2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED headlights

[au-v]

Hello,

I was referred to this site regarding LEDs. Maybe you guys have a better understanding of this issue. Even better, if you know of any place that actually does service here in Southern California.

So I purchased a set of new aftermarket headlights from a guy on craigslist. I believe it's made in China .... Anyways, after two weeks of the installation, one side of the LED stopped working. I had it looked at by the guy who installed my HIDs and he said that this was bad since there were no electric current going through this when he checked it:

This is where the wiring goes into and then it plugs directly to the LED in the headlight housing, some say its a ballast some say its not. I searched all over the internet for this model and found nothing. I do not know the manufacturer so I can't get the parts I need... ..here is how the set looks likes when they both used to work.

Thanks in advance!!!!!

 

[-Virgil-]

This failure is actually the best thing that could have happened -- it shows you, live and in person, and more directly than any amount of advice can, that these Chinese "headlamps" are very poorly designed and built. Get them off your car before you hurt yourself or someone else with their other inadequacies (unsafe headlamp performance, etc). Put the real headlamps back on the car. Problem solved. And no, I'm not joking around with any of this. And since you mention you had "a guy install your HIDs", you should know that "HID kits" in halogen-bulb headlamps (any kit, any headlamp, any vehicle) do not work safely or effectively, which is why they are illegal. See here .

(Also, your photos are wayyyyyy too large. Please post smaller versions of them, thanks.)

 

[tre]

I think you will have much better luck here:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?60-B7-A4

 

[Alaric Darconville]

I think you will have much better luck here:
hxxp://www.audizine.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?60-B7-A4

Better luck finding a real solution with real quality parts, conforming to applicable laws and regulations? Or better luck finding another set of toys to put on his car, and being met with congratulatory thumbs-ups from people who have no idea what is safe and legal and think that so long as it's "kewl" it's all cool?

Luck is what you make for yourself; if he wants to improve his luck he should choose to follow Scheinwerfermann's advice.

 

[tre]

You guys all have no idea what you are talking about. The B7 A4 was available with or without HID. You can get rid of your non-HID housing and install a stock OEM HID housing with ballast and be perfectly safe and legal. That is what most Audi owners who choose this type of project seem to do. As some may know the more loaded B8 A4 (premium plus and prestige) comes stock with LED daytime running lights (they are not the headlights). This guy is just trying to emulate the B8 LED running lights on his B7. They are not head lights. He is replacing his OEM running lights with LED running lights (like the B8). Give the guy a break. He might actually know what he is doing. There are a lot of Audi owners who like to work on their cars and know what they are doing. Save the lectures and help the guy out.:shakehead

Personally I like more go then show but to each his own.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

You guys all have no idea what you are talking about. The B7 A4 was available with or without HID. You can get rid of your non-HID housing and install a stock OEM HID housing with ballast and be perfectly safe and legal.

So I purchased a set of new aftermarket headlights from a guy on craigslist. I believe it's made in China .... Anyways, after two weeks of the installation, one side of the LED stopped working.

Well, he's saying it was aftermarket, and it was made in China, and he doesn't know the manufacturer. If they are really "DRLs", then they almost certainly do not conform to any applicable regulations for DRLs.

 

[tre]

Alaric Darconville, I'm fully onboard with not buying cheap unknown junky DRLs from China. That horse is out of the barn though.

AU-V, I did a little research. You have Dectanes DRLs. They are pure junk.:thumbsdow The problem is the way they step down the 12 volts for the LEDs. You more then likely have a blown diode as that is the problem that most people with these lights seem to have. There is no use in fixing this since the problem will resurface again. Your only solution is to re-engineer the cheap china step down circuit or start over with something that is not crap.:shrug: sorry that souds harsh. Let this be a learning experience I guess. I don't know if you can retro-fit something OEM from the B8 if you really want LED running lights. I kind of doubt it but you can be the first to try (or you can just slap a bigger turbo, bigger brakes, better suspension on that thing and forget spending the money on the lights). Buy your self a nice LED flashlight instead.

:welcome:

 

[-Virgil-]

You guys all have no idea what you are talking about.

Yeah, actually, we appear to know more than you do.

The B7 A4 was available with or without HID. You can get rid of your non-HID housing and install a stock OEM HID housing with ballast and be perfectly safe and legal.

Sure, but that's not what the original poster has done.

This guy is just trying to emulate the B8 LED running lights on his B7

Right -- and if you will carefully read his post, you'll see he's doing it with Chinese headlight assemblies that have had HIDs installed by "some guy".

Give the guy a break.

No, he doesn't deserve a break. He's endangering traffic safety. That's not OK.

He might actually know what he is doing.

It is clear from his questions that he doesn't.

Save the lectures and help the guy out. Personally I like more go then show but to each his own.

Wrong. We're talking about safety equipment here, not toys. "To each his own" is a nonstarter in this context. The lectures are fully deserved.

 

[tre]

Well, I guess I seem to have started something.

AU-V, I don't want to you to miss the info I found about your LED DRLs. look a post or two up.

 

[deadrx7conv]

Re: 2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED DRLs

DRL, IMO, aren't needed and I could care less about big-brother laws forcing 3rd brake lights, DRLs, .......

