No Dash light, starts and dies after no signal from immobiliser, dash sent for test, all good...

[MaxA3TDI]

Hi, 

Please help me as I am starting to go a little crazy here! This is the second A3 2.0 TDi. the last one I had was 2005 5 door Sportback which I had for 9 years. I put so many miles on it I swapped it for a 3 door 2004 model with 102000 miles less on the clock. 

This one is causing me a head scratch to say the least. I have no dash light, starts and stops after 2 seconds. was running fine before the no dash light etc. So I have check ALL fuses and relays. they are all fine. I have sent the dash off to be checked and reworked, just in case and refitted. Still no luck. I have fully charged battery and also checked all connections and earths, all good. I have also taken boot cover off to check for leaks from the rear wiper washer, sprayed all connections with WD40 and replaced. Still nothing......

I have not a lot of cash so sending to a garage is a bit of a no no. I am pretty good at mechanics and service this and my Toyota 80 series which I have owned for 23 years now. Electrical issues always make me a bit flummoxed!!

Please any help would be so very much appreciated. Thanks....

[cliffcoggin]

Max.

It is not unknown for the instrument panel to suffer from the gremlins but as you have had it renovated we can rule it out. The next primary culprit is the battery. You may well have charged it, you may even measure 14 volts at the terminals, but it can still be defective. The only ways to test it are to have it deep discharge tested which involves applying a heavy load during the test, or to renew it.

[MaxA3TDI]

5 minutes ago, cliffcoggin said:

Max.

It is not unknown for the instrument panel to suffer from the gremlins but as you have had it renovated we can rule it out. The next primary culprit is the battery. You may well have charged it, you may even measure 14 volts at the terminals, but it can still be defective. The only ways to test it are to have it deep discharge tested which involves applying a heavy load during the test, or to renew it.

It was new a year ago and has been fine, in saying that I did have an issue for a week before this happened where the rear boot was lit up as not shut even though it was, then also the rear N?S tail was saying was out and the bulb was fine, on the dash that is

... The battery I had on charge yesterday for 6 hours as it was reading 12.52V on the vehicle, so I took it out and fully charged it.... not so good on checking amps but I do have a multi meter.. so I shall try that... it is still under warranty so perhaps I should just swap it over?

How do I put  a heavy load on while testing, turn the car over while testing?

[MaxA3TDI]

I just had the battery out and took it to be tested at Halfords with a battery checker they have..

It said it was fine so that rules that out😞

Any help here would be very much appreciated, thanks..

[Stevey Y]

5 hours ago, MaxA3TDI said:

I just had the battery out and took it to be tested at Halfords with a battery checker they have..

It said it was fine so that rules that out😞

Any help here would be very much appreciated, thanks..

Hi Max have you had it scanned for DTCs I will bet money on it that the answer is in the system somewhere.

Steve.

[MaxA3TDI]

7 minutes ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi Max have you had it scanned for DTCs I will bet money on it that the answer is in the system somewhere.

Steve.

Hi Steve thanks for the help here bit of a novice with scanning as I haven't a scanner, obvs know where the OBD port is so I need to borrow a scanner I guess? I can't move the A3 unless I borrow a car transporter trailer to tow it to a garage and use a scanner with my Landcruiser. Do you know if I can hire a scanner from a rental company as I can't afford to but one? Or can I buy one that is sufficient enough and also affordable?

Thank you for the help Steve really appreciated.

[Stevey Y]

1 minute ago, MaxA3TDI said:

Hi Steve thanks for the help here bit of a novice with scanning as I haven't a scanner, obvs know where the OBD port is so I need to borrow a scanner I guess? I can't move the A3 unless I borrow a car transporter trailer to tow it to a garage and use a scanner with my Landcruiser. Do you know if I can hire a scanner from a rental company as I can't afford to but one? Or can I buy one that is sufficient enough and also affordable?

Thank you for the help Steve really appreciated.

Hi have a look at OBD Eleven its cheap to buy and very effective, you might baulk at spending money on it but it will pay for itself in a very short period of time and the amount of tasks you can perform is outstanding, I.E. battery and new parts coding, there is a guy on here Thomas G he has had it for a while and reckons its the best thing he has ever bought and if you consider the average garage will charge £40 for a scan for about an extra £30 you can have your own scanner and use it when you like. My VCDS was about £350 so you can see what I am aiming at when you can get a lot of the same features for less than a third of the price, have a look on eBay and youtube.

