So i had a buddy of mine try out various combinations of things until we were able to get the HID's to work on my car (2011 MCS with stock halogens). We were able to get rid of all the bulb out errors including both low beams AND both high beam errors on startup with the following setup: digital slim 35w ballasts

35w h13 slider HID bulbs and wiring harness

pair of decoders/cancellers/capacitors

pair of resistors (that get super hot)

However, whenever we started the car, the HID's would flicker for about 10 seconds which i'd assume is the time it takes for the computer on the car to check for any bulbs that are out. After that the HID's would stop flickering. But when we started the car with the headlight **** to the "On" position, no flickering at all. Any tips/ideas would be much appreciated. I think the only way to solve this would be to maybe have a flashing tool to disable to check for any bulb outs if it's even possible at the dealer. Would it be possible that if we were to try a 55w kit, it wouldn't flicker (he didn't have any 55w kits in stock at the moment). Thanks!

 

Not sure about flicker but mine in darkness will pulse a little as the brighten up when I turn the car on. It lasts maybe 3-5 seconds as the blue shifts to bright white (4300K) I have no cancelors or bulbout as it was all built into the harness when I did my retrofit. So post a video but I am guessing it might be slightly normal unless it is truly almost flashing ans not just the ballast ramping up the power to startup.

As for the 35w vs more, I would stick with 35w, it should be more than enough light and power for the bulbs, the higher wattage kits really are not necessary and will end up creating more glare and possibly shorten the life of the bulbs.

 

The flickering is actually so bright that the hid's light up all the way. It's basically like a disco when is start my car up since this goes on for 10 seconds or so then goes away.

 

Yeah that is the cold bulb check, the FRM module is sending low current pulses to determine if your regular bulb filaments are still there.

The only way that I know of to eliminate that is to recode the car the to make it think you have the HIDs. I think the dealer could do it, but they probably won't since this is an aftermarket mod.

If you could find someone with basic electronics skills they could build you a quick and dirty capacitor based relay harness that would "buffer" those bulb checks out of the signal. In that case you would probably have to power the lights right off the battery, but the signal for the lights would still come from the stock wiring. That would probably change how you have the bulb out indicators fooled, unfortunately.

 

Do you think reprogramming the car with NCS expert to disable the bulb checks would help solve this problem? The cable costs about $120 from what i've read correct and i just need an Win XP laptop along with some programming skills?

 

Absolutely! You can disable the cold and warm bulb checks for any exterior light with NCS Expert in the FRM module. Go over to my thread called Close Sunroof and Windows with the remote for more info.

 

Thanks! look like quite a read just from skimming it. I guess homework can wait tonight ha.

 

Okay here are the bulb check commands in the FRM module. Some don't apply in the Cooper and it varies by which model vehicle you have. You can tell by which ones are set to active. For me, I have the OEM Bi HIDs so mine are already set to not active.


KALTUEBERWACHUNG_FL COLD MONITORING HIGH BEAMS
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_AL COLD MONITORING LOW BEAMS
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_SL_V COLD MONITORING FRONT PARKING LIGHTS OR ANGEL EYES
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_NSW COLD MONITORING FRONT FOG LIGHTS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_BLK_V COLD MONITORING FRONT TURN INDICATORS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_BLK_H COLD MONITORING REAR TURN INDICATORS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_BL COLD MONITORING BRAKE LIGHTS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_BL_M_1
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
KALTUEBERW_RL_BL_1 Upper rear parking light
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERW_RL_BL_2 Lower rear parking light bulb
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_KZL COLD MONITORING LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_IB
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_NSL_L COLD MONITORING REAR LEFT FOG LIGHT
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_NSL_R COLD MONITORING REAR RIGHT FOG LIGHT
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_RFS Reverse lights
nicht_aktiv not active
links_aktiv
rechts_aktiv
* aktiv active
KALTUEBERWACHUNG_BFD Brake force distribution (not in the cooper)
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_FL HOT MONITORING HIGH BEAMS
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_AL HOT MONITORING LOW BEAMS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_SL_V HOT MONITORING FRONT PARKING LIGHTS OR ANGEL EYES
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_NSW HOT MONITORING FRONT FOG LIGHTS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_BLK_V HOT MONITORING FRONT TURN INDICATORS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_BLK_H HOT MONITORING REAR TURN INDICATORS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_BL HOT MONITORING BRAKE LIGHTS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_BL_M_1
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
WARMUEBERW_RL_BL_1
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERW_RL_BL_2
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_KZL HOT MONITORING LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_IB
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_NSL_L HOT MONITORING REAR LEFT FOG LIGHT
nicht_aktiv not active
* aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_NSL_R HOT MONITORING REAR RIGHT FOG LIGHT
* nicht_aktiv not active
aktiv active
WARMUEBERWACHUNG_RFS
nicht_aktiv not active
links_aktiv
rechts_aktiv
* aktiv active

