Hi all,

Just been noticing a slight wobble in the drivers side light unit. It happens at idle or when I go over a bumpy stretch on the road. It is slight, but it's not right., and it's starting to really annoy me. Any ideas?

Cheers,

Robbie

It is going to be either the bulb is not located correctly, the projector lens coming loose (not heard of this before personally) or the headlight itself is loose.

There are some bolts (2 IIRC) on the bonnet slam panel holding the headlight in and a further 2(?) behind the bumper, the bumper will need to be removed to get to these (and to get to the projector) but this is only a 10min job the 1st time you do it.

if it is light on the road that's jumping, then it is most likely incorrectly fastened bulb. Open rear cap and make sure the bulb is secured.

If it is the whole headlamp, there is a chance that the rubber mount under the bumper cover is worn out, or a screw is loose.

Mounting screws are: 2 on top, 1 behind, 1 to the side (towards radiator, under tear shaped access panel), 1 under bumper cover. the mount under bumper cover has rubber part.

Thanks lads,

I did suspect a loose bulb, hopefully it's that simple. The light unit itself seems to be solid. I don't fancy taking off the bumper...

Cheers for the replies.

Robbie

Thanks lads,

I did suspect a loose bulb, hopefully it's that simple. The light unit itself seems to be solid. I don't fancy taking off the bumper...

Cheers for the replies.

Robbie

You've got factory Xenon's on that car haven't you, it won't be a wobble, it's the bulb dying, it's a flicker but it will look like a wobble, have someone who knows check it before you splash out, they aren't cheap, Skoda will hit you for £200+ to change one, but you can buy and fit yourself for about £45 per side from eBay.

Drop Baker 21 a PM, he knows about these and what else it might be,

Edited 3 April, 201115 yr by Supurbia

Thanks for that,

The wobble/flicker only happens over bumps, does that still sound like the bulb's on the way out? And yes you're right, they are factory Xenons. I've seen the D2S bulbs for about £45 from some UK suppliers so I'll probably get a pair fitted if that's the problem.

Cheers,

Robbie

If it's xenons and the flicker is related to motion, it could simply be poor electrical connection to the lamp. Remove plug and reseat it several times, or best to clean with alcohol/isopropanol/residue free cleaning spray.

My Octavia's OEM xenons did flicker about a year ago (passenger side), and all it took to fix was removing and reseating the plug a couple times.

Thanks DieselV6,

I'll look at the unit tomorrow and see what's what.

Thanks for all the replies lads,

Robbie

Does the battery have to be disconnected before fiddling with the xenon's?

No, just switch off the headlights and ignition. Headlight range control could record fault codes if ignition is on and headlight disconnected.

Cheers...

I'll check it out tomorrow and post the results.

Hi all,

Took a look at the headlight unit today and it seems the actual lens in front of the bulb is not centered and has some play in it. When I bump the light cluster unit with the side of my hand, I can see the lens wobble a little bit. The headlight unit will need to come out to see what the problem is. Hopefully a loose clip or something.... Again, fingers crossed. If anyone has any ideas on this one, please don't hesitate to post. These units are 800 euro here in Ireland..

Thanks all,

Robbie

Are they adaptive? i.e bend around the corners as you turn the steering wheel, if they are this might be the percieved loose part lens, so be careful before you do anything to that, is there any difference in colour between the two lamps, like one is white and the other blue etc, you might need to stand back a bit to see it, but I do seem to remember seeing a Jag with one dying and that was flickering like a florescent lamp with a bad starter.

Edited 4 April, 201115 yr by Supurbia

Hi all,

Took a look at the headlight unit today and it seems the actual lens in front of the bulb is not centered and has some play in it. When I bump the light cluster unit with the side of my hand, I can see the lens wobble a little bit. The headlight unit will need to come out to see what the problem is. Hopefully a loose clip or something.... Again, fingers crossed. If anyone has any ideas on this one, please don't hesitate to post. These units are 800 euro here in Ireland..

