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  1. #1
    Jay
    Saab Addict Hirsch's Avatar
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    07 93 SC Aero 6spd

    2007 93 Aero headlight bulb replacment(xenon)

    I've been getting a random low beam failure warning popping up in my SID, but the light appears to be working.

    One thing that I was doing before this happened is turning my lights on and off when oncoming cars don't have their lights on in the rain. Ohio law changed recently to say that if it's raining hard enough for your wipers to be on, then your headlights have to be on. I actually caught a cop(a supervisor no less) driving without his lights on and called him on it. He said "I forgot".

    I called the local Saab dealer and was quoted $180 for ONE replacement!

    One of the vendors listed here, AutohauAZ has OEM bulbs for $75, but recommend that both be replaced. The Saab parts guy at Just Saab said that it's not necessary to replace both.

    Has anyone replaced a bulb in an 03+ 9-3 with xenons?

    How hard is it, is it something that's easily done by myself or will I screw up the auto leveling system?

  2. #2
    Frank
    Administrator nordwulf's Avatar
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    previous: 2006 9-3, 2001-06 9-5, 2011 9-4X
    A tell-tale sign of Xenons going bad is flickering or when they start to turn pink. Besides the color difference between used and new bulbs, the other one often starts to fail shortly after the one you replaced. So you don't have to replace both at the same time but it makes sense. And if you have to replace the other one with a new one, you may have to get a different brand which can also have a slight color difference.

    Sylvania, Osram and Philips are the good quality brands and $75 per bulb sounds like a good price if from a reputable source. I ordered parts for my Benz from AutohausAZ and I would order from them again.

  3. #3
    Jay
    Saab Addict Hirsch's Avatar
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    No color changing or flickering, but after 4 years I'm thinking I should replace them.

    According to the owners manual, changing bulbs should be done by a dealer.

    I doubt that they'd install bulbs I bought someplace else, however.

  4. #4
    Jose Luis
    Saab Addict jlrSAAB's Avatar
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    have you replaced the battery?.. it could be the battery.

    first at all you must know more about HID:

    How long to D2S bulbs last?
    Unlike halogen bulbs, which typically die when the filament snaps, HID bulbs have very few methods of mechanical failure. This results in bulbs can last an excessively long time (thousands and thousands of hours), but as time goes on the output of the bulb decreases. According to some spec sheets, at around 1500 hrs of use, an HID bulb is only emitting around 75% of its brightness. So assuming linear lifespan (which is likely not a valid assumption, but for clarities sake we will assume it is), at around 3000 hrs, the bulb is at 50% brightness. This means, a bulb may still be working long after its luminous output has fallen below that of a halogen bulb.
    HiDplanet : The Official Automotive Lighting Forum - Everything you ever wanted to know about HID bulbs.

    HID EXPERT

    Best place to buy Philips D2S 85122+ - AcuraZine Community
    Last edited by jlrSAAB; 21 June 2011 at 17:39.


  5. #5
    Jay
    Saab Addict Hirsch's Avatar
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    Battery was replaced last fall when the ignition switch went bad.

  6. #6
    Jose Luis
    Saab Addict jlrSAAB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hirsch View Post
    Battery was replaced last fall when the ignition switch went bad.
    you must be sure first, check your battery again...... some batteries fails before a year of life.


  7. #7
    Jay
    Saab Addict Hirsch's Avatar
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    I'm not getting any other indication that the battery is dying.

    When it died when the ignition switch went bad and drained the battery all kinds of weird stuff happened.

    I'm fairly confident that the battery is not the culprit in this case, it's only 9 months old.

    The first time it happened was in a thunderstorm and I was turning my lights off and on repeatedly. The warning came up, but the light was still on.

  8. #8
    Frank
    Administrator nordwulf's Avatar
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    previous: 2006 9-3, 2001-06 9-5, 2011 9-4X
    Quote Originally Posted by Hirsch View Post
    According to the owners manual, changing bulbs should be done by a dealer.

    I doubt that they'd install bulbs I bought someplace else, however.
    It's not difficult to replace the bulbs yourself but I think Saab doesn't wasn't to see consumers doing this themselves because of liability reasons. Bulb replacement instructions from the WIS added to the Tutorials:
    http://saabworld.net/f69/xenon-headl...lacement-2301/

    Note: SaabWorld is not responsible if you electrocute yourself or fry any part of your body.

    I have replaced them on my 9-5. Besides a different bulb design, it seems easy to do on the 9-3. Not sure if you can change the bulbs without having to remove the headlamps first. Let me know if you need instructions for that.

  9. #9
    Jose Luis
    Saab Addict jlrSAAB's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hirsch View Post
    I'm not getting any other indication that the battery is dying.

    When it died when the ignition switch went bad and drained the battery all kinds of weird stuff happened.

    I'm fairly confident that the battery is not the culprit in this case, it's only 9 months old.

    The first time it happened was in a thunderstorm and I was turning my lights off and on repeatedly. The warning came up, but the light was still on.
    we rule out the battery, OK.
    the HID is not only the xenon bulb but also the the Xenon lamp ballast. and the ignition transformer.
    what is the culprit of the three elements?.

    I have my Doubts as to the xenon bulb failure be


  10. #10
    Jay
    Saab Addict Hirsch's Avatar
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    I'm beginning to think it had something to do with me turning the lights on and off repeatedly. Even though I got the warning, the light has never been out. I've been out a few times today and it hasn't happened again.

    I'm going to cross my fingers and hope that I confused the computer for a minute. I did the same thing while doing e-brake slides in the snow last winter. Every warning light that could come on, did!

 

 

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