Begging you for HID install help on my 2008.5

[Carnage]

Hello everyone,

Yesterday after I posted about how the projector lens wasn't clear and my lights weren't too bright I was informed installing HIDs would be my best best to ge them brighter, other then changing the projector lens.

On a whim today I went out and bought a HID kit, he told me that I needed a relay harness and 2 adapters. I bought everything, the price didn't seem too bad for it all.

Now I'm finally home and I was so excited to install it, but I've used the search option religiously and Googled multiple tutorials, videos, everything and I swear the pieces I have don't completely match what I see online.

Does anyone know if I got ripped off? Apparently you don't need a relay harness for an 08.5 Mazda 3 but he said I'd need it on mine.

I also have no idea what this metal piece is, or how / where I install the ballasts.

And how do I use the adapters? Is it true I have to cut that rubber thing on the actual lights?

Can anyone PLEASE help me? The box didn't even come with any instructions or anything at all. I figured I'd be able to figure it out but apparently not in this case.

I've attached pictures of what I have.

I'll honestly be forever grateful to whoever can help me figure this out.

:bang:bang:bang:bang:bang:bang

http://i.imgur.com/eM521.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Kzkdt.jpg

[The Wolf]

Everything only plugs in one way dude. You can do it.

[2012speed3]

Looks to be pretty plug and play!

[Hyperion]

There's really only 1 hole you could put everything in

[Noisy Crow]

Google "mazda 3 hid install" ... there are lots of instruction videos and walk-throughs online

[Carnage]

Am I just over analyzing this? Should I have another beer, take a deep breath, and go at it?

I think all the googling has just confused me. Do I really cut that rubber ring on the lights?

[Carnage]

Why don't I have mounting brackets? How do I mount the ballasts?

[S.F.W.]

Why don't I have mounting brackets? How do I mount the ballasts?
You don't need mounting brackets for the ballasts. Use zip ties.

[RedRaptor]

Take your time to understand where everything plugs in. The most difficult part is where the wire harness plugs into your car. I'll give you a head start.

The wire harness plugs directly into your battery, factory headlight H7 wiring and finally your ballasts. The wire with the fuse enclosed in the black plastic housing connects to your battery directly. The two pronged plug connects into your factory headlight H7 wiring and the yellow connectors connect to your ballast.

Next, find a suitable place to mount your ballast. Do a search and find out where others have mounted them.

Finally, you will need to install the HID bulbs into your headlights. This is tricky because of the retention clip used by H7 housings. Do some reading on the clip to understand how it works. This is the part where you will use the H7 adapters that came with your kit.

You didn't get ripped off. A harness is always recommended as it protects your factory wiring by drawing power directly from your battery and uses a relay to turn on your HIDs.

[KenYork]

Know how it it laid out before installing on car.

Those metal plates are you mounting bracket. Notice how the holes match the holes on your ballasts. You should not need to cut any rubber as it is flexable and the wires and grommit from the bulbs should fit with some flexing and bending.

Layout your relay harness. Know which side connects to the battery. Label it. Do the same for the ends that connect to the ballasts, Label it. The remaining plug connects to your H7 bulb connector from your car which controls when the relay turns on and off.

install the bulbs into light housings. so now all you have are mounting the ballasts to install between the relay harness and the bulbs so the wires reach to connect.

[Carnage]

Well I'm a few beers in and going for it. Wish me luck... also any other tips would be greatly appreciated. I'll be in my garage with my laptop hoping for the best.

[The Wolf]

More beer will not help. That's my tip haha

[2012speed3]

Save the beer for when the job is done

[PearlM3]

You have an 08.5 you don't need the harness, just use the hid kit which consists of the two ballasts and then the two lights. cut the rubber thing that is attaching the wires with the lights together and use that as the adapter to make the lights fit tight. Don't worry about install, it can be a bugger but you literally can't put it together wrong the stuff wont fit. as far as mounting ballasts either use zip ties or 3m tape, preferably both. Literally just find a nice place where the wiring can reach them and go for it.

[eqlso]

I recommend before you start taking out bulbs and finding out places to mount the ballast, just to install the wire harness to the battery, and hooking up the ballast/bulbs up and firing them up. Worse comes to worse, you run out of time, you just remove the wiring harness and you still have a car to use. Then find places to mount the ballast, put in the hid bulbs, then start hiding wires.

[PearlM3]

I recommend before you start taking out bulbs and finding out places to mount the ballast, just to install the wire harness to the battery, and hooking up the ballast/bulbs up and firing them up. Worse comes to worse, you run out of time, you just remove the wiring harness and you still have a car to use. Then find places to mount the ballast, put in the hid bulbs, then start hiding wires.

He does not need the wiring harness!!!!

you guys are making it sound more complicated then it is.

[eqlso]

He does not need the wiring harness!!!!

you guys are making it sound more complicated then it is.

He already bought it, so why not use it? There's never any harm in using the harness. I would spend the extra time putting in it instead of taking the risk.

[PearlM3]

Yet again it's really no risk and why not take it back??

[sp3GT]

Since he already has a wiring harness, might as well install it. It's not required but definitely does not hurt to install it.

[peterm15]

Will that harness not allow the auto lights to work properly?

It's pretty basic dude. There is really no chance of blowing anything up so just go for it.

Out of curiosity what colour temp did you get?

[Carnage]

Hey everyone, thank you so much for the help and moral support! ;)

You were right it was really easy, I hooked everything up tried them out they turned on with no problem. I got to the last part where I just had to put the adapters on and install the lights.

Then I snapped 1 of the adapters :bang

Looks like I have to go buy another one haha

I didn't use the harness will it make a difference?

