View Full Version : S4 xenon conversion ......


YS4
09-12-2002, 04:05 AM
Well, I finally got around to doing the install last night after work. Sorry, no pictures as I was in a big rush to get to my first French cooking course (night class at George Brown)...

Anyhow, what a huge difference the xenons are versus the stock halogens. So much brighter. Not only do they look great, but it makes for safer driving as well.. Seems like I can see twice as far. Highly recommended for everyone.

So, I did all of the install in a parking lot if you can beleive it. Very simple. I brought with me a extended 12" magnetic bit holder and driver, T30 bit, drill with a 3/8" bit, flashlight, silicone chaulking.

After removing the housings (bit of a pain in the ass if you dont have a magnetic bit). took out the stock bulbs and replaced with the xenon bulbs from HIDS4LESS. I drilled 4 adjacent holes in the back of the housing door to create a 1/2 x 3/4" rectangular hole. That is roughly the size of the biggest wire connector from the bulb.
I don't know about anyone else who has done this, but I found the toughest part was finding a location for the ballasts. The unit is too tall to fit under the housing where a factory US S4 would have one, so I stuck it to the side of the fender wall on the passenger side. It comes with 2-sided velcro.. should be fine where I put them.

After fishing the wires through the hole, I connected the wires and tested the lights. Then reassembled everything. Took some chaulk to seal the hole and I was virtually done. The whole procedure took about an hour. I did very minor level adjustments this morning but I am very pleased with the results.

The downside is the lack of DRL. They are either on or off. If you dont turn on your lights, only the parking lights will be on. But once you turn on your lights they will stay on even if you turn the switch off. I'm sure you could get around that, but feeling very lazy at the moment.. Maybe next month have a look at the DRL.

So, if you have halogens, I highly recommend this conversion just from a safety point alone. I paid 475USD with a 5 year warranty from HIDS.
I think there is a GB somewhere on the A4 boards for some at $350 USD ish... but that is only a 1 year warranty. So, if anyone in Toronto needs some help with it, just give me a shout on this board.

Ryan in T.O.
09-12-2002, 06:20 AM
I'm assuming that the kit you have is not self-leveling or am I wrong?

--RGL

YS4
09-12-2002, 06:30 AM
much better just to park infront of your garage door and adjust it with a hex key.. takes 2 mins.

36valves
09-13-2002, 12:01 PM
to prevent blinding oncoming traffic. I'm glad my car's got factory xenon, if I had a S4, I would put them in anyways.

5FreshFish
09-13-2002, 04:37 PM
so I get this with the addition of a 5-pin relay:
Position 0: all lights off
Position 1: city lights only (and rear park lights), no park front lights, no xenons
Position 2: xenons and front park lights, no city lights

All lights will turn on and off on command with the ignition in the "run" position. If the ignition is off, Position 2 doesn't turn on the xenons.

The link below showed me how to pull the relays and add the jumper wire. I performed "Option 3" to completely disable the system.

However, I'm looking into wiring a DRL circuit to switch on the high beams at a reduced voltage when the ignition is on. Currently, I have to turn on the city lights as my DRLs but they're not real DRLs, legally speaking.

5FF
01 S4<ul><li><a href="http://www.audiworld.com/tech/ext7.shtml">http://www.audiworld.com/tech/ext7.shtml</a</li></ul>

5FreshFish
09-13-2002, 04:47 PM
but I will bet the vast majority of those who upgrade from halogen to xenon do not bother to do it. The factory self-leveling system has sensors at the front and rear suspension, motors in the headlight housings, and some smarts to tell the motors what to do. I haven't read of anyone attempting this, so the benefit must be negligible compared to the cost.

5FF
01 S4

YS4
09-13-2002, 04:55 PM

5FreshFish
09-13-2002, 04:56 PM
but it trims your headlights up or down on the fly. The system moves your headlights down when you accelerate from a stop because your back end will squat. It will move them up when you brake because your front end will dive. It's supposed to detect the difference between the front and rear suspension readings to determine how to adjust the lights. If there is no difference detected, the motors return to the "home" or "level" position which is where you've set them in your driveway.

5FF
01 S4

YS4
09-13-2002, 07:14 PM
there will be no nose diving or rear-end squatting.:-)...mmmmmm maybe ill go with 1000lbs front and 1200 lbs rear...

northerns4
09-13-2002, 07:17 PM

YS4
09-13-2002, 07:35 PM
They had to throw some system in to make DOT and Transport Canada happy. Really, how fast can those motors work anyways, say on a hard launch or when you slam on the brakes?... I think it's a bogus conspiracy by the self leveling systems builders paying off some lame inspector at DOT. I've been watching too much T.V. :-)

YS4
09-13-2002, 07:36 PM