Major Dramas with Audi A4

[richo]

Hi,
I'm writing on behalf of my brother Marty ('twinengtwinturbs' on these forums) who's stranded in Byron Bay at the moment. His 96 A4 1.8t fwd made it up from Orange last week without a hitch but now refuses to start. It kicks over but dies before settling to idle. Looks like something electrical at a guess, possibly related to all that wet weather? Does anyone live in the area, or know/recommend anyone who lives in the area, who has access to a vagcom checker or who knows their way around VW/Audi electrics? Any help would be much appreciated. Pls call Marty on 0439 498 410.
Thanks,
Rich

[RhysQ]

hey mate,

If he can't find anyone down that way he can try my mechanic on the Gold Coast (VW/Audi specialist - and he drives a '98 A4 1.8T fwd so knows them pretty well). As it's an hour's drive, he may not be able to get there if he is busy at work but it's definitely worth asking. If he can get down there, he may charge a bit for the time/travel, although he would still be cheaper than going into an actual Volkswagen dealer!

His name is Adam and his number is 0405 340 725. Maybe tell Marty to give him a ring in the morning if he's out of options.

Cheers,
Rhys

[h100vw]

i called but got his machine. message left. sounds immobiliser though.
Or a pipe off
Gavin

[Jmac]

Havent dropped your ign key or been changing a battery in the key??????? that transponder pill has a habit of falling out. Does sound like the Immob. Immob will let the car start for about 2-3 seconds and cut out.
Jmac

[Golf Loon]

Does sound like immobilizer, try turning the key over in the lock.

I have a mate Beau at Gold Coast Audi who can fix it for him if all else fails.

I`ll try and get him to ring Marty.

[richo]

Thanks for the posts guys, he's checked the MAF and all electrics for signs of water or dirtiness and it looks ok. He has managed to get it to run by disconnecting the battery and then re-connecting it and turning the ign key. However once you turn off the key it's back to square one as it stalls again when you try to re-start. ie. every time you want to start it you have to disconnect and re-connect the battery! Immobiliser problem? Dodgy ign key?

Thanks Rich

[Golf Loon]

Sounds like a dodgy pickup coil for the immobilizer.

[twin eng, twin turbs]

Thanks to everyone who posted up to help me out, we finally made it home from Byron Bay to Orange tonight. I have been unable to get on the forum till now. As my brother posted i have been disconnecting and reconnecting the battery every time i have stopped for fuel etc. I contacted a couple of audi service centres on our way but none were able to help really, but to say we can look at it soon and as people have commented it is probably the immobiliser as we tried both keys each way. I am going to strip down the steering column and check the immobiliser tomorrow in the faint hope that i can have a win and not pay $120 an hour for audi to do it...

[Jmac]

Hey mate, ill throw one in the mix, the fact that you are aving to disconnect and reconnect the battery is throwing me off the immobiliser slightly, my dad had a Saab 95 Aero doing the same thing as that and ended up being the MAF. Have you tried to disconnect the MAF and see how it behaves????? The description certainly points at immob as you mention it cuts out (straight away) A scan of the ecu in that case would pick up Immob reading Spool perhaps. Keep us in the loop bud, hope you get it fixed
Cheers
JMac

[Golf Loon]

The immobilizer coil readers are not expensive. Get me the part number and you can change it at home ;)

[twin eng, twin turbs]

I like the sound of that loon! Ill keep you posted, i had to service a mates seat this morning so i havnt got to it yet, but ill start now.

[twin eng, twin turbs]

I pulled apart the ignition yesterday and tested as i dismantled it.

With the immobilizer coil disconnected i still had to disconnect and reconnect the battery each time to start the engine but this time the orange light in the instrument panel with a car symbol and key through it flashed off and on constantly.

The immobilizer coil reader was quite tricky to remove with an internal circlip retaining it in place on the ignition barrel.

PM sent loon with part numbers if you can source one cheers.

[Jmac]

Have you scanned for codes??? bearing in mind if you disconnect anything it will show on there, but would be fairly obvious what ones you had though. IMO if the spool was at fault you probably would get the Immob light on the dash., Anything compromising the immob would most likely bring that light on. I think its something else, thats why i stress about giving it a scan, engine included.
Cheers
Jmac

[twin eng, twin turbs]

I see your point Jmac and you have me worried about it... :frown: I dont have a scanner to check the fault codes but i really think i should purchase one asap. How much are they worth and where can i source one?

[Golf Loon]

You can buy the cheapo chinese scanners on ebay but they have limitations as a diagnostics tool.

Really you need VAG Com and a Laptop. I paid $800 for my licenced lead and software, but I have to have it for my business.

This allows more diagnosis and coding etc than a handheld.

If you have unplugged the reader coil and are now getting a warning light, it may well not be that.

