Major Dramas with Audi A4

[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... 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.

[Golf Loon]

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