Old/New part matching

[bowline5]

I was stuck in a fuel queue and the engine boiled up; the RAC got me home and next day the car went into the workshop for diagnosis. The problem seems to lie with the Fan Control Module not performing so no cold air moving through the radiator. The part number on the label is 8E0 959 501 D, googling brings up loads of listings but none of the new parts on offer have the same letter at the end of the number. It could be A, B, AB, R, AG, AK, anything but D. The wiring looks the same but the unit is not the same shape as the one on my car, which has presumably been there since the build in May 2002. What variations do all the different part codes refer to, and which one(s) will be an equivalent replacement for my old unit, which I guess has been discontinued/superceded?

[Magnet]

Hello Derek,

As I understand it, the last letter is indeed the (in caps) critical identifier of the correct part, so yes, it is very meaningful. 
Of course, your garage will know that it is definitely this part which is at fault, but generally the common cause is a faulty thermo switch which completes it’s circuit when the temperature gets to a critical point above normal, and this circuit completion activates the fan. 
Probably Audi has devised a far more complicated design!, but worth a bit of research before committing this component to the faulty bin? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
p.s. TPS should be able to confirm the current part number of the module, and this may have been superseded over the last 19 years. 
 

[bowline5]

Thank you Gareth, not the best news but something to go on. Greg at the workshop has done a thorough check although he doesn't have VAG diagnostics, he suspects the Control Module as it doesn't behave as he thinks it should when tested with a multi-meter. I spoke with a local Audi dealer, he gave me a part number that is quite different, starting 4B0, which google indicates is for an A6 type C5. It looks exactly the same as the ones that I've already seen, with a price tag of £320 + VAT from Audi and £280 on eBay so I can't see me buying one of those. I'll ring TPS on Monday and pick their brains.

Regards

Derek

[Magnet]

Thanks for coming back on this Derek.

If it were mine, I would not be in a rush to get a new module, based on ‘……..suspects it’s the module…’  I would be wanting something much more concrete than that before spending the best part of £400 on a bit for a 19 year old car. 
Possibly considered as a daft suggestion, but is it really worth spending this sort of money -if (in caps) it is that - to cater for a situation where you are stuck in traffic for an unreasonable period of time, particularly as winter is not that far away. 
There are two things which come to your aid here:- You have a fully functioning temperature gauge which you can keep a close eye on (this time!) when stuck in traffic; you also have an ignition key by which you can switch off the engine if the temperature starts to rise. 
A combination of use of both, should result in a cost free solution to your issue. 

If you and your mechanic are confident that this module is indeed at fault, then you could go through the various breaker yard search systems and enquire about a used one.
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[bowline5]

Gareth I could not agree more. Greg's workshop is just down the street from me, there is an independent Audi specialist a few miles away, I plan to talk with him next week. Pattern parts, the ones with the different letters in the number, are about £60, I've seen one second hand one for about the same, tolerable for a car of this age, but you're right, as long as I don't get stuck in a queue whatever the issue is should be manageable.

Thank you for your input

Derek

[Stevey Y]

1 hour ago, bowline5 said:

Gareth I could not agree more. Greg's workshop is just down the street from me, there is an independent Audi specialist a few miles away, I plan to talk with him next week. Pattern parts, the ones with the different letters in the number, are about £60, I've seen one second hand one for about the same, tolerable for a car of this age, but you're right, as long as I don't get stuck in a queue whatever the issue is should be manageable.

Thank you for your input

Derek

Hi as quoted before the letter on the end denotes the year of the batch commission, have a look on eBay and as long as the first bit of the part number is the same just put in a request with your VIN and a will this fit my car, furthermore I would suspect the fan motor more, an easy way to test it is disconnect the plug from the module and bridge the two terminals with a piece of wire then turn on ignition and see if it works, if it does its the module if not you may be in for a new fan pack which comes with a module, I can thoroughly recommend a company on the net called Auto Air,

Steve.

 

[bowline5]

Thanks Steve, I can see the sense in that. I'll have a look for Auto Air if your suggestion about the fan motors proves to be the problem.

Derek

[Magnet]

Hello Derek,

Many thanks again for coming back on this. The only thing I would question in your response is ‘……as long as I don’t get stuck in a queue, whatever the issue it should be manageable’ . By your logic, the conserves of this that if you do get stuck in a queue then it isn’t manageable! 

But of course, it is manageable at zero cost, by simply reading the temperature gauge (which - no criticism meant - you didn’t do last time, at your cost) and switching off the engine. ‘Thimple’ as our little stand up friends say.
If you want to take that on a step, then under the modern stop/start technology, you simply would not have an issue. 
Yes, Derek, you can indeed take complete control of this issue. 
Re. part numbers:- I still revert to my posted understanding that Yes, the last letter is indeed significant, and although I bow to Steve’s broader experience, and a knowledge that Ford and even Jaguar have used the last letters as simply ‘updates’ of the same part , my belief is that Audi don’t. If it were mine, I would be giving this a good coat of research before dipping my toe into the buying market.

Kind regards,

Gareth.m