Main beam flasher works, but won't stay ON

[Falcon]

2004 A3 3-door with halogen headlights. Main beam will flash if I pull the turn signal stalk but won't stay on if I click the stalk forward by pushing it.

I've read it's a common problem after retrofitting cruise controls while using the wrong stalk, but in my case I believe it's a different story. Yes, I have retrofitted the cruise, but AFAIK I have the correct components. My steering control module 8P0... ends with an "E" (same as F for pre-FL) and my turn signal/cruise control stalk ends with a B (same as D for pre-FL).
My first thought was that maybe for some reason the "E" steering control module was too new for my stalk, so I replaced it with my original "A", no change. Then I thought that maybe there is a problem within the stalk and the high beam switch is somehow broken inside so I changed the stalk to my original one without the cruise controls, still no change.

I have no idea when exactly high beams stopped working as I can't remember the last time I had to use them. I have coded/retrofitted some other stuff during the last few years so if there is a way to mess high beams up with the wrong code, I would be glad to hear which settings I should check.

 

[NHN]

Does the stalk stay forward when high beams put on or flick back?

Have you bent the pins on the steering module?

 

[Falcon]

The stalk stays forward when I put on high beams and the pins on both steering modules look ideally straight.

 

[NHN]

Well something's amiss, what's your coding?

 

[leonwilliams]

The stalk stays forward when I put on high beams and the pins on both steering modules look ideally straight.

When I fitted my cruise control I just got it of another a3 got it coded no issues

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

 

[Falcon]

Steering module: 0000042 (DIS + cruise)
Central electronics: C908C60680141000640000646400000000
Comfort module: 088000186D288505480A006300

 

[Falcon]

By the way when I go to advanced measurement in steering module, the "High beam" part shows as "activated" when I push the stalk forward (but no lights come up and no high beam icon appears on the dash). But when I flick the beams (pull the stalk towards me, lights come up, blue icon on the dash lights up) the same measurement just stays as "Not operational".

EDIT: looks like the flasher has it's own measurement value called "Headlamp flasher" and it responds to the stalk as it should. So it looks like the steering module is interpreting stalk positions correctly

 

[Falcon]

Seems as if having a diagnostics tool and spare parts doesn't compensate for the fact that I'm an idiot. High beams won't stay on when lights are set to Auto. All I needed to do was switch my dipped lights to "on" and voila! Never knew this... Should have RTFM. Case closed. Thank you all for your input.

 

[rafletcher]

Seems as if having a diagnostics tool and spare parts doesn't compensate for the fact that I'm an idiot. High beams won't stay on when lights are set to Auto. All I needed to do was switch my dipped lights to "on" and voila! Never knew this... Should have RTFM. Case closed. Thank you all for your input.

Eh? All that auto does afaik is turn on the dipped beams in low light. High beam works (or should work) just the same as if you’d manually switched them on. Unless you have auto high beams too I guess?

 

[Falcon]

Nah, I don't think my car has auto high beams, they have never turned on by themselves and I have always used the "Auto" setting. Maybe some coding in some module could be responsible for such behaviour, but I guess it's more of a safety feature, as Auto is probably the most used setting for day to day driving and high beams not working with it does prevent the accidental switching on and blinding other drivers in the city.

 

[Flowrider99]

I think you have found a workaround but not the solution. My Audi is always on "auto" and the high beams stay on when activated.

 

[Falcon]

Then it's a logical issue, meaning the controller is refusing to turn them on while on "auto", which leads me to believe that the problem is somewhere in coding.

 

[stubbly46]

Then it's a logical issue, meaning the controller is refusing to turn them on while on "auto", which leads me to believe that the problem is somewhere in coding.

Sorry to dig up an old thread but a friend of mine is having the exact same problem with his following fitting and activation of cruise control. Did you ever find out what was wrong with yours?

 

[NHN]

That's cause he's either fitted the wrong unit or hasn't coded the momentary high beam to cater for the newer stalks, if his car is prefacelift 08 & before then needs to fit the corrects stalks as coding won't fix it.

 

[stubbly46]

Wow thanks for the quick reply. His car is a 2009 sport fl but not sure of what module he has fitted.
Being a fl would it just be a case of coding using OBDEleven or could it be a case of the wrong module for a fl

 

[NHN]

If his 09 module is an 063 variant then he should be able to code the stalks to momentary high beam option which is used at times to cater for high beam assist as it needs to spring back to the middle.

 

[stubbly46]

From a previous scan he has the following info

 

[stubbly46]

I will be seeing him tomorrow so I can check for any other relevant information then. Would I use long coding to check for the momentary high beam option?
Thanks for your help in assisting me with this

 

[NHN]

He needs different stalks that's the older module that won't support the coding.

 

[stubbly46]

He needs different stalks that's the older module that won't support the coding.

Hi, looking at his stalks I have a sticker on the indicator stalk with 8P0 953 513F written on it. I don’t know what the original part number was as he no longer has that, do I need to change just the indicator stalk as the cruise works fine and if so would you know what variation he would need to buy.
Many thanks in advance.

 

[NHN]

You can't change the stalks independently without stripping down & trust me I've stripped them down & swapped things over due to etka being wrong for parts to be fitted, but his car needs the older stalks so just replace the whole left side stalks module, it's 1 piece.

It is possible to use his old stalk but unless you know how to do I wouldn't suggest anyone attempt as it has 2 slider circuit parts inside that need to be fitted 100% correctly or it won't work, it's a very fiddly job, again I suggest you to fit the correct stalks full left side.

 

[stubbly46]

Ok that sounds like the sensible option, would you know what variation would be the one to buy, I’ve seen A,B, C, D and E revisions in addition to the F one fitted that are available.

 

[MT-V6]

B or D should be correct. B has 2 icons, D has 3. These are both "latching"

F is momentary only available with 3 icons

 

[stubbly46]

B or D should be correct. B has 2 icons, D has 3. These are both "latching"

F is momentary only available with 3 icons

Thank you so much for this info, I think he has bought a D but hasn’t got around to fitting it yet, I will pass this info on to him to confirm if he has the correct version.
many thanks again