996 with litronics can be upgraded to 55w balast and bulbs easy?

Is it plug and play kit out there?i have litronics now but the light output even after new bulbs replacement is poor. Can someone steer me to easy ballast/bulb upgrade?

Can't speak for the 996.1 since I haven't seen the back of the headlights on those, but on a 996.2 like mine it's plug and play (I'd assume the mk1 uses the same style ballast). The only modification needed is some sort of a spacer in the ballast bracket to keep it from bouncing around since the newer digital ballasts are smaller than the old style ones. The wire harnesses are standardized, so you literally just need to plug in the new ballast and replace the bulb. I prefer to get my stuff from www.ddmtuning.com . Never had a bulb or ballast die on me from there.

Great.thank you

well i just check the balast and look different then mk2.

Their first few batches of slim line ballasts had some issues which have improved but not eliminated. I've had a couple go out. I upgraded a couple other cars with the full size ballasts and had no issues with those personally.

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Ballasts might be different, but the power harness plug should be the same. Did you grab a pic of it?

i dont have pics.I will get the morimoto balast and bulbs

Wait a minute? So, can I replace my stock Litronic bulbs/ballast to get a higher light output? I'd love that! There are a lot of deer around my place, and I'm always driving with my head on a swivel. Not a bad plan, generally speaking, to do so, but a little more light would be welcome. I have an '04 996 TTx50. Any clues would be appreciated. Thanks!

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Plug and play on a 996.2. I'm doing a bixenon retrofit into the headlights on my F250 this weekend, I'll yank the headlights from the 996 and do a quick "how-to" while I'm at it.

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The early HID systems, as in my 2001, has a shading apperture/"shutter" for low beam that is ALWAYS in place. So you have a sharp "high" level light cutoff even when the headlight shifts upward (via leveling servomotor) into the high beam mode/position. So you lose a substandual level of forward illumination. The easiest fix is to buy an aftermarket projector hi/lo HID kit that shifts the internal apperature/shutter (low beam "high" light cut-off) out of the beam-way when in high beam mode. That will also require a biasing resistor be added so that the leveling servomotor doesn't move between the hi/lo positions. How would/will you ever know that the 55W bulb/ballast isn't simply a relabelled 35W kit??? http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CAR-MOTO...0d5bad&vxp=mtr

I think it's important to note that the standard HID lighting in mk1 cars isn't exactly poor and a matter of fact it is on par with other systems. I believe gu9cci has tinted headlight lenses and wants to improve his lighting situation while still retaining his tints. Please correct me if I'm wrong gu9cci.

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Thank you. Looking forward to it.

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Most of what you just said is not true. The HID headlights on the 996 are low-beam only, they do not point upwards via the servo motors when you turn on the high beam. The high beam is a separate halogen bulb with it's own reflector. The servo motors adjust the headlight up or down based on input from the level sensors on the suspension to ensure the low beam is pointed correctly. The "apperture" you speak of is there to provide a cutoff to the light so you're only projecting light onto the road and not upwards into the eyes of oncoming drivers. In a bixenon projector setup, the cutoff flips down to allow the light to project in its full range. If you choose to retrofit bixenon projectors into your car, no resistors are needed, you just need to splice the power lines for the cutoff actuator into the wires for the high beam. As for ensuring you're not just buying a 35w ballast relabelled as a 55w, be sure to order from a respectable dealer.

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I originally thought this too, however at least on the mk1, there is a moveable cutoff aperature that does move up when high beams are activated just like bi-xenons in addition to a separate housing that has high beam halogen's come on as well. I think the rational there was to have separate halogen high beam to flicker during the day when your xenon's aren't normally on as xenons need warm up time and can't react as fast(as you know). I'll try to verify this sometime by yanking my high beam halogen bulb and turning on my lights in the high beam pattern to see if the cutoff moves up or not. I'm not sure if the MK2's work on the same premise but would just as well be easy to test. My wife's BMW does the same thing, During the day when normal xenons aren't on, the inside headlight bowls(normally used for DRL) turn on for high beams. But at night with the headlights on, the bixenon plate takes over and moves up when high beam is activated. The difference being that BMW chose only to move up the cutoff plate and not turn on the halogens at the same time.

