Hi - very helpful video thanks!I have an SG9 Forester and my passenger side HID driving light has packed up. Moisture and condensation in the headlight assembly is evident. I’ve order a new ballast and globe. Problem is that the headlight has a leak and the challenge will be resealing the unit. How did you overcome your condensation problems? I guess that the drilled holes were there to drain your leaking light. Did sealing the holes work long term? Are your lights still working okay?
Hey! Thanks for the watch. It turned out "ok" as it did reduce the Condensation. But I was not happy with the results... I ended up buying a set from Ebay... and making sure they were sealed upon arrival. Too bad these headlights are $$$.
Same water problem getting into the HID lamp’s ballast in the SG9. Do you know a plastic/anti-static protective bag that computer hard-disks come with when new? Sealed both ballasts using those plastic/anti-static bags + any openings for cables going through the plastic bag - used the butyl sealant tape. Both lights working 2 years later.
Been having this issue with my STI for the last couple of years. I have 2 spare ballasts so I normally just swap them and dry the old one out and they always work again. I have taken the lenses off and resealed them at least 3 times and I still get water in the lights. Not a little bit of water...a good cup full drains out when I take them out. No clue where the water is getting in. I thought it was me that caused the problem as I did a projector retrofit about a year before I started having the problem, but then I found out that it was a common issue. I bought a spare set of lights (which is why I have 2 spare ballasts) and they also got water in them. Just a poor design.
Do you know if is easy to replace JDM headlight assemblies to North American (installation holes position, overall dimensions...so just remove JDM and install NA)? NA are halogen, so probably wiring is different and needs some modifications (right?). Thank you
I dont know 100% but it seems you have the right idea. I never wanted to rewire it all myself. I like keeping factory wiring. But essentially it seems doable but yes, will need rewired
Where did you buy a replacement ballast from? Am having a hard time wading through all the online listings which are mostly fake/inferior quality replicas of the original Ichiko ballasts. The dealer is wayy too expensive. Many thanks.
I drove around in my 2005 / 2006 forester xt for 10 years now and a few years back these wet headlight problems started to emerge on the driver side only. Normally it was "just"once a year that it got to the point I needed to take it out because it stopped working. But it is always in fall /winter when it is cold and wet and I have no place to do it inside so I hate to do it. And just one week ago I had to do it again, so i did and also added a small diameter silicone tube inside the headlight. The end has an even smaller diameter firmer piece of hose on it that does "fit" in between the opening for the plug and the housing of the ballast. The hose runs up to the main light bulb exchange cap and sits inside coiled up. Just for me to see if I could suck water out before it would be a problem. Well just one week later now and yesterday I saw that my headlight went off again. so I saw it flicker a bit at first and hoped it would be the bulb itself that failed on me. But the reserve one did not work eigther and after testing them on the other side they worked fine. So water ingress again. I took out the hose. Sucked on it and just sucked up water. 1 week and just 1 day of rain. Were does it come from? I totally sealed the joint between the clear front and the black plastic back side with silicone years back. Pretty sure that is not the way it will come inside. The clear front got yellow by the sun and last year I took sandpaper tot take the yellow plastic off and resealed the front with special 2 component clear uv blocking coating. So water can not get into micro cracks eigther there. All rubbers on the headlight look fine. When I take out light fittings I only see totally clean surfaces. Only the ballast housing looks a bit crusty on the edges. Not the end with the big o-ring, that looks fine. And even if this would leak water should go up here and I can not believe that. I did seal the rest of the ballast with silicone to make sure the joint between the metal layers will not leak water in. I am a bit puzzeled were to find my solution. Any Idea? Maybe I did not to a good job on the ballast seal? any idea what is the major cause of water ingress in these headlights? All this water after just one week is crazy. Never had that before.
Hi - very helpful video thanks!I have an SG9 Forester and my passenger side HID driving light has packed up. Moisture and condensation in the headlight assembly is evident. I’ve order a new ballast and globe. Problem is that the headlight has a leak and the challenge will be resealing the unit. How did you overcome your condensation problems? I guess that the drilled holes were there to drain your leaking light. Did sealing the holes work long term? Are your lights still working okay?
Hey! Thanks for the watch. It turned out "ok" as it did reduce the Condensation. But I was not happy with the results... I ended up buying a set from Ebay... and making sure they were sealed upon arrival. Too bad these headlights are $$$.
Same water problem getting into the HID lamp’s ballast in the SG9.
