Magnet

Many thanks for the advice. A bit of an update:- Had the ‘offender’ diagnosed as the centre left sensor, so now have a replacement on order, so fingers crossed. Diagnostics was done by an independent, when travelling to W.Wales. Incase it helps someone at some time, they are P.W. Motorsports at a village called Clunderwen, just off the St. Clears to Haverfordwest main road. I must say, I found them efficient and most helpful, and to me - the icing on the cake is that you can talk with them, rather than a service receptionist. Karol Gos runs the place, and he quickly gave me the Audi part number and advised not to pay Audi’s £160! but to buy an aftermarket one. All in all, a superb service in my book. I can’t vouch for their service work, but I was certainly impressed with the assistance I had. Well done Karol, and thank you for your help. So it will be bumper off to get at this one, and I hope for good luck. Many thanks again. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Matt, To avoid anyone suggesting where you have already tried - where have you tried? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Kristian, Petrol or diesel? Kind regards, Gareth.

Good, glad we could help. Next time ( let’s hope not) it will be Ebay as the first port of call, then the on-line breaker link sites, and local scrap yards last.

Thanks for coming back Jordon. Let me start by saying I certainly don’t won’t to push you in any direction in which you feel you don’t want to go. People usually join this ( and I guess most other) forums because they have a problem, and want to seek advice. Advice is given freely, and believe me, we have a very small number of contributors who give their time to help others, and I would guess it would be fair to say far less than one in fifty posters stick around to help others - even with similar experiences. My experience points me to believe that when someone asks for advice, they are often asking for confirmation that what they intend to do is for the best. If the advisor has a different view, then this can cause discontent. Many of my responses are prefixed with ‘…if this were mine…’, and this has been the case with your post. Again, posts can end up with the advisor stating that any decision to accept or dismiss that advice, quite rightly rests with the person asking for help. This again is the situation in your case Jordon. Please feel free to obviously do what suits you best - no problem on my part, and I wish you well with whatever route you choose. I will try and answer your question of the difference between and independent and a bodyshop - apologies but I assumed this was known:- Main dealers and independents generally concentrate on mechanical issues rather than pulling bodywork and interiors apart. There was a time when main dealers had their own bodyshops to deal with accident damage etc., but I think you will find these are now few and far between. The same would apply to independents, but probably to a much great extent. Bodyshops? - as the title suggests. My feeling for what it’s worth- you take you car to your main dealer - they subcontract your issue to the bodyshop they normally use for accident damage rectification, and add their profit. Independent ? Would not be surprised they will do the same. That’s why I suggested you go straight to them and probably save yourself some funds. Kind regards, Gareth.

Relay issue?

Did you buy it after Jess? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks for coming back on this Jordan. As expensive as Audi is at £120/hr. we don’t see many queuing to set up dealerships, and make their fortunes. I don’t want to come over in defence of such dealerships, but this sort of rate is about the norm. If you think that is expensive, then how about £192/hr. at the local JLR dealership? Independent? Of course you can, and yes, their labour rate may be a bit cheaper, but will they do it thoroughly in the allotted time? Now you seem to have an aversion to my suggestion of a trusted body shop - for some reason. I still think you are likely to get the best job at such an establishment. These chaps are used to taking panels and interiors out to rectify crash damage, so should know their way around. I know where I would be going, but it’s your car, and obviously your choice. I really hope it works out for you. Kind regards, Gareth.

EBay Katie?

Thanks Bernard, It sounds like you are onto a promise - but a promise it is, and it seems that you are discounting the alternatives ( and of course that’s your free choice), which you may to have to consider if time passes, and the hassle becomes worthless. OK, welding no. Getting a new pipe made up?? Why not? I would simply be searching out a commercial vehicle hydraulics specialist and going to have a chat with them. Low pressure pipework should be a dozzle for them. O.D. of this pipe? There are thousands of folks renovating vehicles for which there is zero supply of replacement parts, yet they succeed by finding businesses ( or enthusiastic individuals) who can make the necessary parts for them. Your situation is far from unique, and outside-the-box solutions will be possible and practical, if given a good coat of thinking about. Good luck and all speed in whatever route you settle on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sounds interesting Steve, and particularly since your real-time comparison of products will be meaningful, and we don’t have to wait months and years, as a result of the very high mileages you are covering. Many thanks and kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Stephan, Are we right in thinking it still isn’t cranking over then, rather than it’s an intermittent problem. Not cranking ( as opposed to cranking, but not starting) would have a limited number of causes, and should be simpler to fault find than an intermittent problem. Since your mechanic appears stumped, then it sounds best left in the hands of a trusted local auto electrician. We take it your battery is of reputable make, and has been tested to simply eliminate it from the equation. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Bernard, I’m very much with Steve, and the repair road would be my preferred option - since all else seems hassle. You obviously know the shape and end fittings etc. of this pipe, but we don’t, so a photo would be useful. Since you can’t buy a pipe then getting a replacement made up should be an option, but even if this isn’t practical ( and I can’t see why not), then can’t your cut the pipe at the damaged area, and use a piece of rubber fuel hose suitably jubilee clipped on, as a bridging piece - at least as a temporary repair? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stephan, When you say..’ but the vehicle will not start…’, do you mean the engine doesn’t turn over when the starter is engaged, or it does crank over, but will not fire up? Also, while we are at it, how old is your battery? Kind regards, Gareth.

