Original xenons - success!

[epsilon93]

I finally completed accumulating parts that I need for the upgrade to bi-xenons. Thanks to a member here, I was able to secure a used set at a reasonable price. This is the original xenon headlamps for RHD cars. It came all the way from UK too. Thanks Jamie, you know who you are!

This upgrade uses the original equipment for the xenons as well. They are the Hella Gen 4 Xenon system consisting of ballast and ignitor. You can use any bulb with D2S fitting but I chose the Philips D2S 4300K which will give the highest light intensity and not as white as those 6000K or higher color temp ones. Anything higher than 4500K is useless since the light output becomes so low that the throw becomes rather short and useless. This upgrade also does not cover the AHL (automatic headlamp levelling) because the 9-3 Linear does not have the wire harness for this from the factory. I don't think its difficult to install AHL if I want to but I just don't care about it at this point.

Here are the parts I got for the upgrade;

1 pair of original Saab 9-3SS bi-xenon headlamps made by Hella
1 pair of Hella Gen 4 ballast
1 pair of Hella Gen 4 ignitor
1 pair of Philips D2S 4300K HID bulb
6 self tapping screw for securing the ballast to the headlamp

Before proceeding with the installation, I installed all the bulbs and the xenon parts onto the headlamp and tested them to ensure all the bulbs and connections are secure. The next step is to remove the halogen headlamps and swap the xenon headlamps in. To do this, you need to remove the battery cover, the windshield washer filler neck and the bumper. To access one of the screws that secures the headlamp to the car body, you need to remove the bumper to access this screw. Yeah, I know it's a pain but the bumper isn't difficult to remove, only took about 15 minutes to do it all by myself. It took less time to replace after I knew how it came out.

After the swap was complete, I proceeded to do some testing to check that everything works. Turn on the car (without starting engine) and waited for the check to complete. The dreaded "Left/right dipped beam failure" message came up on the SID. I expected this to happen but I was prepared to ignore it. I proceeded to turn on the lights and, "Whoa! They are bright!", the xenons fired up without any problems. As I was admiring them, the lights went out by themselves. I thought, "Oh no! what now?". I turned light switch off and back on again but all I got was a flicker. "Doh!". Turned the car off and took the key out, then put it back in and turn the car on again. Turn the lights on and the HIDs fired up again. Few minutes later same thing happened. Took out my multimeter and made some measurements. As I suspected, the BCM (body control module) was limiting the current to the headlamps which caused the HIDs to shutdown. This was because the BCM thought that a short circuit has occurred. The HIDs draw over 2 times the amount of power upon startup that the BCM must have thought that a short circuit had occurred. The HIDs power draw will eventually go down to less than what the halogens use but that takes about a minute. I found that if I started the car with the lights switch on the HIDs stay lit without any problems. That was still unacceptable if I had to turn on the lights while driving and it wouldn't.

So, I thought to myself, what if I can fool the BCM? I thought about the problem a bit and came up with an idea to fool the BCM. I proceeded to hook up a circuit and attached the circuit to the left headlamp. Turn the car on and I didn't get a the dipped beam failure message for the left headlamp. "Great! It worked", I thought. Turn on the lights but the failure message came on and the lights went out again. It was getting late so I put everything back on and went back into the house. Had a shower and thought about the problem a bit more.

Days later, I decided to try out another circuit which I came up with. I tested the circuit at the bench and it seemed to work as intended. However, this circuit requires cutting the wire at the headlamp harness. I took the circuit to the car and hooked it up without cutting the wire using crocodile clips and wires. Fired up the lights and watch. Minutes later, the HIDs remained lit and no error message! Waited for a while more and it still stayed lit. Started the car. Still stayed on. Tried a few other combinations. Stayed on. It seems to work. However, I didn't like this solution as it required cutting the wire at the headlamp harness. The idea of cutting the wire just didn't appeal to me. Tapping is fine but cutting is just bad. So I thought about the problem for a few days more. The conclusion, looks like there is no other way to solve this problem except.......... TECH2.........

A few days later I went to the dealer and spoke to the tech about the problem. According to him, my findings on the BCM is correct but he wasn't sure that if he added the xenon module in the BCM that it would work without the AHL. He was willing to give it a try though. He hooked up the TECH2 and did some stuff with it. I wasn't looking as I was talking to some other people I know there. Later, he came up to me and said, "Fixed! No errors!". Indeed, the lights was working properly as it should and no longer shuts down. No error message at the SID on the dipped beam failure or AHL failures. Success! Woo hoo!

I hope my story has inspired you to get those HIDs especially for those of you wanting to fit HIDs for the longest time and were afraid to do it due to the problems reported. The circuit I built should work with aftermarket HIDs. I think the problem with the startup power may only be specific with the Hella Gen 4 HID system. Some others who have had HIDs installed did not seem to report problems with xenons shutting down. So the circuit is not required for those without such problems. I have not tested it with aftermarket xenons so there is no guarrantee. I am sure I will have a chance to test this once other 93SS owners over here decide to fit aftermarket xenons.

BTW, the xenons fired up too when I flashed the high beam

I'll post some pics later once I get a chance to do it.

eps

[Viscouse]

Wow. That's awesome Eps! I'm overjoyed at your success, and it gives me hope that I might one day be able to do this. As has been said many times before...you rock.

Now for the questions...
1. If Tech2 made the error messages go away, do you still need your circuit? I had assumed that Tech2 would make the current correction?
2. Any chance of getting part numbers for the different ingredients?

After it's all said & done, I think I'm just a bit scared about the lack of AHL. I don't want to end up getting pulled over cause of it.

Great job!

