# 06 A3 HID flickering problem



## sergysa (Sep 30, 2011)

Hopefully someone can help, I tried to search it on forums but no luck.
So I got the 06 A3. It was nice and no problems, plus it was pretty fast (compared to JDM I used to own). Anyways, I went to Futrell Autowerks Inc and had the ECU Upgrade ($600) and it became even faster, you can actually notice the acceleration...not one of those things that you can only see the results on a piece of paper, you can feel the difference.
After couple months my HID would start flickering and then just go off. First, it was only the left bulb and then the right bulb. So sometimes both of them go off until I reset the light (OFF and then ON). And also check engine light pops up once in a while. I scanned it with OBD and got 2 codes:
P0642: Sensor Reference Voltage A Circuit Low
P0456: EvaPorative Emission System Leak Detected (very small leak)
So to fix P0456 I replaced Vent / Purge Valve ES#281033 and check engine went away, at least I thought it did. I drove the car for about a month, no check engine light. Once it was getting dark outside I turned on my lights, check engine light went on aaaagain and lights still flicker!!! What could it be? Do I need to replace the battery? Never had a problem where I had to jump start my car, always starts..
I also did some upgrades, got a Diverter Re-Route with EuroJet BOV and NeuSpeed air intake, all installed by The Werkstatt. BTW awesome guys in that shop, would recommend them to anyone.
Can anyone help? Anybody had same problem with their HIDs?
Thanks


----------



## NYCameron (Nov 17, 2010)

your car is exactly like mine!
except I have the sport package

anyway, the flickering can be either the ballast or the bulb (not ignitor unless it has a problem going on)
I have the same problem, as have others with the bi-xenons. What some have said to work is changing the bulbs (problem: you have to drop the bumper)
I haven't personally tried it. My bulbs go off (after flickering a bit), I get the warning indicator, then I just reset my lights, then a few seconds later, the warning goes away (so I don't feel the need to change until the problem persists on a more consistent level)

as for your CELs...not sure


----------



## G26 (Jun 3, 2010)

I have a 2006 3.2 and I experienced the right low-beam flickering. I found that my battery voltage was lower than it should have been while the car was running, so I replaced it. Flickering problem was solved with the new battery.


----------



## NYCameron (Nov 17, 2010)

G26 said:


> I have a 2006 3.2 and I experienced the right low-beam flickering. I found that my battery voltage was lower than it should have been while the car was running, so I replaced it. Flickering problem was solved with the new battery.


 I still had that problem even after replacing with a brand new battery 

But it might solve the issue for the OP


----------



## sergysa (Sep 30, 2011)

G26 said:


> I have a 2006 3.2 and I experienced the right low-beam flickering. I found that my battery voltage was lower than it should have been while the car was running, so I replaced it. Flickering problem was solved with the new battery.


 Did you go to a dealership and got the original one or was it from somewhere else? I didn't try changing the battery...yet.


----------



## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

my flicker ing was due to bad bulb so i replaced them and no more flickering.


----------



## forma (Nov 22, 2005)

where did you buy the bulb from, tp? 




tp.wannabe.s3 said:


> my flicker ing was due to bad bulb so i replaced them and no more flickering.


----------



## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

forma said:


> where did you buy the bulb from, tp?


 i got 5000k from hidconcepts.com


----------



## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

http://www.theretrofitsource.com/index.php?cPath=27 

Another place to find bulbs.


----------



## NYCameron (Nov 17, 2010)

if you wanna save some money 
you can buy from this guy 
http://www.hidplanet.com/forums/sho...-z4-projectors.-oe-balasts-bulbs-check-it-out! 
but they are used...and might have the same problems if they are OEM...


----------



## forma (Nov 22, 2005)

thanks guys for the info.


----------



## Uber-A3 (Feb 23, 2002)

tp.wannabe.s3 said:


> my flicker ing was due to bad bulb so i replaced them and no more flickering.


 X2 mine eventually went all the way out and started throwing dipped error codes.


