Audi Failed Tail Light

Reasons for Failed Tail Lights in Your Audi From Certified Mechanics in Thousand Oaks


By Bavarian Performance Specialists December 9, 2020

Your tail lights, which are different from your brake lights, are the bottom light on the back of your Audi. They turn on when you activate your headlights and when your parking brake is on.

Tail lights are essential for driving at night and in inclimate weather, as they let other cars know the location of your car to avoid getting too close. If a tail light is not functioning properly, it needs to be fixed as soon as possible to keep you and everyone on the road safe.

Having tail lights that aren’t working is also an easy way to be pulled over and ticketed while you’re driving. This can be expensive and cause problems for you in the future if you rack up multiple violations.

Common Reasons for Malfunctioning Tail Lights

If the tail lights of your Audi have failed or are beginning to fail, there could be a number of reasons for this. Let’s take a closer look.

Damaged Wiring

Damaged wiring in your tail lights can cause them to stop working, even if your brake lights continue to function as normal. This happens because the wiring in your tail lights is completely separate from the wiring in your brake lights. Each light has its own power supply and wiring. If your tail lights have stopped working but your brake lights function properly, it could definitely be a wiring issue or an issue with your tail light’s power supply.

Blown Fuse

Similar to the damaged wiring, your tail lights and brake lights have separate fuses. If your tail lights are not working but your brake lights are, your issue could be a blown fuse. This is one of the most common causes of a failure in tail lights, so it should be one of the first things you check when you realize your tail lights have stopped working. If your fuse does end up being blown, this is a problem best left to a mechanic to solve. Bring your car in to have a trusted Audi mechanic take a look and replace or fix the blown fuse.

Burnt Bulb

The bulbs in your car, including the ones used for your tail lights, function identically to the lightbulbs you see everywhere else, for instance, in your house. This means that they will eventually burn out and stop working. This is one of the easiest parts to replace, so it’s probably the best-case scenario if this is what you are experiencing. Getting it replaced should be done as soon as possible, as to avoid dangerous driving at night and in bad weather. It will also save you from a costly traffic ticket.

Electrical Issues

A malfunctioning tail light can also be a problem with wider electrical problems in your car. This can come from some of the earlier issues if they go unrepaired, such as a blown fuse or faulty wiring that has a sort of domino type effect in your car. This is a more serious problem, and if this occurs, you most certainly need to take your car to a mechanic to be inspected for damages and see what can be done to fix the issue.

If your car is experiencing electrical issues beyond just the tail light malfunctioning, take your car to a trusted mechanic as soon as possible, as this can be far more serious than just the tail light, and you don’t want to break down far from home.

You Can Trust Bavarian Performance Specialists

If your tail lights have stopped working, despite if your brake lights continue to function properly Audi Tail Light Bulb Replacement or not, it is probably time to take it to a mechanic to be checked out. Not only is this a safety concern, but it is also for the best that you take your car in to have the tail lights fixed so as to avoid being ticketed by the police while driving.

We proudly serve clients in and around the communities of Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Westlake, Malibu, and Newbury Park, CA. Bring your Audi to us at Bavarian Performance Specialists in Thousand Oaks, CA for diagnostic testing and inspection for service and maintenance. Our experienced mechanics will diagnose what’s wrong with your tail light and have the proper parts fixed and/or replaced quickly. We look forward to earning your patronage.