Ok... Got a strange one here. I've got an Audi A3 that came with factory Halogen headlights. I installed my Z110BT with the Connect2 wiring harness kit (smaller than the PAC one, simpler) and it was working great. I just recently installed aftermarket HIDs in the car, and now I've got a very strange issue...

If the Z110BT is started up already, and I turn on my headlights.. about 70% of the time the audio will cut out! Now i'm not saying ALL audio cuts out -- but rather, just the audio source dies. iPod, HD Radio, CD ... doesn't matter. I can switch sources and hear all the menu/interface beeps through the speakers without any issues. Usually after changing audio sources 2-3 times, the audio will come back -- but not all the way. Sometimes it will just be the back speakers, other times its all of them -- except for the subwoofer... The only real fix is to turn the car off and turn it back on.

Has anyone seen any behavior like this?

(also, i have the factory BOSE system, so the Z110BT is actually routing all its audio through the line-outs directly into the factory amp)

I'd even be happy if I could just reset the Z110BT while I was driving when this happens, but I can't seem to find a way to do that...

Funny enough I have the same issue after installing HID's in my car last week. I also am running through a factory amp in my car. If I switch the headlights on, the power to the amp is cut. I have to restart my car to get it to come back on. I have noticed that if I turn the parking lights on for about two seconds, then the headlights, I don't have the problem. This is clearly causing a voltage drop somewhere in the chain but I am baffled as to where and how to overcome it. If any of you experience installers out there have a clue please share it.

Dang I think if this is a huge problem than I will be holding off on getting HIDs for my car. I was about to place an order for some but might be thinking other wise now.

I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think this is going to be a regular problem for people with HID's.

HID's take a ton of juice to ignite them.... But once past the igniting stage, they're suppose to draw far less current than regular bulbs...

I would try to grab a small capacitor from Radio Shack to install in line with your Avic's power....

What level of capacitor?

What level of capacitor?

That, I wish I could tell you.... I could guess, but I don't want to tell someone anything wrong...

It would really be determined by your HID kit and it's ballast... But the way I see it, is that the current drop is just enough and just long enough to restart the Avic.... So I would guess that it wouldn't take much... I would get which ever has the biggest farat rating... You can't ever have too much... Just make sure that they're 12 volts +....

The only other thing that I would consider, would be to upgrade the battery to an Odyssey or the likes..

Hmm I'm going to have to try the waiting-for-2-seconds thing and see if that helps. I'm pretty hesitant to go in there and install an inline capacitor without really knowing what I'm doing. Any electrical experts want to chime in on this?

(btw, changing the battery should have almost zero impact.. the issue is almost certainly not an overall power problem but rather a momentary spike (or drop)).

(btw, changing the battery should have almost zero impact.. the issue is almost certainly not an overall power problem but rather a momentary spike (or drop)).

I only suggested that, as when I installed my HID's, everything would dim briefly when turning them on...

After I installed my Odyssey, I no longer get that... They're pretty bad ass batteries and can handle it... Not to mention it spins my starter so much faster.... I'm waiting for it to shoot out from the bottom of my truck...

As long as you get a non-polar aka bi-polar capacitor, you don't have to worry about installing it... it can go either way... The only thing that I'm unsure of, and being that you say that not all sound is gone.... is if it needs to go to the Avic, or your factory amp interface....

My problem is killing my factory amp, not the head unit.

Problem solved!!! Hey diranged, are you powering your HID's from a relayed harness straight to the battery? I ask because prior to last week, I have had this same HID system on my car for almost a year without problem. Last week, while installing a new set of projector retrofits on my car, I rewired the power to the HID ballast to a relayed harness from the battery. After that, I started having this problem. Earlier today, suspecting this was the issue, I removed the relayed harness and went back to powering the ballast from the switched headlight harness and haven't had the problem all day. Let me know if this helps you remedy your issue.

Problem solved!!! Hey diranged, are you powering your HID's from a relayed harness straight to the battery? I ask because prior to last week, I have had this same HID system on my car for almost a year without problem. Last week, while installing a new set of projector retrofits on my car, I rewired the power to the HID ballast to a relayed harness from the battery. After that, I started having this problem. Earlier today, suspecting this was the issue, I removed the relayed harness and went back to powering the ballast from the switched headlight harness and haven't had the problem all day. Let me know if this helps you remedy your issue.

Funny... I was researching some HID kits for my old man just now, and I ran into this cat's post... While it doesn't quite go in line with what Blue42 is saying... But in a way it makes sense that the relay is too slow...

