cliffcoggin

The static battery voltage is meaningless when trying to diagnose electrical faults. Seemingly good batteries can actually be defective and cause a variety of problems. A deep discharge test, which most can not do at home, will reveal any fault. Having said that, there could still be a residual fault from the leak. The boot may now be dry but have you checked for moisture or corrosion inside the lid switch? I also seem to recall reports here of damaged wires to the boot lid where they pass through the rubber grommet causing a similar problem.

The two problems may not be related. I have the same car as you and the clutch sometimes snatches as it engages from stationary, but once it has engaged power transmission is smooth. Does that sound like your take off fault?

If yours has an illuminated visor mirror there must a power supply to it. Perhaps that could be used if it has enough electrical capacity. Does the speaker phone have to be sited at the visor? Wouldn't it work just as well on the dash board?

Sorry Leigh. I can not open that mov file in a browser. My only option is to save it on my computer, and that is something I am not prepared to do. Good luck in solving your problem.

If all else fails the socket can be split with a small cutting disc. Alternatively heating with a blowlamp should release the arm. Both methods are prone to damaging the bodywork and should be last resorts.

I too see only a still picture. A blown head gasket is also my first thought, though other explanations are possible. Are there other symptoms such as emulsion in the oil, overheating, oil loss?

[1] Squirt a little penetrating oil into the socket, then wait a few minutes for it to soak in. [2[ Tap around the outside with a small hammer. Not hard enough to damage or distort the metal, but hard enough that the repeated shocks may break the corrosion that holds the arm to its spindle.

Jack. I have the 2 litre diesel, and while it has loads of torque it inevitably is noisier than a petrol engine of similar power. I have no idea how it compares to a Honda CRV, whatever that is. For comparison with my previous cars, my A3 has better performance and comfort than a BMW 325d (which was an unpleasant car,) and equal performance to a Mk.3 Granada Cosworth (which I still miss). For some months I have been considering changing to a smaller more frugal car as I do only short trips and no more than 2000 miles per year, so if you want to try mine you are welcome to do so.

I don't have the manual to hand at the moment to check, but if I recall correctly each window motor has its own fuse.

Given that you have revived an old thread about faulty wiring to door locks, can we assume you have checked the wiring and the connectors?

I am glad to hear both faults are fixed Arron. In summary, the temperature problem you asked about was solved by a new thermostat. The faulty battery had nothing to with it. As Gareth pointed out earlier detail is king.

I am a little surprised at the diagnosis. I realise that a poor battery can give rise to electrical problems, in fact I have frequently suggested as much elsewhere on this forum, but if Aaron's battery was so bad I would have expected all sorts of other faults ranging from door locks to limp made to false dash warning lights etc. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, so Aaron do please let us know the effect of the new battery on your problem.

Well you posted the same topic with the same title and the same description on two ocaissions. Once at 11.48 and again 13 minutes later at 12.01.

The slow warm up and wide temperature flictuations suggest to me that the thermostat is stuck wide open. When you renew it make sure to be thorough in getting rid of airlocks. They can be a devil to eliminate.

All engines fail eventually, particularly if poorly maintained. All diesels have DPF problems unless maintained. I've never heard of such oil pump problems. Who specifically has voted that engine the least reliable? In short I don't believe the Audi 2 litre diesel is any worse than other brands. Mine has done nearly 100000 miles and is still in fine condition.

The most likely culprit, amongst several, is the car battery is dying.

What stories have you been reading?

Why the duplicate topic Kyah?

Kyah. An improvement from a new pressure cap suggests poor engine cooling. Is the engine overheating? If it is then the water is probably boiling away as steam. A pressure test might confirm a leak but it could equally well be blockage in the radiator. Are the carpets dry in the front foot well? If so it is likely the heater is leaking. It would be an expensive repair but cheaper than the alternative of an internal engine leak. If you conclude that water is disappearing into the engine there are still several possibilities: [1] The head gasket. A compression test should reveal if this is so. [2] The water pump. This will be revealed by water in the engine oil forming a brown emulsion. [3] Possibly the EGR valve which I think is water cooled. I hope somebody else can confirm this point.

The knocking will always be less, or even non-existent, when the clutch is depressed because no power is being transmitted through the joint. You can test the joints by gripping a drive shaft in self locking grips and violently trying to twist it back and forth. Any movement or noise at the joint demonstrates it is worn. Do it with the wheel on the ground and the gearbox in neutral to test the outer joint; do it with the wheel in the air and a gear selected to test the inner joint.

Hello Adde. Those noises are typical of worn CV joints. You wrote that you have changed one joint, but are you aware that each drive shaft has two CV joints? I suggest you renew the other three.

Hello A (Anonymous?) If you have never worked on a car before the best tip I can give you is get some instruction from somebody who knows what he is doing. Learn how to use the tools, how to immobilise the car, how to jack it up safely, and even how to clean your hands at the end of the day. To imagine you can charge in knowing nothing more than a few fault codes is the height of foolishness.

Emma. There is no way one can value your car without a lot more information, plus an inspection, plus a test drive. Sorry but "beautiful and really well maintained" is not enough. The value will depend principally on condition, age, mileage, and service history. I suggest you get it inspected by the AA or RAC, who are probably going to be the closest thing you can find to independant assessors without vested interests. At 13 years old it is getting a bit long in the tooth, so be prepared to be disappointed by its value.

I have never noticed anything like that on mine, but then I don't turn off the engine with the bonnet open, so whether it is normal I know not. I suppose if there is pressure downstream of the turbo when the engine is switched off the only way for the air to escape is back through the turbo. Let's hope someone else can chip in.

How did you resolve the problem? Were you able to save the old battery?