expensive bulbs

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I can count on one hand how many times I've used my headlights since I got my A2, and last night the drivers headlight has gone off, I couldn't believe it!! I've had the car 5 weeks and I've been back in to have it fixed three weeks out of five (saturdays). Last week I was sat waiting for my car to be fixed from 10:30am till 1.30am.

Audi are saying it's going to cost me about £40 to get a new bulb put in!![13] As they say that you have to completely remove the headlight to get into the bulb. This whole thing just seems a bit mad to me!!

How difficult is it to do myself, I'm not a mechanic and don't posses many tools either?![21]

Silver TDI Sport | 17 inch TT alloys | Audi bodykit | CD | Climate control | Custom Badges
visit: http://www.mediacitizen.com/audi
 
Hi Michael,
If you go into the main A2OC site and go into fitting guides, there's a really good fitting guide under the heading Xenon headlamps. It's quite comprehensive as it details the tools you will require and what you need to do step by step to remove the headlamp.

Hope this helps.

Regards, Shaf

Nov 2002 TDi Sport, Silver,Black/grey interior,climate. Replaced previous Mar 2001 TDi SE
 
Thanks Shaf!!

Facing the prospect of having a long drive home tonight with one headlight, which is a bit unsafe and will also attract the attention of those lovely members of the police, and Audi telling me that they are fully booked for the next two weeks. I've decided to call out the roadside assistance people to sort it out for me, on the grounds that it's not safe to drive as is.

I'm also hoping that this will get around the £40 labour charge of the dealer?! or will I just get a bill anyway? I suppose I'm not losing out either way, but it will get fixed quite a lot faster this way and will be safe to drive! Unless of course the unit is knackered and not the bulb?!

Silver TDI Sport | 17 inch TT alloys | Audi bodykit | CD | Climate control | Custom Badges
visit: http://www.mediacitizen.com/audi
 
great idea to call out the RAC!

-gerard

2003 1.6 SE FSI Cobalt Blue & 1968 Dodge Charger
 
yes-I'm with the safety issue to get it fixed, especially as the dealer says 2 weeks-which is a poor show anyway.

If it's the full light that has failed-side and dipped then driving the vehicle on a public road means you are causing an offence, likely to result in a copper giving you a VDRS to get the light fixed within 14 days or face prosecution. Not helpful if the dealer doesn't help you for 2 weeks!.

Steve - 2002 1.4SE petrol, Silver, black/black interior, Then an identical replacement 2003 A2. Now a Toyota Corolla 1.6 T-Spirit
 
I called the Audi roadside assitance at 5.15pm last night, he came out at 6:00pm and fixed it within 10/15 mins and didn't charge me a penny for it, not even the £8 for the bulb!! He said to just forget about the dealer in the future and call him out if I need anything fixing. All sounds good to me! Better than the dealers high prices anyway!!

I obviously explained to him about the long drive home in the dark and the issues of safety and police intervention along the way, and the fact that the dealer was fully booked for two weeks, so he said ok. The bonnet just lifted off in seconds, I thought it was supposed to be bolted in!

Silver TDI Sport | 17 inch TT alloys | Audi bodykit | CD | Climate control | Custom Badges
visit: http://www.mediacitizen.com/audi
 
That sounds really good. A free bulb into the bargain.
The bonnet just lifts out if you unscrew the two knobs behind the service flap on the front panel. Did he have something to place the bonnet on or did he put it on the floor? Did you watch him remove the headlight? Is it an easy job?

Cheers, Shaf

Nov 2002 TDi Sport, Silver,Black/grey interior,climate. Replaced previous Mar 2001 TDi SE
 
He didn't actually remove the headlight, I couldn't really see what he was doing to be honest. It was a bit of a magic act, he just put his hand down the bak of the light, moved it about a bit and 'hey presto!' it was done, no sign of a rabbit though?! He did say that it was difficult to get the bulb back in there though, and that he was thinking about taking the headlight out.

I haven't even had time to read the manual for this car yet, I think that it's about time I did!

Silver TDI Sport | 17 inch TT alloys | Audi bodykit | CD | Climate control | Custom Badges
visit: http://www.mediacitizen.com/audi
 
I think bulbs are covered under warranty for the 1st 10,000 miles

2002 A2 TDI, Azure Blue, Symphony II, Bose, Satellite Cloth
 
I had my first 2 bulbs replaced by the dealer for the bulb cost only... I just drove to them over lunch and asked for the bulbs and they did it all in 10 minutes as you say. Not once did they remove the headlamp as it can all be done from the back... The third time I went and wanted BOTH lamps replaced at once they wanted to change me for labour!!! I said no way as the two bulbs would have cost me nearly £70!!!

Then the RAC man told me the same about the Audi Assistance - just call them during weekdays and within office hours... out of hours RAC responds and they don't always have bulbs...

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[img=left]http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/180225.jpg[/img=left]
2001 A2 TDI SE Crystal Blue with Open Sky, 6CD Symphony II, BOSE upgrade, DIS and HALF a winterpack!

iPAQ 3970 with Sat-Nav sleeve, rear cupholders, luggage net and floppy wiper!

http://www.audi-a2.co.uk/uk23.htm
 
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