Audi A6 C7 xenon bulb replacement

upperchurchman · 02-01-2017 01:28AM #1

Hi, the xenon bulb on my Audi A6(2013) has blown. I contacted my local Audi garage and they want €300 + labour to replace same(which seems really excessive). I went to halfords and got them to fit a bulb and when they fitted same the bulb just blew again. The bulb is a D3S I think. Does anyone have any idea as to what could be wrong, or where would be a good place to take same in the limerick tipperary Kilkenny areas?

biko · 02-01-2017 10:38AM

Not a DIY effort, moved to main forum.

Neilw · 02-01-2017 10:48AM

You could buy the bulb online and fit it yourself, D3S are about €70 each iirc.

upperchurchman · 02-01-2017 10:59AM

Neilw wrote: »

You could buy the bulb online and fit it yourself, D3S are about €70 each iirc.

Thanks NeilW!
I suppose my main concern is that the halfords guy actually fitted 2 new bulbs on the same side and both blew when switched on! Could this be a ballast problem or could it be the quality of bulb from halfords?

Neilw · 02-01-2017 11:09AM

upperchurchman wrote: »

Thanks NeilW!
I suppose my main concern is that the halfords guy actually fitted 2 new bulbs on the same side and both blew when switched on! Could this be a ballast problem or could it be the quality of bulb from halfords?

Xenon lights consist of the bulb, ballast and igniter. Since you've ruled out the bulb it could be one of the other two.
You could swap from the other good light to figure out what the problem part is.

I wouldn't bring it to Audi to do it, they will charge a fortune unless the car is under warranty.

upperchurchman · 02-01-2017 11:47AM

Neilw wrote: »

Xenon lights consist of the bulb, ballast and igniter. Since you've ruled out the bulb it could be one of the other two.
You could swap from the other good light to figure out what the problem part is.

I wouldn't bring it to Audi to do it, they will charge a fortune unless the car is under warranty.

Would anyone here know of any garages which specialize in Audi in the limerick tipperary Kilkenny region?

ironclaw · 02-01-2017 06:26PM

upperchurchman wrote: »

Thanks NeilW!
I suppose my main concern is that the halfords guy actually fitted 2 new bulbs on the same side and both blew when switched on! Could this be a ballast problem or could it be the quality of bulb from halfords?

Both? Thats kinda of odd. Are they both Xenon bulbs?

upperchurchman · 02-01-2017 07:03PM

ironclaw wrote: »

Both? Thats kinda of odd. Are they both Xenon bulbs?

Yes both D3S bulbs. I'm not sure what brand they were. The Halfords chap fitted both on the left side. When either didn't work he didn't charge for same.

Tropheus · 02-01-2017 09:50PM

Two xenon bulbs on the same side doesn't seem right. There should only be one xenon bulb on each side. Even if they are bi-xenons (which I think yours are), there's still only one on each side as the same bulb provides light for high and low beam.

With xenons, it's best to replace them in pairs as the colour temperature can be different. It is a DIY job and I've done it twice on my 03 C5 Allroad at this stage. However, as said above, you need to be fully sure the bulb is the problem.

colm_mcm · 02-01-2017 09:53PM

Hhalfords fitted 2 different new bulbs. They both blew.

ironclaw · 02-01-2017 10:00PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Hhalfords fitted 2 different new bulbs. They both blew.

But like Tropheus said, its highly usual for two Xenons to be on one side. I'd be very suspect of a wiring loom that was blowing bulbs if both bulbs are different, sounds like a deeper issue.

What was your charge in Halfords OP? Are you sure it was two Xenon bulbs?

bazz26 · 02-01-2017 10:27PM

People are reading this wrong ~ they fitted a new xenon bulb and that blew straight away, they then fitted another xenon bulb and that blew also straight away.

Special Circumstances · 02-01-2017 10:34PM

It's like the twilight zone in here lads.

My understanding of it is...
Original bulb failed.
Halfords fitted a new bulb. This failed immediately.
Halfords fitted another new bulb. This failed immediately.
Halfords gave up. No charge.

There is a metal box somewhere near the light that transforms 12v up to the voltages needed for Xenons. My guess is the problem is with that ballast box. Technically a ballast/igniter combo I suppose.

Eric Cartman · 02-01-2017 10:35PM

the igniter comes with a d3s bulb, so I wouldn't worry about that, could be a faulty ballast.

that said, I don't know if halfords sell d3s's , and in terms of online , Ive never seen one worth buying for less than 75-80 euro.

grogi · 02-01-2017 10:39PM

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the igniter comes with a d3s bulb, so I wouldn't worry about that, could be a faulty ballast.

that said, I don't know if halfords sell d3s's , and in terms of online , Ive never seen one worth buying for less than 75-80 euro.