Sorry, I should have read the first post better, I was speaking for 996.2 headlights, which function as I described. I can't speak with certainty for the mk1 headlights.

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NP but IIRC, MK2 cars came both as bi-xenon option and regular HID option(which would be similiar to MK1 setup). Can anyone confirm? If that's the case, some of this could still apply to MK2 owners.

My car has the non-bixenon HID headlights, which do not have the the adjustable cutoff shield. ALL projector housings have cutoff shields, they would be too bright without them. Bixenons work by just dropping the cutoff shield down so the projector projects light in all directions.

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I understand this aspect but I was wondering if mk2 cars came with a "true"(conventional) BiXenon option where only the scatter shield moves up (when you have your headlights on normally), when activating the high beams without activating the halogens at the same time.

I don't believe a true bi-xenon option existed for the 996.

I was curious as I saw two different part numbers for xenon headlight for mk2. But then most likely, it's down to the lense reflector type then(fluted vs. smooth chromed look).

One part number is for headlights with washers, and the other is for headlights without washers.

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Ah forgot washers were optional. The smooth and fluted lense look(hard to word it) then must be turbo and non-turbo?

Yes. Turbo is non fluted. Looks better to me, too. ANd the MKIIs are true bixenons, just the shield moves out of the way. Both lows & highs are the same bulb.

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That's it!

Then I just need ballasts and bulbs and should be plug and play?

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Unless there was a bixenon option I'm not aware of, that is not accurate. My '02 does not have bixenons, the high beam is halogen.

DDM tuning only offers the D1S lights in 35W, and it's $150. Better off just replacing the bulbs... Does anyone have a link to the 55w if there is one?

D2S bulbs will fit in a D1S socket. Of course, you'll need new ballasts to go with them. And you need to figure out a way to secure them in since the ignitor is built into a D1S bulb and the brackets will be too big. But the bulb itself and the focal point is identical between D1S and D2S.

Touch�

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This is exciting to me. I've been wanting more output from my Litronics on my 04 996TT for a while. The existing lights are OK on mine, but my wife's car (04 CL55) casts like a wall of daylight when you hit the brights. Definite a great defense against sprightly deer in the woods. Looking forward to the writeup (and any part #'s, websites, etc.) if you get a chance.

Since there is NO exacting definition of "Bi-Xenon" most of us assume that an HID "system" that functions in both modes meets the definition. Wherein the HID bulb provides a differing light output pattern high beam vs low beam mode. Almost all PROJECTOR lense type Bi-xenon HID systems use a halogen bulb as fill-in in high beam mode. That's because the projector lense provides a fairly tightly focus beam pattern, "pencil" beam, and thus the halogen is required for high beam light pattern enhancement.....scattter.

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I agree with the above however, I think the confusion lies in the fact that Porsches(at least mk1) uses both halogen light AND HID lights for the high beams at the same time at night. Most of the cars I've driven that had BiXenons do not behave this way with only the HID portion serving up the high beam lighting if your lights are already in the on position.

Bi-xenon in the 996 uses a single bulb for both high and low beams. The separate halogen high beam is activated when you pull back on the headlight stalk to flash your lights. They did that because the xenon won't fire up fast enough. If the headlamps are on and you push the hedlamp stalk forward, the motor assembly moves the bulb into high position. Bi-xenon was adopted as a name meaning that the xenon works for both high and low through the motor assembly. This is not a secret...right there in the 996 literature.

Any updates on this thread? I'm interested to learn about switching my litronics to a higher output version, I've never been impressed with them. If they're 35w and there's a direct swap out 55w option then that might be the trick for me. I had a quick look this morning in the dark on my late 2003 C4S cab (UK 53 plate), when I push the stick forward for fulls I get the yellow tinge of the halogens coming on just as I do if I pull back for a full beam flash.

I got sidetracked the other weekend and wasn't able to do the How-To thread I was planning to make. Hopefully I'll be able to do it this weekend.

