I’ve had matrix headlights retrofitted to my 2015 Allroad, so the old bi-xenon units are up for grabs. I’ve seen these on EBay for upwards of £150 each.

But I’ll be happy with £150 for the pair.

Could post but haven’t priced it yet.

Anyone interested?

Cheers folks

Dont suppose you know if the lights are plug and play for audi that doesn't have xenon? I'm after a pair of replacement headlights and having trouble finding any!

I don’t know but I know someone I can ask.

It’s possible that you’ll need some coding changes so the car recognises them as part of it. It’s all to do with the various anti theft stuff the6 added to cars to prevent the cars being stolen for their parts.

What year & model is it please & I’ll ask.

Cheers

I asked google too, sadly it doesn’t look quite as easy as you’d hoped!

So you’d need someone to do the Vcds coding & possibly fit suspension level,sensors, although I suspect there’s a way round the sensors bit.

AI Overview

+3

Retrofitting a non-xenon (halogen) 2012–2018 Audi A6 with OEM xenon headlamps generally requires VAG-COM/VCDS coding to avoid errors. While the physical units fit, the car needs to be coded to handle different resistance (cold/hot checks), headlight levelling, and shutter mechanisms for bi-xenon function

. Without coding, you may experience flickering or dash errors. 

Reddit +1

Key Considerations for Retrofitting:

• Coding Required: You must update the Central Electronics (09), Instrument Cluster (17), and CAN Gateway (19) to recognize the new xenon systems and disable halogen-specific monitoring.

• Hardware Changes: Full OEM functionality often requires more than just the light housing, including new suspension sensors for auto-levelling.

• Plug-and-Play Alternatives: Some aftermarket bi-xenon kits with dedicated CANbus wiring harnesses can work without coding, though they are not factory-grade solutions.

• Connector Differences: Halogen to Xenon swaps typically require adapters for the different wiring harnesses. 

For a reliable retrofit, you should plan to use a tool like VCDS to map the new headlights, or you may face ongoing bulb-out warnings or improperly functioning shutter systems. 

56 minutes ago, 56Doc said:

I asked google too, sadly it doesn’t look quite as easy as you’d hoped!

So you’d need someone to do the Vcds coding & possibly fit suspension level,sensors, although I suspect there’s a way round the sensors bit.

AI Overview

+3

Retrofitting a non-xenon (halogen) 2012–2018 Audi A6 with OEM xenon headlamps generally requires VAG-COM/VCDS coding to avoid errors. While the physical units fit, the car needs to be coded to handle different resistance (cold/hot checks), headlight levelling, and shutter mechanisms for bi-xenon function

. Without coding, you may experience flickering or dash errors. 

Reddit +1

Key Considerations for Retrofitting:

• Coding Required: You must update the Central Electronics (09), Instrument Cluster (17), and CAN Gateway (19) to recognize the new xenon systems and disable halogen-specific monitoring.

• Hardware Changes: Full OEM functionality often requires more than just the light housing, including new suspension sensors for auto-levelling.

• Plug-and-Play Alternatives: Some aftermarket bi-xenon kits with dedicated CANbus wiring harnesses can work without coding, though they are not factory-grade solutions.

• Connector Differences: Halogen to Xenon swaps typically require adapters for the different wiring harnesses. 

For a reliable retrofit, you should plan to use a tool like VCDS to map the new headlights, or you may face ongoing bulb-out warnings or improperly functioning shutter systems. 

Thank you for the reply. I have a vcds but changing the suspension is abit much 😂. Suppose I'll have to continue my search for normal headlights. Thanks though👍🏻

From what google said, it maybe just some levelling sensors but it might be worth asking someone with a lot more knowledge if they can be by-passed in vcds to a default setting.

I use an Audi specialist in Somerset, so I can ask him Tuesday about it all if that helps.

But, what’s wrong with yours?

That would be great if you could thank you. Basically, It started with an injector problem. When I fixed that it said it had a dpf issue which a specialist said it was most probably an egr problem but the car won't regen as theres a issue with cooling fan 2 on the back of the radiator. So looked for what I need on the car and discovered it had been in a bump and repaired badly( more like bodged). The radiator slam panel was broke as well as the front crash bar which is bent, ordered new parts. While stripping the car down the headlights were broke and screwed through the sides to hold in place! Wanted to fix it with a match😂 but I like the car so im fixing it properly

That’s a rough way to find out about an accident!.

When I got mine, it was missing heated seats, so I Bought a set of heated & ventilated seats from Germany, then when it went up to Audi Retrofits I had the 360 camera & matrix headlights fitted, but the battery went flat, it then it developed an ACC radar problem. A month later & after a new battery (£300!), A trip up to Hereford showed up a cooling issue! So I can’t use it just now. It’s 11 yrs old now but only just over 80k miles.

I love it, even though I run an EV for all the local stuff & to see if I could use an ev exclusively. (So far, I don’t think so!)

So the Audi will stay for a few years yet (I’ve had it 4.5 yrs now.)

