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I can't take credit for this workaround, but wanted to share it since I did a lot of searching, youtube, et al (and wasted a lot of time.)
My 2008 A6 3.2L had the "Adaptive Light Defective" message. I bought a replacement headlight on eBay (with APS), pulled the bumper, replaced the light and got the same message. Turns out both headlights had the same problem (worn and broken wires inside the headlight.) I dremeled the heck out of the replacement light but there just isn't enough room (at least for me) to repair the wiring. There isn't enough slack, and in my case the broken wires were simply too close to the connections to do a repair.
My wife has a 2007 A6 3.2L and this message just popped up on her car -- so I had two cars requiring expensive headlights or the super-annoying message on the dash flashing constantly. I'm surprised that Audi would require a constant, flashing error on an issue that moves your headlight a small amount right or left but what do I know.
Regardless -- you can disable this message by recoding the car as a non-APS car and pulling two fuses. I can't take credit for the solution below, but can confirm it worked for me on both of my A6's. I wish I would have found this sooner -- it would have saved me a lot of time and expense. I don't really care about functional APS and didn't even realize it was an installed option until it broke. If you DO want functioning APS -- this solution is NOT for you...
So my 2006 Audi A6 4.2 with AFS has the dreaded Adaptive Light defective Error on my Dash.
Upon using a VCDS scan, it was determined that the left cornering Motor has a short.=center02627 VCDS scan Upon internet scouring, it was determined that there are a number of possible issues.
A broken wire inside the headlight housing that connects to the motor (this is most likely)
A burned out fuse (check both the driver and passenger side, should be fuse 18 for the drivers and fuse 9 for the passenger side)
A bad motor relay (one on the side of the headlight and one on the bottom)
Bad motor inside the headlight housing.
All of which requires the removal of the bumper in order to remove the headlight housing.
As it is -20 degrees celsius right now, i’ve decided to hold off on investigating the issues until the summer.
This is how to code out the AFS using the VCDS without removing any of the hardware except fuses.
Things you will need: A fuse puller and a VCDS or OBDEleven.
Turn off your car. (make sure everything is off, you may pull the wrong fuse and cause more errors. BE WARNED)
Open the driver side fuse panel between the door and the dashboard.
Remove Fuse18 Headlight Electronics Left (5A)
Open the passenger side fuse panel
Remove Fuse 9 Headlight Electronics Right (5A)
Turn on the ignition and leave your engine off, now using your VCDS
Go into the Central Electronics 09 and code it for Xenon Only Should be currently a 3, change it to a 2, should be like this (0xx2xxx)
Go into Instruments 17 and remove the AFS by subtracting 64 from the first 4 digits I changed (2129XXX) to (2065XXXX)
Go into CAN Gateway 19 and remove 55 Headlight range. This can be done in coding or installation list
Now turn off your vehicle and pull Fuse 15 Instrument Cluster (10A), wait a couple seconds and reinsert it.
Turn on your car, the error should now be gone and the ECU will no longer think AFS system is installed.
Store your extra fuses into blank slots and close up both of your panel covers.
Thanks for the posting. Don't currently have this issue, but could come up later than sooner on my '06 A6 Avant. BTW, this is one of the reliability issues (embrittled wiring) I included in my registered letter to Mr. James Dennis, Sr Vice President, Product Quality and Technical Service of A of A, which he never acknowledged. Figures.
Great post. But 10 months too late for me. LOL. A while back I spent 20 hours total working on my light to repair it (tons of brittle wires inside and one was broken). Got the Adaptive light error and HORRIBLE BEEP to go away but somehow cause the high beam shutter or shutter solenoid to go bad. Now high beam in that light doesn’t work. Ugh.
I just tried this and it WORKED!!! The only warning I have on my dashboard is now GONE GONE! The annoying noise the faulty headlight does when I turn on the ignition is also GONE! This is too sweet. Thank you Hogg!!! Come for a hug!
My Central Electronics (09) initial value:
My Instruments Cluster / Dashboard (17) initial value:
Dashboard after coding. Ignition on but engine off. Error gone.
Hello I'm new here, glad to know all of you, for afs problem, first of all thanks for this awesome resolution, but just want to know, how the xenon do the first start test now? (up and down) when you start the car they have to go up and down, and then with this mod they doesn't do thant, why?
12-30-2018, 11:01 AM
Adaptive Lighting (APS) Disable/Fix
=center02627 VCDS scan Upon internet scouring, it was determined that there are a number of possible issues.
