Headlights are quite dim and the horn is half a quiet as it should be?

[Navajo]

This is a problem with my Audi A4 (02 plate).

All other electrics are working fine, air con, dash, radio etc...

Any ideas anyone?

The headlights when on half beam are dim to the point that you need to put full beam on every few seconds to see where you're going.

I did ask a mate of mine who is a toyota mechanic and he said "sounds like bad alternator and the car's living on its battery"

Is this a really bad thing? How long until the battery dies?

p.s. first post on this forum so go easy :)

Cheers everyone.

[TheWills]

Kwikfit do a free battery check which includes alternator feed to the battery as well as charging and output of your battery, no appointment needed and it's FREE. Check your earths for clean contact as well.

[Eclipse car Audio]

Sounds like an earth problem to me - Have a check of the grounding points in the engine bay I think there is one on the inside wing behind one of the headlights take it off and give a good clean up.

You could try sticking a meter across the battery with the engine running and then gradually turn everything on i.e headlights, fan (climate), heated rear screen etc a good battery and alternator should be reading about 14 volts with the engine running when turning each bit on you should see the voltage drop a bit then recover to 14 ish volts if it doesnt then I would say you have a problem with the alternator (is the belt tight)

But personally I would think it is a dodgy earth point.

Hope this helps