License Plate LED Lamp Upgrade - Easy Mod
 

This is an easy mod that anyone can do. All the interior and exterior lighting on D4 A8 are LED or Xenon, except one, the license plate light. According to Sylvania lamp replacement guide, license plate lights are 6418 bulbs. Quick browse through eBay showed many compatible LED bulbs. I picked one that specifically stated "Error Free 3-SMD 5050 LED bulbs with built-in CAN-bus load resistor and heatsink. They are specially designed for European vehicles such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Porsche or Volkswagen."

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License plate lamps are held in by single screw plastic cover.

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Here, the part is removed. The bulb is held in by simple metal holder.

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The bulb is replaced with LED. The bulb will only work in one direction. If it doesn't work, turn it around and try again.

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Don't forget to turn the LED so that the light emitting component is facing the plastic cover. You may want to put a dab of glue on the connector so the bulb doesn't twist back the other way, but make sure the bulb works before gluing it into place.

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Comparison of LED on the left and conventional bulb on the right.

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Both sides done. It looks great and there are no error messages.:)

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With such an emphasis on LED lighting by Audi (especially on the D4 A8/A8L), why would they not use LED lighting on the license plate? It makes no sense.

This will be first change I make to mine when it arrives in April.

on my wifes A6 they delivered it with LED's. As you say, it's a little odd they didn't do that with the A8 yet.

So that means Audi is stocking these LED license plate bulbs if the A6 is arriving stateside with them already installed. I'll find out if they carry these (or can order them) in my local parts department. They may work in the D4 A8 as well.

Let us know how much they are and if they are readily available. The eBay bulbs cost $12 per pair.

Just left my local dealer's parts counter. The LED license plate bulb assemblies are available from Audi for $35 each (2 needed per vehicle). These LED's are entire assemblies that replace the conventional lens/bulb holder/bulb in the older version. So Audi did make a running change in the 2012 model year for the A6. They're in stock in Audi's west coast warehouse facility but not in NJ at this time.

I also checked with AudiUSAParts.com and they can ship these in 3 days. The Audi part number is: 4G0943021. They're discounted to $21.88 each at this supplier.

I'll bet they made it like that so that LEDs always face out. With the existing design, there is really no way to secure the LED bulb to face only one direction other than gluing it into place.

The logical next question for this forum is "What about the A8/A8L?" Well, AudiUSAParts.com just told me that, effective Feb. 20, 2012, LED license plate light assemblies are available from Audi for the A8/A8L. The part numbers are:

4H0943021 (Left side)
4H0943022 (Right side)

They're $18.44 each.

Note that the A6 has one part number for both lights so they're the same. The A8/A8L's are specific to each side.

It'll be interesting to see if mine comes with LEDs when it arrives in mid-April. If not, this is an inexpensive upgrade!

Trunk light also non-LED
 

Any idea if the trunk light is the same as the license plate light? The trunk light is mounted right inside the front of the trunk near the latch. It appears to be similar to the license plate light - I wonder if it could use the same LED replacement bulb.

According to AudiUSAParts, there are 3 incandescent lights in the trunk and they are different from the license plate lights. There are no LED lights listed as replacements for the inside trunk lights at this time. Seems you've identified the one area of the D4 A8/A8L where incandescents bulbs are still used.