Do you know a plastic/anti-static protective bag that computer hard-disks come with when new?
Sealed both ballasts using those plastic/anti-static bags + any openings for cables going through the plastic bag - used the butyl sealant tape.
Both lights working 2 years later.
Awesome solution!!
got 2006 SG9 with HID for a last 3 year,for now, no problem with HID.
Count yourself lucky! I had to buy another set..
is it easy to change the LED >>?? the small bulb at the top of the headlights ? aweso,e video
Thanks! And I think the headlights have to be out if I remember correctly... its doable In the car but difficult
Been having this issue with my STI for the last couple of years. I have 2 spare ballasts so I normally just swap them and dry the old one out and they always work again. I have taken the lenses off and resealed them at least 3 times and I still get water in the lights. Not a little bit of water...a good cup full drains out when I take them out. No clue where the water is getting in. I thought it was me that caused the problem as I did a projector retrofit about a year before I started having the problem, but then I found out that it was a common issue. I bought a spare set of lights (which is why I have 2 spare ballasts) and they also got water in them. Just a poor design.
Yes, extremely poor design
Do you know if is easy to replace JDM headlight assemblies to North American (installation holes position, overall dimensions...so just remove JDM and install NA)? NA are halogen, so probably wiring is different and needs some modifications (right?). Thank you
I dont know 100% but it seems you have the right idea. I never wanted to rewire it all myself. I like keeping factory wiring. But essentially it seems doable but yes, will need rewired
Where did you buy a replacement ballast from? Am having a hard time wading through all the online listings which are mostly fake/inferior quality replicas of the original Ichiko ballasts. The dealer is wayy too expensive. Many thanks.
I got mine from Ebay. From a wrecker in the US. They are a common ballast I think
Well done buddy !
Nice! Thanks for the guide!
Glad to have helped!
Thanx man mine jus got that problm
Where about's are you in canada?
Edmonton
@@BoltsNBoost damn. I'm from Ontario with a fxt project. 500whp goal. I need smaller injectors current, but it's done for the most part.
Beauty man!
Btw i have a jdm sg5 mt its throttle by cable
Hopefully yours fix easy!
Its got that hid problem am actually trying to fix it just now
I got it tody then lucky found your video abt it
Pretty poor design for an “SUV”. A vehicle they market for light off roading
Not a suv 🤣
th-cam.com/video/13_bgJ3ecNg/w-d-xo.html
And this is the reason why I did what I did, it’s less likely to happen
Looks great!
Thank you sir I hope you enjoy the rest of my videos
I drove around in my 2005 / 2006 forester xt for 10 years now and a few years back these wet headlight problems started to emerge on the driver side only. Normally it was "just"once a year that it got to the point I needed to take it out because it stopped working. But it is always in fall /winter when it is cold and wet and I have no place to do it inside so I hate to do it. And just one week ago I had to do it again, so i did and also added a small diameter silicone tube inside the headlight. The end has an even smaller diameter firmer piece of hose on it that does "fit" in between the opening for the plug and the housing of the ballast. The hose runs up to the main light bulb exchange cap and sits inside coiled up. Just for me to see if I could suck water out before it would be a problem. Well just one week later now and yesterday I saw that my headlight went off again. so I saw it flicker a bit at first and hoped it would be the bulb itself that failed on me. But the reserve one did not work eigther and after testing them on the other side they worked fine. So water ingress again. I took out the hose. Sucked on it and just sucked up water. 1 week and just 1 day of rain. Were does it come from? I totally sealed the joint between the clear front and the black plastic back side with silicone years back. Pretty sure that is not the way it will come inside. The clear front got yellow by the sun and last year I took sandpaper tot take the yellow plastic off and resealed the front with special 2 component clear uv blocking coating. So water can not get into micro cracks eigther there. All rubbers on the headlight look fine. When I take out light fittings I only see totally clean surfaces. Only the ballast housing looks a bit crusty on the edges. Not the end with the big o-ring, that looks fine. And even if this would leak water should go up here and I can not believe that. I did seal the rest of the ballast with silicone to make sure the joint between the metal layers will not leak water in. I am a bit puzzeled were to find my solution. Any Idea? Maybe I did not to a good job on the ballast seal? any idea what is the major cause of water ingress in these headlights? All this water after just one week is crazy. Never had that before.
Yeah I agree with you. I tried to seal mine everywhere I could as well and water was getting in almost like you were pouring it in. Was super odd.