Inner Projector Issue (Red Eye?)

[EMKOOP]

Does anyone here have an idea what the below suggests?



As I know the inner projectors in our headlights are just dummies and only the halo is functional for DRL purposes.

Recently a red light has turned on from inside the projectors


Thanks in advance fam!

[pungo]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

Does anyone here have an idea what the below suggests?



As I know the inner projectors in our headlights are just dummies and only the outer halo is functional for DRL purposes.

Recently a red light has turned on from inside the projectors


Thanks in advance fam!

You have that backwards, the inner dummy projector has the the DRL function with a 10w Halogen bulb. Not sure about the red light, maybe someone installed a red bulb in there? Can you take a better picture?


I do dual angle eye retrofits, so I know the inside of the light assembly pretty well. There is a black plastic disk behind the dummy projector lens.

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by pungo

You have that backwards, the inner dummy projector has the the DRL function with a 10w Halogen bulb. Not sure about the red light, maybe someone installed a red bulb in there? Can you take a better picture?


I do dual angle eye retrofits, so I know the inside of the light assembly pretty well. There is a black plastic disk behind the dummy projector lens.


Attachment 1827138

Thanks for your response!

I actually meant to say the "outer" halo ring of the inner dummy projector. I have edited my original post to better reflect what I intended to say

Nothing was installed in there. This "red dot" just appeared one day. This is why I am confused as to what it is.

It looks exactly like it sounds... a red dot like a red bulb has lit behind the lens. This is only on my passenger headlight. The driver side is fine.

[Huz-Z]

Were those light assemblies made by Cyberdyne Industries?

[pungo]

^^WHS-you have a terminator.


Seriously, you have some weirdness going on in there. Hard to tell from the pictures, but is the red dot coming from the dead center of the dummy projector? If so, like I said, there's a solid black plastic disk behind the clear plastic dummy projector lens, so I don't know how any light could get through it, unless a hole was burnt through from an over wattage bulb. But for the red color, I'm at a loss.

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by pungo

^^WHS-you have a terminator.


Seriously, you have some weirdness going on in there. Hard to tell from the pictures, but is the red dot coming from the dead center of the dummy projector? If so, like I said, there's a solid black plastic disk behind the clear plastic dummy projector lens, so I don't know how any light could get through it, unless a hole was burnt through from an over wattage bulb. But for the red color, I'm at a loss.

Yes the red dot comes from the dead center of the dummy projector.

pungo Aside from the black plastic disk behind the dummy projector there isnt location for a bulb in that vicinity right?

[pungo]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

Yes the red dot comes from the dead center of the dummy projector.

pungo Aside from the black plastic disk behind the dummy projector there isnt location for a bulb in that vicinity right?

Yes, the 10w Halogen DRL bulb is directly behind the dead center of the black disk.



Some people were putting 20w Halogen bulbs for the DRL trying to brighten the pathetic halo output.

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by pungo

Yes, the 10w Halogen DRL bulb is directly behind the dead center of the black disk.



Some people were putting 20w Halogen bulbs for the DRL trying to brighten the pathetic halo output.

Now this is where it's weird...

The DRL halo is lighting up properly and thus the halogen bulb is doing its job...

But how can there be a red bulb/dot lighting up there while the halo is working properly with the right color....

[pungo]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

Now this is where it's weird...

The DRL halo is lighting up properly and thus the halogen bulb is doing its job...

But how can there be a red bulb/dot lighting up there while the halo is working properly with the right color....

Unless someone did some kind of red light mod to your headlight, your car is possessed.



I'm calling you out on this and the red light is a reflection from your camera.

[EMKOOP]

I've searched high and low through all Bimmer forums and haven't found anything related...

Seems like the only way is to crack it open and take a look...

[StickMon]

That's where the bulb is. I would guess it's melting though the plastic.
It's so thin now in the center that the light's shining through.
I've heard of peeps putting 20W bulbs in to get the halos brighter, but complaining of the holders melting.
Maybe you have 20W bulbs and it's melted through the housing?

[pungo]

Originally Posted by StickMon

That's where the bulb is. I would guess it's melting though the plastic.
It's so thin now in the center that the light's shining through.
I've heard of peeps putting 20W bulbs in to get the halos brighter, but complaining of the holders melting.
Maybe you have 20W bulbs and it's melted through the housing?

