NHTSA complaint: UNKNOWN UNKNOWN — EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER
I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED A HID XENON LIGHTING CONVERSION KIT THE SELLER SAID WAS INTENDED TO FIT THE HEADLIGHT OF A HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE. THE KIT CONSISTED OF A HID BULB AND THE BALLAST TO POWER THE BULB. AFTER INSTALLATION AND VERIFYING OPERATION I DID A TEST RIDE AFTER DARK TO CHECK PERFORMANCE . DURING THE APPROXIMATE 20 MINUTE RIDE I DETECTED EXTREME LOSS OF PERFORMANCE. THE HEADLIGHT WAS BECOMING VERY DIM AND MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD. WHEN I RETURNED TO MY SHOP AND INSPECTED THE HEADLIGHT IT WAS EXTREMELY HOT, SMELLED OF BURNED RUBBER AND THE INSIDE OF THE LENS AND REFLECTOR WAS FULL OF SMOKE. DISASSEMBLY REVEALED THE RUBBER BOOT ON THE BACK OF THE HEADLIGHT WAS CHARRED AND CRUMBLING. FARTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE ALUMINIZED REFLECTOR OR THE HEADLIGHT WAS DAMAGED. THE HID SYSTEM WAS REPLACED WITH A STANDARD OEM PART AND EVERYTHING FUNCTIONS PROPERLY. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation