Hello and a headlight question

[Vale46]

Hello everyone. First time poster here.

I picked up a Tronic S3 2014 a month or so ago with 16k on the clock. Still getting familiar with her, but so far I am chuffed to pieces! I have been riding bikes for years and years and this is my first 'performance' car.

I was giving her a proper clean at the weekend and noticed the offside headlight had a tiny crack in it in the top corner just as the glass (plastic?) comes out of the bonnet. There is no associated chips and so I am unsure of the cause.

There is light fogging inside but I gather this is pretty common and so I am not sure how compromised the headlight is currently.

She has the bi-xenon headlights (LED DRL across the top) which appear to be staggeringly expensive from Audi (into the region of £1500), and so I turned to trusty eBay where they appear to be quite common and not anywhere near as expensive.

My question is whether it is a direct swap, or whether there is coding and associated programming/calibration to perform? The headlights rise and fall on ignition which I presume is a levelling routine.

Might anyone know if this is a DIY fix, and perhaps an idea on the magnitude of it?

Thank you so much in advance, and I look forward to becoming an active member of this forum going forward.

JD

 

[DJAlix]

Welcome

If I remember correctly, following a xenon headlight unit swap you will need to recalibrate your range control unit. You will need access to VCDS or alike in order to complete the procedure. Swapping the headlight over should be simple, just make sure you take all power precautions.

If you don't have access to VCDS or alike directly you may be able to find someone near by your location who has via the VCDS map button at the top of this page. If you are located in or around London I can assist

 

[Vale46]

Thanks for the reply.

I will source a replacement unit first, make myself familiar with the swapping process, and will make enquiries with someone local for the calibration. I am based in Bristol.

The car is still under warranty, which will expire in September, will the recalibration with the VCDS void this, is it detectable?

Thanks again.

 

[DJAlix]

The recalibration will no void any warranty as no hard data is recorded during the process. The procedure is not like coding and or adaptation where user equipment data might be recorded. The procedure is started, the module records angle data, the procedure ends Swapping out your headlight might void the warranty for any related items though unless the works are carried out via an authorised party and depending on where you source your new / used headlight from it might not have a warranty also. Audi can trace all parts from birth to death based on serial numbers. New parts carry a 2 year warranty.

 

[The Kendragon]

Did you get the car privately or from a dealer? Might be covered under a dealer's warranty if it was there before

 

[DJAlix]

Workshop document attached so you can see whats involved

 

[richinsoton]

As the car is under 3 yrs old see if Audi will consider it as a warranty claim would be my first port of call. Nothing ventured nothing gained!

 

[Vale46]

As the car is under 3 yrs old see if Audi will consider it as a warranty claim would be my first port of call. Nothing ventured nothing gained!

Really good shout. There is no other visible damage and so no harm trying and push the 'stress-induced' crack route.

 

[alistairm1]

I had an 8v with LED headlights and one of them was too low to pass an MOT (and couldn't be adjusted). Audi replaced it under warranty.

For those wondering why the car was undergoing an MOT within the warranty period, it was a condition of the preserved trade-in value against a Q2.

To the OP, ask Audi to fix it under warranty.