03-06 Headlight Swap - Wiring Help
Hi guys, I have an 03' 350z with stock halogen headlight and have recently purchased the 2006+ Bi-Xenon headlights and noticed the plugs aren't plug and play! So I have attached a photo below of what I'm talking about. Can anyone assist with how to rewire these things so the headlights work?
i havent started on mine but lets see if we can figure this out.
You will cut the 8 pin off the head light... that will leave you with 7 wires
Red Fat - Positive to ballest.
Black Fat - Negative to ballest
Skinny black - Common Ground for accesories lights
Light Green - Positive High beam actuator
Green/White Stripe - Positve for 4LEDs and corner running light
That leaves solid blue and solid green... which runs to the same bulb. One is a running light(on when the headlights are on) and one is a brighter blinker. I forgot which is which but i dont use the running light. You can, but i think it looks cleaner without it. Power a 12 volt source to black and blue or green to tell which one is brighter. Also, i think because i disconneted one it made my blinker blink fast... but i kinda liked... helps since i switch lanes so fast
edit (blue is the blinker + , i didnt use solid green.)
Now.. your 6 pin harness... cut that off your old headlight... leave as much wire as you can.
You will have:
Red - Low beam positive ..... goes to Fat Red- powers ballest
Black - Low beam negative - goes to Fat Black powers ballest
Light blue - high beam +... goes to light green - high beam actuator
Green/black stripe - Blinker +... goes to green or blue... whichever is brighter.
Green/White - Running light... goes to Green/White
Skinny black - common ground to skinny black
8 Pin--------------6 Pin-------------------------Function
Fat Red------------Fat Red-------------------- Ballest +
Fat Black----------Fat Black-------------------Ballest -
Skinny Black-----Skinny Black---------------Common Ground
Green/White -----Green White---------------LED/Corner running lights
Green Black------Nothing or Green/White -- Blinker running light
Light Green ------Light Blue------------------High beam +
Blue/Black--------Green Black---------------Blinker +
You will cut the 8 pin off the head light... that will leave you with 7 wires
Red Fat - Positive to ballest.
Black Fat - Negative to ballest
Skinny black - Common Ground for accesories lights
Light Green - Positive High beam actuator
Green/White Stripe - Positve for 4LEDs and corner running light
That leaves solid blue and solid green... which runs to the same bulb. One is a running light(on when the headlights are on) and one is a brighter blinker. I forgot which is which but i dont use the running light. You can, but i think it looks cleaner without it. Power a 12 volt source to black and blue or green to tell which one is brighter. Also, i think because i disconneted one it made my blinker blink fast... but i kinda liked... helps since i switch lanes so fast
edit (blue is the blinker + , i didnt use solid green.)
Now.. your 6 pin harness... cut that off your old headlight... leave as much wire as you can.
You will have:
Red - Low beam positive ..... goes to Fat Red- powers ballest
Black - Low beam negative - goes to Fat Black powers ballest
Light blue - high beam +... goes to light green - high beam actuator
Green/black stripe - Blinker +... goes to green or blue... whichever is brighter.
Green/White - Running light... goes to Green/White
Skinny black - common ground to skinny black
8 Pin--------------6 Pin-------------------------Function
Fat Red------------Fat Red-------------------- Ballest +
Fat Black----------Fat Black-------------------Ballest -
Skinny Black-----Skinny Black---------------Common Ground
Green/White -----Green White---------------LED/Corner running lights
Green Black------Nothing or Green/White -- Blinker running light
Light Green ------Light Blue------------------High beam +
Blue/Black--------Green Black---------------Blinker +
I was in the same position you were a month or two ago.
What you have to do is either go all 6-pin or all 8-pin which would mean either alter your engine harness to 8pin or your headlights to 6pin. When I first did this I was really cautious as the headlights I got were expensive... I ended up cutting the connector on the headlights and switching it to 6pin. It was a total leap of faith and when I plugged the headlights in and did a functions check, it was satisfying as all hell to see everything work.
PM me if you need help doing this, I'll help you as best as I can.
