What is the fault that is preventing my Audi A4's self-levelling Xenon lights to level properly?
I just had some repairs to defective paintwork by a professional body shop on my 5-year-old Audi A4. Since getting the car back, the self-levelling Xenon headlights initially adjust when I turn the lights on but stay low, and do not adjust any further with car movement. The body shop told me they had to take the car to a local (non-Audi) dealer after refitting the headlights to get a number of error codes cleared (£50). I had a similar problem with a 2004 A4 some years ago after the headlights were refitted, and the Audi dealer could find nothing - "no fault found" after multiple unsatisfactory visits. Not an experience I want to repeat. Your advice on the fault would be appreciated, as in light of past Audi experience I am expecting problems.
Asked on 5 March 2011 by JJ, via email
Answered by
Honest John
Sorry. It's back to the Audi dealer. Nightmare problem. Xenons can cost £1,200 a side to replace. The self-levelling motors are often ineffective, taking too long to self-level, and frequently fail. I would estimate that at any time 25 per cent of all Xenon self-levelling mechanisms are not working properly. They weren’t on a Golf R32 the kept coming up behind me on the M1 recently. That's why there is a campaign against the use of these lights: www.blindedbixenon.co.uk. It's yet another EC Type Approval rule that doesn't work.
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