Fitted 6K hid bulbs to my 54 plate a3 over the weekend, all went well on the install, pretty straight forward. Turned the headlights on and almost immediatly they started flickering even though this convesion kit was meant to be 'HIGH QUALITY'. This sadly was just the tip of the iceburg. The left bulb then started to completely cut out with the bulb warning light buzzing on the dashboard. Switched the ballasts over to see if this was the issue and as i expected the right bulb started to cut out! Pain in the butt, dodgy ballast. Didnt have time to change the bulbs back last night as it got quite wet so drove the car to work this morning not needing my lights. It was a bit drizzly so had the wippers on intermitant. Next thing the waring buzzer sounds 'right headlight bulb out' then my wippers stopped working! Carefully drove it to the garage stopping every hundred meters or so to clear the windscreen hoping it was just a fuse blown... It wasnt! Have now booked it in tomorrow to get the thing fixed!!!! Night mare!!! Never buy HID bulbs off anyone without a good reputation because even though you pay a bit more for them theyre still crap!
Hid Conversion Screwed My Wipers!!!
- Thread starter Steves A3 140
- Start date
1inchpunch
Registered User
I think it's pretty well known that aftermarket HIDS fry the wiper motor on the A3. I'm pretty sure it's HIDS that do it, I know something does.
The HIDS will make you fail an MOT come next year anyway so I would just whip them out and leave as is.
The HIDS will make you fail an MOT come next year anyway so I would just whip them out and leave as is.
audicruiser
Audi Heaven
Probably nothing wrong with the kit you bought if you had fitted it to something other than an Audi!
if you want Xenons, then fit the genuine Audi OEM type simple as...
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sorry mate, dont mean to be rude but.... HAHAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
its a classic mistake made my many that don't know about the fault and i can't but help and laugh as it should not have been done in the first place.
It really peevs me off when i see a car driving down the road with crappy xenons NOT in proper projector housings... im not against aftermarket xenons but the people that put these xenon kits into normal headlights and then blind the people in the opposite direction really should be pulled over straight away and have their cars seized until the lights are removed!
anyway now that you have had the problem and can see that this just will not work i suggest after you buy a new wiper motor and then think about upgrading to proper xenon headlights like these
AUDI A3 N/S FRONT XENON HEADLIGHT 2004-2009 8P0941029N | eBay
yes they are overpriced as a single headlight should be around £150 but thats the kind of thing you should look for.
its a classic mistake made my many that don't know about the fault and i can't but help and laugh as it should not have been done in the first place.
It really peevs me off when i see a car driving down the road with crappy xenons NOT in proper projector housings... im not against aftermarket xenons but the people that put these xenon kits into normal headlights and then blind the people in the opposite direction really should be pulled over straight away and have their cars seized until the lights are removed!
anyway now that you have had the problem and can see that this just will not work i suggest after you buy a new wiper motor and then think about upgrading to proper xenon headlights like these
AUDI A3 N/S FRONT XENON HEADLIGHT 2004-2009 8P0941029N | eBay
yes they are overpriced as a single headlight should be around £150 but thats the kind of thing you should look for.
I brought my kit from welldone lighting they are about £200 and they will not cause any problems with the electrics problems,
And no complaints about glare, been using them about six months now.
HID H7 (A38P) - Well-Done
And no complaints about glare, been using them about six months now.
HID H7 (A38P) - Well-Done
As from January 2012 you car will not pass an MOT test if it has headlights where the light source and the headlight do not match. If you put a Xenon light source through a headlight that was designed for halogen bulbs your car will fail. It will also fail if it does not have the required levelling and headlamp washing.
If you want Xenon headlights, do the job properly and use complete OEM units designed for your car and add the necessary levelling and headlight washing or just stick to uprated halagen bulbs.
If you want Xenon headlights, do the job properly and use complete OEM units designed for your car and add the necessary levelling and headlight washing or just stick to uprated halagen bulbs.
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Thanks for the advise 
seems like a proper rooky mistake!! I only went for this type as my mate has an 08 plate with these on and no problems... As for blinding people as im driving, didnt realise they were that bad! obviously wasnt my intension just wanted something a bit brighter so i didnt have to keep switching my full beems on and off.
seems like a proper rooky mistake!! I only went for this type as my mate has an 08 plate with these on and no problems... As for blinding people as im driving, didnt realise they were that bad! obviously wasnt my intension just wanted something a bit brighter so i didnt have to keep switching my full beems on and off.