 

You da Man Strobey! One day I'll get up the nerve to do that. Would love to get rid of these resistors and make the sun roof close like the rest of the windows. I would also get rid of that Speed Korrection that is eating up my warranty 10% faster, and it doesn't work because i still got a ticket!

 

Hi,
Do you mind share the wiring diagram?
Thanks,
-Mike

 

I don't have this setup anymore. I got it working with a plug and play kit without any wiring harness. I already ordered one of the OBD II cables too so i can user NCS expert to hopefully clear the bulb errors as well to finalize my install.

 

Where did you get the plug and play kit w/o any wiring harness?
Thanks so much in advance!
-Mike

 

It's actually from my old HID fog like kit from my E46 (originally H11 bulb type). So all i did was purchase the correct bulbs for the mini (H13) off ebay for about $15 shipped from Japan and they work perfectly. Email me if you want the seller's name on ebay that sells pretty legit kits. They come straight from China via DHL in about 2-3 business days while one of their headquarters i think are located right in LA in monterey park. Their kits are about $50-55 shipped too from what i remember. I have their H7 kit for my fogs right now and they're great. 4300k foglights and 3000k fogs at the moment.

 

i just install a new set of hid in my mc. it flicker like a disco ball like you guys mention. most of the time, i find its the ballast. i had that problem before, i tried not to get any made in china, those are just a waste of money, so hard to find a kit that is not knockoff from china. what i just was just used my new bulbs and use my own ballast, that works out quite well. i had a nice set of hid made in japan a couple of years ago in my honda and it is by far one of the best. for all you guys out there, stay away from hid kit made from china, they are nothing but trouble

 

Just installed NCS expert on my netbook and planning to disable the bulb checks after finals later this month.

 

did anyone successfully reprogram their car to not do the startup checks with NCS expert? i'm having the same flicker issue on startup...

thanks in advance

 

Yup. I successfully disabled all the cold checks and even warm. Check the excel thread out (you might need to request access if it's your first time). The values you'll need to set to nicht_aktiv at least for the 2011 model are:

KALTUE_AL_M1_6_M2_38
KALTUE_FL_M2_6_M1_04
KALTUE_KZL_M2_49
WARMUE_AL_M1_6_M2_38
WARMUE_FL_M2_6_M1_4
WARMUE_KZL_M2_49

These are all found in the FRM module.

Google spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...FE&hl=en#gid=0

 

sweet, thanks NinenTom

time to go buy the cable

 

i just installed ddm tuning hid kit

How did u manage to get rid of the error code?

I got the ddm error eliminator but it doesnt seem to work :(

help meeeeee

 

Bump from the dead. Just installed a kit I get these errors too. Waiting for a friend to get time to recode my car. But I have found if I turn the fogs on before starting the engine and let them warm up then start it I do not get the errors... Weird?

 

I get the error after about 20 minutes but they stay on no flickering.

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