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D3 - Lights Headlights, xenons, foglights. Everything outside the car that glows |
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Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
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I changed all my bulbs today, here's how. Easy/ish.
Non xenon lights on mine but they have projectors so I wanted to upgrade clearly, my lights were always really good and functioned well I had no complaints over the light output, but that yellow tinge, please
So I read a million how to's and opened many stickys, I must say the stickys on here are dreadful. Major update needed. Anyways...... FOG LIGHTS. We all know what's involved here, I started with the fog lights and they was dead easy, pulled the covers off, removed 3 torque screws and the light was out, I then removed the back cover and pulled the wires off, replaced the bulb and simply replaced in reverse order. Nice and simple, makes a wonderful upgrade. MAIN HEADLIGHTS. We all know these are horrible to replace even the side lights and full beam are accessible but still tricky, so airbox off, then everything just pops off..... Covers removed and then you'll see the sidelights and full beam bulbs, sidelights simply pull off and no leds work here, unless you get involved with resistors and that's just annoying, so went with normal bulbs but xenon gas filled and a blue glass so they work a treat. The full beam bulb simply twist and pulls out, I found it pretty tricky to get out but it does come out. Then replace as normal, remembering not to touch the bulbs here, gloves or tissue paper are the best. Then put the cover back on, I used a flat blade to push down and pop the covers off. The other side is exactly the same but you have a power steering black box there. Moving it out the way makes 0 difference like 10mm at best just leave it alone. You can remove the bulbs easily enough with it in. Now the main bulbs behind the projectors. Drivers side was easy to do as its all accessible so pull and twist like the other bulbs. Again remove the cover and the small torque screw ontop first. Make note of the tab location so it goes back as it came out. Passenger side is the tricky area as its has everything in the way, I read removing bumper and wheel off, arch liner removing etc etc.... No1 wants the do that so I put it in lift mode, turned the wheel so I could remove the screws on the arch liner, all the obvious ones on the bottom, one push Clip in the middle and two near the very top.... Pull it down enough so you see the back off the bulb..... I used a stubby screwdriver as access on my lowered car is tricky. You normal height guys might get away with a big screwdriver. So it now looks like this. There's your bulb, twist and pull and pop it up into the engine bay, easier to get the bulb out, wiggle and pull noting the way it came out. Wiggle it back down into the arch and refit as a reverse. Job done. The difference is unreal. I used Phillips diamond vision 5000k on the fog lights and main beam, Phillips ultra vision 130% full beam and w5w wedge gas blue 4600k rated sidelights. All in all a good upgrade. As you can see. Also raised the lights so I can see a tad further as I'm lowered more on the front it dips down. Any questions feel free to ask. Last edited by CR51GYR-A8; 24th October 2015 at 04:14 PM. |
#2
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Good post, should be a Sticky.
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Conan (the Librarian) Watch it if you dare Currently, 2000 S8, Merlin Purple, Leather Pack 1, Winter Pack 1, SPAX adjustable suspension, AP Racing 6 pot front caliper, 385mm fully floating disks, EBC Yellow Stuff Pads, Black Diamond grooved rear disks and predetor pads, D2 Doctors Brake Block. 1997 4.2 A8SQ - the Projekt. 12 years and ongoing! 1997 4.2 A8SQ - Ming Blue. Restoration sat waiting; saved from the Scrapyard 2003 C5 Allroad 4.2Q - Cobolt Blue. Towing car. Laid up awaiting manual conversion. 2005 C5 Allroad 2.5TDi FE - Grey - Workhorse. 2015 Q3QS SLine - Daytona Grey. Lots of extras! Long Haired Admirals cutter. Previously 2003 C5 A6 1.9TDI FWD - Loaner from D2 Doctor Lifex 1997 S8 - Ming Blue. Loaned out and written off. I loved that car. My first engine swap after cambelt failure. 1996 4.2 A8SQ - Ming Blue. 178k on a cambelt! Trader's 8. Delivered to A8Parts at Lifex. 2003 2.8 A8SQ - powder blueish. Fill in for a while. Sold on. 1998 1.8T A4 Avant FWD. Ming Blue (there's a theme here), PEX for the 97 S8. And a list of non VAG going back 40 years before I saw the light. |
