Audi A8 '97-'99 A8 Clear Corner and Side Marker Lights

If you'd like to change the look of your A8 to more of a european look, replacing the US corner and side marker lights with Euro style is a great looking and easy to do upgrade. Total cost is about $130 with corner markers, side markers and new light bulbs for each.



1997 US Spec A8 with Clear Corner and Side Markers

Jump to Installation Instructions

Replacing the corner and side markers is easy! First thing you'll have to do is to get the corner markers. I purchased mine from a distributor in Germany. They were about 90 euros plus shipping. I regularly purchase items from them, if you'd like a set, please email me and I will order a set for you next time I place an order. It will be $95 with shipping to your location if in the US.

Here are the new corner markers. The ones that I have are manufactured by Bosch, who is the manufacturer of the OEM marker that was taken off the car.





You can get the clear side markers on ebay for about $25-30 with shipping. Do a search for "A4 Clear" and you'll find them. The ones on ebay are not Bosch units.



Here are the clear corner markers with the original orange side markers:



Clear corner marker with OEM orange side marker. I do not like this look.



Clear side marker installed with clear corner marker. This looks good!


Here is Richard Eberle's silver '98 A8 with 19" BBS wheels and chrome mirror caps. He also has a H&R coilover kit on his car. The following are before and after pictures. The pictures don't do the clear corner and side markers justice, they look awesome on Richard's silver A8!

Before Installation



Orange OEM side and corner markers, dirty wheels.

After Installation:









Installation Instructions

Corner Markers

Items needed:

Pair of 1157 White Bulbs (optional)
Long flat blade screwdriver
Flashlight

Headlights DO NOT have to be removed to take the corner marker out. Open the hood and look at the corner marker from inside the engine compartment using a flashlight. Look for the corner marker clip shown in the picture below. Using a long straight screwdriver, force this clip out the socket as shown below.

NOTE: The corner marker is removed from the headlight assembly in the picture below for ease of illustration.



This is the only capture device for the corner marker. Using both hands on the outside of the car, push/pull the marker out of the headlight assembly. It can be difficult to break the corner marker loose because of the rubber gasket that is between the headlight and corner marker & corner marker and fender. Once these seals break, it slides right out.

Remove the light bulb plug from the old corner marker. Change the light bulb to the dual filament white 1157 light bulb if you choose. The OEM light bulb is a yellow bulb, I like the look of the white corner lights. With xenons, the white corner lights almost look yellow.

Installation is reverse of removal. Make sure you line up the male plastic stabs on the corner markers with the correct female part on the fender and headlight bucket. Ensure that gasket between the headlight and corner marker is properly seated before fully inserting the corner marker.

Once it's installed, use the long screwdriver to push the clip back into the socket. This secures the corner marker in place. Installation takes approximately 5-15 minutes per side.

Side Markers

Items needed:

Pair of XXX (will be posted soon) Yellow Bulbs
Long flat blade screwdriver wrapped with electrical tape

Make sure you have the new yellow side marker bulbs before you start this procedure. The OEM bulbs with the orange lenses markers are white bulbs. Unless you want to keep the side markers white while flashing, you want to get the orange bulbs first. You don't want to take these out more than once.

Wrap a long thin blad flat screwdriver with electrical tape to prevent scratching your paint. The side marker is pushed forward from the rear on both sides to release it. Using the screwdriver, push the middle of the aft side of the side marker forward. This compresses the little tab on the front side of the marker (look at the new one, you can see how it works) and allows the back to pop out. You'll have to push quite hard on the marker to get it out. Using the screwdriver, pry it out slightly. It will then pop out. Be gentle!

Remove the bulb assembly, change the bulb if changing to yellow bulbs, plug it into the new clear corner marker. Install in fender, it only goes in one way. Installation takes approximately 5-15 minutes per side.