Huge electrical failure!

[V.I.P_UAE]

Ok, so I had a Issue with the hazard lights just coming on at random and thought a new switch would solve it so had the switch changed a couple of weeks ago.

Yesterday as Im driving they came back on again and every time I tried to turn off they would just come back on.

Then the car died and the airbag & ESP light came on. I pulled over, waited for 20 mins and it started again.

Now

• Hazard lights are flashing non stop (so i've taken the fuse out).
• Interior lights think the door is open so the interior lights are on.
• ESP light is on permenantly .
• Airbag light is flashing .
• Engine is hesitant & also the revs stick on 3-4k which is scary.

When the hazard lights started playing up before a member on that thread mentioned it could be the ECU, water has corroded the plug? and its common? I can't find anything on here saying this.

 

[Broken Byzan]

That has to be water, where is the CL pump located on these? or is there a convenience module ?

 

[V.I.P_UAE]

That has to be water, where is the CL pump located on these? or is there a convenience module ?

CL? do you mean Central Locking? & I have no Idea what a covenience module is? Sorry for my lack of knowledge on this, I have just got the car back from LOTS of work.. Head gasket/all belts/pumps/all Suspension/brakes/respray & fianally a full detail including engine, and they wax sealed everything, but before all this I had the hazard light issue, as mentioned previously on the thread below..

http://audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?t=68499&highlight=hazard+lights+ecu

 

[V.I.P_UAE]

Quick update!

Just went out in the car, the interior lights were working as normal, the airbag light was out.

Then as I was driving the engine cut out, re-started and the interior light came on and wouldn't go out (it thinks the engine is off) and lone behold the airbag light came back on!

arrrghghh, I've had this car 4 months and its been in the Garage 3 months of that with nearly 4k worth of work done on it!!! I've only covered 500kms since owning it..

 

[jojo]

I know the elcetrics go haywire when there's a dodgy earth, had it happen to mine, felt like the car was possessed, not sure if it's the same symptoms though. I vaguely remember random flashing of dash lights/indicators/hazards, but had no loss of power, was really odd.

 

[leshkin]

 

[HTC]

 

[V.I.P_UAE]

the saga continues!

Put it on Vagcom this morning, came up with crash sensor fault & belt tensioner ingnited? I Reset these, cleaned the battery terminals checked all the earths which seem ok, removed the ECU cleaned all terminals, WD40'd them!

Drove for 3 hours straight, thought I'd cracked it then on came the old hazards, then the airbag light started blinking, then the interior light switched itself on, tried to limp home but it kept cutting out, managed to do 5kms in 2 hours.

Wish I would have taken my camera today, stopped in some beautiful spots, only bad thing was the car decided when I stopped!!

Now its back home and when I start it its fine, and the hazards have stayed off, I cant even chance taking it out because it will happen again..

I wish it would either breakdown or be fixed, I've taken it to the garage about 10 times and it always works when its there... grrrrrrrr

 

[Effect]

As I said before check the ecu
how to
1 - remove wipers
2 - remove scuttle panel
once these are removed you will clearly be able to see the ECU (and the plugs) then very carefully take the plugs out of the ECU and look for damaged orange rubber seal and water ingress

Your symptoms are almost identical to what I had (hazards crash sensor interior light and engine cutting out)

The only thing I will say is make sure you are either able to get to or already at home when you do it as if the pins on the ECU have been subjected to water for a while they may have corroded to the point some will break off when the plug is removed.

James

 

[V.I.P_UAE]

As I said before check the ecu
how to
1 - remove wipers
2 - remove scuttle panel
once these are removed you will clearly be able to see the ECU (and the plugs) then very carefully take the plugs out of the ECU and look for damaged orange rubber seal and water ingress

Your symptoms are almost identical to what I had (hazards crash sensor interior light and engine cutting out)

The only thing I will say is make sure you are either able to get to or already at home when you do it as if the pins on the ECU have been subjected to water for a while they may have corroded to the point some will break off when the plug is removed.

James

I did what you suggested last time and it hasn't worked, I took the ECU off this morning, the connections were as good as new, no corroding at all, cleaned and replaced ..

This is driving me crazy.. even the mecanics at the garage have no idea what this could be. .

