DDM HIDs stay on after turned off

So I'm finally posting up here about this problem.

I installed DDM HIDs in my headlights and fog lights a few months ago. The fogs work fine, no issues. But a few times I've noticed that the headlights stay on after being turned off.

The first time I really noticed it was at work one day in the summer. I got a text from my buddy saying that my headlights were on in the parking lot. I was out and couldn't go turn them off, so I had to just cross my fingers. Got back at lunch and sure enough they were on. Turned the truck on (it started just fine, no battery draining at all after 4+ hours), and cycled the light switch on and off, and they went out.

Since then I have seen it happen a couple of other times as I'm walking away from the truck. I go back in, cycle the switch and they go out. Today it happened after just a short jaunt to the store. I came out and they were on. I tried cycling the switch but it didn't want to turn them off this time.

Any idea on what is causing this issue? I'm thinking that the ballasts/bulbs are just getting too hot and need to cool off before the switch will allow them to turn off.

 

x2, the power should be cut when the ignition is turned off, regardless of the ballasts being hot. The ballasts can not continue to draw if there is nothing to draw from. Sounds like you have a faulty switch or you're not telling us something in how you wired them up. If they were plug and play, you have a faulty switch as Memario stated.

 

Yeah, you're right... they stay on til you open the door. If you physically turn them on after you open the door, I believe they stay on until turned off or the battery dies. Sounds like it could be a relay problem with that door switch. OP, does your dome light go out when the door is closed as it should?

I'll give myself one of these, I forgots about the door thing...

 

The guys at DDM said to flick your high beams to turn off the lights. That worked sometimes with mine. Other times, they'd stay on until I shut my engine off.

 

I never had an issue with the stock lights. They turn off when I turn the switch off, and if I forget, they turn off when I open the door. As the truck is supposed to do.

I only noticed the problem after I installed the HIDs. So that is the problem. It might be something in the way I wired it, but I don't think I did anything different from what I've read on the forums here. I haven't tried flicking on the high beams to turn them off, might see if that works.

The reason I think it's the ballasts/bulbs being too hot, is because after awhile I just need to cycle the switch on and off again and they go out. As if they've cooled down enough to be properly turned off.

 

My guess would have to be the ddmtuning relay. That is if you have the kit that came with a relay.

 

OP a simple way to test the relay is to just tap on it when the lights have stayed on and see if they go out. I do this on lots of electronics and it works sometimes. Just a suggestion.

 

It's supposed to be a bit warmer tomorrow, so I'm going to try and see if I can figure it out.

 

What like 40F? Its going to be 72F here tomorrow.

Let us know what you find.

 

Actually yes, haha. +5 C is what they're calling for.

 

Still skeptical... If the truck cuts power to the circuit, it shouldn't matter if DDM tuning's relays are trying to draw power or not, there shouldn't be any power there if the truck's circuits are working properly. OP, it is all plug and play, correct? No wires going directly do the battery?

 

+1 HID kits draw power from the battery. If the relay is at fault, its probably causing a permanent or latching type short on the headlight on/off junction side that allows the relay to draw power from the battery to provide to the ballasts, since you can turn your headlights on/off without a key being in the ACC/ON position let alone even present. Having said that, its probably temperature related shorting occuring in the relay. I would ask them for a new relay or look up the part number and order another one for a few bucks.

 

Oh... Didn't know that. The only HID kit I've got is on my motorcycle and it was 100% plug and play and is not connected to the battery so the only place for it to draw power is the stock wiring. That was a Slimcubby set-up though, don't mind me, i didn't realize DDM's kit was any different.

 

I can promise you I didn't run a wire to the battery on my motorcycle... I bought a Slim Cubby Bi-Xenon kit in a group buy last year, everything runs off the stock wiring. It was a Slim Cubby group buy but through another member. Connecting directly to the battery just sounds silly when there's already a switched power source available.

Simple solution, get an automotive relay and have the trigger be the original headlight power wire. It would basically do the same job as DDM's relay but easier to replace and, from the sounds of it, more reliable.