TSB-94-12-68

SB-10044069-9826
Technical Service Bulletin
94 Moisture accumulation in headlamps
94 12 68 2028277/2 March 1, 2012. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 94 number 11 – 62 dated
December 20, 2011 for reasons listed below.
Model(s)
Audi Q7
Year
VIN Range
2010
All
2011
All
2012
000001 – 021250
Vehicle-Specific Equipment
Not Applicable
Condition
REVISION HISTORY
Revision
Date
Purpose
2
-
Revised Service
Revised Required Parts and Tools
1
12/20/2011
Original publication
Customer Complaint:
• Considerable moisture present in
headlamp.
• The moisture disappears only after
extended drives (greater than 10
minutes).
Workshop Findings:
• No external damage to headlamp which
could introduce moisture.
Figure 1. Moisture in headlamp.
© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.
Page 1 of 4
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.
Technical Service Bulletin
Technical Background
Humid air settles on the inside of the glass, causing moisture to appear on the inside of the headlamp lens.
Because of the headlamp circulation system, outside air is allowed to flow through the headlamps. The open,
water-protected ventilation system (needed for pressure compensation) creates different “climate zones” inside
the headlamp, where the lens is either warmed up by the light or cooled down by passing air.
When high air humidity and temperature differences exist between the inside of the headlamps and the outside,
condensation can form on the inside of the lens, especially in cold and wet weather. The moisture in the
headlamps can be compared with condensation on the windshield, which is cleared by the "defroster vent". This
moisture buildup can happen for example: after a car wash, after steam cleaning of the engine or the front end, or
after overnight temperature changes.
This condition is more easily visible with headlamps made from clear glass. The moisture is an optical condition
which DOES NOT affect the headlamp function (light performance) and does not lead to corrosion nor does it lead
to damage of the internal headlamp parts.
This condition is common to all exterior vehicle lights, and can occur on every headlamp, fog lamp, or rear lamp.
Production Solution
Optimized headlamp ventilation hose placed in to production.
Service
1. Remove the headlamps and dry the inside using compressed air or hot air blower.
2. Replace the headlamp ventilation hose
for each headlamp with the new part
number to help reduce any further
humidity ingress into the headlamps
(see Part information table below).
The modified ventilation hose can be
recognized by the integrated filter as
seen in Figure 2.
Figure 2. Ventilation Hose with Integrated Filter
© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.
Page 2 of 4
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.
Technical Service Bulletin
3. Reinstall headlamps.
4. Please inform the customer the new ventilation hoses are only to help reduce this condition, but will not
eliminate this condition completely. Moisture in the headlamp lens is normal and can occur even with
the improved ventilation hose.
Warranty
Claim Type:
Use applicable claim type. If vehicle is outside any warranty, this Technical Service
Bulletin is informational only.
Service Number:
9415
Damage Code:
0010
Labor Operations:
Remove and reinstall both headlamps
9415 2001
50 TU
Modify both headlamps
9415 5099
20 TU
Diagnostic Time:
GFF – Checking and clearing fault codes included No allowance
in existing labor operations
0 TU
Road test prior to service procedure
No allowance
0 TU
Road test after service procedure
No allowance
0 TU
Technical diagnosis at dealer’s discretion
(Refer to Section 2.2.1.2 and Audi Warranty Online for DADP allowance details)
Claim Comment:
As per TSB #2028277/2
All warranty claims submitted for payment must be in accordance with the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures
Manual. Claims are subject to review or audit by Audi Warranty.
Required Parts and Tools
Part Number
Part Description
Quantity
4L0 941 717 A
Left Headlamp Ventilation Hose
1
4L0 941 718 A
Right Headlamp Ventilation Hose
1
© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.
Page 3 of 4
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.
Technical Service Bulletin
Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB are subject to change and/or removal. Always check with
your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.
© 2012 Audi of America, Inc.
Page 4 of 4
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.