Mercedes-Benz HID Ignitor Replacement DIY
Need to replace the HID ignitor on your Mercedes-Benz? This guide provides instructions on how to remove and change the HID ignitor on a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.
Symptoms
- Mercedes HID Headlight not working
- Left or Right Low Beam Light not on
- Mercedes ballast doesn’t ignite.
How to replace Mercedes ballast/ignitor
Caution: HID system generates thousands of volts and can cause serious injuries. Make sure to remove the key from the ignition, turn off the headlights, and use gloves during this procedure.
What you will need
- Mercedes Ignitor
- Gloves
Procedure
The ballast and ignitor were mounted under the headlight on older Mercedes-Benz models. Typically, this required removing the headlight or loosening the front bumper to access the ballast.
On newer Mercedes models, it is mounted right on the back of the HID bulb. Use gloves when replacing the ballast on a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.
- Open the hood and access the back of the headlight.
- Remove the cap by twisting it counterclockwise.
- Unplug the wire from the ballast.
- Twist the ignitor counterclockwise to remove it.
- To install, line up all four locking tabs, then twist them clockwise to lock in the headlight.
How to troubleshoot the Mercedes-Benz ignitor
First, you must confirm that the HID bulb is not burned out. Burned-out HID bulb is a widespread problem.
A common sign of a bad Mercedes-Benz ignitor is that one of the headlights is out. When it starts to fail, it will work randomly. If the HID bulb is burned, it will never return or work randomly once it fails.
First, check the low beam fuse. Mercedes uses a fuse for each of the headlights. Therefore, you have left and right headlight fuses.
If the fuses check out and are not burned, you need to check the ballast.
Swap the ignitor with the other side.
- If the headlight where you moved the ignitor does not work, the problem is the ignitor.
- If the headlight where you moved the ignitor works, the problem is NOT the ignitor.
We hope you find the Mercedes-Benz HID Ignitor Replacement DIY guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Mercedes-Benz.