Is there an Audi dealer tech in the house? | FerrariChat

Is there an Audi dealer tech in the house?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by yelcab, Jan 27, 2021.

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  1. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    Mitchell Le
    #1 yelcab, Jan 27, 2021
    I have a EPC issue that is stumping me on a 2010 A3. The car would refuse to even crank over once in a while and the issue would go away if you wait for 5-30 minutes. The car belongs to my daughter in college out of town and I should fix it or get rid of it for safety reason.
     
  2. 19633500GT

    19633500GT F1 World Champ
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    #2 19633500GT, Jan 27, 2021
    How many miles on the A3? Crank position sensor faults are normal for EPC issues, and it could be a large end item fix, or something a bit more simple.

    Do you have anyone with VAG OBD scanners that can confirm any of the fault codes present?
     
  3. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #3 yelcab, Jan 27, 2021
    The A3 has 120,000 miles so some of the electronics are probably due. I have a code scanner so I can read a code. It says something about "starter shorted to Ground" which makes zero sense (the car is out of town).
     
  4. 19633500GT

    19633500GT F1 World Champ
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    #4 19633500GT, Jan 27, 2021
    starter motor. Ground strap. Battery leads. Unsure but these VAG electrics get weird past 100k
     
  5. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #5 yelcab, Jan 27, 2021
    The EPC light has been around for 2 years. Before I sent her off to college, I changed to Bosch rebuilt starter, Audi alternator, Audi radiator, Audi water pump, Audi thermostat, heater hose coupling (the one with little nipple that always breaks off), newish battery, Audi coolant tank, upper and lower coolant hoses, new tires, all new fluids, and taught her how to change her tire, and made sure all error codes were tended to --- except the EPC.

    If the ground strap is bad or battery leads are bad, it would not have run all this time. There is NO WAY a starter can be shorted to ground and have the car run. That error code is Audi-speak for something much more obscure. I have a feeling some tech at Audi has seen this before and ... someone's gotta have an "ah ha" moment.

    I have worked on Audis before and I swear to never ever buy an Audi again. If it's unreliable, it better be red and has a Ferrari badge.
     
  6. 19633500GT

    19633500GT F1 World Champ
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    #6 19633500GT, Jan 27, 2021
    Two years on an EPC is bold!

    I have two Audi’s so I’m a bit biased :)

    I’ll take the good and bad that come with them
     
  7. Redneck Slim

    Redneck Slim Formula 3
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    #7 Redneck Slim, Jan 27, 2021
    Ross-Tech makes the factory scan tool and sells it to the public for only $200 (if only Ferrari...). You download it to your laptop. I love it and have used it many times on my A3.
     
  8. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #8 yelcab, Jan 27, 2021
    Scan tool is not my problems. I have two and can get access to a VAG. The understanding of the error code "Starter Shorted To Ground" from the scan tool, that's my problem. That code is pure stupid.
     
  9. raemin

    raemin Formula 3

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    #9 raemin, Jan 28, 2021
    Well I am not exactly a tech, but here is my experience with an VW touareg v10. Going back from the ski, the car would not start any-more, the local dealer said the engine was shot. Failure presumably related to a combination of tough climbing and sudden stop under freezing temperature (Bla Bla Bla...). Motor swapped. One week later same issue... The dealer finally spotted an issue with "faulty starter ground" (sounds familiar?). Ground strap changed, while they were there they also changed the starter. Problem solved.

    I cannot say for sure if replacing the ground strap or the starter fixed my issue, but replacing both did.

    (They made a 11.000€ rebate on the 22.000€ new engine)
     
  10. rotaryrocket7

    rotaryrocket7 Formula Junior

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    #10 rotaryrocket7, Jan 28, 2021
    If you're still struggling for an answer - take the error code and go search in the Ross Tech Forum, odds are you'll find someone who's posted about it before. Maybe you tried that, sorry if so.
     
  11. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #11 yelcab, Jan 28, 2021
    Tried that, one match and the issue was never closed by the original poster.
    I will look for a ground strap fault when I get to see the car again.
     
  12. JCR

    JCR F1 World Champ
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    #12 JCR, Jan 28, 2021
  13. voicey

    voicey Formula 3

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    #13 voicey, Jan 29, 2021
    What engine is it? If it's a PD then it'll be the loom - they are always failing where the pass by the gearbox.
     
  14. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #14 yelcab, Jan 29, 2021
    It is the base 2010 A3 with turbo 2L engine, 2 wheel drive.

    What is PD?
     
  15. reisskhan

    reisskhan Karting

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    #15 reisskhan, Feb 9, 2021
    Hi mate have you have this car on a proper machine or even with the likes of Vag Com etc apart from the basic cheap OBD readers?

    Normally EPC faults can be read on the proper readers you see and might give you more idea what’s going’s if you can try and check
     
  16. reisskhan

    reisskhan Karting

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    #16 reisskhan, Feb 9, 2021
    Realised you got a few machines?

    If so are any of them clearing the EPC light or what code is coming up exactly

    Can you post it on here
     
  17. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
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    #17 yelcab, Jan 4, 2022
    To close this off.

    1. I put in a battery cut off switch and taught my daughter to cut off the battery and reconnect it every time the non-starting issue appear. It works every time. That points to the root cause to be electrical in nature, and is power related.
    2. But, the problem shows up on a daily basis now so the battery cut off switch is no longer acceptable.

    So, on a desperate whim, while the car is back for Christmas break, I replaced ALL relays on the relay board with the proper Audi relays bought at the dealer. It has been a month without any recurrences.

    I hope this car will last another 18 months and then I will be happy to put 60 lbs of dynamite in it and blow it up in the middle of Death Valley
     
    Jaguar36 likes this.
  18. Tegethoff

    Tegethoff Formula Junior

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    #18 Tegethoff, Jan 4, 2022
    It's been a few years since I serviced these regularly but it sounds like an issue with J59 Load reduction relay, marked "100" or "18"

    If I remember correctly you can quickly identify it by turning on something like wipers (that should be disabled during starting) and checking to see if they continue functioning while attempting to crank the engine.
     

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