Tips to Repair Your Audi’s Failed Tail Lights From the Best in Pineville
by Dutch Silverstein December 2, 2019When you make the choice to purchase an Audi, you are saying yes to a vehicle that’s known for its sleek design, high-ranking performance, and luxurious style. Yet, as with any car, your Audi may develop certain issues that will need to be repaired. A failed tail light, for example, is a common issue and a relatively easy fix. Because your vehicle’s tail lights are imperative to your safety, it’s important to have the issue resolved as soon as possible.
In this article, we will discuss the function of your Audi’s tail lights, the reasons behind why one or both might have failed, and the available solutions.
What do the tail lights do?
The tail lights in your Audi play an important role in keeping you and your passengers safe whenever you drive at night or in foggy or stormy weather. Their primary purpose is to alert the other drivers who are behind you of your presence on the road.
A common mistake that people make is to assume that, since they are both located on the rear of the vehicle, tail lights and brake lights are the same. However, while the former turn on each time you switch on your headlights, brake lights only come on every time that you press the brake pedal. They are different.
Reasons Behind a Failed Tail Light
When any part of your vehicle malfunctions, it’s important to find the cause as quickly as possible in order to limit the amount of damage that can be caused to your Audi. Fortunately, the reason behind a failed tail light should be relatively easy to diagnose, since there are only 4 common causes.
Battery performance
The battery is responsible for all of your car’s electrical functions. If the battery is not performing properly, then your car will begin to experience other issues as well. Upon noticing that your tail lights have failed, it’s a good idea to check your battery before doing anything else. If you honk your horn and it doesn’t sound normal, then there’s probably something wrong with your battery, and consequently, your Audi’s tail lights.
Burned-out bulb
More than likely, the tail lights in your Audi consist of LED light bulbs, which are known for their energy efficiency, environmental safety, and overall superiority to the fluorescent light bulbs used in older vehicles. However, despite their reputation of lasting up to five times longer than fluorescent light bulbs, the LEDs in your Audi may eventually burn out. This is one of the reasons why you may experience issues with a failed tail light.
Electrical issues
Because electricity is needed in order for your tail lights to function, it’s important to check for any electrical issues when trying to discover the reason behind a failed tail light. Damaged wiring might be the culprit, or there could be a blown fuse. The latter may be more difficult to diagnose and could be indicative of another underlying problem with your Audi.
Damaged tail light casing
The casing that surrounds your tail light works to protect the tail light’s bulb and internal wiring from getting wet. If the casing becomes cracked or the seal around the casing is damaged, then moisture will seep into your Audi’s tail light, causing the bulb to fail or the wiring to short-out.
How We Can Help
Because your tail lights play such a vital role in the safety of you and others, it’s important to quickly diagnose and fix the issue when one or both of them fail. If the problem is linked to an electrical issue, which can be tricky to deal with if you lack mechanical experience, it’s especially important to take your vehicle to an Audi specialist who can properly assess the situation and make the necessary repairs.
At A&M Auto Service, our technicians specialize in offering routine services, maintenance, and repairs for European-made vehicles such as your Audi. We are conveniently located for drivers in and around Pineville, Charlotte, and Greensboro, NC. We recognize the special care and attention required of luxury vehicles. If your Audi has a failed tail light or is experiencing any other issue, please don’t hesitate to call us and schedule an appointment with us today.
* Audi RS 3 Tail Light image credit goes to: rvolkan.