Headlight woe

[Keefy]

Just taken my facelift S3 for the MOT and it's failed on the n/s headlight being too low. Apparently they've tried using VAGCOM and adjusting by hand and it's stuck. Garage (local Bristol Audi / VW specialist) wants the best part of 500 quid + VAT to supply and fit a new headlight unit. Does this sound right?! Sounds a tad excessive to me.

Anyone managed to fix this themselves? Worth risking a 2nd hand eBay unit?

Cheers

 

[Mr.G]

Ebay.

 

[Keefy]

I take it they only come as a complete unit then - if it's just the motor gone or something stuck, can you not open them up and replace internal bits?

 

[<tuffty/>]

Its more likely the motor thats gone... its a common prob... there is a guide on here somewhere to take the motors apart and clean them which I have done but reckon they are not working again... there is still a degree of manual adjustment that can be done but I would imagine the cheapest option is to replace the motors... there is no need to change the whole headlight unit... motors were in the region of £50 each IIRC, need some myself...

There are other specialists near you of course if you need a second opinion ;P

<tuffty/>

 

[Welly]

Ebay for a new unit. All day, every day.

£500 is a spot much, but to be fair to them, I'm not suprised.

I wouldn't start taking it apart personally.

 

[Welly]

Its more likely the motor thats gone... its a common prob... there is a guide on here somewhere to take the motors apart and clean them which I have done but reckon they are not working again... there is still a degree of manual adjustment that can be done but I would imagine the cheapest option is to replace the motors... there is no need to change the whole headlight unit... motors were in the region of £50 each IIRC, need some myself...

There are other specialists near you of course if you need a second opinion ;P

<tuffty/>

How much are second hand healights fetching? If more than £50, do the above.

 

[Welly]

How much are second hand healights fetching? If more than £50, do the above.

Scratch that, cheap they are not.....

 

[Keefy]

Its more likely the motor thats gone... its a common prob... there is a guide on here somewhere to take the motors apart and clean them which I have done but reckon they are not working again... there is still a degree of manual adjustment that can be done but I would imagine the cheapest option is to replace the motors... there is no need to change the whole headlight unit... motors were in the region of £50 each IIRC, need some myself...

There are other specialists near you of course if you need a second opinion ;P

<tuffty/>

A second opinion might be just what I need Any evenings free at Badger HQ?

 

[<tuffty/>]

TBH, the problem is that common that any second hand headlight unit you buy could well be suffering from the same issue... I would look at seeing if it is the motor first which can be done by swapping the know working one from the other headlight over to see if you get adjustment back... not a difficult job but space is tight so fiddly as f00k...

VAGCOM is used to set the motors default level from which the self leveling system can adjust up and down from... there is still a bit of manual adjustment that can be done but if the motor is dead then you will struggle to get them up high enough typically if its in it lower most position... I think you can remove the motor, wind it out a bit and gain some adjustment that way but it will most likely reset back down afterwards...

Must do mine...

<tuffty/>

 

[Keefy]

Scratch that, cheap they are not.....

Cheapest I've found is £150... and it's not that tidy. Ballbags. I really don't have any luck with cars at all

 

[Matt82]

haha £500 on a headlight!

pull it apart and fix it or ebay for another but £500 on a headlight on a 10 year old audi is just mental

 

[Keefy]

Tell me about it! I dread to think what the stealers would charge

 

[Keefy]

Well, just picked it up from a failed MOT and quizzed them on the headlight. Got a rather vague "oh it's broken", to which I replied, "How so? Motor or something?". Mechanic shrugged, "just old and broken mate".
I'm now rather suspicious that they were just fishing for a bit of easy business - time for a second opinion.

 

[S3 MCW]

Would it be possible to replace both units with those from an A3 (at the expense of losing xenon power)?