Hi all,

Got a strange problem that I've not found a solution to. My front right Xenon headlamp, for the last 6 months or so, will on occasion flicker in and out. It's pretty predictable and has continually gotten worse. When it happens, it flickers on and off 3 times. After the third time, it's off for good. It typically occurs on winding roads, large bumps, or when braking a little hard. But on some occasions it has also done it on a smooth straight away.

Strangely enough, if I turn my headlights off for a few seconds and then turn them back on, the headlamp is fine again. Works like a charm! I've gone weeks, even months without it doing it, but then, sure enough, one day it does it again. It's started to get worse recently, happening at least once a week. I'm now motivated to solve this before I get a ticket.

Has anyone else experienced a similar issue and is there a way to diagnose or solve the issue that anyone is aware of?

 

your hid is dying out on you time to replace big dawg

 

Is winking at you...

 

My Left Xenon did the same thing, it was intermittent like yours but also progressively got worse over the course of 12 months. Mainly happened when breaking, finally got a "Left Headlamp Dip" fault code after about 9 months.

I was under the certified pre-owned warranty at the time, so the dealer is where I kept taking it.

Trip to dealer #1 (I was getting 50 or 60k service anyway)
No Fault Found, could not reproduce flickering headlamp issue

Tript to dealer #2
Fault found, replaced a servo
Flickering came back in less than a week, problem continued.

Trip to dealer #3 (now after the DIP fault registered in the cars computer..)
Fault found, replaced entire ballast. (glad it was warranty, I remember it being around $600-800!)
Flickering came back within a week or two, problem continued.

sigh...

Trip to dealer #4
Bulb replaced (not normally warranty, wear and tear part) covered by dealer because of all the trouble and back and forth etc... (usually less than $300 @ dealer inc. labor)
PROBLEM SOLVED! It's been almost a year and no flicker in sight!

One thing I picked up about how to tell if the Xenon bulbs are getting old and might be on their last legs. Park it shining your lights right up against a wall at night, or go to an underground parking garage. As the bulb ages, it gets off-color, I've usually seen a pinkish or salmon color.. Not that brilliant pure looking light like a new bulb..

(I don't know for sure, but I'd guess it was the bulb all along..?)

Hope that helps!

 

Just got thru reading the common problems thread from top to bottom..
GREAT THREAD!

Found this...

14. Headlights flickering. If you are having headlamps that are flickering and have ZENON headlamps, swap the effected bulb to the other side. If the light still flickers on the affected side replace the ignitor/ballast on that side.
https://www.audiforums.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=128740