We're still interested in the thread, Capt, so here's hoping that you don't have any other honey-dews except for the much awaited writeup.

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Subscribed for the diy

Sorry, life keeps getting in the way. Hopefully I'll be able to do it this weekend.

While awaiting the highly anticipated DIY conversion from 35w to 55w ballasts from the Captain, a couple of questions/thoughts. The OEM ballasts (like the aftermarket ones) have a standardized 12v power supply connector. But, the high voltage connector to the bulb is hardwired internally to the ballast. So the question is, how would one get that cable out of the sqaure plastic cover it passes through at the housing or the replacement ballast cable back through it? It looks like maybe the bulb connector for the original disassembles, but the connectors from the replacement (also standard) look too large to fit through the opening. I'm sure it's all easily doable by cutting the plastic cover, but I think most would like to avoid that. Images below (lifted from the internet) show the parts discussed.

Any updates? In theory this should be possible, they are both run off of a 12v system so the ballast/ignitor would be getting the same amount of power. It would just be supplying more to the bulb.

Did it last week. Here's how. You will need: 1) New ballast set (I used a full thickness one - the slim ones have the igniter in the cable; couldn't figure a place for it). 2)A set of bulb connectors. 3) Set of 55W D2S bulbs 4) Small sections of 1/8" aluminum and 1/8" rubber (dimensions below) 5) Four 6x32x1/2" panhead screws and a 6x32 tap. 6) Soldering pen & solder 7) Drill press or drill & bits up to 3/8" 8) Heatshrink wire insulation 9) Super glue 10) A free evening and flat work surface. Remove the ballast and rear cover. Start with the two phillips and one torx screw. Depress the two clips that secure the cover; it will then unhinge to remove. You will have to remove the connector from bulb and the power connector to the ballast. To remove the ballast from the rear cover, you have to release the plastic wire cover from the housing. Press two of clips on the same corner first (not ones opposite one another). Note the length of the high voltage bulb connector. You can set the original ballast aside. Cut two pieces of aluminum that will replace the cable cover (pretty sure it's 1 3/4" x 1 3/8"). File or grind away the corners so they will fit in the rear housing cover you removed. Cut rubber material the same size. Lightly sand the aluminum and attach the rubber to it with super glue. Drill a 3/8" hole through the center. Cut two 1" pieces of rubber with a 3/8" hole in the center and glue to the opposite surface, aligned with the hole on the center. Drill two small holes in the part you have made on opposite corners just large enough for the 6x32 screws to pass through and with enough space for the screws to clear the seating surface of the rear housing. OK, done with that - on to the wiring. You will be cutting the amp connectors off of both the ballast and the bulb connectors. But, before you do, some important points. Note which wires connected to one another; the colors are not standard. Make sure that you cut the wires so that when you make your connections, the splices are not side by side and staggerd at least 1/2". Make the cuts so that the ultimate length will approximate the original and the splice joint will be inside the housing. With those points in mind, cut the wires and strip the ends to prepare for soldering the connections. Before soldering the wires, pass the cable from the ballast through your plate - it should fit snuggly in the rubber. Be sure to also have your heatshrink insulation positioned over your wires and the outside cover ready to use once the connections are made. Solder the connections, position and activate the heatshrink. Cut two small pieces of aluminum appx. 3/8" x 1/2". Drill and tap one end 6x32. These will be the tabs that hold the cable plate you made in position. Reassemble everything. FInal notes. Your own ingenuity may provide improvements to this plan. Sturdy plastic might work in place of the aluminum. I used no-name ballasts and bulbs (5000k) which produced great results that looked like the factory color, just brighter.

Mark, thanks for the reply. I think I can get the jist of your procedure, but more importantly you proved that the 55W conversion does work with (I assume) no negative side effects, warning bulbs etc... If you have a chance to post an after shot or even better a before/after shot please do. Thanks for confirming my suspicions

Sorry I didn't take pictures, I was sort of feeling my way through as I went. I'll pull one of the lights out and get some shots first chance I have. There are no error codes, but I don't think the car senses or reports such things. There are no negative effects now or expected. Although the output is brighter, the cutoffs prevent interference with other drivers. I've read that the 55W systems can be hotter, but I stepped up from 35W to a 55W setup in another (nonP) car with plasic housings a while back with no problems.

