2005 S4 bixenon compatible with 2005 A4 USP bixenon (B6)

[mobigray]

Hi guys,

I've had this " dipped headlights" warning on the passenger side headlight for quite some time. Tried replacing the bulb, but did not solve the problem. Basically it turns on and off every 2 minutes.
My next step is to replace the whole headlight. Found a used one, but from a 2005 S4 (B6). Since my car (2005 A4 USP B6) came with bixenon, I'm guessing it's plug and play.
Can you guys confirm this?

[customa4]

Your next step should be to check the ballast. Swap the ballast from the good headlight into the bad one and see if the problem persists. If the headlight starts working normally, you need a new ballast. The answer to your question is yes, they're plug and play.


Here is what the ballast looks like.

[F16HTON]

It is compatible, however the S4 housings are a different color than the USP housings, therefore you will not have a matching pair.

Here is a S4 Bi-xenon (ecode), see how the interior is grey rather than chrome.

[Charles.waite]

There is no such thing as a "USP housing". In the United States of America (clarifying so some pedants don't blabber on about european housings) there is only Bi-xenon (usually referred to as S4 as they pretty much always came on S4s), Single Xenon (came on A4s with xenon lighting package), and Halogen (poverty spec) housings. The color of the housing depends on a few factors.

Either way, calling a specific housing a USP housing is a misnomer. I'm curious where this whole confusion started. Because I had a factory USP with single xenons (had the tech/lighting package). The single xenons have a 2.5" lens, the bixenons have a 3" lens, for those who are curious on how to identify them easily.

[maccalo]

Incorrect. Bixenon lenses are 3", single xenon lenses are 2,5"

[Charles.waite]

Incorrect. Bixenon lenses are 3", single xenon lenses are 2,5"

My bad there. Fixed above. I knew they were .5" different just forgot what the base size was.

[mobigray]

Your next step should be to check the ballast. Swap the ballast from the good headlight into the bad one and see if the problem persists. If the headlight starts working normally, you need a new ballast. The answer to your question is yes, they're plug and play.


Here is what the ballast looks like.

Thanks for the advice customa4. Are the ballast for the xenon and bi-xenon the same?
Hope it's the ballast and not the leveling motor.

[customa4]

Thanks for the advice customa4. Are the ballast for the xenon and bi-xenon the same?
Hope it's the ballast and not the leveling motor.

Click

You don't need a new ballast to find out the problem. Since your passenger side is not working properly, pull the ballast off of the driver's side headlight and put it in the passenger side headlight. If it works you know your problem.

[CyberPMG]

For 2005, the A4 got Bi-Xenon headlights (optional) as well as the S4 (standard). For 2004, only the S4 got Bi-Xenon headlights while the A4 got Xenon or Halogens.

The ballast for Xenon and Bi-Xenon headlights are all the same and can be interchanged with one another (provided the bulb used is a D1S). The ballast is a 5GL ballast and used not only in B6 Audis, but other cars like the early Chrysler 300C and can be purchased new for a lot less than the Audi brand.

[Toronto5.5]

To answer OP, yes, plug and play. Godspeed.

[diagnosticator]

IIRC, the '05 USP had single xenon black housings as well.

[CyberPMG]

IIRC, the '05 USP had single xenon black housings as well.

That may be true too. Was going against a PDF of specs I saw on another site. They only mentioned Halogen and Bi-Xenon for 2005. May have been thrown in late in the game. Kind of like my 2004 A4 having 2003 and 2004 parts together in the engine bay. LOL

[Luxus Panzer]

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...on-ballast-%29

Good price.

[diagnosticator]

OP, in Eurospeak, "Dipped" means "Low Beam". The term does not refer to only the state of the leveling system servomotor. The term is used to indicate the existence of any malfunction of the low beam headlight.