Hi, I recently replaced the dipped headlights on my partners A3 to blue vision ones. That wasn't a problem but i want to replace the sidelights also to blue vision but this has got me miffed! The bulb is above the main beam bulb but how do you change it? Is it a case of trying to pull out the whole connector or is it a head light removal job? I contacted both Audi Cardiff and Audi Swansea. Both were rubbish and didnt have a clue! Last thing i want to do is trash her pride and joys lights
New Audi A3 Side Light Removal
- Thread starter Tfsi gone
- Start date
Assuming the side lights are the same as for my Xenon equiped car, you pull the whole lot out - the holder and wires. It's not like the main / dipped beam, that you disconnect the wires. What you remove holds the tiny bulb.
I'm assuming space is tight for you too. What I did to change mine is stand at the side of the car, pointing forwards and then used my nearest arm - right for the right side, and vice versa. So attacking it from behind, as it were, rather than the front. This way I could just about get my fingers around it. Watch for how the holder fits, and then it should clip quite easily back in. It may also give you extra room if you disconnect the main bulb first.
I'm assuming space is tight for you too. What I did to change mine is stand at the side of the car, pointing forwards and then used my nearest arm - right for the right side, and vice versa. So attacking it from behind, as it were, rather than the front. This way I could just about get my fingers around it. Watch for how the holder fits, and then it should clip quite easily back in. It may also give you extra room if you disconnect the main bulb first.
IIRC, its just a case of grabbing the actual connector and pulling, maybe adding some twisting torque as you are pulling to loosen it.
wilko
Top Gear
If anyone has more information on this I would be intested to here it as I want to do exactly the same thing, but from looking at it it's almost impossible to get to bulb/wires. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/noidea.gif
I've changed them too - but again my Sportback has Xenon lighting. The process might still be the same though.
The sidelight sits with the driving lights nearest the radiator, and as I recall the wiring connector holding the driving light bulb comes out quite easily to leave a small aperture, inside which is another smaller connector for the sidelight. You'll find you can get several fingers into it, but not your whole hand.
The driver's side is easier to change because there's more room directly behind the headlamp unit. Peer inside the unit and you'll see the connector for the sidelight - it's the smaller one. I think it was coloured orange! Using a couple of fingers, get the best grip possible on the connector and twist it to remove. Pull the connector completely out of the unit to change the bulb - they just slot in. Make sure you test the new side lights at this point, because you won't want to have to take them out again!
The same applies to the passenger side but this time the airbox gets in the way, so there's much less room to get your hand into the aperture. Much of the time you work by feeling your way round the headlight - it's difficult to see what's going on!
Refitting is a bit tougher, because not only have you got to line up the sidelight bulb to go back inside, you got to push it home and twist it into the holder. I did this by visually checking where the bulb goes, then quickly standing up straight to get as much of my hand inside the headlamp as possible to put the bulb straight in. Otherwise you kind of get "lost" with the bulb not finding the hole!
It's difficult to describe exactly how to do it; but it took me all of five minutes. Yes it looks tricky because of the access but just get stuck in. You can't really break anything! If you're still REALLY stuck, and if I'm feeling particularly charitable this weekend (hey, it is Christmas), I'll go outside and take some pictures. Having done it before I could probably get the bulbs out quicker this time.
The sidelight sits with the driving lights nearest the radiator, and as I recall the wiring connector holding the driving light bulb comes out quite easily to leave a small aperture, inside which is another smaller connector for the sidelight. You'll find you can get several fingers into it, but not your whole hand.
The driver's side is easier to change because there's more room directly behind the headlamp unit. Peer inside the unit and you'll see the connector for the sidelight - it's the smaller one. I think it was coloured orange! Using a couple of fingers, get the best grip possible on the connector and twist it to remove. Pull the connector completely out of the unit to change the bulb - they just slot in. Make sure you test the new side lights at this point, because you won't want to have to take them out again!
The same applies to the passenger side but this time the airbox gets in the way, so there's much less room to get your hand into the aperture. Much of the time you work by feeling your way round the headlight - it's difficult to see what's going on!
Refitting is a bit tougher, because not only have you got to line up the sidelight bulb to go back inside, you got to push it home and twist it into the holder. I did this by visually checking where the bulb goes, then quickly standing up straight to get as much of my hand inside the headlamp as possible to put the bulb straight in. Otherwise you kind of get "lost" with the bulb not finding the hole!
It's difficult to describe exactly how to do it; but it took me all of five minutes. Yes it looks tricky because of the access but just get stuck in. You can't really break anything! If you're still REALLY stuck, and if I'm feeling particularly charitable this weekend (hey, it is Christmas), I'll go outside and take some pictures. Having done it before I could probably get the bulbs out quicker this time.
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IIRC, its just a case of grabbing the actual connector and pulling, maybe adding some twisting torque as you are pulling to loosen it.
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Not twist in my case, but to and fro. Patience, and it will come out. I made sure I could remove both sides before fitting the new bulbs, just in case I couldn't remove the other one and I ended up lopsided.
IIRC, its just a case of grabbing the actual connector and pulling, maybe adding some twisting torque as you are pulling to loosen it.
[/ QUOTE ]
Not twist in my case, but to and fro. Patience, and it will come out. I made sure I could remove both sides before fitting the new bulbs, just in case I couldn't remove the other one and I ended up lopsided.
