Problem with starting please read strange issue

[stam22]

Right guys I'm new to this forum and I don't have much mechanical knowledge but I have given my Audi A4 1.9 TDI Y reg into 3 garages they have kept it for 2 weeks a time and they cannot solve the problem so I am hoping some bright spark on this forum can answer the question.

Right when my car is parked overnight and I go in the morning to start it up sometimes it will fire straight away as it should and jobs a good'un but there are times where it will turn over for around a minute maybe a minute and a half (no exaggeration) and will eventually fire up. When this is happening it is as though it is attempting to fire up but the turn over is quite slow until it eventually fires up. I have had fuel filter changed numerous times and had injector seals checked.

This will only happen once in the day or if it stood for a number of hours, once started you can turn off and start the car as many times as you please. Could it be a fuel pump issue as one of the 3 mechanics said fuel pump is slightly low pressure but the part and labor are not cheap and don't want to waste money throwing it at the car. I say it only happens when it is parked overnight but it will happen if parked nose up on a hill after around an hour. I have been advised it is possibly a fuel leak, are there any common places where these cars leak, I love my Audi but it's getting annoying as nobody can diagnose it.

Please someone with some possible past experience with this issue or a Audi guru please point me in the right direction, I will be forever grateful.

Many thanks

Stam22

 

[dualmono21]

Have you had the car scanned and if so did they find any fault codes ?
From your description my first thought would be the coolant temp sensor

 

[B5NUT]

How old is the battery, it takes a fair few amps to heat the glow plugs & run the starter motor even more so in the winter months.

 

[mikeygulley]

So I'm not sure if this will apply to your car as it does mine (03 plate TDI). But I had/have a similar issue.
After doing other things to the car and seeing a bizzare suggestion for stopping the starting issue (which I ignored) I was getting a little hacked off with it!!

So I thought I would give the suggestion a try, and it worked :/

So before starting the car I turn the side/dip lights on and it has started perfectly every time! I also thought that there was no way this was an issue so I tried not turning the lights on first and sure enough the car would swing and swing before firing.
Apparently its a fault with the light switch that causes the issue.

This may not be the same for you but worth a shot I reckon.

 

[stam22]

So I'm not sure if this will apply to your car as it does mine (03 plate TDI). But I had/have a similar issue.
After doing other things to the car and seeing a bizzare suggestion for stopping the starting issue (which I ignored) I was getting a little hacked off with it!!

So I thought I would give the suggestion a try, and it worked :/

So before starting the car I turn the side/dip lights on and it has started perfectly every time! I also thought that there was no way this was an issue so I tried not turning the lights on first and sure enough the car would swing and swing before firing.
Apparently its a fault with the light switch that causes the issue.

This may not be the same for you but worth a shot I reckon.

Thanks for the rapid response the batteryfor the car and glow plugs are new they were the first things which were checked. In terms of the headlight switch I will give it a go the only problem is the problem doesn't come about all the time. TBH I think it maybe a slight diesel leak as there is a slight smell when near the car. Are ther any common areas where these cars leak?

 

[mikeygulley]

Mine is irregular too. Sometimes it will go quite some time with no issues what so ever.

 

[stam22]

Thanks for the advice mate I do definitely intend to give it a go, let's hope that's all it is!!! If anybody else has any suggestions I am more than open to them. Thanks

 

[bizza25]

hi stam


given the intermittent nature of the problem and things you've already tried;
have you tried to start the car with cts unplugged (coolant temp sensor)
this will put the car into default mode eg: for -30 winter starts like in siberia
or somewhere..full fuel dump, long glow time etc try this first.
if your having success with this, in my experience its either the 202 glow plug relay or cts.


