xenon headlights lifespan

**chubbychynk** · 01-18-2009 07:47 AM

I have about 25K on my 06 A4 and one of the headlights is flickering a lot, sometimes going out. I took it to the stealership and they said they were not able to duplicate the problem (of course), but they tightened all the connections anyways. They said if the problem continues I will have to buy a new bulb, which is something like $300. That seems kind of premature doesn't it? I just want to know what the normal lifespan is and if I have a chance for getting audi to cover this under warranty. Just seems really expensive for something that only lasts 25K miles.

**fly300kts** · 01-18-2009 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by chubbychynk

I have about 25K on my 06 A4 and one of the headlights is flickering a lot, sometimes going out. I took it to the stealership and they said they were not able to duplicate the problem (of course), but they tightened all the connections anyways. They said if the problem continues I will have to buy a new bulb, which is something like $300. That seems kind of premature doesn't it? I just want to know what the normal lifespan is and if I have a chance for getting audi to cover this under warranty. Just seems really expensive for something that only lasts 25K miles.

I had both replaced under warranty at 42K

**Quattro06** · 01-18-2009 08:22 AM

My dad just had his replaced under warranty hes got an 05.5 with i think 35K

**vwchop** · 01-18-2009 12:07 PM

myin flicker sometimes. only when i an taking off. and only seems like it doesnt when there cold. and my driver side head light goes out. and the lil screen beeps and says light diped. then i shut them off and trun them on and there good.

**chubbychynk** · 01-18-2009 04:14 PM

yeah mine says "light dipped" too

**CG1182** · 01-19-2009 07:58 PM

I had mine replaced at around 45k.

**Elohite** · 01-19-2009 09:27 PM

I've had all the same issues and symptoms

I tried to take mine in for the same problem after I had done the CC mod and Ziza LED Citylights...
Dealership said my headlights were not factory (had to argue with a dumbass tech that said my headlights were not OEM because I had them CC

) and they later claimed my Ziza LEDs are not OEM and that they could be causing my flickering on my main projectors somehow

and that my headlights were not longer under warranty because of it.

BUT.... the fix has been to just replace the projector bulbs right?
I heard the flickering was just a prewarning that the lights might go soon

**Fleet Admiral** · 03-15-2009 11:13 PM

I got one bulb from this guy on ebay about 2 yrs ago. Lots of others on there selling the same for a little lower, but with slightly lower % scores. And I thought lifespan is rated at 3,000-5,000 or even 10,000 hours. So if they were on full time that's 2+ years. When I replaced the one, it was crusty inside the capsule. It was in the car for 6 years and 100,000 mi.

http://motors.shop.ebay.com/merchant/akinaboy?_rdc=1

**Operator** · 03-16-2009 04:57 AM

A HID bulbs life span is quite long. But what you run into is color-shift and loss of lumen as they age.

**RedS-line** · 03-16-2009 09:01 AM

I was told that the warranty on bulbs is 12k mi. or 1 year. My closest dealership wanted 255 for the bulb plus labor. I took the car back to where i purchased it, raised hell, and got them to do it under warranty.

**lowestA4** · 03-16-2009 10:21 AM

It's not only the mileage. It depends on how often you switch them on in a short time period. It's called "hot restrike". If you drive 15 minutes only then get off the car for a couple of minutes and switch on the bulbs again you'll kill them much more than if you ride 200 miles per day on the freeway with one ignition only.

Every ignition kills a part of the bulb. Because of this Audi invented the DRLs....to give the xenon bulbs a longer life. Personally I don't understand people who drive around with xenons at daylight over here. I guess they have too much money *lol*.

**FastB7S4** · 03-16-2009 11:35 AM

mine was replaced under warranty around 35k. the first time i brought it in, they couldn't reproduce the problem either; so the next time it happened, i took a cell phone pic of the error message and sent it to my service advisor. they replaced the bulb under warranty the next time the car was in.

**wayneB7** · 03-16-2009 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by lowestA4

It's not only the mileage. It depends on how often you switch them on in a short time period. It's called "hot restrike". ...
Every ignition kills a part of the bulb. Because of this Audi invented the DRLs....to give the xenon bulbs a longer life. Personally I don't understand people who drive around with xenons at daylight over here. I guess they have too much money *lol*.

Thanks for that tidbit.

Although I did not know that, I keep my xenons on "Auto" and set the DRLs to on. That way, I reduce the times my xenons are cycled on/off. I figured that the DRL bulbs were cheaper anyway, so better they see the greater duty.