...I think I may be having an issue with my ballast that run my fog lights,I haven't had an issue until recently, but they don't always stay on or fire up (when I first turn them on). The issue isn't with just one side, but both do it from time to time. I can turn them on & they will both come on, sometimes only one will come on. I can turn them off & on, then maybe the other side will fire up, but the other won't....lol....if I get both to come on, then sometimes one will go out while I'm driving. I haven't pulled them out to check the wiring, but I wouldn't think the issue would be with both, since they are wired separately.... unless it's just age & time to replace? I've had them about 3yrs(?), but they were used when I got them, with the custom frontend.......so any suggestions on what to look for or some type of testing ? I'm going to attempt to look/work on them next week & see if I can get to the bottom of this. Also, they are wired into the factory foglight harness, so they only come on if the headlights are on.........any help or suggestions will be appreciated.......thanx Ed

 

You might try some new bulbs. Old car had D2S bulbs going strong 11 years. 2013 IS-350, just got new bulbs and seem to fire every time. Although I'm not sure what you have there but not all bulbs are equal.

 

The D2S is a low beam headlight bulb not a fog lamp. It is likely that the bulbs need to be changed. We all have the same problem with fluorescent fixtures. Sometimes they turn on and other times they don't. Most of the time, changing the bulbs solves the problem. Less frequently it is the ballast.

 

.....I may look into my issue sooner than later....lol.....I do know for sure that my foglights are 9k bulbs, so they may be a low beam.It's been so long since I've bothered them, I just can't remember what type of bulb they are.....I will definitely keep you guys informed, as to what I figure out, if anything...lol

 

After market HID kits are always going to have reliability issues with ballast. Instead of messing with HID why not switch to LED and be done with. LEDs run much cooler than HID and nowadays they are brighter, cheaper and last forever.

 

.....since I didn't do the original bumper mod, these were already installed by the original owner. If it is only the bulbs, then I don't mind replacing the bulbs periodically, since this setup is at least 5yrs old. I do understand the heat issue, but these are really bright and project a great distance, which comes in handy when I'm traveling out of town. I'm going to pull the bulbs this week & order some new ones, hopefully this will cure my problem. If not, then I may look into switching to LEDs.........so now my next question, what type of LED bulb/setup would I need to project down the road, like my 9k hids? I don't want just a bright light visually, but I want something that actually lights up the road......thanx in advance for any suggestions

 

Get the COB DRLs. It's ten times brighter than the fog lights and also looks good.

 

Before you order bulbs you want to make sure its indeed the bulbs. If one side is not working simply put the bulb on the working side and see if it lights up. If it does then you know the ballast. The problem with all cheap HID kits is that it uses little/low quality xenon salt to light up the bulbs. As a results it must pump lots of current to achieve the brightness. If you put your hand on factory HID lens cover vs that of after market you will feel the huge difference in heat.
For fog bulbs you actually want something like 4k instead of 9k. Blue light is more reflective while red light is more penetrating. That's why sky is blue and stop light is red. For foggy situation you want a penetrating light instead of a reflective one. A light temperature toward red/orange will serve the purpose better. Of course, for style 5-6k looks the best in my opinion.

 

....well in my first post, I state that it's not just one side & can be both at times & sometimes one side or the other. I thought I would try bulbs first, because that was a suggestion & would be the cheapest route to start off with...lol.. I just hadn't had time to pull the ballast to see what brand they may be, I don't think they are a cheap aftermarket, but don't know for sure. I'm basing this on how much the previous owner spent on 3 different bumpers, to get the look he was after.....they get extremely hot also, they've melted the park light bulbs that are mounted in the housing also. I'll get to it soon & hopefully I'll figure it out. I'm planning to unplug them, check wiring, clean connections & see if I can find something that could cause this. I may also switch to 6k bulbs, this will match my headlight.......thanx for the suggestions, keep them coming....lol

 

....those are ok,but not what I'm looking for. I know these are visible as a DRL, but they aren't functional as a foglight & thats what I'm looking for

 

With after market HID kit regardless of its price the bulbs give off way too much heat, usually many times the amount than factory HIDs. If you cannot put your hand on the lens feeling only slightly warm like the factory HID lens, then you got a problem. Typically people put aftermarket HIDs in way too small housing that your hand will feel burning hot on the outside lens after ten seconds. If that is the case it is not safe to install the HID kit. The housing either needs to be enlarged or has LED bulbs in it. In your case if things were already melted inside there is no point IMO to replace either the bulb or ballast. Another HID kit may create fire hazard if it already burnt stuff there.

 

....when I stated they melted a bulb,it wasn't the HID bulb, wiring or harness. The way the setup is made, there are 2 bulbs in the housing, one is a small led amber bulb (park light), that shines when the fogs are off. The other bulb is the HID, this bulb is the fog & before I bought better leds (park light), the HIDs melted the housing of the cheaper leds....lol....I went onto one of the HID sights & my symptoms suggest that I may have a wiring issue. It says check/clean all connections and the wiring harness, so thats going to be my starting point. I don't argue that you're wrong, because I don't know for sure what my issue is. It's just got me wondering why I'm having this intermediate issue, after all these years of trouble free usage. My thinking was that if it was a bulb(s), then they wouldn't come on at all, but it was suggested that I might try new bulbs because it would be a cheap fix. I'm still leaning towards wiring or harness because they do come on, but one or the other may turn off......I could always leave them off & still have the park lights, but like both looks & the extra lighting on dark roads............here are 2 pics of the Sc.........the first with just the park lights & the second with the HIDs

 

The bump and setup look really good. Just from my personal experience those after market HIDs will always overheat sooner or later. Getting them to work is easy but keeping them cool is almost impossible. Yes, they look bright and nice, but I just don't want to risk damage to my car, especially now there is a much better alternative. The LEDs look even brighter and nicer than HID. If you turn on the HIDs for 5min and your hands cannot rest on the lens for more than five seconds because of heat then IMHO the HIDs should not be there.

 

Hey buddy, so from what you're saying I can bet the problem is the ballast. But your thought to clean and check connections is a good problem solving step. Once you do that the next thing would be to replace bulbs and ballasts. Both the bulbs and ballasts should have a brand name, model number, and even a bulb stamp with the type of bulb. Might be easier to replace with all new parts. Just a thought. Secondly, you are 100% correct about LEDs. As you know from my Shreveport back roads driving, I learned the hard way. Even the highest wattage LED in the fog will not illuminate crap. I nearly clipped a few deer that night. That's being said, if true night and fog visibility is your goal avoid the LED. I just purchased the 6k 55w H11 Kensun kit. Good reviews. Havent installed yet but will post once complete. As for heat... I'm sure they will run hot. Our fog housing are metal and real glass so I doubt any melting will occur. Fuse and wire issues are something different, as the OEM are 35watt. Guess we'll see.

 

....I'm off tomorrow & will be giving this a look over, hopefully it will be something simple. I may just purchase the same ballast & bulbs that are in there now, since they've gone this long without any issues. I do remember your stay in Shreveport & you finding out about "a whole new type of darkness"...lol....I don't drive the car daily, but do like the extra lighting on dark roads, especially when I'm out of town