If temp is bang on 90 all the time and does not move erraticaly, then cts is probably ok but for the price i'd just replace it.
if the car does not run lumpy after hard starting you can assume all the plugs are good and the relay providing the current to heat them is faulty.


without buying any parts this test may help define the issue further;
on a bad start, stop when you know its taking too long, turn car off and reheat plugs 2 or 3 times, try again.
see if that helps.(faulty relay test)
if again taking too long. stop and try with jump start from another running car or with a known good battery connected,
see if that helps.(faulty battery test)
you can also test starting with headlights on and if they excissivly dim then thats the battery is more than likely loosing amps overninght.


to check the condition or glow plug relay.
take 202 out and check for corrosion, clean the oxidation from the terminals and put back in.
(see v6 camshaft replacement thread)
I would still order a new relay and genuine cts from tps as this worked for me.


these would be the cheapest things to try first and you can do them all yourself.
if you dont know the history of the existing battery i'd spend the £50 on a new one to be sure then your ok for a few years.
there is also thread on extending the standard glow time by a few secs using vag com to aid cold starts.


if your getting lots of white smoke on the bad starts this would indicate the fuel is getting to the diesel pump ok
so wouldnt worry about a pump issue just yet.


as the car is starting fine when warm you can assume the starter good and spinning fast enough so that rules a lazy starter out too.


hope that helps you out

 

[stu_m]

So I'm not sure if this will apply to your car as it does mine (03 plate TDI). But I had/have a similar issue.
After doing other things to the car and seeing a bizzare suggestion for stopping the starting issue (which I ignored) I was getting a little hacked off with it!!

So I thought I would give the suggestion a try, and it worked :/

So before starting the car I turn the side/dip lights on and it has started perfectly every time! I also thought that there was no way this was an issue so I tried not turning the lights on first and sure enough the car would swing and swing before firing.
Apparently its a fault with the light switch that causes the issue.

This may not be the same for you but worth a shot I reckon.

I cant believe you ignored my advice!!!

yes as you say it does sound odd about the light switch but dont rule anything out its actually a pretty common problem too

as mikeygulley says try the light switch as well as everything else thats been mentioned

do the free stuff first then move on to things thats going to cost money

 

[stam22]

Thanks guys really appreciate the advice I'll try it again once it plays up not that I want it to play up but I really need to get to the bottom of it as I don't appreciate being the guy who sits in the car park turning his car over time and time again and people looking thinking why does this guy not just buy another car lol!!! All your advice is appreciated

 

[Skywalker 80]

Hi Guys,

I have a similar issue. I have a 2007 A4- 2.0 Tdi- B7 (125Kw). For about the last 3 months I had issues with the car sometimes starting. In the mornings its no issue, but once driven, sometimes it wont start. The glow light will not come on and the motor will only turn. After turning the ignition on and off the glow light will come on again and the car will start. (Sometimes it wont start even if the glow light comes on again). Once the motor started, often the ESP, Handbrake light will flash.....until I turn off the motor just to repeat. There is no consistency in this issue, I can drive for a couple of days without this issue and then other days it will be more common.

A new related issue that started is, that if I are on the open road, the glow plug will start flashing and go into "limp mode". Just to stop and switch off the motor and restart.....and issue is gone. I also sometime feel that there is sometimes a lack of turbo boost on hot days (South African Summers)., but then other days nothing.

I am almost sure its not a mechanical issue, but electronic. maybe a loose connection, maybe a faulty ECU relay...not sure.

The vehicle only has 135K Km on it and never had issues. The vehicle has been diagnosed but no results, due to not diagnosing at the same time when the issue occurs.

Can anyone HELP!!!!

 

[stam22]

MikeyGulley you're a star don't want to jump the gun but my car started off this morning then low and behold I put my lights on dim and it fired up, no disrespect but I'm putting it down to it being cold that it didn't start first time so I'll calling it a fluke this time as things are never that easy for me but I'm quietly optimistic. Never thought a light switch could have so much impact (quietly hoping that it is the light switch!!)

 

[stam22]

Skywalker just a bit of advice, to get help with your issue either search your fault or start a new thread as most will not realise you have posted a thread under mine, the guys on this site are mega helpful and knowledgable.

 

[mikeygulley]

MikeyGulley you're a star

Credit where credit is due but this was a suggestion made by stu_m so he can have this one Considering I ignored it originally! haha