Thanks all,

Robbie

Having worked for the company that manufacture these Head Lamps, I am pretty sure your experiencing a common problem that was identified in the early stages of production over in the Czech Republic. If the module has dropped then one of the adjustment links has come out of the ball socket it connects too.............. :yes:

I have a special tool that I could send you over to use to pop it back into place if that helps but I would need it to be sent back........

If it is the ball joint that popped out, you can push it back in, you just need to find a way of reliably grabbing the lens mount and the balljoint rod on the side that's popped out, and have no fear for about 2 seconds as it will make sound like you just broke the headlamp into pieces.

No special tools required.

Happened on my Octy during alignment, I was in panic for a moment but it went in and stayed there for 7 years and counting.

If it is the ball joint that popped out, you can push it back in, you just need to find a way of reliably grabbing the lens mount and the balljoint rod on the side that's popped out, and have no fear for about 2 seconds as it will make sound like you just broke the headlamp into pieces.

No special tools required.

Happened on my Octy during alignment, I was in panic for a moment but it went in and stayed there for 7 years and counting.

Flipping heck I will get my coat..........

There may or may not be a requirement for a special tool, for me popping this back into place is not simple wihtout stressing or damaging other components within the Head Lamp, you need to exert an exact 90 Degree force onto the carrier to get it back into the socket from where it has popped out........

This was another masterstroke from Hella - the lamp module drops off the ball studs for the adjuster. I had a spate of this with cars being dropped off the end of a transporter becoming instantly unroadworthy.

As stated above, you can pull it back on in-situ through the lamp access hatches. Grab the rear of the lamp at the base of the connector, pull gently towards the rear of the vehicle whilst moving the unit around until you feel the ball end locate - then pull harder. It's all made like a kid's toy and doesn't feel very nice.

Crappy design, Valeo do it better.

rotodiesel.

Edited 5 April, 201115 yr by rotodiesel

This was another masterstroke from Hella - the lamp module drops off the ball studs for the adjuster. I had a spate of this with cars being dropped off the end of a transporter becoming instantly unroadworthy.

As stated above, you can pull it back on in-situ through the lamp access hatches. Grab the rear of the lamp at the base of the connector, pull gently towards the rear of the vehicle whilst moving the unit around until you feel the ball end locate - then pull harder. It's all made like a kid's toy and doesn't feel very nice.

Crappy design, Valeo do it better.

rotodiesel.

Wondered when you would post up............... :wonder:

If you've had to pacify a few customers wanting their cars in a hurry, you find a fix - and remember it.

rotodiesel.

If you've had to pacify a few customers wanting their cars in a hurry, you find a fix - and remember it.

rotodiesel.

Your the first person to slate any remote 'Design' fault on this particular model, yet you choice to own and drive one saying how good it is as a towing vehicle, etc........I just don't understand you......... :no:

For reference I may have worked for Hella historically but I no longer do so, the Superb Head Lamp was designed in Germany and built in the Czech Replublic and as with many things there are always some small design changes that happen to get things into production without issues, I am sure like us all your not perfect yourself, nor could you design something perfect........... :|

Wondered when you would post up............... :wonder:

I was wondering the same of you Simon

It's getting hot in here boy's...!!

Thanks for all the replies. I dont think I'll mess with this one myself, they're way too pricey here if I break it.

Thanks a mill Baker21 for the offer of the tool, I may take you up on it if needed, and dont worry if I do, I'd send it back as soon as the job is done.

I'll keep y'all posted on the results...

Cheers,

Robbie

I was wondering the same of you Simon

It's getting hot in here boy's...!!

I'm just preparing myself for the worst here, but does anyone know where I'd source and how much a headlight unit (xenon) would cost from a UK supplier/breaker? Drivers side, with washer 2005 MK1 Ed 100....

Thanks all,

Robbie

Good news, that problem was the lens coming free of it's ball joint/legs inside the light unit. It did require the light unit to come out, and the lens clipped back into place.... Needless to say I'm a happy bunny, those headlight units cost a small fortune over here.

Thanks to all for the replies,

More stuff later..

Rob