Installed my HID Fog Lights and got an OBC Malfunction Message...

poldim · 03-02-2006, 01:57 PM

Anyone have any ideas on how it can be tricked into thinking there is a regular bulb there? How does the OBC know that the regular bulb is there or not?

Maybe a resistor in series with the HID ground wire?

EDIT:
Low quality video: http://poldim.e90post.com/Videos/Tec...stall - 66.avi

EDIT 2: Pictures from a few minutes ago of the fogs thanks to longtran's advice.

poldim · 03-02-2006, 02:03 PM

BTW, it says left because only the left one is installed, I'm going to goout now and install the other one....

E90Fleet · 03-02-2006, 02:19 PM

E90 system is pretty clever

It can even monitor the voltage and wattage drawn by the lights

timzerofive · 03-02-2006, 02:20 PM

Probably has something to do with the wiring. Probably not getting a full loop for something reason. How are you wiring it? Is the HID kit plug and play or are you splicing?

aapriadi · 03-02-2006, 03:32 PM

perhaps its the wattage

the mechanic told me that a slight drop in the number of watts can be detected by the car and then it will show error messages..i was gonna install the hid kit for my foglights too but i asked my mechanic beforehand, i thought he was bullsh*tin me coz he was too lazy to do it for me..
if ur wattage is the same as ur original fogs then i dont know what happened
good luck

poldim · 03-02-2006, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E90Fleet

E90 system is pretty clever

It can even monitor the voltage and wattage drawn by the lights

How do I fool it?

I just installed both lights. Turned them on and took a video of it. Pretty much as soon as I stopped recording, both lights went out about 1 second apart.

I turned off the lights, then back on to parking lights setting, and pressed the fog lights button with no reaction. So I shut the car off and tried it again, and they turned on, but again, only for about 60 seconds.

I now have two control messages; one for the left and one for the right. As soon as I shut the engine off, they systematically disappear and up comes the "Press Start/Stop Button" message. So it looks like its reset everytime you shut off the engine.

Any ideas on a work around?

poldim · 03-02-2006, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapriadi

perhaps its the wattage

the mechanic told me that a slight drop in the number of watts can be detected by the car and then it will show error messages..i was gonna install the hid kit for my foglights too but i asked my mechanic beforehand, i thought he was bullsh*tin me coz he was too lazy to do it for me..
if ur wattage is the same as ur original fogs then i dont know what happened
good luck

55W vs 35W

aapriadi · 03-02-2006, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poldim

How do I fool it?

I just installed both lights. Turned them on and took a video of it. Pretty much as soon as I stopped recording, both lights went out about 1 second apart.

I turned off the lights, then back on to parking lights setting, and pressed the fog lights button with no reaction. So I shut the car off and tried it again, and they turned on, but again, only for about 60 seconds.

I now have two control messages; one for the left and one for the right. As soon as I shut the engine off, they systematically disappear and up comes the "Press Start/Stop Button" message. So it looks like its reset everytime you shut off the engine.

Any ideas on a work around?

perhaps go to ur dealer and ask the mechanic but i can bet ur mech will ask u to remove the hid kit. i guess right now ur only solution is toeither u buy another hid kit with 55w or remove this hid kit. ask ur mech, so far i havent come across anyone who has managed to fool it. perhaps if u dont have i-drive, its simpler. i've no idea either though, i'm just givin a wild guess
good luck dude

E90Fleet · 03-02-2006, 03:49 PM

No idea how to fool it

shragon · 03-02-2006, 03:54 PM

yea, this is a common problem with other bmw's too. hid bulbs have no filament. also, probably has something to do with the amount of power they're pulling from the system.

poldim · 03-02-2006, 04:00 PM

LWL installled his kit without problems.

2323 is having the same problem. He mentioned that the BMW dealer can set the OBC to bypass the bulb sensor.

desinole · 03-02-2006, 04:02 PM

Did you try swapping the stickers ?

hotsand5 · 03-02-2006, 04:03 PM

See, as time passes and cars keep getting more technologically advanced, we are going to have less control over what we can do with or tinker with our cars. Damn, you have to be an electrical engineer to try to "fool" the car just to install custom fog lights.

aapriadi · 03-02-2006, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poldim

LWL installled his kit without problems.

2323 is having the same problem. He mentioned that the BMW dealer can set the OBC to bypass the bulb sensor.

maybe LWL got the 55w kit? my mech mentioned something about reformatting the whole ecu or obc if i want to install the HID kit, if i'm not mistaken though

i really have no idea but keep updating ur situation. it'll be great if BMW dealer can set OBC to bypass the bulb sensors
good luck

poldim · 03-02-2006, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aapriadi

maybe LWL got the 55w kit? my mech mentioned something about reformatting the whole ecu or obc if i want to install the HID kit, if i'm not mistaken though

i really have no idea but keep updating ur situation. it'll be great if BMW dealer can set OBC to bypass the bulb sensors
good luck

To my knowledge, there are no 55W HID kits. By priciple of operation, they draw less current when ignited. Since Power = Current * Voltage, they all draw less Watts.

shragon · 03-02-2006, 04:35 PM

there are 55w hid kits available. they're some what new, and not as easy to come by.

poldim · 03-02-2006, 06:03 PM

Why did they start making them? Whats the advantage?

BTW, Video Added up top... http://poldim.e90post.com/Videos/Tec...stall - 66.avi

T-MC-G · 03-02-2006, 06:11 PM

i talked with Umnitza a while ago and they said they have a resistor you can put inline with the power and ground that fixes the problem, call them up.
www.umnitza.com

shragon · 03-02-2006, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poldim

Why did they start making them? Whats the advantage?

BTW, Video Added up top... http://poldim.e90post.com/Videos/Tec...stall - 66.avi

higher wattage = more lumens = brighter.

db17k · 03-02-2006, 06:58 PM

install a 20 watt resistor on the wire from radio shack?

poldim · 03-02-2006, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shragon

higher wattage = more lumens = brighter.

The xenon gas doesnt produce a stronger light if it burns "hotter", but this is from what I remember from a few years ago...

poldim · 03-02-2006, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by db17k

install a 20 watt resistor on the wire from radio shack?

http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=141389

Thats essentially what I've found people doing...

03-02-2006, 01:57 PM	#1
poldim Vroom Vrrooooom 302 Rep 3,146 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 330i Sedan [0.00] 2003 GSX-R 600 [0.00]	Installed my HID Fog Lights and got an OBC Malfunction Message... Anyone have any ideas on how it can be tricked into thinking there is a regular bulb there? How does the OBC know that the regular bulb is there or not? Maybe a resistor in series with the HID ground wire? EDIT: Low quality video: http://poldim.e90post.com/Videos/Tec...stall - 66.avi EDIT 2: Pictures from a few minutes ago of the fogs thanks to longtran's advice. Attached Images __________________ -Dmitriy 06' BMW 330i & 03' Suzuki GSX-R600 SG \| Beige Dakota \| Poplar \|\| iDrive w/MP3 \| PP \| SP \| CWP \| PDC \| Comfort \| Shades \|\| 40% Tint \| Black Line Tail Lights \| Hardwired V1 Last edited by poldim; 03-03-2006 at 09:33 PM..
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