[peterm15]

I've been running hids on my 07 for a while with no harness. So no. No problem. Although it is better I'm sure ( I really don't know the advantages) and you already have them. So spend some time tomorrow and install them. Why not right. The hard part is already done.

Keep in mind you'll want to turn your lights to the off position. Then on when you need them. The quick on and off when you start the car can cause flickering. ( usually fixed by turning them off and back on a few seconds later. )

[cwp_sedan]

Take your time to understand where everything plugs in. The most difficult part is where the wire harness plugs into your car. I'll give you a head start.

The wire harness plugs directly into your battery, factory headlight H7 wiring and finally your ballasts. The wire with the fuse enclosed in the black plastic housing connects to your battery directly. The two pronged plug connects into your factory headlight H7 wiring and the yellow connectors connect to your ballast.

Next, find a suitable place to mount your ballast. Do a search and find out where others have mounted them.

Finally, you will need to install the HID bulbs into your headlights. This is tricky because of the retention clip used by H7 housings. Do some reading on the clip to understand how it works. This is the part where you will use the H7 adapters that came with your kit.

You didn't get ripped off. A harness is always recommended as it protects your factory wiring by drawing power directly from your battery and uses a relay to turn on your HIDs.


+1 to all of this.




All of you who keep claiming that he doesn't need a harness are correct. I myself have run mine without a harness for years and been okay. *knock on wood*

For those who are actually smart and want to be safe, it is best to run them off of a relay harness no matter what. Whether it can be done or not, you would be much better off melting a 3rd-party harness than your stock harness. That is if you even have a problem. The harness reduces the amount of strain on the system and if something were to go wrong, would take most of the damage. This is what you would want.

So enough with the debate over the damn harness. It's not helping anyone, especially the OP. If you use a harness great, if you don't that's up to you. It's a gamble either way. 99% of the time you shouldn't have a problem not using an extra harness for your application.

Auto-lights will function correctly no matter what. the problem is that they "may" not fire up correctly. Most people turn them on manually to confirm a proper fire.

[peterm15]

Auto-lights will function correctly no matter what. the problem is that they "may" not fire up correctly. Most people turn them on manually to confirm a proper fire.

+1. That is what I ment.
The auto function still works. But at night if you start your car with the lights on auto. You may get flickering or one light not turned on. ( that's my problem at least. )

[Carnage]

8000k because he didn't have any 6000k in stock.

[Carnage]

Would 8000k be an issue?

[cwp_sedan]

Would 8000k be an issue?


8000k is a colour temperature, not a power rating. 8000k is more blue. You either have a 35W or 50W kit. Most people sell 35W kits.

[Carnage]

8000k is a colour temperature, not a power rating. 8000k is more blue. You either have a 35W or 50W kit. Most people sell 35W kits.

It's 8000k 35W.

[S.F.W.]

It's 8000k 35W.
35W is fine, but I would not recommend 8000K for your regular lights, you are cutting the light output significantly, and are asking for trouble with police. Maybe 8000K fogs, but that is another discussion.

[Carnage]

What would be better? 6000k or less?

[S.F.W.]

What would be better? 6000k or less?
4000-6000K would be best suited for low beams.

[Carnage]

Would the fact that the projector lenses aren't clear change anything? Thank you for the help btw

[loki]

Awaiting next epic thread

[loki]

Would the fact that the projector lenses aren't clear change anything? Thank you for the help btw

Less visibility coupled with less visibility

[peterm15]

Would the fact that the projector lenses aren't clear change anything? Thank you for the help btw

It doesn't help.

I have 6k. Get less. 5300 maybe.

( come to think of it. I think it's 4300, 5000 and 6000. )

[srxnick]

I just got the 5k morimotos from TRS and they are the perfect color imo - diamond white. No hints of yellow or blue. Great light output. I also did the 3" clear lens, which is nice, but takes some additional effort. There is a very helpful thread by appletech on the mz3 forums which goes through it all.

[Carnage]

Would it be easier to remove the front bumper and the headlights to install the HID bulbs? The retaining clip is horrible.

[CH0SiiN1]

results?

[srxnick]

Would it be easier to remove the front bumper and the headlights to install the HID bulbs? The retaining clip is horrible.

If you are doing anything but replacing a bulb it is likely easier to remove the bumper and headlights. That way you can do a clean job and make sure everything is seated properly. The bumper should take about 30m to remove the first time, and there are lots of good tutorials.

[peterm15]

Removing the bumper is a waste of time for headlight HIDs. My suggestion is to look up a picture of the clip to see exactly how it works. That's what I did. Pain in the ass for 30 min. Looked up a pic. And 5 min later. Done.

[Pyro]

There's really only 1 hole you could put everything in

that's definately NOT what she said lmao

[Carnage]

My signal wire won't fit in my headlight harness WTF do i do?

[standsideways]

Carnage wtf! You clipped em in before checking to see if they worked?!

[cwp_sedan]

My signal wire won't fit in my headlight harness WTF do i do?

What exactly do you mean it won't fit?

[2012speed3]

My signal wire won't fit in my headlight harness WTF do i do?
How many beers did you have? :chuckle

[ziegs2020]

Would it be easier to remove the front bumper and the headlights to install the HID bulbs? The retaining clip is horrible.

http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=299500&highlight=


My signal wire won't fit in my headlight harness WTF do i do?


The signal wire fits into what the bulbs were plugged into. If it doesn't fit, you probably got something other then a H7 harness.

Are your DRL lights the high beams? If they are then you should not have a problem with the hids flickering.

[CH0SiiN1]

I did mine with help from this link (just needed help with those inner light brackets).
Very straight forward..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzh0VwSrzbE