Mark I, thank you for the great write-up. Can you tell us where you got the generic ballasts and bulbs?

Mine came from ebay, but there are lots of offerings from lots of sources.

I'm personally a fan of The Retrofit Source. They have a great reputation and professional demeanour. Much more than the usual "tuner" focused sites Also Mark, in that first picture of the ballast, there looks to be 4 screws on the corners. If yours is similar, I wonder if you could disassemble it and unsolder the wire. That might allow it to be passed through the plastic retaining clip

There's a good chance it could be, but I didn't want to tamper with the factory stuff so it could be returned to original later. Also, most ballasts have the internals sealed over with poured plastic compond. The cable is also fastened externally to the housing with a crimp connector, unlike the usual aftermarket ones which have a threaded collar. If you were able to remove the cable from your original unit, you might have the same luck with the aftermarket one, allowing you to just attach the factory cable to it.

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Sorry, Cap'n, but this is exactly what my '02 has. The optional Bi-Xenon, with a lifting shield for high beam, and fill/flash halogen. The standard HID must be what you have, where only the low beam is HID. While I find the upgrade an interesting option, my HIDs are plenty bright for me, but then I have 2 cars with no HID, so getting in the 996 at night is like daylight in comparison. I'll wait until mine seem dim before going this route. Love to hear how it's holding up after a few years.

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And after all that work how would you, did you, determine that the HID light output was raised from 35W to 55W....? Measure the before and after current to the ballast..? Light meter...? My $1.00 says you're still running at 35W... Just what manufacturer, manufacturer that has the capability for manufacturing HID bulbs, would be the supply for such a small niche market? Whereas a small tweak in the ballast's sensing of the arc voltage/current might result in 55W power to a 35W bulb. With the buyer being none the wiser....

@WWest - all good questions. The ballasts are labeled 4.5 amp rms so (assuming 12.6 volts) it should deliver 55 watts. I tested nothing except first dry fitting one and comparing the intensity to the factory light while both were shining against my garage door. Appeared to be ~1.5 times as bright. Noteable difference on the street, too, especially beam width. Sure, the manufacturers and marketers of this stuff could resort to about anything, but such success would be short lived. I respectfully disagree re being a small niche market; lots of folks are offering these, including Morimoto. Many have suggested trusted suppliers that they have experience with, which would be the probable best way to go. But, as a test run, I went at it on the cheap - with all of >$40 at risk. To be clear, I'm not advocating, suggesting, recommending or promoting anything - just trying to lend some added info to those already determined to or intersted in undertaking such a project. Schoene Gruesse an Alle! mark

@ Bad.Tag - Here are the pics I promised earlier.

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Were I to do this my initial instinct would also be Ebay.... But the VERY base question remains....35W HID bulb operating at 55W...?

Mark - Thanks for the pics. That came out great. If the plate was black you would be hard pressed to recognize it as aftermarket. WWest - Yes, technically you would be driving a bulb used for 35w at 55w and thus would probably shorten its like a bit TRS lists the following in regards to 35w v 55w (+20% intensity) (-20% lifespan) I can say I have had 55w in my Audi for 4+ years and have never one had an issue. If it burns out a few hours early, you just replace the bulb. Simple. I'll take more light to see those damn deer any day..

Remember guys, the OP wanted higher wattage primarily because he was running TINTED HEADLIGHTS, thus diminishing the factory HID output to some degree. I think for most, 35w HID would be adequate to say the least. The only people that I can see maybe "needing" them are the ones that live out in the boonies(no street lights, to avoid deers, etc) or ones that travel at a constant high rate of speed(Montana, TX, Autobahn, etc) where they are covering more road than the lights can light up. If you are simply blind as a bat and need additional geriatric lighting, just step up to these and do it the right way.

