dipped headlights

[jimmya4]

my front left xenon flickers for maybe 10 minutes of driving and then it stops. until recently, it would go out every week or so. now, it goes out a few times a night. ill be driving and it seems to flicker more as i give it gas and then eventualy the light will just go out and ill get a reading saying "dipped front left headlight". i just turn the headlights off and then back on again and it works. but its getting worse and worse. before i modded my car, audi said that there were no error reports on the computer of this happening and basicaly said they couldnt do anything. now, i lowered my car and when i went in they said they couldnt do anything about it even if they knew what was wrong sense i lowered it....

is this happening with anyone else? im thinking loose wires or something rattling i dont know. i would blame it on my begginers cc modding a few weeks ago but it was doing it before then and it only got worse in the past week. thanks for any input guys

[RedS-line]

i would check connections and bring it to another dealer. they may try to sell you another bulb for about 250 plus install. maybe you can adjust the xenons with vagcom?

[fly300kts]

Had the same problem. Both bulbs has to be replaced.....under warranty

[jayuuey]

dealer replaced my ballast when i was experiencing this. it worked out great....just take it to a different audi dealer for warranty repair.

[jimmya4]

were your cars modded at all? my dealer says that sense i put springs on it, they wont cover it under warranty. actualy thinking of it now, i did the cc mod.... :/ i doubt anyone will cover it under warranty now. did your lights ever permanantly go out? i could live with turning it off and on ever once in a while

[Doctor]

my front left xenon flickers for maybe 10 minutes of driving and then it stops. until recently, it would go out every week or so. now, it goes out a few times a night. ill be driving and it seems to flicker more as i give it gas and then eventualy the light will just go out and ill get a reading saying "dipped front left headlight". i just turn the headlights off and then back on again and it works. but its getting worse and worse. before i modded my car, audi said that there were no error reports on the computer of this happening and basicaly said they couldnt do anything. now, i lowered my car and when i went in they said they couldnt do anything about it even if they knew what was wrong sense i lowered it....

is this happening with anyone else? im thinking loose wires or something rattling i dont know. i would blame it on my begginers cc modding a few weeks ago but it was doing it before then and it only got worse in the past week. thanks for any input guys

If I changed the name of the op, and put mine next to it, it would still be ok...

Do you know what the problem is...? Each one has a theory of his own...
Others say the bulbs, others say the ballasts...
Since my car is out of warranty I will change my bulbs with the 8K ones and then decide whether its the ballasts or not...

Its getting so bad that I am thinking of getting rid of the OEM bi-xenons...
Ok it only lasts for ten minutes but then again it seems like an old junkcar

[jimmya4]

If I changed the name of the op, and put mine next to it, it would still be ok...

Do you know what the problem is...? Each one has a theory of his own...
Others say the bulbs, others say the ballasts...
Since my car is out of warranty I will change my bulbs with the 8K ones and then decide whether its the ballasts or not...

Its getting so bad that I am thinking of getting rid of the OEM bi-xenons...
Ok it only lasts for ten minutes but then again it seems like an old junkcar

??? your car does it to. what do you mean by if you changed the name of the op and put yours next to it it would still be ok?

[Bear Creek Zeke]

This just happened to me. 07 A4 Titanium SLine. I noticed my right headlight flickering while driving on a straight stretch of road, then it went out completely and I got the error message - "Right headlight dipped". After I reached my destination on one headlight, stopped for about an hour and turned the car back on, the headlight worked fine. This happened a couple of weeks ago and hasn't happened again since. I am still under warranty, and wondering if I should take my car to the dealership. Has anyone figured out what the problem is?

[Doctor]

??? your car does it to. what do you mean by if you changed the name of the op and put yours next to it it would still be ok?

Sorry hadnt seen that for a long time...
Yes thats what I mean...

Mine does exactly the same thing...Its so fuckin frustrating...

But till today I am not sure WHAT to buy...BALLASTS...or BULBS...

Sux..

[Doctor]

Sorry hadnt seen that for a long time...
Yes thats what I mean...

Mine does exactly the same thing...Its so fuckin frustrating...

But till today I am not sure WHAT to buy...BALLASTS...or BULBS...

Sux..

At last...It was the bulbs...

Check here

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=830

[Banana]

mine have been dipping out so bad lately also, sucks too because i was following behind a cop the other night ughh

[ChampionV63.2]

At last...It was the bulbs...

Check here

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=830

Yeah I had the same problem, started flickering and then dipped headlight. Did the rubber BS fix and that did nothing, ended up getting my bulbs replaced under warranty along with ballasts and problem fixed.

[Kerby]

how do i know what type of bulbs i have? i have the bi-xenon flickering issue too, is it D1S? and has anyone gone through ebay?

btw what type of fogs as well?

[ChampionV63.2]

http://www.sylvania.com/ConsumerProd...placementGuide

[Kerby]

just bought the d1s bulbs, since i gotta take the bumper off might as well CC, and replace fogs too.

[jimmya4]

all i know is that if you try hard enough, your dealer will give you new bulbs if your still in warranty.

[Kerby]

warranty was up 50,000 miles ago

[TX-A4]

At last...It was the bulbs...

Thank god, I almost couldn't sleep last night thinking about this , I'm under warranty and been wanting to CC and LED mod my bi-xenons; I don't have the flickering problem.....yet; but I was freaking out since it sounds that once you crack the lamps open, stealership will bend you over if they fail down the road..... but if it's just the bulbs, then no biggie; so I will be moding them afterall .

[fly300kts]

Thank god, I almost couldn't sleep last night thinking about this , I'm under warranty and been wanting to CC and LED mod my bi-xenons; I don't have the flickering problem.....yet; but I was freaking out since it sounds that once you crack the lamps open, stealership will bend you over if they fail down the road..... but if it's just the bulbs, then no biggie; so I will be moding them afterall .

