INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION. OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR AND A HALF OF OWNERSHIP, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT HAS MALFUNCTIONED (TURNED OFF), WITH NO CONSISTENT CAUSE APPARENT. THE SPECIFIC ERROR MESSAGE THAT APPEARS IN THE DRIVER INFORMATION SCREEN IS "RIGHT HEADLIGHT DIPPED". THIS CONDITION IS BOTH UNSAFE, AND ILLEGAL - AS MANY STATES WILL ISSUE A TRAFFIC VIOLATION FOR DRIVING WITH A NON-FUNCTIO…
2006 Audi S4 lighting problems
moderate 18 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $250
Complaints
18
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$250
What owners are reporting 10 most recent
THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER, THEN THE DASH SAYS THEY ARE DIPPING, THEN THEY GO OUT. IF YOU STOP THE CAR TURN IT OFF THEN BACK ON THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON, ONLY TO DO IT AGAIN. THERE SEEMS TO BE WIDE SPREAD REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING WITH THESE AUDI'S AND THE HID LIGHTS. *TR
RIGHT HEADLIGHT SPORADICALLY SHUTS OFF (I.E. DIPS) WHILE DRIVING. YOU HAVE TO TURN BOTH LIGHTS OFF AND ON WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING TO MAKE IT FUNCTION AGAIN. IT IS ALWAYS THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT AND SOMETIMES WILL FUNCTION PROPERLY FOR A MONTH AND THEN MALFUNCTION SEVERAL TIMES IN ONE NIGHT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU NEED TO REACTIVATE THE LIGHT WHILE IN TRAFFIC AT HIGH SPEEDS OR WHEN T…
RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT FLICKERS AND FAILS. VEHICLE MUST BE SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED IN ORDER TO GET HEADLIGHT WORKING AGAIN. *TR
RIGHT HEADLIGHT FLICKERS AND GOES OUT REPEATEDLY. *TR
BOTH HEADLIGHTS SHUTOFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND WOULD NOT COME BACK ON. BULBS ARE STILL IN GOOD CONDITION. ERROR CODE 'DIPPING HEADLIGHT' THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY PROBLEM WITH AUDI AND IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE FOR THE DRIVER AND OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. *TR
I OWN A 2006 AUDI S4 WITH BI=XENON HID LIGHTS. NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF TIMES THE INDICATION COMES UP THAT I HAVE A DIPPED HEADLIGHT. THIS IN TURN IS BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHT IS OFF AND I'M DRIVING AT NIGHT. THIS SAFETY VIOLATION WILL END UP COSTING ME EVERY TIME I GO TO THE DEALERSHIP TO GET NEW PARTS INSTALLED AND LABOR AND THE HIGH PROBABILITY OF A TICKET FOR HAVING A HEAD LIGHT OUT FROM THE POLICE …
THIS ISSUE AFFECTS AUDI A4 AND S4 VEHICLES WITH HID HEADLIGHTS. ONE OR BOTH OF THE HEADLIGHTS REPEATEDLY FAILS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS NOT AN ISSUE WITH THE HEADLIGHT BULB. IF THE OPERATOR TURNS OFF THE IGNITION AFTER ONE OR BOTH OF THE HEADLIGHTS FAILS, AND THEN IMMEDIATELY RESTARTS THE CAR, BOTH HEADLIGHTS WILL OPERATE PROPERLY. THE ISSUE OCCURS PRIMARILY WITHIN THE FIRST 5 TO 10 MINUTES AFTE…
PASSENGER HEADLIGHT STARTS ON. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I GET A HEADLIGHT DIPPED ERROR AND THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT TURNS OFF.
DIPPED HEADLIGHT ISSUE. THE EVENT IS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY NIGHT AND MULTIPLE TIMES. MY HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2006 AUDI S4 CONTINUE TO GO OUT AS I DRIVE OFTEN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT WHICH AUDI HAS CHOSEN NOT TO FIX. THEIR MULTIPLE SERVICE BULLETINS NEVER FIXED THE ISSUE AND NOW THAT MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY CHOSE TO REPLACE CARS HEADLIGHTS WITH THIS ISSUE. I ONLY HAVE UN…
Common questions
How serious is the lighting problem on the 2006 Audi S4?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 18 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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