I have the litronics on my '04 x50 and I find the lights lacking, for sure. Compared to my wife's 04 AMG CL55, the P car has puny headlights. The AMG throws up instant daylight. Yes, we have a ton of deer in West Marin that I want to avoid if at all possible. I may just do this thing.

Question: Is it the HID arc that is the light source or is it the IONIZATION of the gas within the bulb..?

WWest: Neither really. The momentary arc between the tungsten contacts (the flash you see when you first turn on the headlights) only establishes a path through the xenon gas by ionization and the heat needed to initially vaporize the metalic salts. While the gas ionization is essential to the process, the light is produced by the electrically charged vaporized salts (held at a constant current), which depending on the compounds produce the different tints.

Alright guys this seems to be turning into another oil thread.

Halogen = organic HID = Synthetic Now which is better 4300K or 5000K....

35w HID = Mobil 0W40 55w HID = JG DT-40 It's really simple. If you're blind or feel you need the additional lighting for whatever reason and want to get your hands dirty, do the 55w mod. Otherwise, drive the car and be happy you have an OEM 35w system just like all the other stock cars on the road and be extra grateful you don't have halogens.

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Trying to establish if the light "source" is spherical, fills the entire encapsulation "sphere", or not...? Sounds as if it might.

Mark - Now that you have some time with these, have you noticed any ill affects ? Lens discoloration, bulb life, color shift etc? I had some other projects to tackle, but with winter coming this is back on my radar. Thanks for any updates

@Bad.Tag - No problems. But, it seems like the evolving trend is LED. I particularly like the prospect of one day having LEDs because there is no lag time in reaching maximum brightness. There are already some conversion kits out there (although I haven't seen anything compatible with D2S yet) --but, it seems like it might be a while before a solid product is available.

Great, I am looking forward to getting this done. I agree, LEDs are the next step, but anything available for the consumer market has less than optimal output, despite looking extremely bright. I've seen some kits which boast 1200-1300 Lumens which is only slightly better than Halogen. Give it a few years though and I'm sure it will be a viable alternative for us DIY'ers Thanks for the update -- Brett

Ok, just completed the upgrade using the 50w Morimoto ballasts from TRS. Installation: The ballasts are well made and fit under the stock backing plate, though some weather strip tape was needed as they are slightly thinner than the stock setup. The best part was no real modification was necessary to any part, and its completely reversible. The rubber grommet that comes on the Morimoto's actually fits in the access hole where the plug feeds into the housing, so no fabrication of filler plate was required. Everything is plug and play, the hardest part was situating the wires so they fit under the stock backing plate. Performance: Lo-Beam - With the same bulbs, lighting is noticeably brighter. Before the area in front of the car seemed somewhat dim and cutoffs ill defined when driving. Now the cutoff are well defined and the illumination is much more complete. Its not a halogen -> HID difference but its a definite gain from the 35w. Hi-Beam - Using the same H11's as before, there is a nice increase in distance. On my test route, signs I could somewhat make out at a 1/4 mile are now easy to distinguish and back road driving is much safer. 2 things I did notice is 1) the units run cooler and 2) CD/Ipod operation are fine but for some reason my radio reception is terrible with lights turned on. My system is aftermarket though, so this might not be the case for everyone. Overall, its a great upgrade for the price. I'll post install pics when I get back this weekend -- Brett

Have you noticed any color shift in your current bulbs? Like are they slightly washed out and a little lower Kelvin temp with the boosted ballasts? I've seen and heard this can happen to overdriven OE bulbs.

liljohnny - yes, that is true. I think the shift at 55w v 35w is supposed to be one Kelvin range. So a 6000K to a 5000K or so. The stock bulbs in mine are a 4300K which is a "warm white" so it was just a brighter version but similar color. Previously ran 5000K @55w in the A4, which had a pure white similar to most new cars

As promised, here are some pics of the install. Everything fits perfectly with a little readjusting of of the stock wires.