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ABout time on that one......there's a guy uses the same road as me every morning,and everyone coming towards him gets the same treatment from his crappy aftermarket HIDs......blinding light due to the misaligned rubbish.
Khufu
Registered User
Thanks for the advise
The thing is, sometimes they can last for months before they blow the wipermotor so he may be living on borrowed time.
Well documented that HIDs feck up the wiper motor on the A3. You won't do it again now mate, costly i reckon?
You're not the first and deffo won't be the last matey.
You're not the first and deffo won't be the last matey.
Seems the garage is dragging theyre heels on replacing the wiper motor, day 3 now and no car. Wish i had room to moan but it was my stupid fault. Ill warn my mate about the lights im sure he will be interested. I just cant believe that i used to own an x reg polo gti with amazing headlights and a car thats 5 years newer has pants ones! doesnt make sence.
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it makes total sense! they want you to spend more money and upgrade to the better headlights...
I did spend money and get better ones but not the sort of money Audi would want me to spend
I did spend money and get better ones but not the sort of money Audi would want me to spend
Khufu
Registered User
What you mean by dragging heels? As in not getting it fixed due to being busy or refusing to do under a warrenty? I have had mine out a quite a few times for various reasons (MODs LOL) and can swap it out in 15 mins now LOL
Apparently they have put a new motor in and it didnt work! that was yesterday, today the mechanic is off from work. Hopefully tomorrow and hopefully under warrenty other wise i think its shapping up to be a hefty bill...
Khufu
Registered User
Had you removed the Hids before taking to garage? I'd hate them to fit new wiper only for it to blow again. They might need to clear any errors that may have occured incase this is preventing the wipers from working.
yeah put the old bulbs back in straight after the wipers went. its still not fixed, hes changed the motor, fuses, checked the wiring and the bonnet connection still no joy! i think the mechanic is running out of ideas...
Does this 'mechanic' have any experience with VAG cars ? Does he have VCDS or equivalent to identify the problem ?
Bite the bullet mate and take it to a VAG specialist independent garage who will have the right equipment and knowledge to sort the problem !
Bite the bullet mate and take it to a VAG specialist independent garage who will have the right equipment and knowledge to sort the problem !
Still no car! Got a pants punto from the garage instead, drives like a dog... never mind gets me from a to b, i hope... Not sure if they have vag or not, would have thought so. I cant take it to another garage sadly as its under warrenty. plus i couldnt afford to
Khufu
Registered User
It may be as simple as disconnecting the battery. If the control module has it in its mind that there is a fault with the wipers then it wont supply any power to them until the error is cleared.
Ill let the mechanic know, i hope it is as simple as that! If anyone else has any ideas please let me know, as i said i think the mechanic is out of ideas...
another victim of the dreaded wiper motor ive had it and removed and sold them very quickly cant beleve people are still fitting these , i would never every fit anything other than oem xenon's in my car now even if there wasnt a change in the law so many people have had this now and companys are still selling them , bet audi parts dept love it lol hope you have learnt your lesson mate there should be a stickyup top of the 8P section saying " dont put aftermarket hid's in your A3 they mess up your wipers" are you listening mods and admins !!
Sadly for me its too little too late! I wish there was a thread cos i might have noticed it and not fitted them.
Guys i run a xenon HID and lighting company as many know as i ran a groupbuy recently ive had xenons in my a3 for three years no issues what so ever but its because ive got a special kit that ive mae up, the cheap kit on the likes of ebay and such like will do this even the ones claiming to be canbus compatible.
I retail the kit for £100 it comes with earthed high quality ac ballasts metal bulbs not plastic ****e and its the only kit thast will work in my experience on the newer bmw 1series and e90 and audi 3 models without an issue of effecting wipers
I retail the kit for £100 it comes with earthed high quality ac ballasts metal bulbs not plastic ****e and its the only kit thast will work in my experience on the newer bmw 1series and e90 and audi 3 models without an issue of effecting wipers
Cannot wait for these dam kits to become illegal roll on 2012. Regardless of the kit they are all sh!t and all illegal, I'm sick of being blinded by these dam things. Always love the way people align them with top end high quality kit... Like a wall!
Also love the way people use the word quality, bet all of these hid kits have been through the rigours testing car manufactures have to go through like EMC testing & tuv approval etc.....
Also love the way people use the word quality, bet all of these hid kits have been through the rigours testing car manufactures have to go through like EMC testing & tuv approval etc.....
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Do the kits use reflector bulbs? like some Volvo and Renault OEM HIDs in similar reflector housing?