So, if you want to use those generic LED DRL's, go ahead.

Your LED driver(not a ballast), for the LEDs has burnt out. You need to find out what the output is and buy/make a driver that is equivalent for how the LEDs are wired. For example, lets say that each LED requires 3.3v and 1000ma. You'll have to wire them in series or parallel. If 10 are wired in series, then that driver takes your 13v battery and steps it up to 33volts at 1000ma. If all are in parallel, it steps down the voltage to 3.3v and makes sure there is enough current to power all the LEDs at that 3.3v & 10000mA(10LEDsx1000ma each). Or, it could even be series/parallel at 6.6v & 5amps. So, you need to know what is coming out of that driver. Measure the output of a good driver in current and voltage and you'll know what & how the LEDs are running.

Or, if you have the specs of your LED, you can hunt for a cheapo equivalent 'driver' from those generic LED DRL's found on ebay. Take apart the light and see how its wired.

BTW, those 18w and 27w generic LED DRLs from ebay make great pickup truck bed lights and back-up lights.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Re: 2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED DRLs

DRL, IMO, aren't needed and I could care less about big-brother laws forcing 3rd brake lights, DRLs, .......

That you COULD care less means that you actually care. I think you meant that you "couldn't care less."

Center High Mounted Stop Lamps have been proved to help reduce the frequency of rear-end collisions. DRLs, on the other hand, have mainly been proved (in a study sponsored by GM) to reduce nighttime collisions. I agree that they are of limited value.

However, I do not agree with:

So, if you want to use those generic LED DRL's, go ahead.

If you are going to use a DRL at all, then use one that conforms to the applicable regulations for DRLs.

 

[jason 77]

Re: 2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED DRLs

If you are going to use a DRL at all, then use one that conforms to the applicable regulations for DRLs.

Can you or someone else provide what those regulations are?

To the original poster, if those LEDs aren't fried like the others have suggested you might be able to find someone to make you or adapt a quality LED driver for them...

 

[-Virgil-]

Re: 2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED DRLs

DRLs (...) have mainly been proved (in a study sponsored by GM) to reduce nighttime collisions.

That's not accurate. The "study" you mention does exist, and it's a terrific example of why GM should not be listened to when regulations come up for debate, but there's a great deal of sound, solid research worldwide showing a significant safety benefit to properly-implemented DRLs.

 

[-Virgil-]

Re: 2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED DRLs

Can you or someone else provide what those regulations are?

See SAE J2087 (expensive...contains the design, construction, & performance requirements for DRLs in North America), CMVSS 108 s.44 -- free, Canadian DRL regulatory text. Refers to SAE J2087, so it's not a workaround for the costly SAE document. US FMVSS 108 is substantially identical; differences are that fog lamps are not allowed as DRLs, and DRLs are permitted rather than required (if installed they must conform; the fact they're not required does not mean they're unregulated and does not mean it's OK to use any ol' lamp you decide is a DRL) -- and ECE R87 (free; contains the design, construction, & performance requirements for DRLs everywhere else in the world except North America. Substantial overlap with NA DRL specs; axial intensity range is 400 to 1200 cd in ECE, 500 to 3000 cd in NA except high beam DRLs can have up to 7000 cd. ECE DRL must be white, NA DRL can be white, yellow, or amber.) This is not E-Z kid stuff; the design/construction/performance requirements are stringent and specific for the same reason that is true of headlamp requirements, turn signal requirements, brake light requirements, etc.: these are safety devices, not toys or fashion accessories.

 

[-Virgil-]

Re: 2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED DRLs

DRL, IMO, aren't needed

The US DOT agrees with you for the time being; they're not mandatory in the USA. If they're installed, however, they must conform with the design, construction, and performance requirements contained in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108.

big-brother laws forcing 3rd brake lights

3rd brake lights work well. I'm curious, why do you not babble ignorantly about "big-brother laws" forcing...turn signals? Brake lights? Taillights? Low and high beam headlights? Seat belts? Safety glass? Brakes that work? Side impact guard beams? Fuel systems that don't catch fire when the car is hit? I guess it's a good thing you're not the one whose opinion counts as far as regulations are concerned.

So, if you want to use those generic LED DRL's, go ahead.

Your argument appears to be "I don't like DRLs, therefore the regulations that apply to them in this country don't exist." I guess it's a good thing you're not the one whose opinion counts!

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Re: 2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED DRLs

That's not accurate. The "study" you mention does exist, and it's a terrific example of why GM should not be listened to when regulations come up for debate, but there's a great deal of sound, solid research worldwide showing a significant safety benefit to properly-implemented DRLs.

Unfortunately, GM's implementation is often less than "proper". I think GM may stand for "Glare Monster", to look at their high beam lamp DRL implementations.

 

[Lightdoctor]

Re: 2006 Audi A4 aftermarket LED DRLs

Unfortunately, GM's implementation is often less than "proper". I think GM may stand for "Glare Monster", to look at their high beam lamp DRL implementations.

GM's plastic headlights have sucked for years...that alone makes me not to ever buy one again. They should have stayed with sealed beams.