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I have a HID retrofit, using slim ballasts (aftermarket), Phillips DS2 lamps, but never connected the relay and just used the stock harness.  This worked for over 5 years, but one of my HID's started acting up recently:

• When lights go on, it'd flicker then die
• Sometimes it would flicker then stay on
• While driving it would flicker out
• Now it almost never comes back on

At this point, I think I should just go and install the relay harness.  The lights always worked before, so I never bothered (dumb, i know).  I've had that damn V6p grounding kit from day 1, so I couldn't easily connect the relay to the terminal ends.  I'm thinking of where to connect it to now (any ideas)?

Also, I just ordered the new OSRAM SVS bulbs (the ones that claim to have much better lum than the phillips, even at 5000K), so hopefully it's just a bulb, but I'm going to install the relay harness too just for peace of mind.  But do you think there could be any damage to the ballasts because of not using the relay? 

Reason I'm asking is if I should just order new ballasts as well to swap in just in case that's the problem.

Thanks!

I experienced the same thing not too long ago. I ended up replacing the bulbs with a new set and the ballasts with a spare set I had kicking around. Reason I replaced both is because I was pushing 50w to 35w bulbs for a few years so the bulbs were due and the ballasts because they were a cheap ddm set. I did test the old bulbs with the new ballasts and had the same result (flickering) then tested the old ballasts with the new bulbs. Turns out I had one bad ballast along with a bad bulb.

Point is, you'll probably be fine with new bulbs considering they're probably past their service life.

Could be a ballast.  I had 4 ballasts go bad when I put my car back on the road a few months ago.

bad ballast or bulbs.

So I went and installed a new relay harness and then replaced the lamps with those new OSRAM SVS 500K.  Everything works! Ballasts still good.  And damn, the lights are super bright.