Xenon headlight fault

[BIGGY2]

I have an annoying issue with my 2015 is300h and wondered if anyone else experienced something similar.

My left headlight occasionally flickers when switched on but it never stops working. It just flickers and keeps on working. It's been doing this now for over a month.

Recently it got to a stage where it would happen more often so I decided to put in my old genuine osram bulbs (I am currently using genuine Osram CBB bulbs for over a year now) to see if the bulb was faulty. Weirdly the right bulb started flickering with the original bulbs. So I swapped the ballast from left to right to see if that is causing the issue, still the right side is flickering with the original bulb.

So far I have switched the ballasts around, changed both bulbs, checked the Battery (showing 12.25v) so that's not the issue. 

Anyone got any ideas of what can be causing the occasional flicker?

[Andrew888]

Maybe spray some contact cleaner on the plug terminals of the loom?

[BIGGY2]

Thanks. I will give that a go

[Peter McD]

Hey, I have a similar issue after starting with both my headlights. I have heard a ballast change would resolve it but I read here that didn't work. Just wondering if a solution was found to the flickering. Its very annoying, I have to quickly turn off my lights and then back on for it to stop. It just starts again after a few minutes. 

[Spock66]

17 minutes ago, Peter McD said:

Just wondering if a solution was found to the flickering.

I'd suggest new bulbs as the first course of action, that worked for me anyway.

[Neo_gsf]

Just FYI - flickering bulbs are the indication that they are on their way out.  One of my 2006 GS300 lights started flickering like mentioned above, then went out completely and then a few days later came back.  Best to get them changed now so they don't give up completely when you need them and also get them both changed at the same time as the "colour" degrades over time so if you only change one of them, you'll have different "colours" 

[LenT]

2 hours ago, Spock66 said:

I'd suggest new bulbs as the first course of action, that worked for me anyway.

If it’s a D4S fitting, then I can certainly recommend the Osram Nightbreaker Laser Xenarc bulb.  I replaced my standard bulbs with these and the improvement was impressive.

I got mine from autobulbsdirect.co.uk .

[Herbie]

4 hours ago, Peter McD said:

Hey, I have a similar issue after starting with both my headlights. I have heard a ballast change would resolve it but I read here that didn't work. Just wondering if a solution was found to the flickering. Its very annoying, I have to quickly turn off my lights and then back on for it to stop. It just starts again after a few minutes. 

As someone else said, flickering is usually a sign that the bulb is on its way out.

It takes about 20-25,000V to strike the arc and around 80V to maintain it and the flickering is a sign that the electrodes can no longer handle it.