Brett, Looks like LED development is moving onward toward an aftermarket option. Amazon.com: New Brights LED Headlight Conversion Kit - All Bulb Sizes - 80W 6400LM Cree LED - Replaces Halogen & HID Bulbs - H13 (9008) Dual-beam LED: Automotive Amazon.com: New Brights LED Headlight Conversion Kit - All Bulb Sizes - 80W 6400LM Cree LED - Replaces Halogen & HID Bulbs - H13 (9008) Dual-beam LED: Automotive When the technology and price stabilizes (summer, maybe?) I might try something like this, first in one of my non-Porsches & see how well it does & whether heat is an issue.

Thanks for sharing Mark! 6400LM would be a nice gain, but like you said the heat generation would be my main concern, and second would be space requirements. No doubt this will improve with each generation though. Now if they can incorporate the flashing pass feature like on the Le Mans cars I'll be sold

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I've seen these for some time now and is really only optimized for non-projector style reflector systems. You have to remember that LED's do not have a wide dispersion pattern like incandescents which is currently their biggest drawback.

Well, turns out it's kind of already there on the reasonable price point. http://www.ebay.com/itm/72w-6400lm-D...804220&vxp=mtr And, LED reaches full power even more quickly than halogen. Hmmm. I have a sedan that would make a good test mule; when I get around to doing it, I'll let you know how it works out. Meanwhile, someone here may have already had some experience with it. Seasons Greetings!

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I'm sure this product you listed is top quality... however be a tad careful with those other/similar fan cooling thingies (especially the made-in-my-neighborhood ones). Those high powered LED, not only they do get brutally hot, the cooling fan is often just a mini PC-style fan with a poorly designed bearing/shaft(?!?). You'll need reliable cooling during hot summer days apparently. Buy the good ones only lol What do I know... Just passing on a word of caution I've been given by the local pros here. Porsche cars are nice they say Side note; your projectors' optic & its coating are designed to take up max 55w halogen or 35w hid. More and you'll damage those not-so-cheap optics in less than 24 months. Surface will black out a bit... poor reflect etc etc. Make sure aftermarket lights do not exceed the temp of those bulbs you currently have installed - those recommended by Porsche. Talking about litronics and mk2 headlamp$ If you want to be 100% sure.... light up your current bulb next to a small piece of aluminum e.g positioned 1" far from the bulb. After 2min take temp reading from that heated piece of aluminum. Repeat the same with the aftermarket bulb/LED. If those 72thousandwatts LED throws any more energy than your current/stock bulb, then... you have no choice but to sell them to another member (on oldFordRanger.com of course lol) Anyone ever tried professionally polishing the headlight lenses and just adding fresh bulbs? Gives +15~25% brightness in many cases, 3 or 4 horsepower also can't remember

Nine8six, Yes the heat issue is the wild card, i.e. roasting a really expensive set of housings. The LEDs are touted as running cool with the fans and equipped with a high temp shut-off (would require a lot of trust). I'm sure we'll be following the web reports on temperatures and maybe even invest in an IR temperature sensor before doing anything radical. I'll try it one of my other cars first. Re: rehabbing lenses, I sanded, polished and put Expel film on mine some time back...still like new.

Good day all, bit of a thread resurrection but i need your help and this kinda covers the topic. Car - 996.2 GT3 with litronics Back story - car went into the garage for the brake lines changing and brake fluid, a union joint at the front snapped and so they added a new union joint - im not sure if this caused an issue or just co-incidental. Get the car back and notice that one of the head lights isnt working on low beam. Turned it on/off a few times and it sparked back into life (ive had a similar issue with my subaru in the past so kinda knew what was coming), the beam stayed a pinkish colour (bad sign) for a whilst before going blue/white. Took it out a few more times and it was fine but then completely stopped working. All other functions of the head light work, just not the HID bulb. So knowing what i knew with the scooby, i went about changing the bulbs just to make sure and it wasnt them. So after abit of dicking around with a spare brand new ballast i had kicking around for the scooby, i googled the Hella number and found; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Xenon-D2S...72.m2749.l2649 - replacement ballast for the Hella which has a slightly different design (slimmer) than the aftermarket OEM Porsche no. Once this arrived i set about cutting the OEM wiring and the ballast intending to mate the two together to take advantage of not having to modify the slot like Bad.Tag did. However, i found in the OEM harness (after i had cut the ballast loom) that it had 3 cables as opposed to two but one is fibre (which im assuming is the canbus wiring to say, bulbs blown). Anyway, with the above in mind, i set about crimping on some spade connectors, as opposed to soldering the wires together, as i wasnt sure which cable was which in the OEM and i could change them over at the car if that combination didnt work. Again ive done this for a subaru as JDM connectors are different to UKDM connectors despite the same model being sold in the UK. However, after doing all of this neither spade combination works and its starting to drive me mad. Would i be better in using an aftermarket socket/loom and reattaching the male/female plugs to the ballast or is it something else thats causing the issue? The rest of the light works, just that the low beam doesnt want to know. Thanks

