keeprclean Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 Hi- New to the forum world so please direct me if I have posted this in the wrong area. I have a 2011 MKZ AWD and while looking in the power distribution box under the hood, I noticed I am missing both left and right headlamp fuses (26 & 27) as well as both left and right headlamp relays (42 & 44). All the headlamps (low beam, high beam, fog) work. The manual shows the fuses and relays. The back of the low beam lamp reads OSRAM H11 12V/55W U 64211 L+ DOT GERMANY E1 25S W387 (see picture). Does anyone have an explanation as to how the lights are working without the fuse or relay listed in the manual? Any help is greatly appreciated. I will note that I recently worked on a 2009 Escalade to find the manual was incorrect as showing a fuel pump fuse when one was not required for that specific model. Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2D2 Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 Is it possible that that model year had 2 different type of headlights available (standard and HID) and the missing components are for the other type? HID types do take a much larger current and may have required relays and additional power fuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeprclean Posted October 20, 2019 Author Share Posted October 20, 2019 R2D2- The 2011 does have the HID option. The bulb replacement section in the manual says "H11LL (D3S [HID] optional)" in the trade number box for low beam headlamp. The low beam headlamp on the car says H11 on it. I am not too familiar with which bulb type corresponds to which number and assumed H11 was the non-HID bulb. When I search D3S bulbs online, the results are for HID bulbs. I first noticed this about 8 months ago. I went to an auto parts store and a guy that worked there came out to see. He was surprised but left it at "well they're working so don't worry about it then." I've always been the type of guy to want to underatand why/how things work when they seem to be not function normally. The other thing is I can't help but to think about it each time I turn the lights on. How can I tell for sure if the bulb in the car is HID? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drolds1 Posted October 20, 2019 Share Posted October 20, 2019 The bulb you show is a standard halogen H11 specified as the OE low beam unit for your car. The optional HID is, as you've noted, a D3S, as shown in this video. Also, a power ballast for each side would be present, as shown below. Not to mention the obvious differences in color temperature between the halogens and HIDs. Check to see if there are fuses in the 7 & 8 positions in the SJB in the passenger compartment (fuse box). These are the low beam headlight fuses. Also check for relays in 42 & 44 in the power distribution box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeprclean Posted October 26, 2019 Author Share Posted October 26, 2019 Hello- Sorry for the delay ... busy work week. There are fuses in the 7&8 positions in the SJB for the low beam headlamp fuses. However, the relays in positions 42 & 44 in the power distribution box are missing. My low beams are working but are dim. Could this be due to missing the relays? Also, if the low beam fuses are in the SJB, what are the fuses in the power distribution box listed in the manual as "26- left headlamp (relay 42 power)" and "27- right headlamp (relay 44 power)"? These two are missing in addition to the relayd in positions 42 & 44. Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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