03-02-2006, 02:03 PM	#2
poldim Vroom Vrrooooom 302 Rep 3,146 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 330i Sedan [0.00] 2003 GSX-R 600 [0.00]	BTW, it says left because only the left one is installed, I'm going to goout now and install the other one.... __________________ -Dmitriy 06' BMW 330i & 03' Suzuki GSX-R600 SG \| Beige Dakota \| Poplar \|\| iDrive w/MP3 \| PP \| SP \| CWP \| PDC \| Comfort \| Shades \|\| 40% Tint \| Black Line Tail Lights \| Hardwired V1
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 02:19 PM	#3
E90Fleet Lieutenant General 1312 Rep 10,185 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Africa iTrader: (0)	E90 system is pretty clever It can even monitor the voltage and wattage drawn by the lights __________________ BMW if you are reading, I need a job, Please.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 02:20 PM	#4
timzerofive there is no spoon 243 Rep 867 Posts Drives: 330i manual Join Date: May 2005 Location: Irvine iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	Probably has something to do with the wiring. Probably not getting a full loop for something reason. How are you wiring it? Is the HID kit plug and play or are you splicing? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 03:32 PM	#5
aapriadi Colonel 189 Rep 2,068 Posts Drives: '13 F30 AW 320i Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Jakarta, Indonesia iTrader: (10)	perhaps its the wattage the mechanic told me that a slight drop in the number of watts can be detected by the car and then it will show error messages..i was gonna install the hid kit for my foglights too but i asked my mechanic beforehand, i thought he was bullsh*tin me coz he was too lazy to do it for me.. if ur wattage is the same as ur original fogs then i dont know what happened good luck
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 03:49 PM	#9
E90Fleet Lieutenant General 1312 Rep 10,185 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Africa iTrader: (0)	No idea how to fool it __________________ BMW if you are reading, I need a job, Please.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 03:54 PM	#10
shragon Moderator 497 Rep 27,441 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (7)	yea, this is a common problem with other bmw's too. hid bulbs have no filament. also, probably has something to do with the amount of power they're pulling from the system. __________________ www.cardomain.com/id/shragon
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 04:00 PM	#11
poldim Vroom Vrrooooom 302 Rep 3,146 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 330i Sedan [0.00] 2003 GSX-R 600 [0.00]	LWL installled his kit without problems. 2323 is having the same problem. He mentioned that the BMW dealer can set the OBC to bypass the bulb sensor. __________________ -Dmitriy 06' BMW 330i & 03' Suzuki GSX-R600 SG \| Beige Dakota \| Poplar \|\| iDrive w/MP3 \| PP \| SP \| CWP \| PDC \| Comfort \| Shades \|\| 40% Tint \| Black Line Tail Lights \| Hardwired V1
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 04:02 PM	#12
desinole Private 1 Rep 66 Posts Drives: Nissan Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Tallahassee iTrader: (0)	Did you try swapping the stickers ?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 04:03 PM	#13
hotsand5 hotsand5 49 Rep 806 Posts Drives: 2006 BMW 330i 6spd Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: chicago iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 330i [0.00]	See, as time passes and cars keep getting more technologically advanced, we are going to have less control over what we can do with or tinker with our cars. Damn, you have to be an electrical engineer to try to "fool" the car just to install custom fog lights. __________________ -2006 BMW 330i-Sapphire Black- Tera Leather-Aluminum trim- 6spd manual- Sport- Premium- Cold- Navigation- Euro. delivery -2005 Yamaha Warrior 1700 102cu"
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 04:35 PM	#16
shragon Moderator 497 Rep 27,441 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (7)	there are 55w hid kits available. they're some what new, and not as easy to come by. __________________ www.cardomain.com/id/shragon
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 06:03 PM	#17
poldim Vroom Vrrooooom 302 Rep 3,146 Posts Drives: 330i Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2006 330i Sedan [0.00] 2003 GSX-R 600 [0.00]	Why did they start making them? Whats the advantage? BTW, Video Added up top... http://poldim.e90post.com/Videos/Tec...stall - 66.avi __________________ -Dmitriy 06' BMW 330i & 03' Suzuki GSX-R600 SG \| Beige Dakota \| Poplar \|\| iDrive w/MP3 \| PP \| SP \| CWP \| PDC \| Comfort \| Shades \|\| 40% Tint \| Black Line Tail Lights \| Hardwired V1
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 06:11 PM	#18
T-MC-G Captain 72 Rep 671 Posts Drives: e90 325i Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Trier, Germany iTrader: (5)	i talked with Umnitza a while ago and they said they have a resistor you can put inline with the power and ground that fixes the problem, call them up. www.umnitza.com
	Appreciate 0 Quote

03-02-2006, 06:58 PM	#20
db17k Chicketeh china the chinese chicken, you have? 34 Rep 790 Posts Drives: 335ci hold out Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (0) Garage List 2003 S2000 [0.00]	install a 20 watt resistor on the wire from radio shack? __________________ "In Soviet Russia car forks you!"
	Appreciate 0 Quote