2004 G35X 170,000 miles.

I've searched the forum and haven't seen this problem. If anyone has a suggestion, or has experienced and fixed the problem below please let me know.

The HID low beams come on fine. After about ten or fifteen minutes, the driver's side beam goes out. If I shut off the switch and turn it back on again, the light comes back on. The bulbs were replaced about 6 months ago. It almost acts like there is a thermal switch that turns off the light if it gets too hot, but that wouldn't make sense because it relights immediately when activating the switch. I'm thinking about just changing the ballast to see if that fixes it, but they aren't cheap. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

Swap the ballasts, if the problem followed the ballast it is a ballast problem. If it stayed, you likely have a wiring/power problem.

 

You could also have a faulty bulb. I had that same exact issue and it was the bulb.

 

Does it happen all the time? Or only when your DRLs are on during the day?

 

I'm with Blue. My car had this problem when I bought it and it was the bulb. Even though they're new, swap them right to left and see if the problem follows the bulb. The guy I bought my 06 from said this and the leaking valve cover gaskets are the reason he was selling the car. Infiniti told him he'd have to replace something ridiculous to the tune of $1000 for the headlight and $1500 for the valve covers. I fixed both problems for almost nothing...

 

Check your fuses bro. G's are known to have short circuit and electrical issues. Check this first before tampering with your ballasts or bulbs - to save yourself some time & money.

- Best of luck

 

The best way to find out is by switching the components from the working side to the non working side. For example: connect the working ballast with the non-working igniter to determine and vice versa. Secondly in order for the light to work properly, all of the components which include the ballast, igniter, bulb and headlight wiring have to be in WORKING condition.

 

Had same issue. Was the bulbs.

Swap the bulbs to the opposite side. If the problem follows, you know it's a bulb

 

If you are still using the factory ballasts and your car is a 2004, there is a decent chance that it is indeed the ballast.

As others have suggested, swap the bulbs over and rule out all possible issues

Nick C.

 

I had the exact same issue the OP described and it turned out to be the ballast. I bought a used OEM one on ebay for $30 and it has worked fine for over a year now.

 

Thanks for the replies. I swapped the bulbs and it turned out to be a bad bulb. I was having a hard time believing it since the bulbs were only replaced 6 months ago. The original set lasted 12 years.

 

Oem bulbs, or aftermarkets?


I never got great life out of aftermarket bulbs. If they made it 2 years I was happy, but typically I got 1-1.5 years out of them.

They were cheap enough that I didn't care. $15 for a pair of bulbs sure beat the $60 or so for a single OEM bulb or whatever those Phillips bulbs cost.

 

Good bulbs give you better light output and better reliability. I wouldn't like to think what I would do if my main bulb went out.