S3 Xenon headlight levelling -

[subby]

Im really sorry to have to post this up, as i know it gets asked quite alot.

Ive been searching all morning, but couldnt quite find the exact info for my problem.

Basically, either of the headlights will randomly point alot further down, causing less visibility. Ive had a look at the levelling sensors on the suspension, and the front rod leading up to the arm on the sensor is slightly bent, is this normal ?

I cant see anything else wrong with the sensors, so unless they are nackered internally, I guess both levelling motors are dead?

Any help would be much appreciated.

thanks

Chris.

 

[NHN]

Welcome to the site.

Please post images of the levellers mate so we can see if they're bent.

Could be the lights arent adjusted properly tbh, they would change of course based on the level of the car & I doubt the sensors are screwed tbh mate, it may very well be adjustment needed but done properly with the assistance of vagcom mate.

For mot check & adjustment you have to set them into what I call MOT mode which stick the motors into the set position by audi for adjustments, when this mode is active then you put on the mot bay & adjust, when they're at mot spec then you turn of mot mode & thats them down.

Will reply to your PM shortly, but do click on the INFO HERE link in my sig for prices for vagcom.

 

[jimbobery]

I had this problem last summer so I took the levelling motor apart to see if I could improve things. I wrote up what I did here:
http://audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=60250

It definately improved things, it happened only 2 or 3 times from last summer to the start of winter (not at all in winter), but with the hot weather recently its happened a bit more regularly so I think heat has something to do with it.

As I say, the thread above won't fix the issue (if its the same as mine), but it definately helped. People buy new motor units and it seems to fix the problem, but I never wanted to do that as most of the time the motors would work. I think the connectors in the case that press against the PCB could be where the problem is as it seems like a very poor connection, but I've got nothing to back this up.
When I have some free time I'm going to change they way they connect.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Its a common problem on S3's, mine where the same. The rod at the front is supposed to have a bend in it (mine has btw). The prob is with the motors... There are a couple of things you can do... replace the motors (expensive) or strip and clean all the contacts and slider pot in them (tricky)

I took one of mine apart (there is a tutorial on this forum somewhere) and cleaned it. Fixed the problem for me but now my passenger side one is doing the same so I will have to sort that one soon...

<tuffty/>

 

[subby]

ok many thanks, looks like ill be cleaning them then !

 

[Tuffty]

Or if your not too bothered about the auto leveling, just unplug the motors and set the beams where you want them.

 

[Mr.G]

Hi..

Where is this plug to stop the auto leveling?

G

 

[subby]

on each headlight. The closest little black box toward the middle of the slam panel.

Ive taken one apart and put it back together and that one hasnt done it since. However i didnt clean the little slider thing, maybe something just has a better connection now.

Other one is doing it still so thats todays job!

Next is cruise control