[epsilon93]

To answer Vis's questions;

1) No you don't need any circuit if you can use the TECH2 to add the xenon module to the BCM. It will take care of it.

2) There is a long list of parts if you decide to go for new. However, if you do go 2nd hand, I am sure the headlamp already has most of the parts already on it. If you are lucky complete with the ballast and such.

Briefly, you need these.....

Headlamp
RH traffic (US, CA etc.)
12797388 - LH
12797389 - RH
LH traffic (UK, Singapore, Aust etc.)
12797390 - LH
12797391 - RH

A new headlamp will not come with a lot of bits and pieces needed to make it complete eg. rubber boot cover, bulb sockets etc. Fortunately you can transfer all of them from the halogen headlamp so you don't really need to buy everything new.

Xenons
Ballast - 12790592 x2
Ignitor - 12790587 x2
Screw - 12790593 x6
Waterproof seal/gasket - 12797543 x2
HID bulb - 12790588 x2

AHL components
CG sensor front - 24417125
CG sensor rear - 24417126
AHL controller module - 24417112
Screw - 11900354 x2
Screw - 92151942 x2
Screw - 92150090 x1
Nut - 90287467 x2

I don't have the part number for the AHL harness yet. Not sure if I can find it on the EPC but I will check.

One tip on the Hella xenons, they are the same parts used in the xenons of some Benz and BMWs. I am sure they are used in many other cars just have to look around and they may also be lots cheaper.

Another missing component is the high pressure water jets.

Hope that helps.

[Viscouse]

Wow, great writeup! Thanks for the info.

[ctrlz]

Nice work, eps!

I have the factory bi-xenons. I'm eager to see your pictures.

Any chance there is one wire I could cut and run a switch under the dash to let me turn off the DRL's? My dealer will not disable them. I was thinking of just mounting a toggle somewhere under the dash. I don't know if the BCM will detect a circuit interrupt and give me a bad bulb error message. But I would like to be able to turn the xenons off at will.

[epsilon93]

ctrlz,

Yes, it's possible to do that. The dipped beam bulb ie. the HID bulb in this case is driven by a single wire. You could cut it and put a remote operated relay there so you won't need to run any wires. I think Hella has a kit like this for their fog lamp kits. If you are really going to do, I can tell you which wire. You can PM me for the info.

Hope that helps.

eps

[epsilon93]

Pict 1 - This is the xenon projector I took out from a broken xenon headlamp I acquired for my research.

Pict 2 - Hella Gen 4 ballast and ignitor with the D2S HID bulb mounted

Pict 3 - That's the broken headlamp I use for my research. Notice the empty proejector socket

Pict 4 - Here is the projector again with the ignitor and bulb installed. It is also attached to the headlamp wiring

Pict 5 - Here is the ballast shown mounted on the underside of the headlamp

[epsilon93]

I'll post a pic of the car with the xenons tomorrow. Didn't get a chance to do that today.

[Dave 37]

A very interesting post from someone who really loves SAAB's. In Singapore, the costs of a SAAB is wicked! The cost of a 9-3 in the US is probably much cheaper than even the cheapest car of any brand in Singapore. On the other hand, it is very difficult to find laksa in the US.

[epsilon93]

Dave, the cost of any car in Singapore is ludicrous. Imagine paying for a Saab in the US and only getting a Hyundai. It's all because of taxes and the gov here is very good at coming out with taxes. That's why its called Pay And Pay gov here

If you look at the bottom line, the taxes we pay here versus what you guys pay in the US probably amounts to about the same. If you can live without a car here, you'll definitely save more.

If you do come to Singapore again, drop me a line, I'll bring you out to have some great laksa.

[epsilon93]

OK, I have had people asking me about the part numbers. FYI, the part numbers listed may be superceded by new ones so its best to check with your parts supplier. I got those part numbers from the EPC which is of a very early revision so some part numbers may have already been superceded. I had come across a few.

[JWLANKY]

Eps, Congratulations on a great install and write up!

(i dont think i'll bother looking at any pictures of the lights as i know i'll wish i had installed them )

[epsilon93]

Thanks for the compliments!

OK, here are some more photos

[Go Green]

Great pics! So bright, that it kinda washes out the picture! Way to go in the install!

[kents]

Great job - this is awesome!

Do you know if the AHL wiring harness would already be installed in an '04 Aero orignially fitted with halogen lighting? I recall rumors that it's there, but haven't gone pulling panels yet.

[epsilon93]

kents, an easy way to find out would be to look for a 20-way connector stuck beside the fuse box behind the right headlamp (driver's side for you guys). Another indication is the headlamp connector, it's a 10-way connector and if you see a wire for every pin in the connector, you have AHL wiring.

[kents]

Well, there is no 20 pin connector for the AHL controller, and on the headlamp connector there are several wires missing. So I'm theorizing that the AHL wiring harness is installed only in cars getting bi-xenon from the factory.

Unless there's a way to add the harness without ripping up too much, I'll be headed towards doing this without AHL as you've done.

Perhaps WIS contains the wiring diagram and the harness can be reverse-engineered???

Thanks again Jerry for all the work you've done on this.

[soggy]

What was the aprox. cost of all of the work?

[epsilon93]

IIRC, it cost me about 250 UK pounds for the headlamps (used) and about another US$250 for the Hella ballast, ignitor and HID bulb. The rest is all blood, sweat and tears.

[kents]

soggy - I've been trying to track down a pair of bi-xenon headlamps on the front range - checking here & there. I figured that there's be a pretty good chance given the number of 93SS' on the road in our area, but no luck thus far.


Let me know if you make any headway

-Kent