How do you know if it's got Xenon's?

BigGreg

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2008 S-line 170 Saloon.
Got to Edinburgh Airport at 5:30am and there was a warning light on dash saying bulb out. When I got to London thought all I had to do was go on to Euro Car Parts website, put my Reg in and it would know what bulbs I needed.
But today when they arrived I had a look in the engine bay and it's tighter than a ducks butt in there, so need to plan some time for checking.
Now started reading the threads and have a bad feeling I just wasted £30 on two fancy white bulbs, as the light is working again and the message has gone. So assuming it's a Xenon. Can you tell by looking at it? Anyway of finding out what the car was fitted with?
Guess will swap the lights around to see if it's the bulb or the ballast (if it's a xenon), PLEASE DON'T BE A XENON!
Any help appreciated.



 
there xenon
 
I guess it would just be an unlucky coincidence that this happened the same day I fitted, Trups Interior LED's, number plate lights and replacement fog light bulbs??????
 
I would say it would be the fogs seeing as the warning indicator is pointing to offside front. Certainly wont be interior LED's and the number plate bulbs can give warnings but would tell you exactly this. Theres no bulbs in those headlight units that you can change. All enclosed LED's and xenons
 
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Thanks Brodster. But the light does go off after few mins. Must be the Xenon or Ballast no?
 
If its intermittent mate I can meet you if your in Edinburgh and get VCDS pluggd into it for you. This should pinpoint exactly whats at fault. Im in Loanhead tomorrrow if your nearby
 
Thanks for the offer pal. Sadly the car is booked in with an AA friend who is fitting my new RS style grill. Been arranged for weeks, can't let him down. Might pop down to see you on Thu though if offer still open, I am in Armadale (near Livingston), you are around Peebles yes?
 
Bulb it is, swapped today when we were changing the grill and the fault moved with the bulb. Now to find a Xenon Bulb that won't break the bank. Poll position so far is Euro car parts £90 for a Phillips! Ouch!
 
Bulb it is, swapped today when we were changing the grill and the fault moved with the bulb. Now to find a Xenon Bulb that won't break the bank. Poll position so far is Euro car parts £90 for a Phillips! Ouch!

I found oem ones from audi on ebay for like 60 didn't save the search though

Also what millage has the car done to give me an idea of the life of a xenon bulb
 
BigGreg, can u put some pics up of your new RS grill,this is on my to do list.
 
Theres no bulbs in those headlight units that you can change. All enclosed LED's and xenons

Not true, the indicators are PSY24W halogen bulbs.

P12188-300.jpg


I found oem ones from audi on ebay for like 60 didn't save the search though

I'd warn against buying Xenon bulbs from eBay, there are hundreds of fakes on there and it's very difficult to tell the difference. Worse case scenario, I've seen a ballast catching fire because a set of supposedly genuine Osram bulbs turned out to be complete fakes.
 
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Both my xenon bulbs have failed during ownership. They do come back on each time the lights are switched on then switch off after a couple minutes closely followed by the Bing and warning message. Classic sign of the lamps failing is pinkness and slight flickering. Lamps replaced and all ok. Audi for me have been most competitive each time. Last being around £70.
 
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@dpaz they were actually from and audi garage who had an ebay account so everything was above board all genuine parts just discounted
 
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So just got quoted £169.76 from Audi! For one bulb!
Ebay looks well dodgy and I use it a lot, but there are so many and not seen any branded packaging yet.
 
Can anyone confirm if it is the D3s Xenon I need?
 
Going for unbranded bulb on eBay doesn't matter they all do the same job.

4650k seems like an odd colour rating, I think Audi xenons sit somewhere between 4200/4300k

So there certainly would be a difference, that £30 bulb being slightly more blue
 
I'll just leave this here... Real vs Fake Philips 9285. Notice how it burns out the ballast. It's in polish but you get the idea.

 
Glad I didn't buy the £20 versions then. But I might check for the Hologram when they arrive just incase. Thanks dpaz
 
Jut watched the video. I think its at least 5 mins longer than it has to be, but how come the fake bulb lit up ok at the start of the video, then suddenly burned out the ballast when he took it apart and focused the camera on it? Like he had planned it some how or something.
 
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Looks like I am safe, I have the hologram thingy on the base!
 
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Well here it is. Little ****** just cost me £86. Good thing is both bulbs are brighter so happy I bought a pair. Makes sense as we have run Xenons for years at the cinema and over time they just dim, so we increase DC until we need to change. Guess these will dim the same over time. The pair that came out were phillips also, not sure if that's what Audi fit as standard. If it is and you assume the bloke that sold me two for £86 (ebay) delivered including vat was making a profit, then what profit is Audi making charging £169.76 for one? Rip off stealers!