BAD Experience with BFC (Black Flame Customs)

So, I purchased a retro fit set of HID's from Black Flame Customs about 2 years ago now.

Here is what's happening:






So, it started about 6 months after I received them. At first it was very small amount of condensation (barely noticeable). But slowly, month by month (especially in winter), it has grown. This winter it has become unacceptable.

Facts: I paid $900 for the retrofit (not including the ballasts, bulbs, wiring, or headlight assemblies). Their website: http://blackflamecustoms.com/faq/ states that they have a "lifetime warranty" for craftsmanship. Specifically, they state "Our craftsmanship warranty is guaranteed for the life of your lights, as long as you own them. What that means is as long as you own the lights we’ll make any needed repairs, fixes or adjustments should something fail or go wrong with our specific services or labor."

But then, they state later than the housing seal is only good for a year ! Anyone involved with HID retrofits knows that baking the housing to open it and then, re-sealing it is at least 50% of the craftsmanship involved in a retrofit. I've contacted BFC to see what, if anything, they will do for me. The true measure of any company is service after the sale. I'll let you know how they respond.

 

Why not give them the chance to make it right before starting the thread?

 

2 reasons:

1. maybe the thread will help them "do the right thing."
2. even if they "do the right thing," tacoma owners here may want to see what $900 from this company buys you. No way a stock Tacoma headlight housing gets condensation like that. So, it comes down to their baking and re-sealing process.

 

They shouldn't need a thread to make them do the right thing. If that's the case, then I wouldn't bother doing business with them. I'd at least give them a chance and then post up a review, but maybe this will work.

 

Their reply "It's not a seal issue - it rarely ever is - it's more likely a BACK CAP issue. They can become loose, fail or fall off during installation or services.

That is the best place to check first. After that you'll want to drain any and all water from the housing as best possible and then heat with a hair dryer or heat gun on LOW with a signal bulb socket removed or the back cap off for better airflow.

This link helps explain what we're talking about ::: http://blackflamecustoms.com/faqs/moisture-issue/

We're happy to dry them out here if you wanted to provide round trip shipping. Please let us know
Thanks"

Seems reasonable. However, I cannot see anything wrong with the back of my housing where the ballast connects to the bulb. Same as always. I'll give it a shot and see if I can get the inside of this housing dry.

 

Seen it on a 3rd gen


That really sux tho man

 

Shit happens. Sounds like that are willing to fix it. I don't see an issue here.

 

holy shit they still in business!? and out of CO!? Do they have a user name on here or as a vendor!?

This company started out on long island NY years ago back when the owner JB at the time was involved in the local subaru club.

I personally will never understand the desire to color paint oem badges crack open oem lights and paint them and mod them.

g/l hope everything works out for you OP

 

The post I post here will likely be deleted - but at least we'll make an attempt.

Rather than even waiting for a response via email last night, which we did happen to send just two hours after yours was sent to us - you post this? Furthermore, you posted this 10 minutes after emailing us? At the time of this response we haven't heard back from you via email either.

How does that make any sense? Also, the title "Bad Experience"? Let's be fair here and call it what it is - a minor issue came up with with headlights we built over TWO years ago and all of a sudden we're this terrible company receiving feedback like this on public forums.

We responded with the best info that's served us over the YEARS of building headlights. 9 times out of 10 it is a backside issue on these headlights due to their design. The cap needs to be secure, in place and have no dry rot issues. Could there be a seal issue - absolutely. Without having the headlights in our hands we have no way of knowing.

Threads like this don't make us want to help with your situation - proper email communication and the opportunity to fix something, do. The warranty on our website for our craftsmanship is lifetime - the seals warranty on any housing is one year.

Regardless of any of these facts - we're still 100% willing to take the light, dry it out, reseal, go through everything and get it back to you at NO cost - just pickup the shipping tab - that's it.

Looking back at the invoice from January of 2014 - you're in CO Springs - we're HQ'd in Fort Collins now - a 2-3 hour drive. So if this is such a drastic and terrible issue - one that warrants a public lashing - why not properly communicate via email and potentially get this fixed in the same day with a trip up here - headlight in hand? The actual dryout process takes maybe 2-3 hours - tops?

Hoping to hear from you.

 

Hey man - hope all is well with you

 

I see no reason for it to be deleted.

You seem to be fair and honest.

 

Agreed. I think @BFC is going out of his way for this issue.

 

Thank you - I am not a vendor or official on this site in anyway - most forums, moderators and forum owners frown upon this. I am not here to push sales, make offers or promote products - it's simply to respond to a ridiculous thread started that concerns us.

Thank you - there's only so much we can do without proper communication. We responded again via email this morning concerning the issue as well as this thread.

 

Just out of curiosity, why does the seal only have a one year warranty?

 

The seal integrity is something we like to stand behind for a one year time period. If something is going to fail, with the actual seal and not a secondary sealing component, it generally happens right away (within the first two weeks).

To be as transparent as possible here - we have no email record of the moisture issue being noted at SIX months. If this had ever been brought to our attention - so had we known about the issue (over two years ago), perhaps we could have stopped the issue from getting worse over all this time.

The OP also stated that the opening and resealing of the headlight housings is at least 50% of the labor - unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth. It is important yes - but nowhere near 50%. Anyone with a screwdriver, oven and gloves can open AND reseal their headlights. We of course go one step further during the resealing process and add extra butyl rubber to the channel for an additional seal.

Moisture issues absolutely can happen - somethings without reason. We publicly state this on our website. Sometimes it's the back cap, a seal, the main edge seal or a temperature change. It has been drastically cold here in CO for the past 1-2 weeks. So if the inside of the headlights are warming up (from the HID projectors being on) and it's 5 degrees outside a "greenhouse" effect can take place - trapping and creating moisture inside the housing - this is especially true if there was a pre-existing moisture issue that's become years old.

 

Would adding some silica gel packets in the headlight help out? They're designed to absorb moisture. I assume they could fit behind the reflector, out of sight, and absorb the excess moisture in the light to help alleviate this issue.

*I've never tried it, just an idea*

 

We've worked with these in the past. We actually find that if there is a REAL moisture issue, they soak and hold the water like a sponge vs allowing things to properly dry out.

Plus - if they end up holding too much moisture (which happens over time as it accumulates), they end up tearing and you have 900 little plastic silica balls tumbling around in your headlights - not much fun! Every headlight will have some ultra small form of moisture inside (with the air particles as air exchange does take place) - so eventually they fail. Good thought though - that's for sure

 

Gotcha. Makes perfect sense. I hadn't thought about the lack of being able to easily remove/replace the packets over time.