2005 Audi S4: headlights failing or too dim

Filed Apr 26, 2018 · Airbags, Lights · CA

Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that the exterior headlamps failed to illuminate without warning. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 16v382000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Audi pacific (20460 hawthorne blvd, torrance, ca) was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not available for the recall remedy. Audi pacific was also contacted regarding the exterior lighting failure, but the failure could not be replicated. The manufacturer was not able to confirm when the parts were to become available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Nov 10, 2017 · Lights · 90,256 miles · PA

Takata recall 1. The left headlight flickers. 2. It then turns itself off 3. The message "left dipped headlight" appears 4. This happens while my vehicle is parked and in motion so it is a very serious safety risk. I have had both headlights go out at night while driving with my 2 year old in the car!

Filed Apr 25, 2016 · Lights · 75,000 miles · MD

My driver's side headlight frequently goes out with the message, "left dipped headlight." if I turn the lights off and back on sometimes the light comes back on, sometimes not.

Filed Feb 16, 2015 · Lights, Visibility · 95,000 miles · FL

Driver headlight dipped info on dash. Headlight turns off or flickers till it turns off and must turn all lights off on the car while driving and reset lights to activate headlight back on. Sometimes this does not work and forced to drive with one headlight with is extremely dangerous condition, police have citied me twice for faulty headlight equipment. There needs to be a recall on this issue. There will eventually be a fatality crash involving this issue with dipped headlights on audi vehicle's. Also this happens at all speeds from 0 to 70 MPH. This issue has been going on for 6 months and going to cause a serious accident soon on i95 in miami as I drive home from work at 0430 a.m.

Filed Jun 21, 2014 · Electrical, Lights · 65,000 miles · KY

As I was driving on the freeway my headlight went out with and the message, "right dipped headlight" came on. When this happen I stopped to fill up with gas and when I started the car the message was gone and the headlight was back on. This has happened a several more times since then.

Filed May 21, 2014 · Lights · 67,000 miles · MA

Bought this car from dealer, used, low mileage, great car. Headlights were filled with condensation. Dealer said to dry them out and re-seal them. That didn't work. There is still water in both headlights. It hasn't rained and has not been humid outside. Pulled over the first night and told they were a safety concern and needed to get them fixed, luckily just a warning issued, no ticket. I can't see at night with the amount of condensation/water that has accumulated in both headlights. This should be a problem that audi recalls. It's not safe due to decreased visibility, no visibility at times, and the car won't pass the state inspection until this problem is fixed. Obviously there is no warranty and the dealership totally blew off my concerns telling me some bs story about how to fix it myself because their labor rates were so high. This vehicle is not safe to operate with defective headlights and I really hope audi addresses this issue. Bought a car and can't even pass inspection to drive it, worthless vehicle and money sitting in the driveway. Not happy.

Filed Jan 17, 2014 · Lights · 65,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that the hid headlights would intermittently flicker. The contact also stated that both headlights would dip and as result, an error light was illuminated. The failure recurred at various speeds. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Sep 9, 2013 · Lights · 70,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 audi s4. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the headlights became dim with low visibility. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the headlights were diagnosed with having a reflector failure. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was been of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 70000.

Filed May 29, 2013 · Lights · 40,000 miles · CT

Happens all the time "right dipped headlight" "left dipped headlight" dealers refuse to fix it even though it keeps happening to all their cars. It's a safety issue not wear and tear. Headlights keep failing regardless if you replace them or not. I have replaced the entire assembly and this issue still keeps happening.

Filed Nov 24, 2012 · Lights · 48,500 miles · KY

The xenon headlights in my s4 go out as the car is in motion. The light may flicker. The headlight may "dip." the light shuts off and I have to stop the car and shut off the lights and then turn them back on for the light to reignite. The bulb and control unit was replaced under warranty. Now two years later the same thing is happening. It seems to be a very common problem with audi's (based on forum discussion).

Filed Nov 14, 2012 · Lights · 60,438 miles · NJ

My car is a 2005.5 audi s4 with bi-xenon hid headlights. I almost always get a dipped headlight error whenever I turn on the headlights. It occurs more often on the driver's side headlight. This will randomly happen but I have noticed that it occurs more frequently right after the headlights are switched on. It will also happen when the road is either on an incline or decline, or really when the road is not flat. The dipped headlight error is characterized by a flickering, then a dimming, then ultimately, the light turns off. The only way to re-ignite the light is to completely turn off the light switch then turn it back on again. Although the affected headlight will come on, it will eventually dip again. I feel this is a serious safety concern both to me as a motorist, to other motorists, and more importantly, to pedestrians. This will happen at any speed - both on the highway or on residential streets. Aside from the obvious safety issue with the headlight/s completely shutting down, the preceding flickering can also pose a serious public safety hazard as it may confuse oncoming vehicle and pedestrian traffic. I have tried unsuccessfully to have this repaired under warranty from audi many times. And I was always told that they could not replicate the problem even as it occurs as soon as I drive away. I searched the internet and found many similar problems with other audi a4/s4 owners. I feel this is cause for audi to rectify this problem at their expense with the obvious safety reasons foremost in mind and with the prevalent problem which could suggest a manufacturer problem.

Filed Jun 2, 2012 · Lights · 106,250 miles · FL

While driving at night with the low beams illuminated the left headlight will turn off and the car will warn of a inoperative "dipped headlight". The headlight will flicker on and off at times and this causes disconcerting driving conditions for both the driver and other cars in the vicinity. Every time the light flickers, the warning system chimes and alerts to the malfunctioning headlight. Other drivers are confused because they see your headlights flashing at them for no apparent reason. If the headlight switch is cycled to "off" and back to "on", the headlamp is restored until the next occurrence. It is dangerous to drive at night with one headlamp flickering or completely inoperative. It is dangerous to have to cycle the headlamp switch while driving in traffic in an attempt to restore proper illumination. I have also had the problem briefly occur in the right headlamp. I drive in fear that both headlamps will go out at the same time and there is nothing I can do to predict when this might happen. Besides the legal ramifications of being ticketed for malfunctioning lighting, there is a very real safety issue that has not been addressed by this manufacturer. This complaint is widespread by hundreds of owners on many owner interest web boards. There has not been a clearly defined solution and owners continue to spend money chasing a problem whose ownership should rest entirely with audi of north america. I urge the federal safety agency to pursue a resolution with the manufacturer for this serious safety defect.