----------



## sergysa (Sep 30, 2011)

*new battery*

bought a new battery, seems like it stopped flickering. But noticed that once it starts to rain, flickering starts again


----------



## tp.wannabe.s3 (May 21, 2010)

sergysa said:


> bought a new battery, seems like it stopped flickering. But noticed that once it starts to rain, flickering starts again


change the bulb dood


----------



## NYCameron (Nov 17, 2010)

tp.wannabe.s3 said:


> change the bulb dood


:thumbup:


----------



## sergysa (Sep 30, 2011)

Changed both bulbs, flickering is gone.


----------



## lowwthr33 (May 12, 2014)

So I have also had this flickering problem and have a couple of questions maybe someone can help with. Most of the time I flip the headlight switch on my car one headlight comes on instantly while the other (usually the driver side) takes a couple minutes if it turns on at all. Is this problem related to the flickering and the new bulbs will resolve this issue as well?

Also, the picture sergysa posted of the engine compartment looks slightly different than mine. I have a electrical box of some sort on the housing of the headlights I dont see in that picture. Are my HIDs aftermarket? 

Any information would be greatly appreciated as my car is now stressful to drive at night for fear of getting pulled over lol


I drive an 06 Audi A3.


----------



## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

lowwthr33 said:


> So I have also had this flickering problem and have a couple of questions maybe someone can help with. Most of the time I flip the headlight switch on my car one headlight comes on instantly while the other (usually the driver side) takes a couple minutes if it turns on at all. Is this problem related to the flickering and the new bulbs will resolve this issue as well?


Usually this is a low voltage issue, I know if I left my lights on with my old battery the one bulb would cut out first due to not enough power. 

But that was just my case, if you are driving and it is doing it, might be a bulb.

Also glad to see this! Noticed a tiny bit of flickering going on and wasn't 100% sure what it was, no codes yet for me.


----------



## lowwthr33 (May 12, 2014)

Do you have any info on the engine compartment question I have? Does your A3 have an electrical box of some sort on the headlamp housing?


----------



## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

lowwthr33 said:


> Do you have any info on the engine compartment question I have? Does your A3 have an electrical box of some sort on the headlamp housing?


So you don't have these boxes in behind your lights? (the two square boxes with small triagles on them) 










Do you have a picture of your lights or anything?

Factory HID's should be all one assembly I do beleive. 

Trying to find a better picture.

Also what year is your A3? If its facelift they will likely be different as they are not fully adaptive like the prefacelift HID's


----------



## Tjtalan (Jan 19, 2013)

In my experience the light flickering and then going out, usually means the control module is going bad. Each headlight assembly has a module underneath it. Best way to tell is to switch the bulbs from the good headlight to the bad headlight, if the problem persists it's the module.


----------



## lowwthr33 (May 12, 2014)

This is the silver box I was talking about. Could this be an aftermarket HID kit?


----------



## krazyboi (May 19, 2004)

lowwthr33 said:


> This is the silver box I was talking about. *Could this be an aftermarket HID kit?*


Yup! And what a terrible place to mount those. :screwy: to previous owner.


----------



## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

WTF? Yea aftermarket. 

Post a picture of your actual lights? Are they proper projector housings even? That is weird.


----------



## lowwthr33 (May 12, 2014)

They look to not be the projector housings. So would I be better off replacing this whole kit with a different HID kit or just replace bulbs? And I know that I can obviously run an HID kit without projector headlamps (as the previous owner has done it for at least a year) would I have to worry about any issues if I dont change the housings? At least not right away...


----------



## Tjtalan (Jan 19, 2013)

Those things are crap, hope the previous owner didn't damage the headlight assembly and try to put normal H7's back in. If you want HID lights do it right, you'll spend more money in the long term replacing those bulbs and that module assembly over and over again. No fast and furious mods!


----------



## lowwthr33 (May 12, 2014)

Tjtalan said:


> Those things are crap,QUOTE]
> 
> 
> 
> Just to be clear are we talking about the aftermarket kits being crap or the non projector headlamps? And do projector headlamps need any modification before install?


----------



## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

lowwthr33 said:


> Tjtalan said:
> 
> 
> > Those things are crap,QUOTE]
> ...


----------