#3
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Added to lights sticky
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Confidence is the feeling you have before you know better . . . . Audi A8 D2 3.7 Quattro Sport 1999 FL - Melange 2nd Place Winner - A8-Freunde Annual German Meet 2012 at Edersee 20" x 9" Bentley GTC Wheels with 385mm W12 Front Discs & Bentley Caliper Covers, Front Lowered on Coilovers, Xenons, Combined DRLs and LED Foglights to modified OEM front fog lamp position, Alcantara/Leather, Full Black Alcantara headlining + pillars and blind shelf, Bespoke Flat Bottomed Sports Steering Wheel, Dark Myrtle Wood, Autodim Mirrors, Bose, Blinds, Digital TV, Ski Hatch, Modified rear exhaust section for extra V8 Burble Audi S8 D2 Final Edition 2002, Avus Silver with Red Leather Interior Tiptronic with Sport mode button, Sony rear entertainment package, Bose sound system, Audi Navigation Plus, 20 inch Final Edition alloys, Full Cat Back Stainless Milltek exhaust, giving a great V8 burble Audi A8L D2 4.2 Petrol with LPG - Ebony Black Audi A8L D4 FL 4.0T Petrol twin turbo - Havana Black Audi A2 1.6 FSi Sport - Dolphin Grey with Votex body kit and Red Leather Interior and some other A8's A8L's and Mercs |
#4
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Do you have any information on the expected life of the "upgrade" bulbs you have used ?
I have tried several reputable brands in my D3 Dipped Beams over the years like "night breakers", "extreme vision" etc. On average, they usually only lasted about half the lifetime of conventional H7 Hella bulbs. The manufacturer generally advises to replace them in pairs. To be fair, they were all noticeably brighter but not worth the grief because of changing them so often. Sods law usually means it's dark,raining and you need to get somewhere when the bulb out warning light illuminates on the turn of the key ! |
#5
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Any high brightness bulbs will have shorter life because they operate in higher temperature, there is no way around it.
There is a bulb that has been on for more than million hours but look how dark it is: http://www.centennialbulb.org/cam.htm
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Currently 8less 2011 Q7 S Line 3.0TDI, 2016 Tesla Model S 90D 8 history: 2006 A8 Sport 4.2TDI quattro SOLD, 1997 S8, reached end of life with gearbox failure |
#6
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Quote:
So should be fine. I've had updated bulbs for a while now on other cars and they've been pretty good, never had one blow on me but time will tell. |
#7
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#8
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Good write up, any chance of inserting the info about what bulbs go where from your other thread to consolidate it?
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Del |
#9
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Interestingly i keep on being asked if the D2S Xenons on the D3 can be upgraded from the standard 35w to say 70+w .. rather like you could with halogens ?
or is the limitation actually the Ballast ? |
#10
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Ref the Philips headlight bulbs, I went through 2 sets in our old A6 with projectors - average life before 1 died was 2 years, but they're so cheap to buy it isn't a major issue.
The A6 had no access issues though! Ref wattage of HID - they will only work with what was specced as far as I understand it. They're part of a specified system based on electrical system configuration, so the higher wattage bulbs don't mean they're actually any brighter. Everything else being equal you would draw twice the Amps and have half the resistance going from 35W to 70W.
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===SOLD===2002 Audi S8 D2 Final Edition (yes, really) in Avus Silver with purple extended leather===SOLD=== 2011 S5 Sportback in Phantom Black with black Super Sports leather, 9x20s, tech pack high, adaptive xenon plus, intelligent key, memory seats pack, sunroof, B&O, Audi Drive Select & quattro Sports Diff, DAB, parking system plus 2015 VW Golf GTI Performance Pack in Carbon Grey with black Vienna leather, tech pack (Discovery Pro nav & Dynaudio), DCC, factory towbar and retrofit RVC |
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