Steve.

[MaxA3TDI]

1 minute ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi have a look at OBD Eleven its cheap to buy and very effective, you might baulk at spending money on it but it will pay for itself in a very short period of time and the amount of tasks you can perform is outstanding, I.E. battery and new parts coding, there is a guy on here Thomas G he has had it for a while and reckons its the best thing he has ever bought and if you consider the average garage will charge £40 for a scan for about an extra £30 you can have your own scanner and use it when you like. My VCDS was about £350 so you can see what I am aiming at when you can get a lot of the same features for less than a third of the price, have a look on eBay and youtube.

Steve.

Thank you was looking at this but please could you give me your thoughts on it?

MOTOPOWER OBD2 Scanner Universal Car Engine Fault Code Reader, CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for All OBD II Protocol Cars

[MaxA3TDI]

11 minutes ago, MaxA3TDI said:

Hi Steve thanks for the help here bit of a novice with scanning as I haven't a scanner, obvs know where the OBD port is so I need to borrow a scanner I guess? I can't move the A3 unless I borrow a car transporter trailer to tow it to a garage and use a scanner with my Landcruiser. Do you know if I can hire a scanner from a rental company as I can't afford to but one? Or can I buy one that is sufficient enough and also affordable?

Thank you for the help Steve really appreciated.

Hi just gonna invest in one of these:

 MOTOPOWER OBD2 Scanner Universal Car Engine Fault Code Reader, CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for All OBD II Protocol Cars... Should do the trick? Or is this too naff for the job?

I am such a tight budget with this, is this any good for just searching for an issue? just looked at the OBD 11 and its a far bit more.... But also looks great.... Thanks Steve ☺️

[Stevey Y]

2 minutes ago, MaxA3TDI said:

Thank you was looking at this but please could you give me your thoughts on it?

MOTOPOWER OBD2 Scanner Universal Car Engine Fault Code Reader, CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for All OBD II Protocol Cars

Hi good solid software platform that is manufacturer specific, a lot better than generic code readers as they often miss problems because they can't connect with certain modules on the car, it also has the advantage of different software stages from basic to garage level.

Steve. 

[MaxA3TDI]

1 minute ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi good solid software platform that is manufacturer specific, a lot better than generic code readers as they often miss problems because they can't connect with certain modules on the car, it also has the advantage of different software stages from basic to garage level.

Steve. 

Ok thank you for the heads up I really appreciate your help here, many thanks. Looks like I shall have to wait till payday next Friday to get the correct reader, a decent investment and so much appreciate all your input. 

Cheers again.

I shall post when I have the scanner and the fault codes if possible that you or anyone else could solve this ?

So grateful for this site and forum right now...

[Stevey Y]

3 minutes ago, MaxA3TDI said:

Hi just gonna invest in one of these:

 MOTOPOWER OBD2 Scanner Universal Car Engine Fault Code Reader, CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for All OBD II Protocol Cars... Should do the trick? Or is this too naff for the job?

I am such a tight budget with this, is this any good for just searching for an issue? just looked at the OBD 11 and its a far bit more.... But also looks great.... Thanks Steve ☺️

Hi if you buy really cheap and universal it won't do what you require, old formula, if you buy cheap and it won't do the job you have wasted both time and money, spend a little extra and it works the only loss is the extra money.

Steve.

[MaxA3TDI]

1 minute ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi if you buy really cheap and universal it won't do what you require, old formula, if you buy cheap and it won't do the job you have wasted both time and money, spend a little extra and it works the only loss is the extra money.

Steve.

Understood and so appreciated thanks Steve.. I shall invest in your advice and see where it goers from there.....

[Stevey Y]

1 minute ago, MaxA3TDI said:

Understood and so appreciated thanks Steve.. I shall invest in your advice and see where it goers from there.....

Hi Max you won't regret it I faffed about on my previous Ford taxis with a generic Delphi software it was ok for some things but not for others I then graduated to Forscan and it was a Ford specific software which allowed me to replace and adapt just about anything on the car and on the later models to do DPF regenerations at two in the morning when the light came on for the DPF blocked, it also told me why the thing was blocking and what had caused it, thats why I bought VCDS when I bought the Audi and before that OBD eleven was just out otherwise in view of the cost I would have bought OBD Eleven instead.

Steve.

