My 2003 Cooper S with xenon low beams had the right side HID light fail to light for two days now. I've read as many threads as I could find and it seems the most cost effective method to run down the problem is change bulbs first. The Cooper manual advises against this, cautioning "risk of fatal injury." Strangely, the Bentley book says only to disconnect the neg. battery cable and mentions nothing of the risk. Does anyone know if there is a capacitor or something storing energy that I should worry about? Who has replaced their HID bulbs?

Thanks in advance.

 

Seriously? Nobody has any input on changing HID bulbs?

 

I have not changed a HID in a Mini, but all the others I have dealt with have been straight forward.

The general procedure is to disconnect the lead from the HID bulb at the ignitor/ballast assembly (follow the lead from the bulb). Then remove the old bulb. Install the new bulb, making sure not to touch the glass bulb. If you do, wipe it off with alcohol, contact cleaner, etc (anythign that will remove oil's without leaving a residue). The reconnect the lead to the ballast. Of course, do this with the ignition off (I have never had to disconnect the battery, but you can if you want).

Hope this helps.

-steve

 

Obviously, everyone else who has attempted this has met with an untimely end.