Go for it

[toothysaw2]

having this exact same issue. also got the stupid rubber insert service bulletin fix. it did nothing. i haven't got back to get the issue fixed though. i'm having it with both headlights. i think i noticed the error messages were different. i think it says 'left headlight dipped' and 'dipped right headlight'.

anyway, this is an incredibly annoying problem. hopefully we can fill this thread with successful free replacements!

[EP9395]

I have the same problem and I had the service history ran and it had the TSB for the headlight shims before I got the car so I am going to go in and see if they will replace my right bulb. My car is 4k out of warranty but the time would have it go until July 29, 2009 does anybody know if they can goodwill it?

[prospero]

Questions as I've recently gotten this error.

1) What's the TSB# for this problem and can someone send it to me?

2) If it's the ballast, can I just swap out the ballast for another D1S ballast? Does it have to be OEM or can it be aftermarket and still work with OEM bulb & igniter?

3) I have adapative headlights (they turn when the vehicle turns to look forward into the curved road ahead) does this impact which replacement part I purchase?

Thanks!

[Viper966]

Im having this same issue...

anybody know the TSB number so i can go back in there before my warranty is over?

[toothysaw2]

Im having this same issue...

anybody know the TSB number so i can go back in there before my warranty is over?

TSB: 2013829/6

that's off my last visit for the same problem.

i also have two other TSB #'s for previous work done for the same issue:

2013829/3 (presumably this is an older version of the one above)
2018544/1

based on my experience and what i've been told by my service advisor... there are 3 stages to this TSB. first they will insert rubber wedges that are intended to stabilize the lamps (this applies to adaptive lamps as well). second they will check the leveling device and change the bulbs. third i believe is new assemblies.

so far i'm on stage 2. the number of errors thrown has decreased each time, but i'm still getting them infrequently on one side. probably won't bother to complain since it's been frustrating enough already.

[prospero]

well a new ballast will only cost me $110, whereas I'm sure a visit to the dealer would cost me $100 for those rubber wedges which may or may not fix the problem.... i'm out of warranty.

[audifan22]

I am out of warranty and my bulb keeps flickering and then eventually goes out with the dipped headlight warning. I'm assuming I need to replace the bulb, are the d1s 6000k compatible with a B7 with the adaptive xenons? On ebay it appears you can buy them for $45.

[Doctor]

Yes, aftermarket ones, are totally compatible.
As long as they are D1S

[lodidodi]

dealer replaced my ballast when i was experiencing this. it worked out great....just take it to a different audi dealer for warranty repair.

How did you get this swaped. I tried the last time I was in, they said because I couldn't make the light fault code come on, they would only investiage it further If I paid for it (car is still under warranty.) My lights FLICKER alot

[MN2.0T]

It happened to me. You need a new headlight housing and assembly. It ran me 1300$

[brownishwater]

It happened to me. You need a new headlight housing and assembly. It ran me 1300$

You got taken if you paid $1300 out of pocket.

The problem has nothing to do with the housings, only bulbs and ballasts. Replacement bulbs run about $90 and ballasts are about $200.

If your headlight shakes or vibrates, you can install hard-foam beween to motors to get rid of the vibration. PM me and I will send you a pic of it installed.

[jimmya4]

You got taken if you paid $1300 out of pocket.

The problem has nothing to do with the housings, only bulbs and ballasts. Replacement bulbs run about $90 and ballasts are about $200.

If your headlight shakes or vibrates, you can install hard-foam beween to motors to get rid of the vibration. PM me and I will send you a pic of it installed.

you're probably correct. basically i got my dealer to swap them both out under warranty even though they said the computer wasnt showing anything wrong. they claimed 1300 bucks each as well for what ever they did. i could care less what they actually did due to warranty

[09etech]

the rubber washer tsp works for some issues that come to my dealer but when i get this complaint it''s always the bulb, and out of all the times i've done this repair i replaced the hid control module under the headlight and ballasts on both sides once under warranty,







and bulbs are only covered under your limited car warranty (12month/12k miles) after that it's your dime unfortunately and they start at $270 a piece, after that tho i replace the bulb and add a little stabilant to the connectors for quality work and have never had a comeback, so it will fix the issue but at a cost

if anyone needs help with specs, wiring diagrams, diagnosis page by page diy i have full access to Elsa web just pm me

[Latin Audi]

^ Thanks for the pics. Can someone enlighten me as to why some of you are quoting ridic prices for bulbs? Is it Halogen v Xenon? I had the flickering and paid $90 to DDM for some D1S 6000k's and the problem is gone.

[RedS-line]

what is the rubber washer tsp? is this a part i can order? part number? i know what bulbs cost but how much is the hid control module?

[A42S4]

well a new ballast will only cost me $110, whereas I'm sure a visit to the dealer would cost me $100 for those rubber wedges which may or may not fix the problem.... i'm out of warranty.

Yes.. Im running the 6k. I have the adpative lights. I bought my bulbs here. http://www.uniqueautolights.com/

My car is doing the exact same thing now. I just upgraded to these bulbs a little over a year ago to. Im thinking of swapping bulbs to see if the problem follows. If it does I know its the bulb. If not will the certified per-owned warrenty cover a balast replacments since my 50K is up?

[joneze93tsi]

Have already been through this on both sides, and it's usually the bulbs.
First one: Dealer replaced at at discount cost as they had already did it per the TSB. After advising that they could remove their bulb and put mine back in, they agreed to work on the pricing.

Not even 6 months later the other side started flickering and then turning off with the dipped error. I just went on Ebay, and bought an OEM Philips Xenarc for $50-60 shipped and voila problem solved, and you don't have to remove your bumper to do either of them FYI.

If you need more info, let me know.