cliffcoggin

Ask Audi. Surely Audi has got to be the definitive source of correct information.

Well said Gareth. Personally I don't respond to anybody who openly swears or who can't be bothered to use proper English in the question. Cliff.

Judging by the size of the cables and the fuse ratings (80-100 amps) they have got be the starter motor circuit, and possibly the alternator.

Glad to hear it. Your non Audi coil may not be defective so much as unsuitable in some aspect of its design. Many after market components are compromised in design in an attempt to make them fit as many cars as possible; an attempt that isn't always successful.

Very pretty, but not sure they suit a white body. On a practical note the red lining won't last long if you scrape against high kerbs.

Whether you have warning light or not is irrelevant. It is evident there is a serious problem which needs to be resolved soon, and if you can't do that yourself you need to find somebody who can. If there is a misfire the possible causes are many, so there are two approaches to the problem in my view: [1] Throw money at it by renewing parts at random until you strike lucky. [2] Get a professional diagnosis and bear the extra cost. Only you can say which is the better option for you.

If the engine misfire has returned but now only occurs under heavy acceleration it would give exactly the symptoms you describe. You need to get it sorted out to avoid damage to engine mountings and exhaust.

Dennis. I decided to start from scratch and reread this thread in case I missed something. All I can come up with is: [1] I have no idea what a parrot thing is, but if it is some sort of home fitted device I would suspect that first. Rather than assume it draws no power because it does not work when the ignition is off, I suggest you disconnect its power supply to be sure. There may be a battery charging or memory circuit inside the device that requires constant power. It may even have a fault that isn't obvious. [2] Are there any other non factory accessories? Disconnect them. [3] You said the boot light has been removed. Was that just the bulb removed or were the wires cut? Are there any naked connections left that could short out? [4] The only thing I know of that draws power when the ignition is off and the car locked is the alarm system. I don't believe it draws half an amp in normal operation but perhaps it is faulty. I don't know how you could test it though. [5] If none of the above isolates the problem I see no alternative to taking out each fuse one at a time and measuring the current drain. (Unless I missed an earlier comment I think you said you had not done that.) It will be a slow business but could be speeded up by taking out half a dozen fuses at a time until you find the right group, and then just one at a time from the offending group.

I'm confused. Do you mean the side of the car or the rear? A picture would help.

I'm clutching at straws here, but Gareth's comment about moisture ingress reminds me that another correspondent on the forum said that A3s have a reputation for poor seals on the fuse box lids, so possibly there is a short in there.

I suggest you start the diagnosis with a compression test on the engine. It's a simple cheap test that will reveal if there are major mechanical problems with the engine. If cylinder 4 pressure is well below the others you face a very expensive repair.

If you put the right amount of oil in and it has been confirmed by dipping then it's got to be level sensor problem I would have thought.

Rebecca. Of course it can be fixed, but it will likely cost you twice what the car is worth. Do you like the car enough that you would spend that much money on it? In your position I would get rid of it, though it may be difficult to find anybody apart from a scrap man willing to take on such a wreck.

New lamps will be needed Mark. Years ago you could buy clip on beam deflectors for Continental use, there were even yellow ones for France, but I have not seen them for sale in ages. Possibly they are not even legal any more.

That's good to know for the future Stephen. Is the lid of your fuse box not sealing?

I am not clear what your steering problem is. When you centralise the steering wheel do the road wheels point straight ahead (does the car drive straight,) or do they point to one side (does the car gently turn)? If the former, you may have damage to the suspension/steering so the car needs to be examined at a garage. Is there anything unusual about the handling of the car either in a straight line or when cornering? Are the tyres worn unevenly? Or it may simply be low fluid level. If the latter, it is likely the tracking or toe-in has been adjusted more on one side than the other. Its nothing to worry about though it looks odd and can be easily corrected. The vibration under braking could be distorted discs or it indicate more serious damage to the steering/suspension. I reckon you need to get the car examined and repaired to ensure it is safe and roadworthy. If you lucky it will only cost a small fortune. If you are unlucky...

Two suggestions for you Mark: [1] If the belt was replaced by an official Audi garage then it will have been recorded on the Audi computer system. Ask Audi. [2] Try typing the German text from the sticker into Google Translate or similar to find out what it reads. I would guess the belt has been done, but it is important to check because belt replacement is critical to long term survival of the engine.

Do you really believe an oil additive can fill the gaps between rings and cylinder walls? I certainly don't. If you look at Wynns website for this material its only specific claim is that it "Revitalizes rubber and neoprene seals of crankshaft, camshaft and valve stems." In other words it softens hard rubber to temporarily restore its ability to conform to metal surfaces. No other claim is specifically made, though much is implied by typical advertisers weasel words. Don't be misled into thinking there is a magic cure for wear. Don't waste your money on the stuff. If your rings are worn your engine needs an overhaul, which years ago would mean a re-bore and over-size pistons. Nowadays it probably means a new engine. However the diagnosis of worn rings may be pessimistic. I suggest you get a compression test done on the engine, which can help diagnose whether the bores or the valves are leaking. Getting valve leaks repaired is much cheaper than getting a re-bore.

I have no idea what the codes mean, but there is little doubt that an intermittent injector fault would give the rough idling symptoms you describe. Who are these experts you consulted? Did they not suggest any solution?

Glad to hear it. Where did you send the mechatronic unit for repair?

If the rust is coming through from the inside as Steve suggests, your chances of treating it effectively from the outside are slim. You might be better off driving it into the ground then scrapping it.

Glad to hear the garage has done the decent thing.

James. Wiring diagrams can be found on-line.

David. You have lower profile tyres at the front which means effectively the overall diameter is smaller, which in turn causes lower top speed/greater acceleration/greater fuel consumption. The lowering of the front end of the car may also have an effect on steering. I would get the tyres changed to the correct size.

Paul. I don't know the answer to your question, but have you checked that top gear ratio is actually higher than your existing box? It is natural to assume it is, but I would check before making any change. The other possible drawback depends on where the speedo is driven or impulsed from. If it is from the output shaft your speedo will still read correctly; but if it from an intermediate shaft you may find it to read wrongly.