Sidelight Bulb Replacement!?

[StevieBogan]

Ok,

I'm not a mechanic, but surely I dont need to take the ****** thing to the garage to replace a bulb!!!

How the f**k do you get into the bulbs in the head light??

I have taken the back off, but cant reach the sidelights?! I have also taken out the two torque screws on top and the little hiden one at the wing but still I cant get the ****** out!

Help!


Stevie /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[neversaydie]

Pliers and softly softly approach will be your best option.

 

[StevieBogan]

[ QUOTE ]
neversaydie said:
Pliers and softly softly approach will be your best option.

[/ QUOTE ]

This would never work I'm afraid! Couldn't get them in at the right angle!

 

[Paul-RS6]

pull on the wires, but at your own risk.

they are pretty resiliant, and ive done mine that way.

BTW, blood and alittle skin loss, is almost mandatory.

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
PaulS3 said:
pull on the wires, but at your own risk.

they are pretty resiliant, and ive done mine that way.

BTW, blood and alittle skin loss, is almost mandatory.

[/ QUOTE ]

Managed to break part of the plastic housing on mine as well just to add insult to injury, but once you've got the knack /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

If I'm playing around in this area I normally take the battery out as it's only a ten minute job including recoding the radio and resetting the windows.

 

[benk]

What bulb type are the sidelights? I got some free philips blue vision ones from powerbulbs today when I ordered a pair of Osram silverstar H7's
I don't want to heave the old ones out to find they're not the same fitting. The philips sidelights I got are "W5W"

 

[neversaydie]

Ok Audi A3's/S3 have three light settings:

Sidelights
Dipped
Main

And 4 if you have Fog Lights.

Sidelights are the small bulbs found on the inside on prefacelift and on the outside facelift cars.
They are the smaller bulbs are the 12V bulb.

http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/drivewire/baseline/image.jsp?title=Light%20Bulb&url=http%3A//img.eautopartscatalog.com/live/4B30019032OSR.JPG

The dipped are a H7 55w standard.

http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/drivewire/baseline/image.jsp?title=Headlight%20Bulb&url=http%3A//img.eautopartscatalog.com/live/4B40050445OSR.JPG

The main bulbs (fullbeams) are a H1.

http://catalog.eautopartscatalog.com/drivewire/baseline/image.jsp?title=Halogen%20Bulb&url=http%3A//img.eautopartscatalog.com/live/4B40023934OSR.JPG

Hope this helps /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[Paul-RS6]

s3 side lights are W5W fit.

Gammba, i know what you mean about things breaking, thats why i said at their own risk.

I knew i could get the bits to splice in and repair if things went bad.

 

[SWAMP DONKEY]

Do the sidelights need a quarter/half/full turn before they come out or do they screw out? Why does a simple bulb change have to be sooooo fiddley!!!!!!!

cheers

 

[08080808]

just force it out, they dont need to be turned at all. but you do risk the wires coming loose, but in my experience they are pretty strong.

 

[DJ_Troopa]

My friend and i were looking at my sidelights last night as they look like a right pain to take out! I know the driver's side one you gotta take the battery out, but the other side looks tight and we couldn't pull it out!

Also, when i disconnect my battery, will my radio ask for a code??

Thanks

 

[ianysm]

I fancied some LED sidelights but this all puts me off now!!

Are the main beams hard to swap. I'd like some high powered ones (the standards are like candles) as this would be more useful than side lights

 

[banoffee]

I got mine out using the force

 

[kachnak]

if you use force to get bulb out, how you can put it back? I will try get front light totaly out.

 

[jojo]

if you use force to get bulb out, how you can put it back? I will try get front light totaly out.

It's easier to press the bulb in than to pull it out.

 

[kachnak]

but there is no space to put hand near the sidelight bulb and catch it. Other 2 bulbs no problem to catch. When I remove batery there is no problem but on otherside is some tank. In my previous cars there was no problem with this. skoda fabia, ford focus... I think that they could do it better.

 

[sulaiman]

I got no issues changing sidelight bulbs with everything still in place, takes about 3 mins.

Find the wiring which goes to the sidelight and follow it to the bulb holder, pull it and it comes out, change the bulb then turn the sidelights on and use the light given off the bulb to replace it into the headlight.

Easy peasy.

 

[jojo]

but there is no space to put hand near the sidelight bulb and catch it. Other 2 bulbs no problem to catch. When I remove batery there is no problem but on otherside is some tank. In my previous cars there was no problem with this. skoda fabia, ford focus... I think that they could do it better.

I'm getting you now, you have a 1999 S3, which is the same as mine, no need to remove battery. What I did was unclip the rear cover, and rotate upwards, as you can't take it out, the xenon ballasts/wiring are in the way. So I only needed access to the sidelights. It's a bit tricky, but possible.

I got no issues changing sidelight bulbs with everything still in place, takes about 3 mins.

Find the wiring which goes to the sidelight and follow it to the bulb holder, pull it and it comes out, change the bulb then turn the sidelights on and use the light given off the bulb to replace it into the headlight.

Easy peasy.

You don't have an S3 or Xenon lights, which is why your is easy.

 

[JD09]

I've worked this out!!


I called Audi. Five cuts, a pint of blood and much frustration later I will just get them to do it when it goes in for tracking. Nice knowing one of the managers

 

[Lemon S3]

You need skinny hands, long fingers and a bit of patience.
Also comes in good use for a few other things