I just installed hid's in my 2005 mini cooper s, stick shift. The car turns
on fine but the second I hit the gas, it flickers and then shuts off.
What is the problem?

 

And since its an '05 I can't imagine the computer checking the lighting.

 

Factory xenon's?
I remember some folks did have flickering issues after install till they had their cars reprogrammed...some did not...remember...there are several options (dealer selected) like follow me home lights, etc) that can be programmed....So software may be the issue...still...I'd check for grounding, etc first.

 

I keep hearing its probably grounding and the hid's are the ddm kit.
How would I check the grounding issue? Just take the voltmeter around it?
Really don't know much about hids and what effects their electrical

 

The minis send a pwm signal to the headlights if you have halogens. I ran into the same problem with mine. Fixed it with a can bus adapter from www.theretrofit source.com. pm me for further explination

 

You talking about this?
http://www.theretrofitsource.com/pro...roducts_id=238

 

That's the one

 

My friend says he has it so I'll try it tonight, thanks.

 

Your welcome. Let me know if it works for you

 

Good luck....
Glad you can try it for free...while they do utilize a canbus ( the car, NOT the lights)....
Gen1 cars do not have a system to notify you of a bulb failure, etc....
Please let us know!!

 

The halogen lights are absolutely not on the canbus, a high speed circuit specifically designed for essential messages between the DME, EGS and DSC.

The halogen lights are 'cold monitored' and 'hot monitored'. The LCM sends a series of pulses down the circuit to check for continuity at first starting as part of the cold monitoring. This can cause certain aftermarket lights to flicker for the first few seconds after the car is started.

It is not connected to the accelerator pedal position or vehicle speed.

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sourc...wQ_KnBJXerWKgw

Not mini related but explains why pwn affects headlights and hid kits

 

Good info!! Since drl's are on the high beam on a mini (on mine it is)...not 100% sure one would see a issue on the lowbeam...but guess it might be implemented on both. Great info!!

 

You missed some of the info in that post. Hallogens work better and longer at 12v compared to 14v. The bc1 sends a pwm signal to the halloges to simulate 12v. Essentially pulsing the signal on and off. Hallogens are not affected by this as once the filament heats up and glows it takes longer to cool off and stop glowing than the signal pulse takes so you don't see the hallogens dim and get bright all the time. With a his kit it is an arc that the balast creates inside the bulb and the constant on off signal from the bc1 affects the ballast and consequently the bulb.

 

Interesting if true, this might explain susceptibility to RPM, as at idle the duty cycle could be 100% at idle for 11-12V and at higher RPM it would PWM the 14.4V down to 12V.