Flickering HID headlight.

richb77

richb77

Registered User
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
NULL
Hello chaps.

OK. I am a noob. A noob to Audi ownership...In fact a noob to post 1992 German vehicles full stop.

I have just bought a 2005 A4 Avant 3.0 TDI Quattro (Thats a mouthful!) here in Germany and have a couple of minor issues i am working through. I should explain i am an Ex-pat Brit living in Hesse.

The one that has me stumped is the headlight.

The passenger side (Right side as sitting in the car) HID (Factory) lamp flickers on and off. I havent had the car long to find any kind of pattern to when it happens. Day or night, I havent driven in the wet yet so its dry.

It seems to be a poor connection (thats what it looks like) but thats not the case as i have checked everything (Everything i can).

I have read that this was common in north america and a believe a law suit was filed against VAG for this. But i cant find much (if anything) for Europe.

Is it common? Is there a (CHEAP) fix? Bulb...Ballast(!).

Any help would be great as i am at the point where i may waste several hundred euros simply trying to diagnose the issue.
 
I put an aftermarket kit into my 06 Sline and passenger side flickered too. Turned out that I needed a canbus kit which I got for £50 for two ballast as two bulbs brand new. Fixed issue or me.

If your car came with xenon lights it's either bulb or ballast but either from Audi will be very expensive. Contact t8ups off site he is sponsor and can get what you need to fix.
 
Change the bulbs £85 a pair from some, genuine aswell, this is usually the cure, although some are module related, but most are bulb related as I've changed a few.
 
  • Like
Reactions: V6 Quatt
Both good info chaps.

I'll shell out for a bulb and see how that pans out. I was thinking the Ballast and have been checking out getting Chinese aftermarket kits with an adapter.

Hopefully i wont have to bother.
 
Last edited:
richb77 said:
Both good info chaps.

I'll shell out for a bulb and see how that pans out. I was thinking the Ballast and have been checking out getting Chinese aftermarket kits with an adapter.

Hopefully i wont have to bother.
Click to expand...

Let me know if fitting new bulbs sort the flickering problem out please, as I'm having the same issues with my A4 - thanks!
 
LOL. Im having the same problem too.

Im going to try replacing the bulb also first and take it from there.
 
Try the bulbs as NHN says very common that usually fixes it.
 
Make sure you check if you have curved lighting or not?
 
I have a pair of bulbs en-route. I will update as soon as they arrive and i can fit them.

Edit: Not sure how to check if i have curved lighting or not...I suspect that i dont though.
 
Be careful buying Xenon bulbs, especially off eBay. Loads of them are fakes. There's a video on YouTube of a fake set of Philips causing the ballast to catch fire!
 
HIDS direct bulbs are 100% genuine
 
  • Like
Reactions: V6 Quatt
I did get Ebay ones i am afraid to say.

However they are metal based (some have a plastic base at the bottom of the glass tube).

That being said it was a "test" set and see if it resolves the issue. If it does i will probably buy a set of Philips or Osrams.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

hades-
flickering headlight
Replies
15
Views
2K
g00se
g00se
Fordy
Xenon headlight flickering
Replies
12
Views
5K
A4_MaJiK
A4_MaJiK
P
Headlight Upgrade - Possible HID / Xenon Headlight Retrofit
Replies
3
Views
704
Sp3no82
S
Wrath
HID Headlight Lawsuit against Audi
Replies
2
Views
1K
jdp1962
jdp1962
F
Flickering headlights
Replies
7
Views
2K
NHN
NHN
Top
Back