Brakes Stop! Three Beeps and no ignition.

[danletchford]

As the title says, just recently (and very sporadically - 1 in every 4 times?) 2007 Audi will not start and instead gives me three or maybe four long beeps, red exclamation mark in display unit saying "Brakes", dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree and no response from ignition. Then, wait a few minutes and it's right as rain! Changed battery, made no difference. Any ideas? Brakes are absolutely fine btw, so not sure huw accurate warning message is. I've made a video but not sure if I can upload or not. ps - seems not, can only insert URL?!

Edited August 5 by danletchford
Add file

[danletchford]

This is the OP, only way I could find to post more media.

[Magnet]

2007 might be a little early to need new battery being coded to the car, but worth a check. 
Think Clifford on here has mentioned issue with dashboard cluster in the past. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[cliffcoggin]

Yes it may well be the instrument cluster. Rather than explain it all again look at this thread. It details the symptoms (which can vary), and the solution.

 

https://www.audiownersclub.com/forums/topic/19885-instrument-cluster-problem/#comments

 

P.S. 2007 batteries do need to be coded.

Edited August 5 by cliffcoggin
Additional information.

[Magnet]

So cheapest option to start, will be getting the new (how long has it been on there?) battery coded. 
Can we take it you fitted a good quality battery, rather than one bought on price? 
Kind regards,

Gareth.

Our 2006 doesn’t need coding, but…

[GordonH]

13 hours ago, Magnet said:

2007 might be a little early to need new battery being coded to the car, but worth a check. 
Think Clifford on here has mentioned issue with dashboard cluster in the past. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

I have a 2007 no coding required

 

[Magnet]

Not as simple as that that then.
Alternator output checked?

Brand of replacement battery? 

[danletchford]

It was just a standard battery from local car parts place. Replaced same version. Fault started with old battery fitted and continued with new one, which to me suggest not battery related issue? 

[Magnet]

Ok, this is getting difficult, since we are not getting the answers to questions asked. 
Yes, you can go ahead with your assumption that this isn’t battery associated - and it may not be - but it remains an assumption until proven. To go ahead with that assumption, points you to the expensive route of getting the cluster assessed. 
Not my money, but if it was, I would need answers to:- 

Make of battery, since some brands are notorious for poor quality-?

Alternator output check? 
Parasitic drain on battery check? 

I am not claiming your issue is battery associated, but simply to confirm whether it is or not. 

Only when I had  eliminated these factors, would I move on to investigating more costly options. 
Questions are asked, and advice offered, but of course we have no control over the responses received against either. 

I really cannot offer any other first-line advice, so I can only leave it to others to offer their advice, based on the facts which have been tendered. 

[danletchford]

Sorry, I'm not being difficult, was just trying to keep it simple. The battery brand is LIon -with a three year guarantee. I haven't checked the alternator output because I wouldn't know how. All the garages around here are booked for 3 weeks. The most maddening thing is how it's literally pot luck. Turn the key..... and it either fires up or three beeps and nothing.....5 mins later it will work. 

 

[GordonH]

26 minutes ago, danletchford said:

Sorry, I'm not being difficult, was just trying to keep it simple. The battery brand is LIon -with a three year guarantee. I haven't checked the alternator output because I wouldn't know how. All the garages around here are booked for 3 weeks. The most maddening thing is how it's literally pot luck. Turn the key..... and it either fires up or three beeps and nothing.....5 mins later it will work. 

 

Have you tried an auto electrician? 

[danletchford]

Again, 3 week wait. Blooming summer holidays!

[cliffcoggin]

3 hours ago, GordonH said:

I have a 2007 no coding required

 

Mine, also 2007, did require coding.

[cliffcoggin]

44 minutes ago, danletchford said:

 The battery brand is LIon -with a three year guarantee.

I have read that Lion batteries have a very poor reputation on this forum, so I would not place too much reliance on the guarantee. That's not to say the battery is definitely responsible for the problem, but it does leave a question mark over it.

If you are prepared to take the instrument cluster out yourself and post it to ECU Testing, you should have it back long before your local garages can even look at it. £45 for a diagnosis, about £180 for repair.