Osram D3s on azon - around 60 euro shipped.

Eric Cartman · 02-01-2017 10:42PM

grogi wrote: »

Osram D3s on azon - around 60 euro shipped.

definitely real ? a lot of fake osram stuff about.

upperchurchman · 02-01-2017 10:50PM

bazz26 wrote: »

People are reading this wrong ~ they fitted a new xenon bulb and that blew straight away, they then fitted another xenon bulb and that blew also straight away.

Yes buzz!!

They fitted 1 and it blew and then a second 1 and this also blew! The fault is showing a replacement bulb is needed. Halfords didn't charge as they attempted to fit same. I presume that if I had gotten the bulb and replaced same I would have no comeback.

upperchurchman · 02-01-2017 10:51PM

bazz26 wrote: »

People are reading this wrong ~ they fitted a new xenon bulb and that blew straight away, they then fitted another xenon bulb and that blew also straight away.

Thanks Bazz26 you are right.

colm_mcm · 02-01-2017 10:55PM

what exactly is included in the €300 audi want?

Eric Cartman · 02-01-2017 10:57PM

colm_mcm wrote: »

what exactly is included in the €300 audi want?

hopefully a tub of vaseline

bazz26 · 02-01-2017 10:59PM

Just a replacement bulb fitted I'd say. There is probably an hour's labour included in that price.

jsd1004 · 02-01-2017 11:06PM

Eric Cartman wrote: »

hopefully a tub of vaseline

I love the way people think a xenon bulb should be the same price as a halogen bulb from a main dealer. Main dealers are expensive and so are xenon lights. That is why they are a 2k option :rolleyes:

colm_mcm · 02-01-2017 11:13PM

lol

Eric Cartman · 02-01-2017 11:17PM

jsd1004 wrote: »

I love the way people think a xenon bulb should be the same price as a halogen bulb from a main dealer. Main dealers are expensive and so are xenon lights. That is why they are a 2k option :rolleyes:

it shouldn't be but come on, on a bulb which is 100 quid retail, 150 should be sufficient for installing one and all.

300 is just madness for it, the wholesale cost of them is probably 65-70 euro so they're clearing 230+ euro for 10 minutes work.

upperchurchman · 02-01-2017 11:53PM

Eric Cartman wrote: »

it shouldn't be but come on, on a bulb which is 100 quid retail, 150 should be sufficient for installing one and all.

300 is just madness for it, the wholesale cost of them is probably 65-70 euro so they're clearing 230+ euro for 10 minutes work.

€300 was just for the bulb and labour was extra.

Atlantic Dawn · 02-01-2017 11:58PM

If I was a gambler I would put the good bulb from the other side in to it, if that works fine you can take it the Halfords bulbs were bad, if it blows you now know you have a problem which has been expensively diagnosed. When you do come to a solution replace both bulbs together, saves another round of work when the other fails in the near future.

www.powerbulbs.co.uk do them for a "reasonable" price.

colm_mcm · 03-01-2017 12:23AM

There's a very good chance you will just blow the bulb from the other side.

upperchurchman · 03-01-2017 12:29AM

colm_mcm wrote: »

There's a very good chance you will just blow the bulb from the other side.

Will a garages diagnostic tool be able to trace the problem?

darragh o meara · 03-01-2017 04:18AM

colm_mcm wrote: »

what exactly is included in the €300 audi want?

Is take a guess and say it's just a bulb. I priced a replacement from VW for my B6 Passat with Bi-xenon and they wanted €275 just for the bulb D1S in my case and 1.5 hrs labour to fit due to bumper needing to be removed to fit bulb, at which point I was told that VW recommends replacing both at the same time

I ended up calling my local motor factors and getting a pair of Osram bulbs for about €100 and fitted them in an afternoon.

As for the O/P. Sounds like you have an issue with the ballast, this is usually on the underside of the headlamp and is a headlamp out job usually to replace it.

darragh o meara · 03-01-2017 04:20AM

upperchurchman wrote: »

Will a garages diagnostic tool be able to trace the problem?

I don't think it will. A quick scan with Vagcom might give you an idea but from my experience the fault is generally related to a blown bulb regardless of whether the bulb or ballast is gone as the car treats them as the one unit.

Del2005 · 03-01-2017 05:18AM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

If I was a gambler I would put the good bulb from the other side in to it, if that works fine you can take it the Halfords bulbs were bad, if it blows you now know you have a problem which has been expensively diagnosed. When you do come to a solution replace both bulbs together, saves another round of work when the other fails in the near future.

www.powerbulbs.co.uk do them for a "reasonable" price.

The chances of 2 Halfrods bulbs being faulty are slim. I'd be paying an auto electrician before I buy or swap any more bulbs.

Audi A6 C7 xenon bulb replacement

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