Price Mike please? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Katie, Thanks for joining and sorry to hear of your altercation. Have you tried:- EBay, and registering your ‘want’ on on-line car breaker link sites such as Partsfinder ( there are far more, if you search). We take it you have had a ring around your local car breakers -? Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. I’m assuming you don’t want to buy new. Colour? I guess you are aware that you are likely to have to have the replacement sprayed to your colour, otherwise you seriously restrict the chances of finding one. An aerosol will be sufficient. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello folks, Time for an update:- All the wiring looks good, and since there isn’t any noises/ vibrations at any of the four sensors, I thought I would swop the module ( for a secondhand one due to Audi’s anticipated cost). Outcome - still the same. I have done some spray work on the bumper, but no more than would be expected to respray a new one, and everything was fine for a week or two after. Tried WD 40 on all four. Where to now? As I see it, I ideally need diagnostics, and the question I need an answer to is, will that isolate which sensor/s are at fault ( if a sensor) rather than me ‘investing’ in a new set of fouron the off chance that may sort it? On a rare cadge for some help, would there be any member around the Cardiff area who has the necessary test gear, and be prepared to help, or indeed W. Wales, where we travel to occasionally. I don’t mind paying, but not really an uneconomical main dealer rate. Many thanks and kind regards, Gareth.

Any comments on the asking price to further my experience? Road tax €1.8K/a! Blinking heck, that sounds like a ‘gas and air moment’!

Hello Barry and Steve, €16K for a 125K ( low, but not low, mileage if you see what I mean) model? Since it’s being sold by a specialist then I would expect a premium price, but wondered if this was indeed near the going rate. Take it you have checked the MOT history etc. Barry. Kind regards, Gareth.

That’s fine Duncan. Best left as no score draw half time then.

Thanks Harminder, I think Jon clarified that his 21k equated to infrequent longish journeys, but you raise a good point in my book. Low mileage can result in above average wear and tear on many components, not really encountered on a high motorway mileage example of the same age. Shame Jon never came back to advise whether he had the same degree of success that he did with JLR. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Mohammed, Sounds like you’ve boiled this down, and you simply want to progress along the lines of the video. That’s great. Personally, I’d still want to work from my back-to-first-principles and get the battery (and alternator) efficiency checked to eliminate these before moving on, but your call. You ‘voltage seems good’ check done with a simple multi meter under no-load condition? Just out of interest - make of your battery? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Duncan, ‘…not totally correct…’ Um! Let’s try and boil this down:- Is stoping and restarting an engine (with zero oil pressure) unlikely to have any negative effect on the engine - particularly over many years of repeating that procedure numerous times/day? If your answer is ‘No it doesn’t have an adverse affect’ ,then it would be great to hear your reasoning to support that. As I see it we have two camps here who are not stop/start averse:- Environment supportive motorists who are happy to accept the engineering averse system, based on the ‘temporarily on stop’ emissions reduction. I certainly don’t have any any argument with that, since I guess they know that they are paying the cost. Other group - my car has stop/start, and that’s posh and somewhat impressive, and I want it to work for that reason, and it won’t be impressive if I switch it off. Different, and they too obviously know about the increased wear element. Back to your ‘… not totally correct….’ Interesting third group? Many thanks Duncan. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mohammed, Simple eliminations first:- worth getting the battery efficiency checked, before moving on to more complex possibilities. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Any form of slight obstruction or disturbance of any of the components can result in the symptoms you have. Personally, I would not be hanging my hat on the motor being the offender here. I would be more interested in searching for some localish specialist inspection/advice before attempting to remove anything. Kind regards, Gareth.