Probably a new windscreen!

[kennyh]

I've had my A7 for about 2 months now and it's time for a new windscreen!

I've got a stone chip which has got cracks spreading out some 5cm or so.

Now on a previous A6 which had the windscreen replaced , the rain sensor never worked as good as it should have.

Am I likely to have the same problem this time?

Have you had a good experience of a windscreen change?

[Timothy Nathan]

If you have HUD remember that it needs a special windscreen.

[Crasher]

Don't let anyone except Audi do this job.

[shabazmo]

I have a 15mm crack 4 inches right of my line of sight, but will wait for the MOT before I do anything. Please let us know how you get on. I have HUD so will make sure its compatible.

[kennyh]

Just had it replaced by National Windscreens. All looks fine so far!



Cheers
Kenny

[shabazmo]

Kenny,

I have had the car for 1 year and 1 month so the novelty and excitement has worn off a bit, and probably because I am now 52. Sods law says as soon as I get it fixed I will probably get another crack. So as long as it is 15mm, then I can live with that. What I am desperate to do is to get high beam assist, so as soon as I know what is involved, then I will probably get the windscreen done. Any ideas Crasher?

[kennyh]

Interestingly, the new windscreen arrived with all the fixings for the rain sensor and high beam assist already bonded to the windscreen (rather than be mounted on the windscreen in situ.

I've got the high beam assist on my car already but to be honest I've never used it! I do the majority of my driving on Motorway where it's not been called for (yet).

Just like to add that National Windscreens did a very good job, even though it was the very first A7 screen that these particular guys had fitted. So a thanks to them for a job well done.

[shabazmo]

Have you got or are able to take a photo of the high beam assist parts. I have heard stories that I would need a new windscreen for high beam assist to be installed. Also a picture of the rear view mirror from the bonnet side of the car. I assume they used your original rear view mirror. From what I understand there is either a camera in the rear view mirror or it is stuck to the windscreen at the base of the rear view mirror, i.e. the part of the rear view mirror which attaches to the windscreen.
Any help would be grateful.

[Brycie]

Thanks for the post Kenny. This won't be useful to you in the slightest, but it has served as a kick up the **** for me. In the past I have been guilty of leaving chips in my windscreens. After reading your post I won't procrastinate about it in future as I'd hate to mess up the effectiveness of my auto wipers. :beerchug:

[kennyh]

Shabazmo,

The screen for the high beam assist is different from the non High beam assist model. I know this because National Windscreens originally turned up with the non-high beam assist screen, and had to reorder the correct one which has a clear window for the camera located above the rain sensor behind the mirror.

So if your car does not currently have High beam assist, and you retrofit it (if possible?) then I think you'd need a new windscreen (unless your car has the clear window for the camera already in the windscreen).

I'll try a pic later to show you the assembly.

[Timothy Nathan]

Is this not the same camera arrangement as for Lane Assist and Speed Limit Recognition?

[kennyh]

Not sure. But here's a pic of mine. 16281

[kennyh]

Bigger version. http://img.tapatalk.com/5ac35e88-b2c8-5983.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/5ac35e88-b302-731a.jpg

[shabazmo]

Kenny, My windscreen is identical to yours with the triangular cut out. What I don't have is the camera inside the cover on top of the mirror (your lower picture). I assume you have a cemera in that cover for HBAssist. If so, what is more confusing is that I was told that I would need a new rear view mirror which and therfore assumed that the camera was part of the mirror. I would be grateful for a couple of more things.
1. The part number of your mirror which is stamped at the bottom of the mirror. The key part is the letter at the end of the part number.
2. Understand all the extras you have in case the camera you may have does other jobs as well.
Thanks

[Timothy Nathan]

The camera arrangement on mine is exactly as Kennyh shows, and I do not have HB Assist. I believe that the cameras are used for Lane Assist and Speed Limit recognition.

http://ftp.artifax.net/misc/audimirror.jpg

[kennyh]

I believe that the cameras are used for Lane Assist and Speed Limit recognition.

....and I don't have Lane Assist. Strange. Maybe the housing/camera system is used for multiple purposes. And how does speed limit recognition work; does it read road signs?

[Timothy Nathan]

And how does speed limit recognition work; does it read road signs?

Very close, grasshopper, but with one subtle change...it fails to read road signs. :biglaugh:

If it is faced with a nice pair of recently painted, clear speed limit signs (or even delimited signs) it will read them like magic.

However:

If there is a sign indicating a speed on a side road it will read it and interpret as applying to the main road.
If signs are faded or dirty it won't read them.
It can read overhead gantry signs indicating a speed limit, but does not recognise the overhead delimited sign.
It sometimes just tells you rubbish and you have no idea where it comes from.

I would suggest that this is just another example of cultural imperialism. I bet it works a treat in the Fatherland (I am driving to Friedrichshafen in a couple of weeks, so I will find out) but that it has never really been tested in the Mother of the Free.

If anyone is thinking of getting it, my advice is not to waste your money.

[kennyh]

I would have thought that the speed limit recognition was from the Nav system rather than road signs.

I'll now need to go and check that (gives me an excuse to take it out for a spin)!

[Timothy Nathan]

There are two systems. Those of you too poor or mean to pay for the recognition camera just get the Nav System's idea of what the limit is. That will always be out of date. There are four circumstances when it will be misleading:


The speed limit has changed since the data went into the Nav system.
There is a temporary change for roadworks.
Overhead gantries show a limit, such as on the W quadrant of M25.
Nav system is wrongly coded.

In all these cases the Nav system will show the wrong speed and it is your responsibility as a driver to know what the limit is.

If the recognition camera worked, it would be of huge assistance. The fact is that it only works about 75% of the time, making it largely useless.

[kennyh]

Well as far as I know, my vehicle does not have the speed recognition camera, or Lane Assist. So that means the camera I have must be for the HBA; and as I said, it could be that the camera covers multiple purposes.

[kennyh]

And anyway....I've already got an onboard speed recognition system that dynamically adapts to roadworks, speed limit changes, weather etc......it's called "A Pair of Eyes". They've not failed me yet. Best of all, they were free, and means I can spend my hard earned cash in other, more exciting, ways!

[shabazmo]

kenny, Where is your camera. Is it in the cover on top of the rear view mirror, i.e. inside te triangular part of the windscreen?
Thanks

16305

[kennyh]

So I believe. Certainly it looks like a camera is in there.

[Timothy Nathan]

I believe that there are two cameras, though I couldn't say what each does.