intermittent starting problem

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samuelt

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hi all

recently on the odd ocasion when i have got into my my car and turned the ignition it has struggled to turn over after about 3 attempts it starts! this does not happen every time. We thought it was my 5 year old key (used 7 days a week) as i drop it a lot and it's getting on in age, but it seems to also be happening with my wifes 15month old key we just use it less (one-twice weeks). The car has never not started and had a new battrey (bosch) 3 months ago.

any advice welcome, tried to run search but for some reasson search only goes through the A3 section???

thanks
 
could be the heater plugs m8!
when you turn the ignition on to the 1st click (dash lights come on) wait til the heater light goes out and then wait a further 6 secs and then turn her over and see if that helps :icon_thumright:
 
Would help if you told us what engine it was.
 
audi upgrades
glow plugs wouldnt make the engine turn over slow, thats if it is a diesel sounds like a lazy starter to me how many miles ?
 
If you hadn't said you had recently change the battery I would have said it was simply due a change at 5 year old. I'd first of all get the battery tested just to make sure it's ok (if not get it changed under warranty). Otherwise it is almost certainly either a lazy starter motor or a bad earth to the starter motor.

Good luck , hope you get it sorted without too much trouble (or cost).
 
sorry typed this in a rush yesterday! It's a 130 TDI 5 spped with 63k miles. It mainly does 8 miles a day (4x2) then the odd ocasion 25 to my parents and back.

Glow plug light goes off in about 1-2 seconds, i dought i have ever wiated much longer , is the significance of wiating 6 seconds to see if they cool down to quickly???

thanks
 
no the glow plugs on audi tdi,s only work when they have to as much as they have to if you know what i mean. my old tdi used to do a quick flash in summer and on a cold winters day when you need glow plugs it used to stay on for about 4-5 seconds
 
This problem went away and is now back! The glow plug light goes out in about 2 seconds, then when i try to start it i have to hold the key fully round for about 3 seconds to start the car. it is currently very cold in perth could this be affecting it? any other ideas?
 
did you change the glow plugs then ? like i said the glowplug light shouls stay on for longer on colder days
 
I'd get the battery checked first. Sounds like it's not providing enough power to turn the starter motor fast enough, and it's compounded by the cold temperature.
 
Just because he changed the battery doesn't mean it's not a faulty battery! It's a 2 minute job to check the current of the battery, and diesel engines need a more powerful battery than the equivalent petrol engine, so he might have the wrong battery! So, before you start ripping out glow plugs and starter motors, just make sure that the battery is ok, and that the charging voltage from the alternator is good. A knackered battery after just 3 months could be a symptom of a knackered alternator.
 
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