[MaxA3TDI]

1 minute ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi Max you won't regret it I faffed about on my previous Ford taxis with a generic Delphi software it was ok for some things but not for others I then graduated to Forscan and it was a Ford specific software which allowed me to replace and adapt just about anything on the car and on the later models to do DPF regenerations at two in the morning when the light came on for the DPF blocked, it also told me why the thing was blocking and what had caused it, thats why I bought VCDS when I bought the Audi and before that OBD eleven was just out otherwise in view of the cost I would have bought OBD Eleven instead.

Steve.

Just looking on eBay at the moment to be fair for one.. Gonna use the credit card as I can't afford the commute to work in a 4.2 Diesel 4x4!! looking for an IOS version at present which is throwing up issues as I use iPhone IOS systems and not Android ...Would you know of any suitable bluetooth IOS ones?

[Stevey Y]

On 2/6/2022 at 8:10 PM, MaxA3TDI said:

Just looking on eBay at the moment to be fair for one.. Gonna use the credit card as I can't afford the commute to work in a 4.2 Diesel 4x4!! looking for an IOS version at present which is throwing up issues as I use iPhone IOS systems and not Android ...Would you know of any suitable bluetooth IOS ones?

Hi have you or a friend not got an old android phone laying about, just get any old battered phone you can get as long as its android it should work a treat, I bought one as a bat phone, [urgent contact for those who I want to speak to] as I turn my work phone off otherwise they drive me nuts, its an old Samsung and came in at £20 IOS won't work with a lot of things reliably as most are running Android that includes taxi booking apps.

Steve.

[MaxA3TDI]

1 hour ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi have you or a friend not got an old android phone laying about, just get any old battered phone you can get as long as its android it should work a treat, I bought one as a bat phone, [urgent contact for those who I want to speak to] as I turn my work phone off otherwise they drive me nuts, its an old Samsung and came in at £20 IOS won't work with a lot of things reliably as most are running Android that includes taxi booking apps.

Steve.

Hi Steve,

 I can borrow one I think. The thing is now what OBDEleven? I got a Carista today and it showed no faults at all so that is going back!

Then on the way home my 4x4 stared making some strange noises too... I really need to get this sorted now ASAP, so any more help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks 

[Stevey Y]

On 2/8/2022 at 7:08 PM, MaxA3TDI said:

Hi Steve,

 I can borrow one I think. The thing is now what OBDEleven? I got a Carista today and it showed no faults at all so that is going back!

Then on the way home my 4x4 stared making some strange noises too... I really need to get this sorted now ASAP, so any more help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks 

Hi Max I would recommend one of the pro units as they do a couple on eBay that work with Android and IOS which would save having to get another phone it also has a 200 credit pack included, if you look on youtube their are a couple of tutorials on what it does and how to set it up, Carista and Carly are both cheap and won't do what you want as for the money they are a bit limited in their ability to interrogate the ECU, do a bit of online research or alternatively email the supplier first and tell them what you need. going back to your first posts two questions did you have the new battery coded and where did you get the dash reworked?.

Steve.

[Hax]

Hi @MaxA3TDI, did you get your problem sorted?  I now have the same as you - juts got my instrument cluster back which was "repaired" and the car worked for one night, but now today everything is dead and the car starts and stops after a second or two...

[MaxA3TDI]

22 hours ago, Hax said:

Hi @MaxA3TDI, did you get your problem sorted?  I now have the same as you - juts got my instrument cluster back which was "repaired" and the car worked for one night, but now today everything is dead and the car starts and stops after a second or two...

Hi , Got it sorted in the end as a faulty connection in the fuse box under the bonnet. Once that was found and then sorted so was the car... Tried so many things before it was a head ache. I hope you can source the issue soon.

Good Luck!

[Hax]

1 hour ago, MaxA3TDI said:

Hi , Got it sorted in the end as a faulty connection in the fuse box under the bonnet. Once that was found and then sorted so was the car... Tried so many things before it was a head ache. I hope you can source the issue soon.

Good Luck!

Thanks for getting back to us!  Fingers crossed the problem I have is something similar...

[MaxA3TDI]

1 hour ago, Hax said:

Thanks for getting back to us!  Fingers crossed the problem I have is something similar...

Hi, I went through the boot to check for leaks on the components, then checked the battery and also all the earth connections, relays and also the fuses.... This was a real head scratcher so I hope you manage ok.