Iv got 6k HID's in my B6 and have no problem whatsoever, even retained the perfect line and kick up to the left through the reflector lens. Dont see why everyone hates them, i dont blind people and they look good plus no errors. Maybe im lucky maybe not.
Scott
Scott
A4 B6s have projector headlights so work well the HID conversions. Unfortunately AUDI put open reflector units in the later A3 which means light is not as well controlled so most HID bulbs just go blurry. I see more original/old shape A3s with projector/xenons than the new one, so it must have been a cost-cutting exercise as the xenons on the A3 8P seems very rare.
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Guys i run a xenon HID and lighting company as many know as i ran a groupbuy recently ive had xenons in my a3 for three years no issues what so ever but its because ive got a special kit that ive mae up, the cheap kit on the likes of ebay and such like will do this even the ones claiming to be canbus compatible.
I retail the kit for £100 it comes with earthed high quality ac ballasts metal bulbs not plastic ****e and its the only kit thast will work in my experience on the newer bmw 1series and e90 and audi 3 models without an issue of effecting wipers
No offence mate but those are exactly the lights that **** me off! the ones that are used without projectors... i dont care if its not an OEM projector, just control that damned light output!
even this is fine!
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LMAO not quite mate. You really do have a problem with it dont you, maybe you should see a therapist.
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lol i just hate it when people do the cheapo crappy hid kits in standard headlights and then you get the light coming out of the car like a torch light with no cut off point. yes i have a problem with cars like that and i wish they would all get pulled over and seized.
there is a Ford Galaxy taxi minicab me that has installed 10K HIDs into his crappy bog standard headlights and blinds everyone whereever he goes... just hope his minicab license gets revoked for driving people around in an illegal car!
there is a Ford Galaxy taxi minicab me that has installed 10K HIDs into his crappy bog standard headlights and blinds everyone whereever he goes... just hope his minicab license gets revoked for driving people around in an illegal car!
Yeah lol theres a golf in Hastings that must have something like 10K hids and its ****** violet colour looks like its melting tarmac lol been running around with them for like a year and still got them!! The police would do you for not having a brakelight bulb when you cant even see them but you have kids with 10k and no problem.
I dont think theyre bad IF they are done right regardless if its OEM or aftermarket.
Finally got my car back yesterday and ditched that dreaded fiat pants... Apparently it was a control unit under the dash that had lost the wiper memory and fried some wires!!! All i know is that they've put my steering wheel on slightly off straight, so annoying! Never mind got it done on warrenty and just glad to be driving the old girl again.
We use H7R bulbs when fitted correctly these do help stop alot of the glare people on this thread are refering to.
Its common place by alot of members it seems to think that HIDS have to be used with glass oliptical projector lenses (like the a3 with facctory HID uses for instance) but in fact many of the earlier mercedes and lexus vehicles ran whats known as a d2r bulbs again without elipical projector glass eye lenses.
Note the blackout strip on the bulb to cut upwards glare:-
h7r
D2R - as used on some early mercedes bmw and lexus vehicles which use HID from factory without the glass eye eliptical projector lenses
Heres a comparion of d2s and d2r you can see the difference a s3 uses d2s for instance as it has eliptical projectorlenses
The difference between D2R and D2S
bulbs is the ceramic paint located on the
quartz capsule of D2R bulbs. The
ceramic paint makes the D2R bulb ideal
for applications that use reflection
aiming instead of projection through a
lens to illuminate the road.
D2R :-
D2S bulbs as audi use and S3 uses:-
Finally the codition of the healmap itself can be a key factor in glare a dirty lense will scatter light everywhere more so on non projetor lenses but even on oem projector ones too. Theis is why they MOT is supposed to stipulate HID is used on cars with headmap wash only (note alot of the japan made cars with Factor HID dont though especially imports) I guess they dont have much dirt on the roads over threre but at the end of the day we all know headlmap wash is neither as use as an ornament in actually cleaning the healamp itself in any case.
Thanks for the info A3LMM !
Right now the price for the exclusive A3 HID drop to 159â¬
The reason is because AudiSport Forum from Spain is making a Group Buy right now.
In few days the price will go back to normal.
About Andy1 saying he have been using HID during 3 years in his car, just want to say that no all Audi A3 have problems with the wipers. (about 5% are problem free, you can use any kind of aftermarket HID for them).
But the HID you are using is not going to avoid other people to blow away their motors since use regular H7 or H7R bulbs.
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