Renewing gas discharge buld in Bi-Xenon headlights

[h5djr]

Further to a request from mitch79 here is the page from Elsawin showing how to renew the bulbs on the Bi-Xenon headlights.

If you require any further pages or information let me know.

Renew gas discharge bulb

 

[Staz]

That easy?? I always thought xenons had to be done at a dealers!

How much are the bulbs and where can you buy them?

Cheers Dave!

 

[NHN]

So Mitch howz the new bulbs?

 

[Sem]

Just wondering why you decided to change from OEM 4300k to 8000k?

 

[NHN]

Purely aesthetic. I'm a vain bu99er!

Arent most things we do, lol

 

[Sem]

Ok fair enough but you do realise you will significantly reduce your light output with 8k bulbs? I've read many posts on other forums about people changing their bulbs because they "want bluer lights" but this is not the answer!

When you see sharp flickers of blue coming towards you on an oncoming car, what you are actually seeing is a colour band present in the beam cutoff, it's caused by the projector lense refracting the light. As soon as you get level with the car the colour changes to white.

Your standard S3 projectors and bulbs will have the same effect on other drivers but as the driver you just don't see it, when you get out the car and look at your headlights straight on they look yellow but to other drivers they will look different.

I believe the A3 uses the same Bosch projector as the BMW E46 (the facelift does anyway) which gives out a decent colour band.

I have been in a car with 8k bulbs and it really was *****, road signs and the road surface illuminated blue is not nice.

 

[Sem]

Tried getting the bulbs out. No chance!

I can't get the electrical connector off the back, God knows how you do it. Take the spring clips off the back and it's all loose but not enough slack in the cable to get the bulb out, so I've no idea what to do now.

Are they D2S? the plug should turn about 10mm (only in one direction) and should then pull off.

 

[h5djr]

Tried getting the bulbs out. No chance!

I can't get the electrical connector off the back, God knows how you do it. Take the spring clips off the back and it's all loose but not enough slack in the cable to get the bulb out, so I've no idea what to do now.

Is it case of removing the headlights first and then taking the bulb units out. Perhaps this is why the Owner's Manual says it should be done by a 'qualified workshop'

 

[Sem]

Is it case of removing the headlights first and then taking the bulb units out. Perhaps this is why the Owner's Manual says it should be done by a 'qualified workshop'

That's probably the case, it was the same on my MK4 Golf, you had to remove the bumper and the headlights just to swap the bulbs! If you have small enough hands it was possible if you didn't mind a few cuts and grazes to your hands.

 

[golf]

Purely aesthetic. I'm a vain bu99er!

They're not in yet but will get them done asap.

At least you can admit this, most people who change them to a higher kelvin rating are adamant that the bluer bulbs are brighter and far more effective than the OEM bulbs. If that was the case then I wonder why the manufacturer's don't put anything higher than 4300k from the factory

Sem, I wasn't aware that the projectors in the 8P were the same as the ones in the M3, very interesting to a geek like me.

 

[NHN]

lmao, oh come on fella, surely the loom pulls of the igniter ok no?

 

[NHN]

doesnt it just push into the side of the igniter on rear of bulb, so theoretically should just pull out

 

[NHN]

Uh you can take of the wheel liners & then see the rear of the headlights if this helps, but seriously mitch you should be able to take the loom of the side & the whole bulb/igniter pulls out, I would go out & do now but still got flu for now 2 weeks so cant help & its ice cube ****** weather out there fella

 

[Staz]

Have you started taking the bumper off yet?

I have done this a few times and it's pretty simple. There're:

3 torx bolts along the top of the grill

6 (I think) under the bumper

2 or 3 from the wheel arch

The not obvious ones are the 10mm bolts that you can only get to by moving the wheel arch liner out of the way and reaching towards the front of the car so you hand is next to the headlight but inside the wing.

After that it'll come off far enough to remove the headlamps without disconnecting the wiring for the headlight washers or fog lights.

Then you'll need an extension to reach the torx bolts holding the headlights in, but these only need to be loosened off and not removed.

 

[Roswell]

Guys,

How long are these bulbs supposed to last? Our passenger side Xenon is going on and off all the time at the moment and looks a different colour to the driver's side. Does this sound like the bulb or some sort of fault. This is my first car with Xenons and am not sure.

Cheers and Merry Christmas!

 

[Roswell]

Thanks Mitch.....I was wondering.