2006 S60 Headlight problems Xenon - bad ballast

hollywood23113 · Post by **hollywood23113** » 15 Oct 2014, 11:04

Hey guys new to the forum and love all the help here. I have searched around but cant really find a answer to my problem. I just got this 06 S60 with the Xenon headlights, got the bulb failure message and finally tracked it down to a bad ballest. So all is well I thought, but the light will not cycle from high beam to low. I don't have a lot of experience with these Bi-Xenon systems, so should I see the light get brighter like normal, or do the lens move or something?

Please I need help

draser · Post by **draser** » 16 Oct 2014, 07:10

Do you have separate bulbs for hi/ low?

Post by **jimmy57** » 16 Oct 2014, 08:26

Bi-xenon lamps use one bulb and the bulb doesn't change, the reflector with bulb can tilt up and down or a small "door" is over an edge of the reflector to block the top part of beam on low beam.
The general rule is that reflector styles tilt and projector styles use the door but that is not a hard and fast rule.
Your 2006 should be the projector type and have the small "door" that is in the way on low beam and is rotated out of the way for high beam.
Projector style have the round magnifying glass lens so the reflector is not visible.

You don't mention a particular S60 model but if it is an R then you have reflector type.

hollywood23113 · Post by **hollywood23113** » 16 Oct 2014, 09:33

Jimmy thanks for the help you just learned me a lot about it. This is not a R, just a T5 with sport package. The is no magnifying glass in the lights and I also see nothing around the bulb that would move???

hollywood23113 · Post by **hollywood23113** » 16 Oct 2014, 09:35

There is 2 bulbs in the light. One all the way close to the grill is Daytime RL, then there is the headlight buld itself, about $100 worth each at advance. I hate this system, HATE IT

draser · Post by **draser** » 16 Oct 2014, 09:53

So you should get hi and low on separate bulbs, controlled by your light switch.

hollywood23113 · Post by **hollywood23113** » 16 Oct 2014, 10:12

no the other bulb is daytime. When I pull the car into the shop the headlight comes on automatically, then I can make them turn off by holding flasklight to the sensor on the dash. What Jimmy is saying that I will no see the bulb change, but the lens or reflect itself will, and that is not happening. I can here the relay under the dash clicking when I cycle the turn signal steem from high to low. I wish I could call someone and talk to them be a lot faster

draser · Post by **draser** » 16 Oct 2014, 11:21

Sounds like it's wiring diagram and VOM time. You need to trace the circuit from light switch to the "door" actuator to figure out what's missing. It may be that the relay you hear has bad contacts, but it needs confirmed.

hollywood23113 · Post by **hollywood23113** » 16 Oct 2014, 11:34

I can hear the relays but cant see any relays, are they actually inside the fusebox under the dash,

hollywood23113 · Post by **hollywood23113** » 16 Oct 2014, 14:04

OK I checked and I have power going to the headlights, and it changes at the plug when I go from high to low, but nothing happens at the light itself. So I took the 2 little motors off and tried to put power to them and they will not move. This is the motors that are connected the lens, but what are the chances both are bad??? Or is the something else like a relay that makes them work?