2005 Audi A6 - warning lights, beeps, random speedo and dodgy steering

bizguy

Hi, a mate of mine has a 2006 audi A6, 2WD, 2 litre TDI, 200000km, not chipped. The last few weeks some strange things have been going on with the car.

Sometimes, and only sometimes, there are warning lights and beeps about brakes, followed by the same for ABS, then the same for parking brake (not necessarily in that order). The steering is really heavy but the brakes work fine. The lights remain on the dash but the beeps eventually stop. When the car goes back to first gear at a junction or traffic light, the beeps start up again. Related to this, when driving along the heavy steering can go back to normal or even become very light and twitchy. The speedo sometimes plummets to 0 and stays that way for a few seconds or up to an hour, then pops back to normal (have to bring the sat nav everywhere to know the speed).

This can happen when the car is first started or 3 hours into a drive, and anywhere in between

Has anyone seen this before in any car?

keithclancy

Sounds like a loose connector somewhere, did he change anything recently like a fuse or something ?

jimgoose

First thing I'd do is have it scanned for OBD fault codes.

kerten

Random intermittent electrical issues all around sounds like a dead battery.

debabyjesus

Is water getting in behind the dash? Check to footwells up under the dash for dampness

bizguy

Thanks for the ideas so far.

I followed up with him based on your posts...a new battery went in 20000km ago, this time last year.

The car had water sloshing around all 4 footwells in 2012, this was drained by taking out 2 "rubber bungs?" which were never put back in (cos a mechanic told him he didnt need to). Car was fine for over a year after the bungs were removed, all footwells bone dry. No fuses changed by him in a few years but could have been done at last service

listermint

It could most certainly be linked to the fact it had 'water sloshing around in it' That would be my first port of call. Tell me the carpet was pulled up after this. If not how the hell did anyone diagnose if issues were resolved.

Id have the bungs put back. They are their for a reason not to be left out. Water would have gotten back in.


Secondly the issues you describe can also be attributed to wheel sensor or steering angle sensors too. Little things such as hitting a kerb, bad wheel allignment. Smaller tyre / bad tyre pressure on one more wheels can throw off the allignment sensors on the vehicle including impacting the ABS and DSC in audi;s case ESC rather than DSC.

debabyjesus

If the drain bungs under the battery are the same in that A6 as the previous A6 C5 then make sure they are clear and its not holding water in there. Ive cleared a pool out of mine but its the previous model. I'd say it blocks quicker with the bungs in tbh.