Horrible HID kit installation

V

vortex

Member
I bought an HID kit from hid-direct, which looks OK .
Went to a Car Audio Centre to get it installed, for the amazing price of 45 quid per hour. I was scared to do it on my own, so I thought, what the hell, lets pay someone who knows what he's doing to install it.
Every since the installation, my ABS and DSC lights come on and off at random. Furthermore, the person who did the installation let moisture/condensation in the headlights.
Today, I found out that he did a half-arsed job, he cut a tiny bit of plastic of my wheel hub/arch, and attached to the wheel hub (from the side facing the fog lights) the digital ballast of the hid kit with a nylon tie.
The remaining filter boxes are just hanging below, and because of the cut he made (in order for the nylon tie to go through the wheel hub panels that give access to the lights), water now splashes on both the ballast, the filters and the fog lights.
Bare in mind, I paid 80 quid for this amazing installation.
Apart from having to resolve the ABS & DSC light issue, I am thinking that I should probably move the hid ballast and filters a bit higher, preferably behind the head lights and between the radiator sides and the top of the wheel hubs.
Sorry I couldn't take any pictures as I saw it quite late, but its needless to say I'm furious.

Will the hid ballasts & filters be OK if they get wet (not just wet, but splashed wet) ?
I know they are supposed to be waterproof, but that still looks dangerous.
 
Is there enough room in the headlight to place it there? Its a slim ballast, half the size of a credit card, when I asked them initially they said they would tuck in inside the headlight, I guess he couldn't be bothered.
 
Thanks, I will have a look at it next weekend and see if I can tuck in there.
In the meantime, do you reckon it will be all right hanging out there and getting wet ?
 
so you have been ripped of twice, first time when you pay double the price for the hid kit (those usually around £25) ,second by paying £80 for the 15-20min job :lol:
 
I can't advise on them getting wet, but I would be taking it back and asking them to make their work good...
 
Marius said:
so you have been ripped of twice, first time when you pay double the price for the hid kit (those usually around £25) ,second by paying £80 for the 15-20min job :lol:
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Don't listen to him...

The HIDs are normally around £50 - £60 and its not a 15mins job... Well if you want to do it good job...
 
Bing said:
I can't advise on them getting wet, but I would be taking it back and asking them to make their work good...
Click to expand...

That's what I thought as well.
And then I realized that if it took him an hour and a half to do such a bad job, I doubt that he'll be able to do it better.
That bloke couldn't bother to walk around, let alone do his job.
It was my fault for taking it there in the first place, and TBH I'm afraid he might do something wrong if he tries to tuck them in the headlight,
I already have enough problems with the damage he did to the ABS/DSC. I think he was switching wire polarity with the switches turned on.
Its a trust issue now, will never set a foot there again, I'll have to do it on my own.
 
Marius said:
so you have been ripped of twice, first time when you pay double the price for the hid kit (those usually around £25) ,second by paying £80 for the 15-20min job :lol:
Click to expand...
i wont come to you when i need a reassuring ear or some good friendly advice :|
 
I would still take it back to rub his nose in it and ask for a refund,if nothing else he should pay for a new wheel arch cover :headbang:
 
andysat said:
I would still take it back to rub his nose in it and ask for a refund,if nothing else he should pay for a new wheel arch cover :headbang:
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You know you are right... I doubt I will get anywhere with them, but who knows. I may give it a try on Monday.
 
vortex said:
andysat said:
I would still take it back to rub his nose in it and ask for a refund,if nothing else he should pay for a new wheel arch cover :headbang:
Click to expand...

You know you are right... I doubt I will get anywhere with them, but who knows. I may give it a try on Monday.
Click to expand...
Was the person who did the work the owner?-if not you could make a complaint about the competence of the worker.
 
I wouldn't put them inside the headlight, they produce heat (as do the bulbs), and its only possible to use sticky pads to fix them inside, so only a matter of time before something comes loose, depending on how much use the car gets. Much better to take off the bumper, and screw the ballasts to the chassis legs, which will also act as a heat sink. The bumper is easy to remove in under an hour taking it slow, the threads on here are really useful I found.
Of course some will argue that means drilling a 25mm hole in the back covers, but I used the supplied kit with grommets, and pre-sealed with silicone before I fitted the bulbs, allowing the silicone to harden overnight first. TBH, it was a pain to then fit the bulbs, due to the shorts wires inside the cover, but so far no water/condensation issues despite the recent shitty weather.
As others have said, an unprofessional job, demand your money back before you lose your lights one dark, rainy night just before a bend.
Any local forum members willing to help? :?
 
I wouldn't put them inside the headlight, they produce heat (as do the bulbs), and its only possible to use sticky pads to fix them inside, so only a matter of time before something comes loose, depending on how much use the car gets. Much better to take off the bumper, and screw the ballasts to the chassis legs, which will also act as a heat sink. The bumper is easy to remove in under an hour taking it slow, the threads on here are really useful I found.
Of course some will argue that means drilling a 25mm hole in the back covers, but I used the supplied kit with grommets, and pre-sealed with silicone before I fitted the bulbs, allowing the silicone to harden overnight first. TBH, it was a pain to then fit the bulbs, due to the shorts wires inside the cover, but so far no water/condensation issues despite the recent shitty weather.
As others have said, an unprofessional job, demand your money back before you lose your lights one dark, rainy night just before a bend.
Any local forum members willing to help? :?
 
Mine as per others have been loose inside the light for nearly two years - not that they move about due to the amount of wires keeping them held in place

They don't get that hot, only slightly warm
 
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