WARNING: A4 headlights are crazy (second take)

[quinn@hns.com]

This is regarding the (apparently endemic) tendencies for the headlight
lenses
to craze and crack on the A4 (especially more recent cars).

Although there was no response to my posting of this on the qlist, there
were 8
responses to my post on the A4.org forum (at least 9 cars) all saying they
had
the same problem.  Many have had lights replaced by the dealer.  One said
that
Stonguard have stopped covering A4 lights in case they get the blame.

If you own an A4, please check your car(s) and report the results (good OR
bad).
This may be something for Audi to require a recall!?

Thanks,

-Mark Quinn

----------------
Original Post:

WARNING: A4 headlights are crazy
--------------------------------

Well they are ... though that's not quite what I meant!

At a recent get-together of the "Capitol Audi Club" (i.e.
Washinton/Baltimore Audi (ab)Users Group),  I happened
to notice on two out of three A4's that the headlight
lenses had started to 'craze' (i.e. they had many tiny
crack lines in the plastic of the lens) mostly the area
in front of the of the outer (low beam?) bulbs.  I can
imagine that this would diffuse the light even more than
the stock US pattern - apart from the longevity concerns
of the lenses themselves.

It so happens that these were both '98 models (a 1.8tq and
a 2.8q) whereas my car (a '97 2.8q) did not seem to have
the problem.

I would urge the A4 owners out there to check their lenses
and report back if this is endemic.  Dealership calls are
probably in order for those with the problem.

-Mark Quinn