I failed a safety inspection yesterday because the headlights were dim. I dont have a history with this car so i cant say how they were new. The bulbs come on (dont flicker) so ballast must be good right? I would agree with the shop, they're dim. How would i go about verifying if what im seeing is normal? Is there a diagram available to the 9 pin socket on the back of the headlight assembly so I can verify voltages?

 

As HID "bulbs" age, they lose brightness. How old are the "bulbs"?