It works fine for 40-50kms then all hell breaks loose, as soon as I get near the garage there is no problem.

Did you change the crash sensor?? & was your airbag light blinking ?

I read through all the threads on here and it seems like onl;y you and 1 other have posted these symptoms!!

 

[Effect]

No didnt change any sensors, only hazard light switch which didnt work so put old one back in.

Looks like it could be a wiring fault for you then, might need someone to painstakingly check all the wiring out.

 

[jojo]

The dodgy earth fault I had was right by the rear subwoofer, behind it actually, mine started going on the blink after I installed the Andymac sub, as I had to move this earth thing, it was like 4 wires going into a ring behind the sub, it can get wet there if the washwipe connector comes loose... bit of a PITA to get to though, but worth a try.

 

[V.I.P_UAE]

I just don't know what to do!

The Audi Specialist has been testing the car all morning and can not find anything wrong, they say they can not do anything more and I should come and collect it .

So I am now left with a car that I have had 4 months,driven 500kms and can not take anywhere just incase it cuts out and the electrics go haywire.

It was fine after two hours of driving yesterday, then all of a sudden cut out and all the lights went mad again, and I had to limp home.

I've spent over 4k on this car on parts/paint & labour all for it to be sat in my garage gleaming away.

I think its a crash sensor beacuse why else would the hazards flash, it cut out and the interior/airbag light come on...

I GIVE UP

 

[Effect]

the left hand plug in the ECU (bigger one of the two) deals with the crash sensors airbags etc.
I am assuming that when a crash sensor is activated that it turns the hazards on and that is what is happening with you car and what was happening with mine when I first got it.
Mine was due to water getting into the ECU and obviously causing a short.
Yours sounds like the same thing.
Now if your ECU is defo completely dry it really does sound to me like you have eitehr a short somewhere else or water getting in to somewhere else (in my mind m,ost likely is a wire that has rubbed through somewhere and causing a short)

The only option as I see it or if it was my car would be to get an auto-sparky to check out the entire loom in the engine bay I would imagine this is gonna be a pricey job as its easy to do with the correct knowhow just very time consuming.
So if I were you I'd buy a tub of vaseline now ready for the shafting you are most likely to recieve when the bill lands.


Hope you get it sorted mate as I know how god damn frustrating it was when I had these problems and didnt know how to sort it

 

[V.I.P_UAE]

ITS FIXED!!!!!!!!

I took all the earths off, cleaned them all, re-wired the headlight that was a mess to be honest (bare broken old wires ect )

Then cleaned the drain holes below the scuttle panel that were blocked allowing water to seep into the footwell,
.........so far so good ...


If anyone has this problem check your drain holes & Earths , mine were totally blocked.

The headlights & interior lights are much brighter, all warning lights are off, No ESP light,working perfectly, no airbag light ...

One happy bunny !!!

 

[Effect]

Heh heh good news mate

Nothing better than the feeling you getw hen you fix a problem like this.

 

[Nilz]

Well done mate!!!

Flippin eck, i wait everyday to see a new post from you, saying something else has gone wrong, fingers crossed, you will be a happy S3 driver now!!!

 

[V.I.P_UAE]

Well done mate!!!

Flippin eck, i wait everyday to see a new post from you, saying something else has gone wrong, fingers crossed, you will be a happy S3 driver now!!!

lol. I have had loads of problems! I think its the heat that f**cks the cars up here 50+ degrees, and this car wasnt garaged.

To date I have spent around 4k stearling on parts.

All Suspension
All Brakes
Radiator
Steering pipes that were leaking
Nearly all Hoses
Cam Belt/Water pump/Thermostat, full service..
Tyres
Head gasket
Bits of interior (from member so1o)
Wheels Painted Anthracite
Full Respray.

I have OCD when it comes to cars, I want it Perfect, The girlfreind is not to happy!

I dare not post another thread but I have one last problem, its the power steering, fine when I get in but after driving for 20 mins the steering is reall hard almost like there is no power steering??

Still I am happy though, it looks and drives sweet now!

 

[Nilz]

Have you checked the PAS fluid???

Could just be running low, either that or the pump could be faulty...