[Magnet]

OK Daniel, now things are getting more informed, and indeed meaningful. 
Again, I’m not claiming this as the culprit, but if I was to compile a list of the battery brands I would not have - even if given to me - Lion would be the top of that list. ECP’s best!! I believe they are  now branding them Starline ( another of ECP exclusive names). Nothing to do with the reputation of Lion of course. 
So, buy cheapest and you get to the buy twice syndrome. If it wasn’t the cheapest, then that’s an even greater shame. Make note, the electronics on modern cars are demanding - particularly on batteries. 
Alternator output:- unknown.

Parasitic drain :-unknown. 
Your issues may have nothing to do with any of the above, but from the school of eliminating cheapest option routes first, then I would have wanted these checked, before cluster investigations, brake switch etc.

It looks like you are going to have to wait some weeks then. 

 

[danletchford]

Right. According to some Googling there's a good chance it could be a faulty brake light switch. Might not be but I can't wait three weeks, it's not the battery and it only costs a tenner. Weird thing is..... when I went to remove the current brake light switch..... supposedly located at the top of the brake pedal.... it's not there! The car is 57 plate A3 1.6 sportback petrol. Anyone know where this part might be?

[Magnet]

Hello Daniel,

It’s probably just me, but your persistence to ask advice then ignore or reject it, is wearing a bit thin. 

Brake light switch:-‘ Anyone know where this part might be?’ 
 

Worth trying to put a Please in there somewhere?? 

[cliffcoggin]

Well if Google is such expert on this problem why not ask Google where the switch is?

[danletchford]

Blimey! Sorry everyone, didn't mean to offend. My wife's job is to take babies around for fostering agencies and obviously I don't want to be responsible for anything happening to them, that's probably why I have come across as abrupt. I do apologise. 

[Magnet]

Accepted, and that’s  better Daniel, and it doesn’t hurt does it?
 Have a read of a recent post on ‘Reacting to posts…..’. 
Yes, you are welcome to retain your claim that ‘…it’s not the battery…’ and there’s nowt we can do about that.

[cliffcoggin]

Thanks Daniel. I think we have offered all the realistic advice possible without actually seeing and testing the car. What action you now take is up to you, but please let us know the outcome.

[Dangcfguuj]

OP here. 

In case anybody else has this problem -and doesn't want to be told 15 times to "check your battery" by know-it-alls on here - here is the solution, provided by good old Google. 

Problem: see top. Car would only start intermittently, brakes light flashed up (erroneously) and four warning beeps. Despite all the repeated entreaties on here to check my battery and alternator (you try to tell people they're ok but for some reason they think they know better), it turns out the solution is very cheap and simple. Under the fascia beneath the steering wheel is a row of relays. The big square one - marked with a 460 at the end of the relay run (ie furthest from driver's door, closest to steering wheel) had failed. Went to local car parts placed got a Bosch 460 relay for £7. Simply pull faulty one out, replace with new one and problem sorted  No more failures to start, no more brake warnings,no more beeps.

A final point, about some people on this forum generally. Some people offered advice, in an attempt to help. It wasn't correct but it was appreciated. Others however seemed to take it personally when I tried to explain how their solution probably wouldn't be correct. Everyone getting on about how rubbish my battery was!? It was brand new and has been absolutely fine. Somebody else taking me to task because I forgot to say please?!!! And then cracking some Dad's Army jokes? Pretty condescending and petty whilst also being not very helpful nor particularly welcoming. There was one good suggestion though: ask Google. So I did and it gave me the answer, unlike all the other contributors to this thread. So thank you Google.... wouldn't like to appear impolite now would I!?😉

[cliffcoggin]

Glad you got it sorted Dan. Such a shame you felt the need for snide comments about those who put in time and effort trying to help you. I'll bear that in mind for next time.

[Dangcfguuj]

I wouldn't agree that they were snide - I felt my comments were pretty clear and straightforward, nothing snide about them -but thanks for the feedback. I believe most people would feel the reply "Accepted Daniel....it doesn't hurt does it?" was quite condescending but all irrelevant now. Thank you again.

[Magnet]

Thanks for the comments Daniel - technical and personal. I’m glad you now have it sorted, and sorry to hear advice on here has been fruitless. 
I take it you are therefore unlikely to return, so in case that’s right, I wish you luck with getting any future issues sorted. 
Kind regards,

Gareth.

p.s. Any particular reason for signing in with a new user name!