The relay avoids the issues with the OEM harness having issues with the start up power some kits have and draws the power directly from the battery via the relay and only uses the OEM harness for the signal to turn on and go hi/lo. The Bi-Xenon kits "should" come with one. Verify with order...if not retro-solutions sell them...hell I have one somewhere that got not knowing the kit came with it.

Can you point me to the post referring to the relay'd wiring harness? I know for fact that the headlights housings I bought do not use any relay system, and rely on power from the stock wiring harness. I know that the Retro Solutions wiring COULD have a relay put in place, but did not come with one and are currently powered from the stock power source.

I did at one point try rewiring the ground directly to the chassis, but did not see any difference in the behavior.

I would be *extremely* interested in a wiring harness that has a built in relay and then takes actual power source from the battery directly.

Yea in my case the relayed harness was causing the problem but in your case it may actually solve your problem. Most high end HID systems are recommended to be wired with a relay harness straight to the battery to keep from over heating your stock headlight harnesses. The HID system I have came with both relayed and non relayed harnesses. If you like, I will send you the relay harness I am now no longer using. It is a standard connection to the ballast.

Actually if you go to the link below you purchase one for your bulb type. You only need one harness.

http://www.autolumination.com/hid_harness.htm

I am unable to avoid using a harness due to the BMW wiring. Can this still be done using a capacitor? I have easy access to the constant 12V and Acc 12V going to the HU. Does anyone know what size cap and how to wire it? Also should I do it to both 12V or just the constant? Thanks all.

BTW I do have an upgraded HID fogs.

BTW I do have an upgraded HID fogs.

Are you using a relayed harness to power them straight from the battery?

Yes I am using a relay. The battery in my car is in the rear along with the original car radio harness. I had to run everything up to the front for the Z110.

Under the hood there is a 12V post in which I plugged the 12V constant from the relay. I could not use the power from the original fog light harness since it caused a warning on my dash that the light was out. Instead there are resistors to fool the dash light.

What if I use a cap for the foglight instad of the head unit? Maybe it can draw the power from there instead and wiring is much easier since its all under the hood.

Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

Yea this all beyond my knowledge at this point. I was going to suggest going straight into the fog light harness and removing the relayed harness sense that worked for me. Good luck to you though.

Technically, you could still use the BMW factory harness, but you would have to compensate for it, by using different resistors...

Figuring out what your truck is looking for, versus what you have is above my head as well...

I think in your case, I would try a capacitor... But I'm not sure if it's the Avic that needs it, or whatever you're using to interface the car's system.... Are you using anything to retain factory amps/speakers that requires power?

As far as which capacitor... I'm not sure... I would first try to get the biggest(farad) one Radio Shack carries...

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2102508 <-- reviews are funny

If it doesn't work, then I'd probably go for something like this...

http://www.sonicelectronix.com/item_180 ... ital-.html

But I have no idea how many amps the Avic pulls... Nor do I know how much and how long the HID's are pulling...

If yours is anything like my wife's X5(e70), then your fogs fire up when you're turning at slow speeds, or when backing up...

In which I could see it being very annoying..

I think I will try geting rid of the relay for now. Instead I will buy one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-NEW-HID-KIT-ERROR-WARNING-CANCELLER-CAPACITOR-BMW-E90_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem45f0e2be23QQitemZ300394135075QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

I think they have a built in cap to prevent the flicker therefore it may draw the power from that instead of the battery. I will also remove the resistors since this item replaces it and will simplify the install.

I will let you guys know if this works.

I think I will try geting rid of the relay for now. Instead I will buy one of these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-NEW-HID-KIT-ERROR-WARNING-CANCELLER-CAPACITOR-BMW-E90_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem45f0e2be23QQitemZ300394135075QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

 

I think they have a built in cap to prevent the flicker therefore it may draw the power from that instead of the battery. I will also remove the resistors since this item replaces it and will simplify the install.

 

I will let you guys know if this works.

Good call... Looks like you get all your prayers answered in one nice neat little package...

Let us know how it works out for you... me in particular... My wife just asked me about a week ago about putting "the cool looking lights" in the fog lamps... I put LED's in the Halos, so now she wants all of it to match...

So now I just have to add a resistor to my SWI since when I honk the horn it changes the band when on Am/FM/XM. pretty funny since my friends ask why do you honk 4 times? Duh... that how you get back to the original song.

Damn thats funny.

where are the hids getting their power from. you need to install a relay to take the main power for the ballast off the battery. if you only plugged in to vehicle harness chancesare good that is your problem. also check grounding of z and ballasts jim