Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum, but had my 3 sedan for about 2 years. I've only had 2 problems with it in the two years i've owned it and maybe someone can help me out. The CEL will randomly come on and i'll run the codes and it'll come back as a random missfire. Nothing seems to correct the problem except un-hooking the battery for a few minutes then hook it back up and its fine for about 300-500 miles till the CEL comes back on with the same problem. For the second problem, i've been burning thru headlights like its going out of style. about every 4-6 months i'm replacing the bulbls (H7). Any insights? Is the d2s (Xenon) bulb a direct fit up or do you need the HID conversion kit with the ballasts and all the other gear?

 

Hi AJ, and welcome to the site!!
Random mis-fired could be caused by a number of issues. Given the track record of the OE MAF sensors though, I might start there.
After having no problems w/it for several yrs, the CEL came on and the car started to run like crap. Mine was replaced twice in a week from the dealer. The first one, as with the one I bought myself from Auto Zone to try, didn"t work out too well. But the second (third?) one.... So far, so good. They also reflashed the PCM at the same time. I only hope they found a supplier w/higher quality parts this time.
You don"t say what year, trim, engine, tranny yours has?

For headlamps, hmmm... need some more info on that too. If you"ve gone SilverStar, or other similar AM bulbs, that could be the problem right there.They do not last long. You might also have the charging system tested to see if an overcharge state is in play here.
No, HID bulbs (envelopes) require the correct ballast and wiring. They are definitely NOT a direct fit. In fact, you would need an H7 conversion kit which has the H7 base on the bulb to fit the housing correctly.