Audi A3 Totally Dead...Not Battery...Please Help!

[Sad Girl]

I have a 2002 Audi A3 Turbo sport which I've had from 10 months old and is low mileage.

Approximately 4 years ago I had a problem when the car wouldn't start and thought it was the battery so had this replaced. However, problem persisted and I found out by accident that if I disconnected and reconnected the power (just positive terminal on battery) the car seemed to reset itself and everything was ok. So, for the past few years I have been doing this on a regular basis and, whilst inconvenient, it has got me through.

This morning, however, the car is totally dead with no power whatsover to anything. Had to open manually with the key. Tried the battery trick which, as I expected, didn't work. The battery is sparking and I really don't believe it is drained.

Am sure this is an electrical rather than mechanical fault which means that my local garage probably won't touch it. I read something about relays and fuses but am not sure what I should be checking. I know where the fuses are but wouldn't have thought that one on it's own should throw out the entire car.

Does anyone have any advice or has anyone experienced this before?

As I lost my job a year ago I really can't afford to get this to a garage at the moment.

Many thanks for any input

 

[LordNelson]

so do the lights on the instrument panel come on when you turn the key?

 

[S3 Paul]

Hi,
On the S3 there is a secondary fuse box ontop of the battery there are bigger bold down fuses in there... i think about 4 of them, Check that non of these are either green and fluffy or blown. Does nothing work at all? no interia light? Side lights? nothing?

 

[Sad Girl]

so do the lights on the instrument panel come on when you turn the key?

Absolutely nothing LordNelson...totally dead....

 

[Sad Girl]

Hi,
On the S3 there is a secondary fuse box ontop of the battery there are bigger bold down fuses in there... i think about 4 of them, Check that non of these are either green and fluffy or blown. Does nothing work at all? no interia light? Side lights? nothing?

Thanks Paul...my Dad has just arrived with a manual and that's where he's looking now. Apparently there's also a battery there somewhere which may need replacing??

As I said above to Lord Nelson, the car is as dead as a Christmas turkey...no lights or anything.

Thanks both for you replies...you don't know how much that means to me!

 

[LordNelson]

Thanks both for you replies...you don't know how much that means to me!

Hey, no problem....we are all here to help each other. when you get some power back into the car...ie, the intrument panel lights up again, see if you can get someone to run a VAG COM check on it. im sure if you ask nicely, someone in your area will help you out. this should hopefully pinpoint where your problem is.
then you dont have to pay some idiots to spend ages trying to diagnose it.

Fingers crossed that the fuses are your problem.:thumbsup:

 

[Keeno]

I'd replace that fuse box before anything else. Have a habit of corroding inside thanks to gases coming off the battery.
Had exactly the same symptoms as you, new fuse box from VW for £30 (IIRC). Sorted!

 

[golf]

I had a smiliar problem on my old S3, what happened was the negative terminal on the battery got loose and was not charging the battery properly. A new clamp which held the terminal in firmly sorted that problem out.

 

[Sad Girl]

I'd replace that fuse box before anything else. Have a habit of corroding inside thanks to gases coming off the battery.
Had exactly the same symptoms as you, new fuse box from VW for £30 (IIRC). Sorted!

Thanks Keeno...fuses etc checked and all found to be ok.

I had a smiliar problem on my old S3, what happened was the negative terminal on the battery got loose and was not charging the battery properly. A new clamp which held the terminal in firmly sorted that problem out.

That's exactly what my Dad reckons it is Golf and he's going to try and sort that out for me long term!!

Despite my earlier assertions that the battery was charged apparently it was dead...so I feel a little silly now!!

However, at least the car is back on the road again.


I also discovered from this forum today that I am not the only one who experiences the "beeps" from the back of the car when it starts up sometimes...so that is another lesson learned!!

Once again, thanks to eveyone who took the trouble to help...you're all fab! :icon_thumright: