Xenon headlight bulb issue

[hindsight]

Hi all
Had a long roundtrip (450 miles) in the rs4 yesterday unfortunately as I was starting to head home I got a warning on the dash saying "right dipped headlight/main beam headlight" and pic of a bulb with cross through it. Sure enough the driver's headlight was off. Bit annoying being so far from home but I got home taking it very steady.

Anyway my question is whether it is a simple bulb failure or something else as when restarting the car today the bulb came on (looked bit dim) then after 90 secs it switched off and the dash warning came on again. It did this on three occasions today so the bulb hasn't totally failed.

Second question I got the car about 6 months ago as audi approved from sytner audi Nottingham and it has a 1yr Audi warranty. It also had mot failure cover but I imagine they could argue it is wear and tear, but does anyone know if bulb replacement is covered?

Any advice before I call my local audi dealer (slough or amersham) much appreciated.

Thanks




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[wideboy]

Mine died last year (2015 plate).

Replaced bulb but no joy, it was the headlight ballast that had gone. (replace bulbs in pairs).

Unlikely to be replaced by the dealer FOC, but always worth asking.

It's an easy but somewhat faffy DIY, to change both bulb and ballast you need to remove the headlights. Ballast it simply on the bottom of the headlight. I couldn't source an audi ballast, you may need a new headlight if you go through the dealer? But I found a suitable replacement from an eBay seller for around £40 new.

[Rusty Racer]

Same issue on mine, dealer warranty covered ballast.

[CRSRS]

Morning all, I believe I have the same issue with an error message “right dipped headlight”. Does anyone have a link to buying the ballast unit or the part number. Also how easy is it to change it? All help is greatly appreciated.

[wideboy]

Its dead easy, about 4 bolts and 3 screws.

Here's the ballast i used, fitted 2years ago and still good now:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... ewXtJipjk4

My 2nd side died yesterday just after MOT. Eugh. My car is a 2014 and garaged and thats both oem units failed now. Both units had signs of water ingress.

Audi were going to do it on my warranty but i declined as excess is £250. Told them to book it in for a retest and that I'd collect the car and do it myself.
Called back a few min later with a good will offer! Still £130 but saved me the hassle of collecting car twice.

List price for parts only at Audi was £275!!!

[535dboy]

I was going to say, if the ballast then surely that is warranty but probably not if it is the bulb.

[Geoff A]

Xenons are fully covered under my Audi extended warranty. Just had one done at Stratford Audi, and it cost just the £100 excess, but the retail value was around £1100 for a bulb and controller.
Sadly, it’s still trouble as it comes on for about 45 seconds then goes out, but they put a 2yr warranty on the genuine replacement parts., and it’s going back in next week.

[CRSRS]

Great thanks, have bought a bulb and will see if it works if not will change the ballast. Appreciate the intel.
Its dead easy, about 4 bolts and 3 screws.

Here's the ballast i used, fitted 2years ago and still good now:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source= ... ewXtJipjk4

My 2nd side died yesterday just after MOT. Eugh. My car is a 2014 and garaged and thats both oem units failed now. Both units had signs of water ingress.

Audi were going to do it on my warranty but i declined as excess is £250. Told them to book it in for a retest and that I'd collect the car and do it myself.
Called back a few min later with a good will offer! Still £130 but saved me the hassle of collecting car twice.

List price for parts only at Audi was £275!!!
[/quote]

[CRSRS]

Thanks all the help. Changed bulb, still didn’t work so changed the ballast and now working. Like other say it is a bit of a hassle but only managed to drop one screw down the back. Just need to work out if alignment is still ok now?

[johnnydog]

When my offside headlight failed last year, I swapped the bulb from one side to the other to check if the fault was the bulb or ballast. (If the fault changes side then the bulb is faulty; if the fault stays at the same side, then its likely to be the ballast). My fault stayed on the offside and the bulb worked in the other headlight, so..... I bought a new ballast off Ebay for £50 (boxed as a VW part although I suspect it wasnt, even though it was a Mitsubishi ballast like the original), and it now works fine and it passed its MOT recently - I guess if the alignment was slightly out, they usually would adjust it anyway. I have the Audi extended warranty too, but with the £250 excess, decided it was worth taking a punt on doing it myself.

[Frankt3323]

I wish I had read this before. Had the same issue recently which ended up with a lot of Specialist dealer diagnostics to define it was the controller and several hundred £'s later we are back on the road legally. Asked if it was a standard part (ie not specific to RS models) but told no.
Seems like a common fault on Audi's that are aging.

[johnnydog]

I would argue your 'specialist is not entirely correct at all. The original 'Audi' ballasts are made by Mitsubishi, and the part no. is common to other Audi's with Xenons across the range, not just RS models. As long as the part no. and suffix is the same, then it is suitable.