[hans j]

Hey mate, ill throw one in the mix, the fact that you are aving to disconnect and reconnect the battery is throwing me off the immobiliser slightly, my dad had a Saab 95 Aero doing the same thing as that and ended up being the MAF. Have you tried to disconnect the MAF and see how it behaves????? The description certainly points at immob as you mention it cuts out (straight away) A scan of the ecu in that case would pick up Immob reading Spool perhaps. Keep us in the loop bud, hope you get it fixed
Cheers
JMac

This is definitely a possibility, but would likely turn the check engine light on. If it is the MAF, the fuel trim would be changing greatly and each time you disconnect the battery, it resets the fuel trim back to zero.

Also could be possible there is a boost hose off. But really the car needs to be scanned. Also if you use Vag-Com, check measuring block 032 in engine before you clear codes or disconnect the battery. That is the fuel trim numbers and often you can tell what is wrong with just them.

[Jmac]

Yeah mate thats right , the Saab i mentioned earlier did just that, we had to do all sorts of funny things to get it to run, disconnect the batt and the Maf, start up and reconnect the Maf!!! Boost hose yeah but this vehicles seems to run ok when going, bost hose would stall and stall and stall..
Hope you can get someone to read them codes.
Cheers
Jmac

[twin eng, twin turbs]

I have booked it into an auto electrician for tomorrow afternoon. He said he could check the fault codes for me and ill post up what we find. I tried the local audi dealer but they are booked out till monday next week... i really hope it is something relatively simple to fix though i doubt it..... Thanks for everyones help its greatly appreciated.

[twin eng, twin turbs]

Well the problem pirsists, i had no luck with any of the local auto electricians or mechanics. None of the scanners will work with the audi. So its booked in to an audi service centre on Wensday. :duh:

[Golf Loon]

Do you have an aftermarket radio fitted? Unplug the connector to the back of it and scanners will work with the car ;)

[twin eng, twin turbs]

I sure do have an aftermarket sterio in it. Ill disconnect it and try again. Thanks Loon, much appreciated!

[twin eng, twin turbs]

You were right Loon, i disconnected the sterio and the scanner worked correctly.

A fault code number 01177 came up with the imobiliser fuel pump relay but the relay was working fine... it was checked.

Though a strange thing occured when the airbag fault code was reset, not only did the airbag light in the instrument panel go out but the orange car symbol light with the key through it also switched off along with tachometer and speedometer. :duh:

Also the fault code that came up previously has now gone and the engine management system could not be checked by the scanner.

The car still requires the battery to be disconnected and reconnected to start so its off to audi tomorrow. :frown:

[Jmac]

AHHH!!!!! disconnect your ABS pump multi plug and try everything mate, starting , scanning the lot, if that works then the k line ins down in your Abs pump and will need to recon. Just had one done, Abs down is the missing link and is common mate. Worth a try, disconnect it and see if it makes any difference. Might not make sense but try it.
See how you go.
Jmac

[twin eng, twin turbs]

Thanks Jmac ill try it, its strange how things interconnect in the system.

The local audi guys who have only been servicing audi for a couple of years told me the ECU is the issue today and to get a new one will cost soooo much!

[twin eng, twin turbs]

I disconnected the ABS plug and you were right Jmac, it worked! Starting was fine though i havn't scanned it again yet. So where is the K line in the ABS pump located? Whats it worth to recondition? Thanks Jmac

[Golf Loon]

It would be nice if it were in the wire going to the pump.

If the worst comes to the worse, i have a couple of those ABS pumps mate.

[Jmac]

Seen that a few times now and no scanner will find that one!!.So glad you gave us the last piece of the puzzle with your last post. What happens is the contacts in the ABS pump break contact, K line goes down and gives the system a spack attack. Its around $500 to recon the ABS ECU, but i would check your pump number and take Matt up with the second handie.
Cheers
Jmac

[h100vw]

YEHAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats the one mate!!! Seen that a few times now and no scanner will find that one!!.So glad you gave us the last piece of the puzzle with your last post. What happens is the contacts in the ABS pump break contact, K line goes down and gives the system a spack attack. Its around $500 to recon the ABS ECU, but i would check your pump number and take Matt up with the second handie.
Cheers
Jmac

Jimmy diagnoses using 'the force' ! :D

I would like to see inside that ECU. What do they do to fix them Jimmy?? Just soldering/cleaning up connectors? Or are components replaced?

Gavin

[Jmac]

I know most of the time its soldering in most of these components, im sure they replace a component too, ill ask that very question. I do know the ecu gets function test before return. Some companies claim u cant, these guys endorse the unit with a guarantee, sticker date the lot. I just had one done on an A6 and was the first time getting one done, was a bit nervous to be honest but result was impressive.
Cheers
Jmac

[Golf Loon]

Crack the unit open and resolder the joints for the bush mchanic cheapo fix Marty ;)