Major headlight problems

[subby]

Right,

Due to my own fault, ive managed to ruin my facelift S3's headlights.

Ive been having problems with the levelling motors for a while now, and they have been in and out no problems a few times.

However yestarday i decided to clean the contacts on one of the slider units on the one that i thought was faulty. (turned out it was the other side's motor that had gone, major clicking sound coming from it)

Anyway, motor units were out, as i was comparing them, went to put them back in and i managed to snap the part where the ball from the motor assembly clicks into the light - on both sides.

Its weird as i was doing it exactly the same way as before.

So are the headlights nackered ? Im pretty sure i need new ones...im on the hunt for a set everywhere (think ive used every single parts finder on google!)

In a rush as MOT is soon and the lights pointing way to far down as they arent latched onto the motor.

 

[subby]

Just seen this topic :

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=80112

Thats exactly my problem aswel ! Can these clips be found anywhere ?

 

[subby]

just to update this -

I took the little clips out, and luckily the bits that had snapped off were in the unit and managed to retrieve them.

I now know i was trying to push the motor unit into the clip - where i should have slid it across onto it. So im going to glue them back together and hopefully all should be well.

Ive bought some new lights aswel for spares in case something goes wrong.

 

[NHN]

Oops, yeah motor goes in at angle to get the ball on end & slide along, then screws into locked position in rear of headlamp, superglue is our friend in moments like this, just make sure you check the motor ball joint moves freely along the rail after glue has cured as hard glue bits raised could stop it sliding & stick some grease on rails to aid the movement a bit given its mostly dry on the plastic so easily get stuck & break again.

 

[subby]

glued them but they didnt last long - mine dont reach far enough at all to slide in the end - its weird.....

anyway ive got some new ones coming soon so ill just bodge the level so its safe until then. Annoying as everything was going so well with the car

 

[MikeA3]

I'm in a similar fix with my passenger side headlight at the moment, the plastic manual adjuster has broken and that's an mot fail (even though the motors work just fine)

I've been on the lookout for just one but they seem to be like rocking horse poo as the xenons fitted to the S3 appear to be unique

could I ask where you got your replacement lights from?

 

[takworldwide]

i did the exact same thing with my offside light, i still havn't found a doner yet. if anyone knows where to get hold of these little buggers i would be very grateful indeed.

tom.

 

[08080808]

sorry to jump on this thread, but i have a broken white manual adjuster on my s3 drivers side xenon. can opening the light cluster and glueing it back together work? the metal rod where the plastic white bits go had rusted over time and fell off... i think the ones from any a3 or maybe mk4 gold bits would work or am i being very optimistic?

 

[subby]

got them off ebay - the ones with one side broken lugs. They are pointing so far down now, its getting annoying driving at night - although its weird as when im stood in front if it - they seem really bright. I think they are well and truly nackered - and hopefully once the new ones are on that will be the end of it.

 

[subby]

edit:

Right, bit happier now, managed to get all the problems sorted. Glued the clips together again - put the motors back in properly, and seems ok !

So all that needs doing now is fiddling with the adjusters to get the lights back to the right position!

So ill have some facelift lights for sale soon.

 

[NHN]

Ah ok was gonna say its probably just come of the rubber fixings inside the headlight, you probably saw the manual adjusters inside have white plastic rod on end that sits in a rubber pipe iirc, something like that & if the adjusters are screwed to much (no jokes now) then they come of the rubber & then are loose inside, anyway you've sorted now.

You know what also makes me wonder, these headlights with the broken lugs actually can be repaired as audi have a repair kit for them iirc that attaches a new lug to screw to the car, people dont check this, but hazard a guess most audi parts departments dont know this either, shame cause people are buying new headlights when they can be fixed up again.

0808080808, yeah mate dont ever think its to optimistic, whats the risk at most a small bit of money wasted where as if you buy new headlight thats some serious dough if new, try your luck cause what you're saying is possible given my experiences, also you could possibly make a new rod by buying some threaded rod from diy store & then fixing wheel on end of it, always think outside the box mate, anything is possible just time & money, in this case it could just be little time & small amount of money that will fix your headlight issues