I JUST PURCHASED A 2005 AUDI S4 WITH ONLY 30,000 MILES. THE CAR IS IN EXCEPTIONAL CONDITION AND I AM VERY PLEASED. HOWEVER, BOTH HEADLIGHT UNITS CONTAINED CONSIDERABLE CONDENSATION. IT SERIOUSLY REDUCES MY ABILITY TO CLEARLY SEE AT NIGHT. LAST NIGHT WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO USE MY LIGHTS AND I HAD TO KEEP CHECKING TO SEE IF THEY WERE ON. AFTER DISCUSSING THE ISSUE WITH MY LOCAL AUDI SERVI…
2005 audi S4 lighting problems
moderate 31 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250
Complaints
31
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$250
What owners are reporting 13 most recent
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…
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 R…
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!
2005 AUDI S4 - EXPERIENCING "DIPPED HEADLIGHT" ERROR WHERE THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER THEN SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE HEADLIGHT CAN BE TURNED BACK ON ONLY IF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED OFF THEN TURNED BACK ON. THIS CORRECTS THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY, WITH THE HEADLIGHT FLICKERING AGAIN THEN SHUTTING OFF. THE PROBLEM IS PERSISTENT AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE. TOOK MY CAR TO AUDI DEALER BUT THEY COULD …
CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH ITS HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH CONDENSATION INSIDE, THEREFORE CUTTING ON THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT FROM HEADLIGHTS. AUDI REFUSED TO OFFER ANY HELP TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM, THEREFORE MAKING DRIVING IN THE DARK VERY DANGEROUS.
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.
I HAVE A 2005 AUDI S4 AND MY HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AND GO OUT WHILE DRIVING ALMOST EVERY TIME I HAVE THEM ON. SOMETIMES IT IS ONE AND SOMETIMES BOTH AND I GET A MESSAGE ON MY DASH BOARD THAT THE AFFECTED HEADLIGHT IS DIPPED. IF I TURN THE LIGHTS OFF THEN BACK ON THE AFFECTED HEADLIGHT WILL USUALLY COME BACK ON. SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T WORK AND THE CAR HAS TO BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. HEADLIGHTS TUR…
MY CAR IS A 2005.5 AUDI S4. WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF AT RANDOM. IT WILL SOMETIMES BE ONE, BUT TONIGHT BOTH WENT OUT. IT OCCURS EVERY NIGHT I DRIVE THE CAR. THE BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, THE BALLASTS AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 AUDI S4. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FLICKER AND SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND SHUT OFF. AFTER RESTARTING, THE HEADLIGHTS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND OCCURRED WHILE PARKED OR WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE …
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2005 audi S4?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 31 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the lighting typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to lighting?
No active recalls currently cover lighting issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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