Please confirm my thinking...

[benjie]

So my nearside Xenon bulb is acting up. When I start the engine it comes on fine, then after a minute or 2 it flicks out and I get a bulb warning on the dash. If I turn the lights off and on again, it re-ignites but goes off again shortly afterwards.

Am I right in thinking that it's the bulb and not the ballast? I'm thinking if it were the ballast, it wouldn't ignite at all.

Any thoughts...?

And if it is the bulb, any recommendations as to where to buy replacements as I have read that Audi charge more than is necessary.

Cheers.

 

[Rich M]

Hi benjie

As I recall the ballast unit sits under the headlight and houses all the circuitry too which I think is not uncommon for these to fail giving you the symptoms you describe although generally it causes a complete unit failure

Usually it's caused by water ingress so might be worth just having a look and see if there are any dodgy seals and casing failure

 

[jwash42]

So my nearside Xenon bulb is acting up. When I start the engine it comes on fine, then after a minute or 2 it flicks out and I get a bulb warning on the dash. If I turn the lights off and on again, it re-ignites but goes off again shortly afterwards.

Am I right in thinking that it's the bulb and not the ballast? I'm thinking if it were the ballast, it wouldn't ignite at all.

Any thoughts...?

And if it is the bulb, any recommendations as to where to buy replacements as I have read that Audi charge more than is necessary.

Cheers.

Maybe you could swap the bulbs around and see which side fails.

 

[GeoffDunk]

I'd agree, swap the bulbs and see if the problem moves, if it doesn't then its the ballast, if it does its the bulb.

 

[desertstorm]

swapping bulbs is a good idea to identify the cause of the problem. It probably is the bulb. Watch out when you are shopping for a new one as there are so many fakes around, especially on Ebay.

 

[benjie]

Thanks for the advice and info guys. This is why I find the site so helpful - you lot always suggest the most sensible (re: obvious!) course of action that I hadn't even though of! I appreciate the help!