Audi A4 problem

trowelled

My sister bought an 04 Audi A4 (1.6L) a couple months back. Not long after she got it the engine light came on. She got on to the Audi dealer she bought it from as there is a 1 year guarantee on it. Anyway they got her to bring it back in and the said the fault was the breathing pipe.

Not long after this both my other sister and her fiancee were driving the car and each time the engine light came on. They both had the same problems with the car. It was sluggish and then would just shoot off. But then when my sister, who owns it, got back into it the light wasn't on and she didn't have any of those problems. Well that is until a week or so ago. The light came on for her and like that the car was sluggish and would then just shoot off. So once again she got on to the Audi dealer. She brought it back to them and they worked on it on Monday last (27th July) and she got it back the following day. They told her that the problem was the spark plugs needed replacing. So they replaced them and all the brake pads.

As I said that was Tuesday and then on Saturday while driving the car the engine light came on again. As you can imagine she's fairly infuriated at this stage. She's gonna call them tomorrow as that's when they'll be back open. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem or if anyone knows what could be the underlying cause. I'd hate for her to bring it back have them fix something only for the light to come on again.

Any help is very much appreciated

Tipsy Mac

What fault is showing when the dealer reads the codes?

trowelled

Tipsy Mac wrote: »

What fault is showing when the dealer reads the codes?

Tbh I don't think they tell her much.

The first time she brought it back to them they said the fault that came up was the breathing pipe and the second time they said that it came up as the spark plugs.

Heroditas

Sluggish and then shooting off?
Could be absolutely anything and you'd really need the diagnostic kit hooked up and have a look at the error codes. I would assume the garage are doing that bu you never know these days.

Fuel pump issues maybe?
Ignition coils?

Mr.Diagnostic

I have had a few that drove very similar to how you describe. the fault codes were for fuel trims and misfires, which would nearly match in with what parts you say were replaced. The ones I saw would sometimes cut out and be difficult to restart, but only sometimes.

The fault was a dry solder joint on the main relay. Get someone to reflow the solder for you and failing that book it in with a diagnostic specialist.

trowelled

Thanks for the replies.

I'll say all you've said to my sister. Hopefully she can throw some of these things at the audi guys. She only bought the car a couple months ago so it's very disheartening to have this happen.

brophy

I reckon it could be the mass airflow sensor, happened to me and two of my frieds who have 2004/05 A4's although we drive tdi's. You can remove urs and take it back to audi they then knock €40 off the price of a new one so works out at a €100.

doyler1

Hi there

i purchased a 06 Audi a4 in waterford and have intermitting problems with it cutting out. i only have the car about 2 months and have sent it back to the garage and they keep telling me that they are not having the problem with it and no errors showing up on the tests they have done.

it cuts out usually when i am chaning down to second ger when the car is cold i think ? when does your sisters car cut out?

i also have a problem with a smelly air-conditioning unit which they said they have replaced but i still have the problem.

i am at present writing a letter to the dealer expressing my fustration with them and the car and would be interested to find out more about your sisters problems and where she purchased it?


doyler

kavoweb

to original OP,its air flow meter i reckon....happened to my golf.

trowelled

To Doyler,

The car doesn't cut out, it stays going, just gets sluggish. My sister wil move up through the gears and it'll be very slow moving off and then all of a sudden it will just shoot off. she left it in with the dealer yesterday. The manager seemed to be annoyed himself that the problem hasn't been fixed. He was also annoyed at the fact the services people semt my sister out an invice for 495 euro. As I mentioned it's still under guarantee so the manager seemed somewhat irked that services team had done that.

Hopefully this time it gets sorted!

beachlife

Mr.Diagnostic wrote: »

I have had a few that drove very similar to how you describe. the fault codes were for fuel trims and misfires, which would nearly match in with what parts you say were replaced. The ones I saw would sometimes cut out and be difficult to restart, but only sometimes.

The fault was a dry solder joint on the main relay. Get someone to reflow the solder for you and failing that book it in with a diagnostic specialist.

a dry solder joint on the main relay? reflow the solder? is this on the wiring side or in the relay?

crosstownk

As others have stated it could be the MAF sensor but there is a good chance it could also be the lambda probe - not uncommon on a 1.6 VAG power unit.

Your going to need the fault read out/code before any diagnosis can be made. Maybe it's time for a second opinion.

Mr.Diagnostic

beachlife wrote: »

a dry solder joint on the main relay? reflow the solder? is this on the wiring side or in the relay?

In the relay.

These relays are very poor and give plenty of trouble. Normally they fail completely and are easy to diagnose. Every now and again they fail as I described above. They are a known common problem. I have had new ones fail in a short time. I think resoldering is a better fix than a new relay.

beachlife

thanks for that Mr. Diagnostic. I do a bit of work on vag cars and have replaced a couple of relays before. Inever tried to resolder them but the next one i get i will!! My hobby is soldering smt's and reworking(boring i know but what do you expect from a techie!!) what sort of kit do you use ?

Mr.Diagnostic

By kit I assume you mean soldering?

I have quite a number of solutions for common immobiliser and ECU problems based on embedded software that require the use of a soldering station and a selection of programmers.
I have two hot air stations, one a Weller and the other brand escapes me (cheap ebay one). Also a selection of cheap irons and guns for general work like relays.

trowelled

My sister got the car back today. They said it was the coil plack. They told her they only replaced one when they replacedthe sparkplugs and so they replaced the other 5???

Mr.Diagnostic

Hope i am wrong, but I would put money on it not being fixed.

trowelled

Mr.Diagnostic wrote: »

Hope i am wrong, but I would put money on it not being fixed.

didn't say it to her but I was kinda thinking the same myself. It just seemed a little too "easy" or something! I don't know much about cars but I do hope we're both wrong...............

efitzy

Did you sort out that problem with the smelly air-con? mine is the same.