...

1) Ballast

My right low headlight ballast confirmed by 3 parties is the main culprit. Bulb's fine. It is ori-factory installed Xenon (Hella), so its expensive to change ballast - SGD600+ (MBM) to 700+ (Starblack) just for ballast alone, and the labour is another story as some workshops is NOT interested to remove the bumper and then take out that ballast and replace it. The other option was to change the entire headlight unit with casing and all... but the costs bumps up SGD1+K/each.

Anyway, went with Sonic solution, and took the after market ballast to replace the original ballast at SGD200. When switched on, during the first 5-10 secs, the light has a light-blueish hint... but after about 20 seconds, both lights looked the same! NO warning message! So looks like case closed for a cheap and quick fix

I've retained the ori xenon bulbs and the left-hand headlamp unit. So just a "precision surgical replacement" of that failed ballast.

FYI, Sonic Racing charges SGD385 for a pair of xenon bulb/ballast conversion from original halogen head-lamp. They charge the same also if you have original xenon head-lamp - just to replace ballast only!!!

2) Battery

Yes battery has a one year warranty - but I was informed it also has mileage (20,000KM) too!!!??? Even though my last battery change was less than a year, but I've exceeded the 20K KM mark...

My Varta from MBM (supposedly made in italy) barely can last 2 years as some bros commented. Probably is the high usage (mileage).

Couple of workshop I've visited insisted I should try Amaron (made in India) at about SGD230 for a 100A, now I do have my reservations, but they insisted its a better than Varta (made in Europe!) at about SGD310 for a 100A. Not one but 2 different workshops folks said that. Apparently they mention Varta's battery quality has degraded. Probably that explains why mine fails instead of lasting 2-3 years.

Any bros out there used Amaron?

3) Headlamp alignment

Now a new challenge... my xenon headlamps are not auto-adjust type, and I would like to tweak the head lamps leveling as they seems to be lower than usual after awhile. Anyone got any idea how to manually adjust the headlamp? Sonic mentioned there's two hexagon/phillips screw that can be used for vertical and horizontal alignment, but no idea which is which and the direction (clockwise or anti) to level up or down, and level left or right. Any bros done this on a DIY basis or can recommend a good shop for this?

Thanks in advanced again folks, hope the above helps other members who has ballast issue too...

[Guest blackmercs]

Glad that you have resolved all yr issues. Anyway yr xenon bulb is not D1S, instead is HID bulb as per Unker attached picture.

[Guest Roland106]

mychristeo wrote:

Hello good folks,

Thank you for all your prompt replies. I've took all your advise and spent my weekends calling and visiting shop and below are the results for the perusal of other bros out there...

1) Ballast

My right low headlight ballast confirmed by 3 parties is the main culprit. Bulb's fine. It is ori-factory installed Xenon (Hella), so its expensive to change ballast - SGD600+ (MBM) to 700+ (Starblack) just for ballast alone, and the labour is another story as some workshops is NOT interested to remove the bumper and then take out that ballast and replace it. The other option was to change the entire headlight unit with casing and all... but the costs bumps up SGD1+K/each.

Anyway, went with Sonic solution, and took the after market ballast to replace the original ballast at SGD200. When switched on, during the first 5-10 secs, the light has a light-blueish hint... but after about 20 seconds, both lights looked the same! NO warning message! So looks like case closed for a cheap and quick fix

I've retained the ori xenon bulbs and the left-hand headlamp unit. So just a "precision surgical replacement" of that failed ballast.

FYI, Sonic Racing charges SGD385 for a pair of xenon bulb/ballast conversion from original halogen head-lamp. They charge the same also if you have original xenon head-lamp - just to replace ballast only!!!

2) Battery

Yes battery has a one year warranty - but I was informed it also has mileage (20,000KM) too!!!??? Even though my last battery change was less than a year, but I've exceeded the 20K KM mark...

My Varta from MBM (supposedly made in italy) barely can last 2 years as some bros commented. Probably is the high usage (mileage).

Couple of workshop I've visited insisted I should try Amaron (made in India) at about SGD230 for a 100A, now I do have my reservations, but they insisted its a better than Varta (made in Europe!) at about SGD310 for a 100A. Not one but 2 different workshops folks said that. Apparently they mention Varta's battery quality has degraded. Probably that explains why mine fails instead of lasting 2-3 years.

Any bros out there used Amaron?

3) Headlamp alignment

Now a new challenge... my xenon headlamps are not auto-adjust type, and I would like to tweak the head lamps leveling as they seems to be lower than usual after awhile. Anyone got any idea how to manually adjust the headlamp? Sonic mentioned there's two hexagon/phillips screw that can be used for vertical and horizontal alignment, but no idea which is which and the direction (clockwise or anti) to level up or down, and level left or right. Any bros done this on a DIY basis or can recommend a good shop for this?

Thanks in advanced again folks, hope the above helps other members who has ballast issue too...

YUP thats the one Amaron is the green colour battery i mention earlier in my post.

its been almost a year so far no problems at all.

[Guest kepiting1sg]

blackmercs wrote:

Glad that you have resolved all yr issues. Anyway yr xenon bulb is not D1S, instead is HID bulb as per Unker attached picture.

If his Headlamps are original Xenon - It's D1S

In his case, Sonic only changed his ballast!:hand:

[Guest blackmercs]

kepiting1sg wrote:

If his Headlamps are original Xenon - It's D1S

In his case, Sonic only changed his ballast!:hand:

In his case if swap ballast then no need to do alignment liao

[Guest kepiting1sg]

blackmercs wrote:

In his case if swap ballast then no need to do alignment liao

That's why I am wondering!!!

If they are original Xenon headlamps, it should be auto alignment for height levelling.

However if the headlamps have been dismantled and alignment screws been adjusted before could have screwed up the L/R lamp alignment.

The auto alignment is for auto-leveling for height in a pair and not self alignment L/R individual lamp height.

[Guest blackmercs]

kepiting1sg wrote:

That's why I am wondering!!!

If they are original Xenon headlamps, it should be auto alignment for height levelling.

However if the headlamps have been dismantled and alignment screws been adjusted before could have screwed up the L/R lamp alignment.

The auto alignment is for auto-leveling for height in a pair and not self alignment L/R individual lamp height.

Unker U are right!! Tio tio tio!! I misread that he converted to those HID. So from xenon to HID can be done? Anyone here try it out?