New A3 1.6 owner - Few questions

[leighlo]

Hi All,

I've just bought a 2000 Audi A3 1.6 which is in immaculate condition, but appears to need a tiny amount ofTLC.

The main problems are as follows,

• Passenger window doesn't work at all - won't respond to the switches, The drivers window will go down, but then struggles to go up. It will go up with help. I understand this is a common problem with A3's, but can it be a DIY repair?
• The air recirculation switch (non-climate control) pushes in and pops back out again and doesn't appear to make any difference? Is it supposed to stay in once pressed or not? The car doesn't seem to fog up too badly, so maybe it's stuck on non-recirculate?
• The biggest problem is with the idle. It hovers between 800rpm and 1200rpm, and is quite lumpy, as though the car is accelerating by itself. If I put my foot on the accelerator, I can feel it pulsing, as though it's pushing itself down and returning back up? Is this a common problem, and what am I looking at?

Sorry for the questions, but I've never owned an Audi before or experienced Audi dealers!

 

[dany2k]

hiya mate, i'll do my best:

1) could be the motor or the regulator clips starting to fail/break apart. it can be a DIY repair if u get hold of a decent guide, follow it carefully and be patient. ive done it on a mk4 golf a few times and its not hard... just requires patience
2) no idea what this means, always had a climate control version. but, going on my mk4 golf knowledge, i think u can oull the knob off (haha) and have a bit of a fiddle inside. i do remember a post from a few weeks back whereby somebody mentioned an issue with the switch. perhaps worth a go sifting through?
3) this one is a tricky one BUT my wife's old vw lupo and my brother's mk4 golf had a very similar issue... remedied by... a replacement second-hand throttle body on the lupo and 2) a clean of the throttle body/intake on the golf.

hope that covers it

 

[gavin89]

i think dany answered everything! lol I would give it a scan on vagcom, should find out bit more about the idle and any other problems.

 

[leighlo]

Thanks guys - totally new to the brands, so Vagcom I presume is software that displays error codes? Similar to BMW?

I guessed it would be the throttle body, but will investigate when the weather gets a bit better I think!

 

[jimmp]

that's right leighlo,

it is. There should be a diagnostic socket on the driver's side of the vehicle under the dash (but part of the dash trim). Sitting in the drivers seat with the door open- run your hand down from the vent on the trim panel and you'll find it where the panel goes horizontal just before the door seal.

A few options are available- Halfords £40 fault code reader will give you the DTC (digital trouble code) number and then you look up what's going on (this depends whether the issue has logged as an engine management problem- you don't mention having a yellow Engine Management light on the dash?
2nd option- get the online program and buy the cable that allows you to plug your laptop into the car to see what's going on- alot more detailed and I can't really expand on the cost and how it works...
Look up through the forum who is local to you and see if they've got his gear (alot of people have and see if they are prepared to do you a favour.
Option 4- pay some maniac money to try and work it out!

I'd try for 3...

JimP

 

[dany2k]

maybe the best/cheapest option for you would be to get a cheapo cable off ebay and use the shareware version of vagcom or vcds as it's now known. for our older a3s, you can get the full functionality for £70ish off Ross-tech, the developers of the software so really isn't so bad at all.

i would go for this option if you're planning to keep the a3, because electrical senders seem to often go on these

 

[leighlo]

Thanks guys,

The air-recirculation problem is now fixed... it was user error... I didn't realise it wouldn't allow it to be switched on if the demister was being used!

I'll work on the idle and window problems this weekend, so you'll probably see more posts from me!

 

[DaveA3]

my drivers window did this. i needed a new regulator and then it was fixed. my local fitted it for £60. sourced the kit myself from ebay for £40

passenger have u checked the fuses? might be the switch but can try cehcking the fuse first

 

[leighlo]

my drivers window did this. i needed a new regulator and then it was fixed. my local fitted it for £60. sourced the kit myself from ebay for £40

passenger have u checked the fuses? might be the switch but can try cehcking the fuse first

Thanks, you can hear something going on in the door innards, but the window just doesn't move - so I'm thinking the switch and fuse are fine?

 

[dany2k]

i'd put my life on this being the regulator clips mate