HUD and Automatic Headlight Problem
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 23
Likes: 1
From: Huntington Beach, CA
HUD and Automatic Headlight Problem
My first post - so please be kind.
Having issues with my 2013 A6 with HUD. When the dash board is hot (when the weather is hot (> 85 F) and sunny and when the car is parked so the sun shines thorugh the windshield onto the dash), the HUD stops working, and so do the automatic headlights. The HUD shows nothing at all on the winshield, and if the headlight switch is in the 'Auto' position the car behaves like it is nighttime (turns on the headlights, turns the Nav screen so it has a black background). All other functions of the car appear OK.
After driving with the Air Conditioning on for 10-15 minutes, things return to normal, the HUD comes on and the NAV display returns to the daytime background.
I took the car to the dealer today, and they mentioned that they are having problems with their diagnostic computer, and are unable to communicate with my A6 to troubleshoot the issue. They are looking to repair their diagnostic computer. In the meantime, as anyone had a similar issue with their A6 (or A7)?
Having issues with my 2013 A6 with HUD. When the dash board is hot (when the weather is hot (> 85 F) and sunny and when the car is parked so the sun shines thorugh the windshield onto the dash), the HUD stops working, and so do the automatic headlights. The HUD shows nothing at all on the winshield, and if the headlight switch is in the 'Auto' position the car behaves like it is nighttime (turns on the headlights, turns the Nav screen so it has a black background). All other functions of the car appear OK.
After driving with the Air Conditioning on for 10-15 minutes, things return to normal, the HUD comes on and the NAV display returns to the daytime background.
I took the car to the dealer today, and they mentioned that they are having problems with their diagnostic computer, and are unable to communicate with my A6 to troubleshoot the issue. They are looking to repair their diagnostic computer. In the meantime, as anyone had a similar issue with their A6 (or A7)?
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 423
Likes: 4
From: Riverside, CA
I have had zero problems with my HUD and auto lighting control. There has been many times when the car has been parked with outside temps in high 90's to low 100's. I would suggest that you get this issue checked out. It sounds like there may be some kind of cooling problem with your HUD electronics. I'm fairly certain that AUDI took into consideration the internal temps of the vehicle in its design. Just my 2 cents on the issue.
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 23
Likes: 1
From: Huntington Beach, CA
Dealer says nothing wrong
Update - the dealer updated their diagnostics software, so I took my car back in. The dealer has had my car for the last 3 days. They were puzzled by the HUD and headlight control problem, and wanted to talk to Audi about it. I'm glad they took the issue seriously, and good news was that they gave me a nice 2013 A4 s line as a loaner.
I just heard back from the dealer that they were able to reproduce the problem. They have talked to Audi. The dealer says the behavior I am seeing (with the HUD and the auto head lights not working when the car is parked with the dash in direct sunlight) is normal. Their explanation is that in order to protect electronics, the HUD shuts itself off when internal temperatures exceed 55-60 C (131 F - 140 F). The dealer told me that they measured an internal electronic temperature of 70 C (158 F) after my car was parked with the dash in the sun.
It all makes sense to me. It's not a huge deal, since the problem resolves itself when the car interior cools. Since I am in Canada, it is only likely to occur 4 months of the year. On the flip side, I am having a hard time reconcilling the dealer explanation with the fact that no other A6 with HUD owners have eperienced similar problems. I wasn't able to find similar examples in the forums or through a google search. Am I missing something here?
I just heard back from the dealer that they were able to reproduce the problem. They have talked to Audi. The dealer says the behavior I am seeing (with the HUD and the auto head lights not working when the car is parked with the dash in direct sunlight) is normal. Their explanation is that in order to protect electronics, the HUD shuts itself off when internal temperatures exceed 55-60 C (131 F - 140 F). The dealer told me that they measured an internal electronic temperature of 70 C (158 F) after my car was parked with the dash in the sun.
It all makes sense to me. It's not a huge deal, since the problem resolves itself when the car interior cools. Since I am in Canada, it is only likely to occur 4 months of the year. On the flip side, I am having a hard time reconcilling the dealer explanation with the fact that no other A6 with HUD owners have eperienced similar problems. I wasn't able to find similar examples in the forums or through a google search. Am I missing something here?
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Thread Starter
AudiWorld Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 23
Likes: 1
From: Huntington Beach, CA
Thanks for all the responses and support.
After reading the service work order more carefully I see that the dealer was only able to reproduce the problem with the head up display and not the problem with the auto head lights, which is weird because they always happen simultaneously for me. I wonder if they had the headlight position in the 'off' instead of 'auto' position when they were testing. ( I notice when ever I pick up a car after servicing the headlight switch has been moved from 'auto to 'off', so maybe it is normal practice when bringing a car into the shop?)
The problem happens every time I park with the dash in the sun, so the next sunny day I record a video of the problem with my phone to clarify the issue (should have thought of that before now, but I guess I assumed that they would be able to identify and fix the issue more easily).
The dealer has been quite reasonable, and I will continue to work with them on this one, but sounds like they have run out of ideas, so I may call Audi Canada tomorrow. The car is only 4 months old, so I am a bit worried about what this issue says about future reliability.
After reading the service work order more carefully I see that the dealer was only able to reproduce the problem with the head up display and not the problem with the auto head lights, which is weird because they always happen simultaneously for me. I wonder if they had the headlight position in the 'off' instead of 'auto' position when they were testing. ( I notice when ever I pick up a car after servicing the headlight switch has been moved from 'auto to 'off', so maybe it is normal practice when bringing a car into the shop?)
The problem happens every time I park with the dash in the sun, so the next sunny day I record a video of the problem with my phone to clarify the issue (should have thought of that before now, but I guess I assumed that they would be able to identify and fix the issue more easily).
The dealer has been quite reasonable, and I will continue to work with them on this one, but sounds like they have run out of ideas, so I may call Audi Canada tomorrow. The car is only 4 months old, so I am a bit worried about what this issue says about future reliability.