No more than 150 miles into my trip to Atlanta, a new icon popped up on my computer center display (where the radio call sign appears). Naturally my owner's manual is at home. It looks like the low beam icon on the low-hi beam stalk except there is an exclamation point (!) in the shape that looks like a light and the top diagonal line is replaced by an up-pointing arrow and the lower diagonal line is replaced by a down-pointing arrow. I assumed it was a low-beam headlight out, so I jumped out of the car to check -- both low beams and all four beams worked fine.

After restarting the car after a gas stop, the icon was gone. It came back in about a hundred miles. The next day it was gone, then appeared again after ~100 miles even though the lights were off. This happened 3-4 times Friday, with it clearing upon re-starting the car and then coming back on after various distances of driving. It has not happened again after numerous short trips last night and today, both with and without the lights on.

I can't find anything wrong with the lights and it is happening even during the day when I am not using headlights. So far it is just annoying but if it is not a headlight issue, I want to make sure I don't cause problems. First problem in a long time and the car just turned 177k.

 

"Dyamic headlight range control faulty"

don't know what that is or how to fix it but that is what your light means

 

#1 reason for the fault is a faulty sensor at either the left front or left rear. #2 reason is dirty contacts. #3 is a bad controller. Don't worry about it on this trip but don't plan on driving after dark as the stupid thing will park your headlights in the max down position and you will be able to see all of 5 feet in front of your car.

Bob

 

I did not know I had dynamic headlight control -- nor do I want it!!!. All I can say is that I drove 1600 miles this weekend, at least 500 at night, and did not notice anything different about my headlights or their aim. The warning reset every time I shut off the car but it kept popping up again at various intervals. I'll take it in to my indie shop since I have another long trip planned during Thanksgiving.

 

Had my shop pull the code and it's the front sensor. The mechanic thinks the sensor is built into the headlight motor (ah $hit) but he cleared it and we shall see if it returns. I probably won't know until my next long road trip in about three weeks. Otherwise the A6 seems healthy at just over 178k.