Have you checked the light switch? Known to be a point of trouble in these cars - causes all kinds of electrical gremlins (and of course causes the lights not to work - properly). I would have recommended starting there before chopping up your wiring, but what's done is done...don't rule out the light switch...

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Hello, if you mean the one on the dash then yes that still works as it fires up the right side low beam, unless there's another switch you mean and I need to relook at the pet? I'll admit I didnt look at the pet and did read about the switch but just thought they meant the one In the cabin.

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Have u confirmed u have power on the coreect wire going to headlight mount plug. The wiring to these plugs are also known to detoiriate. U should be able to find the pin out and test with a multmeter or test light

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Hello, No i havent and im afraid to say, i wouldnt know where to start on it. I'd need to check on youtube id imagine I guess i could swap over the ballasts from right to left to test it that way?

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swapping ballast should work but not the easiest way to determine power. I would not assume that because the one side works the other should have power. The dash switches are problematic. U may need to visit a shop or ask a friend 4 help. Stop throwing parts and money at it as an hour of diagnostic should reveal the issue. If i get time i can get u the plug pin out for testing tonight

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Hello, Oh i agree, i've spent far too long trying to sort out this issue and thought it would be fairly simple job. At the moment, where i am in the UK, we have plenty of time as theyve locked us down once again. But if your able to do the plug pin for testing tonight, that would be awesome but if not, no worries, maybe after xmas. Thanks for your help

So here are some pics from my Bentley manual. They r from a 2004 c2/c4 but i think the lighting on a gt3 is similar. I looks like the left and rt low beams r fed through the dimmer through fuse a-9 left, a-2 right. On the right light it travels through a bridge plug straight to pin a-ll, yellow. U will want to also check the ground a-12, brown. For the left light its pin a-11 yellow/black fed straight from the fuse. Also the ground is pin a-12 and brown. I hope your lock down goes quick, i fear we will be in the same boat soon.

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HI De Jeeper, Thanks for posting those, ive seen those schematics previously and didnt know thats what you mean. Im still at a loss on where i would need to test them on the car though physically. As for lockdown, lets not go there. I look at my friends social media posts of them skiing, travelling about etc. and im envious. But this isnt the thread for c19 chat. Still i guess it gives me time to look and test out circuits, learn a new skill etc.

Pull the headlight and there is a blue plug clipped into the mount. Im not exactly sure what order the pins are in. If u can get a good look at the back of the plug there r usually numbers on it but they r real small. I did give u the wire color so u should still be able to find the correct wire. U may want to pull the wheel and the wheel liner for better access and viewing. Be carefull because the coating in the wires going to this plug are know to deteriorate.

Hello, Ok, so think ive got it now Mine looks like [img][url=https://flic.kr/p/2kg7JrX] but same principle though different angle/location i guess.

Yes thats it. If u have power and a ground on the correct 2 pins then the issue is in the headlight. If not u have to work your way back to the bridge plug and then back to the dimmer and then to the switch. The dimmer is where is seperates to a left and right but i havent heard if one of those going bad. Also the ground shows it going into a bundle of grounds connected either in the frunk under the carpet in front or behind the bumper. Its not real clear I think the pic was from a boxter, just an internet grab so u would know what ti look 4