After start up, my headlights will often not adjust to level - one, or both, of themwill randomly remain aimed downward at varying angles. Sometime a very steep anglewithbeam cutoff just 15 or 20 ft in front of the car. I can turn the lights off, even shut off the car completely and the situation will not change. But just as randomly, they may both adjust to perfectly level after startup when the car has been shut off for a longer period of time. Very frustrating, unpredictable and very dangerous for nightime driving. This occurs whether parked on perfectly level or incline conditions. The Dynamic headlight dimmer control warning has NOTcome on and there are no fault codes.Dealer has checked and adjusted the headlights (or at least claimed to) at regular 10K service intervals and they say they could find nothing wrong with the system.Seems as ifthe auto adjustment mechanism randomly gets "stuck" in adownward position. Anyone else experience a similar problem?? Can anyone tell me how this sytem works? Is there any maintenance that needs to be done for them to work properly? I'm taking the car in for service next week and hoping to resolve this without major $$$$!

 

I heard of this and experienced it...I took my lights out and put then back in and it seems to work just fine "knock on wood"...I have no idea, but I heard that after a while the motors inside get a mind of their own and do what they please.

 

There are two level sensors on the suspension. One front and one rear that determine the inclination of the vehicle. That information is used by the headlight range control module to determine whether the headlamps should be aimed higher or lower. Ineach headlamp assembly there is a motor that raises and lowers the beams. There is also a sensor in the headlamp motor that tells the module what position the motor is in.
Usually if the level sensors are bad they throw faults, but in any case if one of the level sensors is bad both lights should raise and lower togeher. I highly doubt both motors or sensors would fail in similar fashion at the same time. I would suspect the headlight range control module.

 

I have an 04 A6 that does this as well. I took it to the dealership and they claimed they cleaned and oiled the mechanism. It's been much better since but still once in a great while I can barely see in front of me. I too wasn't getting any error codes etc. The lights were aimed differently each time I drove the car... Can be very frustrating!

 

I have the same problem. Anyone know how to get to the mechanism and how to clean and lubricate it? If I disconnect the lights from the car and then put them back, will I then get some error messages? I do not have VAG-COM.

 

I am having the same problem. Is there anyway to disconect the system and manualy adjust?

 

Same exact problem here as well - VERY frustrating. I heard that if you jiggle the connectors for the sensor module, that it might solve problem but have not found definitive answer anywhere.

 

just seeing if anyone has found an answer to this problem. My headlamp adj icon comes on wether my headlamps are on or not. It only started after my A4 was towed in for a new clutch....

 

Hi there

I have the same problem with the the Xenon headlights on an 04 A3. However, both lights constantly change where they point depending on whether im accelerating or braking. It appears to oncoming traffic as though I am permanantly dazzling them with full beam. I have checked the fuse of the auto dynamic headlights and thats fine. I suspect the sensors. What exactly to these look like and where exactly are they? Is it front left wheel and rear right wheel? I have had a quick look under the car and cant spot them. Are they hidden away?

 

i have 04 headlights in my 99 a6 and they just dont work with mine at all because i dont have the auto leveling on my car, so i self adjust them with a screwdriver and the adjusting screws that are on the top of the headlight, but if i were you, id open up the back cover of the headlight and just cut the 4 blue wires that run from the autoleveling adjuster to the main connector, there very small blue wires in a group, just cut em and adjust em yourself, that would save you alot of frustration, but if you do this you will get the autoleveling malfuntion warning on the center display but its better than not seeing on the road, and who needs autoleveling headlights anyways?