What you have to do is either go all 6-pin or all 8-pin which would mean either alter your engine harness to 8pin or your headlights to 6pin. When I first did this I was really cautious as the headlights I got were expensive... I ended up cutting the connector on the headlights and switching it to 6pin. It was a total leap of faith and when I plugged the headlights in and did a functions check, it was satisfying as all hell to see everything work.
PM me if you need help doing this, I'll help you as best as I can.
Quick question - because my 2003 Z with ZENON headlights is in the body shop at the moment, and I cannot test 12V+ outs on my headlight harness to answer this myself:
I am building a set of DEPO 2006+ headlights for my Z. Like all OEM 2006+ HID headlights, the upper bulb is a dual filament, meaning it is both a PARKING light and a FLASHER (dual filament bulb).
The 2003 used the upper bulb only as a FLASHER.
As such, the upper bulb on the DEPO headlights has 3 wires; not 2: black (ground), blue (flasher) and green/yellow stripe (PARKING) - which I think on the OEM harness is a GREEN/WHITE wire).
The DEPO headlight also has a RUNNING light bulb, like the 2003. This is a SOLID green wire.
Based upon the mods I'm doing, I need 12V+ BOTH when the headlight switch is set to PARKING AND when the HEADLIGHTS are ON.
Hopefully that isn't too wordy - so here's my question:
In 2006+ DEPO headlights (and I suppose OEM 2006+ Z headlights), does the RUNNING light 12V+ (GREEN wire) turn on when the PARKING lights are on, or only when the HEADLIGHTS are on?
And does the PARKING light 12V+ (Green/White wire) turn on ONLY when the switch is set to PARKING and turn OFF when HEADLIGHTS are on?
In short, what is the difference between these two wires?
TIA to anyone who can answer this for me ASAP!
I am building a set of DEPO 2006+ headlights for my Z. Like all OEM 2006+ HID headlights, the upper bulb is a dual filament, meaning it is both a PARKING light and a FLASHER (dual filament bulb).
The 2003 used the upper bulb only as a FLASHER.
As such, the upper bulb on the DEPO headlights has 3 wires; not 2: black (ground), blue (flasher) and green/yellow stripe (PARKING) - which I think on the OEM harness is a GREEN/WHITE wire).
The DEPO headlight also has a RUNNING light bulb, like the 2003. This is a SOLID green wire.
Based upon the mods I'm doing, I need 12V+ BOTH when the headlight switch is set to PARKING AND when the HEADLIGHTS are ON.
Hopefully that isn't too wordy - so here's my question:
In 2006+ DEPO headlights (and I suppose OEM 2006+ Z headlights), does the RUNNING light 12V+ (GREEN wire) turn on when the PARKING lights are on, or only when the HEADLIGHTS are on?
And does the PARKING light 12V+ (Green/White wire) turn on ONLY when the switch is set to PARKING and turn OFF when HEADLIGHTS are on?
In short, what is the difference between these two wires?
TIA to anyone who can answer this for me ASAP!
Last edited by Heritage; Oct 9, 2015 at 08:57 AM.
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I can tell you that my HR Z uses only the blinker filament of that bulb at the top, no parking/running lights except the 4 LEDs on the side and that small bulb in the front corner. I think to have that other filament lit would be annoying to oncoming traffic.
What bulbs are lit when the parking setting is on?
Do any of the lit bulbs then turn off when the headlights are on?
The 4 LED's in the top outer corner are on, and the white bulb at the lower outer corner are on as parking/running lights. They stay on when the headlights are turned on.

The big bulbs in the top reflector are just signals, and the second filament isn't used, at least on a US car.

The big bulbs in the top reflector are just signals, and the second filament isn't used, at least on a US car.
The 4 LED's in the top outer corner are on, and the white bulb at the lower outer corner are on as parking/running lights. They stay on when the headlights are turned on.

The big bulbs in the top reflector are just signals, and the second filament isn't used, at least on a US car.

The big bulbs in the top reflector are just signals, and the second filament isn't used, at least on a US car.
Wonder why they did that. The only thing I can think of is that the second wire is non-US spec DRL that is essentially 'shorted' to the parking wire in US cars.
Maybe.
Last edited by Heritage; Nov 5, 2015 at 06:32 AM.
I also thought perhaps that second filament in the top bulb was for the hazard lights and/or the flash when you lock the car using the remote, but the rear signals only have a single filament bulb, so that may not be true.
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