Kinda what I mentioned in post #5

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by pungo

Kinda what I mentioned in post #5

Originally Posted by StickMon

That's where the bulb is. I would guess it's melting though the plastic.
It's so thin now in the center that the light's shining through.
I've heard of peeps putting 20W bulbs in to get the halos brighter, but complaining of the holders melting.
Maybe you have 20W bulbs and it's melted through the housing?

The red color still doesn't make sense to me unless that's the color they go to at the end of their life?

[StickMon]

I have seen bright white light shine through black plastic and look red when it comes out.
No doubt something to do with the spectral properties of the chems used.

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by StickMon

I have seen bright white light shine through black plastic and look red when it comes out.
No doubt something to do with the spectral properties of the chems used.

Looks like I may just have to bite the bullet and order replacements for both sides since I'll be cracking it open anyways... should be a good time to do a refresh since I also recently replaced my HID bulbs...

[pungo]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

Looks like I may just have to bite the bullet and order replacements for both sides since I'll be cracking it open anyways... should be a good time to do a refresh since I also recently replaced my HID bulbs...

So you're going to get replacement headlight assemblies? That's going to cost ya

I would just unplug the connector to the AE bulb and code out the bulb out error. The DRL are a joke anyway since you can barely see them during the day, so you're not loosing much without them. That's why I retrofit dual LED AE rings for people so they are more useful.

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

Looks like I may just have to bite the bullet and order replacements for both sides since I'll be cracking it open anyways... should be a good time to do a refresh since I also recently replaced my HID bulbs...

Nah, it's a look!
Just go with the Terminator theme!

I put an old third brake light under my hood shining on my radiator so it looks like my engine's glowing red hot.

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by pungo

So you're going to get replacement headlight assemblies? That's going to cost ya

I would just unplug the connector to the AE bulb and code out the bulb out error. The DRL are a joke anyway since you can barely see them during the day, so you're not loosing much without them. That's why I retrofit dual LED AE rings for people so they are more useful.

No not complete headlight but as in getting the BAS9 10W 12V bayonet bulbs and replace both sides regardless when I go in.

Yes your dual LED AE rings look sweet but I'm ok to have the stock bulb performance just trying to figure out the red dot errrr

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by StickMon

I have seen bright white light shine through black plastic and look red when it comes out.
No doubt something to do with the spectral properties of the chems used.

So lets just assume the black plastic is thin/damaged in some areas and its somehow altering the light spectrum to create this red dot phenomenon...

What method would you guys suggest to repair the black plastic?

I would imagine covering it with a piece of black material would cast an undesired shadow through the projectors? Also possible heat issues?

[pungo]

Originally Posted by EMKOOP

So lets just assume the black plastic is thin/damaged in some areas and its somehow altering the light spectrum to create this red dot phenomenon...

What method would you guys suggest to repair the black plastic?

I would imagine covering it with a piece of black material would cast an undesired shadow through the projectors? Also possible heat issues?

Not sure how you would easily get to the black plastic disk since since there's only a small hole where the bulb holder goes. I assume you know the clear headlight lens to permanently glued on and the only way to get it off to to cut the entire perimeter with demel. You might get by with some JB weld on the end of a chopstick through bulb holder hole and build some up where black disc is thin. On no wait, there's a blue translucent disc between the bulb and black disc. You need to look in there from behind with a penlight and see what's going on. Good luck with your daemon eye fix.

[EMKOOP]

Originally Posted by pungo

Not sure how you would easily get to the black plastic disk since since there's only a small hole where the bulb holder goes. I assume you know the clear headlight lens to permanently glued on and the only way to get it off to to cut the entire perimeter with demel. You might get by with some JB weld on the end of a chopstick through bulb holder hole and build some up where black disc is thin. On no wait, there's a blue translucent disc between the bulb and black disc. You need to look in there from behind with a penlight and see what's going on. Good luck with your daemon eye fix.

At this point I'm just crossing my fingers it's only the bulb nearing the end of its life and emitting an off color that's causing this issue looking from the outside...

Will try to update this thread once I have it open as it may help owners who run into a similar issue in the future

[cailloux]

EMKOOP, did you ever get this sorted? I have exactly the same red eye issue with my driver side projector. Would appreciate any insight.