Reckon it’s the best car I’ve ever had, just not cheap to maintain! 😆

Yeah im with you there as its defo not cheap to maintain but to run isn't that bad ( 2.8 vr6 previous). Have all the other parts i need to get it done but just need some headlights then I can see if the cooling fan issue stopping the regen will fix it. The car runs sweet no problems apart from this flashing glowplug light which annoys the hell out of me. Might just go back to older vehicle as they can be repaired with a general socket set and a gift voucher from halfords👌😂

1 hour ago, silver sean said:

Yeah im with you there as its defo not cheap to maintain but to run isn't that bad ( 2.8 vr6 previous). Have all the other parts i need to get it done but just need some headlights then I can see if the cooling fan issue stopping the regen will fix it. The car runs sweet no problems apart from this flashing glowplug light which annoys the hell out of me. Might just go back to older vehicle as they can be repaired with a general socket set and a gift voucher from halfords👌😂

Hi no cooling fan no regen, if you fix the fan and it still won't regen its either an EGT sensor or the DPF is full of ash.

Steve.

1 hour ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi no cooling fan no regen, if you fix the fan and it still won't regen its either an EGT sensor or the DPF is full of ash.

Steve.

Hi Steve,

I had a dpf specialist come to clean because thats what I thought it was but he said the pressure reading im getting are pointing to an egr problem. It's all new to me 🙄. Where is the Egt sensor located? I'm trying cheaper fixes and working my way up

It's a a6 2013 bitdi if it helps

21 hours ago, silver sean said:

Hi Steve,

I had a dpf specialist come to clean because thats what I thought it was but he said the pressure reading im getting are pointing to an egr problem. It's all new to me 🙄. Where is the Egt sensor located? I'm trying cheaper fixes and working my way up

Hi it will have at least two EGT sensors one will be located before the DPF and the other after the DPF both can be monitored on live data via diagnostics, the EGR is also monitored via diagnostics, cannot see it being the EGR as if thats stuck open it would be trying to regenerate constantly and have lots of smoke, what pressure reading did you have for the DPF if its high you have a blockage, did the cleaning man give any figures for for the soot and ash loadings as that would be your first port of call followed by EGT sensor readings as if one is reading stupid temps the car won't regenerate, this is also caused by faulty DPF pressure sensors as well as MAP and MAF sensors that don't correlate, do you have any diagnostics as without that capability you will only keep throwing money at the car and possibly never cure its problems.

Steve.

3 hours ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi it will have at least two EGT sensors one will be located before the DPF and the other after the DPF both can be monitored on live data via diagnostics, the EGR is also monitored via diagnostics, cannot see it being the EGR as if thats stuck open it would be trying to regenerate constantly and have lots of smoke, what pressure reading did you have for the DPF if its high you have a blockage, did the cleaning man give any figures for for the soot and ash loadings as that would be your first port of call followed by EGT sensor readings as if one is reading stupid temps the car won't regenerate, this is also caused by faulty DPF pressure sensors as well as MAP and MAF sensors that don't correlate, do you have any diagnostics as without that capability you will only keep throwing money at the car and possibly never cure its problems.

Steve.

Hi Steve,

These are the emails he sent me. Doesn't make much sense to me, do you understand it?

Hi Steve,,my car is post facelift, so the headlights wont hysically fit yours anyway.

8 hours ago, 56Doc said:

Hi Steve,,my car is post facelift, so the headlights wont hysically fit yours anyway.

Gutted😂, didn't realise your car was the 7.5. Thanks anyway👍🏻

Niether did I!🤦🏻‍♂️

On 4/6/2026 at 9:43 PM, silver sean said:

Hi Steve,

These are the emails he sent me. Doesn't make much sense to me, do you understand it?

Hi why did he give you the readings engine basically cold, waste of time that one, the only thing I can assume from the differential readings is that you may well have a hole in the DPF core the readings with 33% soot should beat least 4psi and rising to above 7psi at 2500rpm, canyou supply the history of the vehicle as you have owned it as we seem to be bouncing from one subject to another between non working fan pack to headlights, all the readings you require can be had from your VCDS go to engine when its hot! go to subsection live data, you will be given a scroll down menu of everything you want to test just tick the box by the item and it comes up on the left hand screen.

Steve.

50 minutes ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi why did he give you the readings engine basically cold, waste of time that one, the only thing I can assume from the differential readings is that you may well have a hole in the DPF core the readings with 33% soot should beat least 4psi and rising to above 7psi at 2500rpm, canyou supply the history of the vehicle as you have owned it as we seem to be bouncing from one subject to another between non working fan pack to headlights, all the readings you require can be had from your VCDS go to engine when its hot! go to subsection live data, you will be given a scroll down menu of everything you want to test just tick the box by the item and it comes up on the left hand screen.

Steve.

Yeah sorry about that, 56 doc just asked why I needed the lights and the topic went sideways with how I ended up needing some. So basically I had an injector failure which snowballed with me finding other issues so not sure where to continue the conversation.

Sean

Sean.

I suggest you start a new topic of your own rather than derailing an existing unrelated topic. Feel free to link back to this one if necessary. I have locked this topic to avoid any further confusion.