Help! In a major pickle..MOT looming :( (South Wales)

[jonnycraig]

Hi guys,

My 1999 2.5TDI Quattro is up for MOT on the 6th June, in the last week the ABS light is constantly on when starting the car, on really hot days its doesnt appear for a while (dodgey connection somewhere?) Ive been told its an automatic fail and yesterday the airbag light is on all the time too.....

Anyone got any ideas or live near Port Talbot who could have a look. I dont have much avail £££ for mega repairs and I desperately need it to drive to work!!

Also whats it worth in its current state... apart from scrap or breaking lol!!
Jonny

 

[aragorn]

Sounds a bit like an ABS ring to me. Mine did almost exactly the same.

You'll need vagcom to see which corner is at fault.

Airbag light isnt a problem for the MOT, but its probably the connectors under the seats.

 

[Broken Byzan]

I am not a million miles from you and could maybe scan the car for errors tp see if we can determin which corner is at fault?

 

[SonicDeathmonkey]

I'm in Swansea and have vagcom if you need a hand.

 

[mwarrey]

Another possible cause is the abs ecu. They can be repaired (A new one is over £1000!). If you look on ebay there are people on there who do it as well as companys such as bbsreman.

Basically you send your ecu to them can be taken off without removing the whole pump, they repair it and then send it back. The car can apparently be driven without the ecu. There are some articles on how to do this on Audiworld.

I also live in Swansea and have vagcom but dont have a lot of time to help out Im afraid. You could try Swansea Audi ask them for a quote for the work, don't normally charge for that ?

Airbag light on is not an MOT fail.

 

[aragorn]

If its the ECU, you'd usually get three loud beeps and a big (!) in the DIS.

If its a sensor or ring you'll just get the ABS light on, IME.

 

[jonnycraig]

Its the 3 loud beeps and the (( ! )) on the DIS flashing at me lol. Any idea what sort of £ we are talking to get the unit refurbed?

Thanks

Jonny

 

[aragorn]

£100 usually from what i've heard.

Vagcom will confirm its the ECU before you go sending it off.

 

[mwarrey]

Yes thats the ECU IMO

BBS Reman do this from around £100 depending on which ecu, they even show you how to remove it :-

http://www.bba-reman.com/content.aspx?content=Bosch_5.3_ABS_Removal

I think they offer a testing service as part of the process, if it isn't faulty they charge a lower fee and send it back. Try contacting them ?

There are others out there too. When mine went I actually wrote an article myself that was published in the Audi Driver magazine! But I cant seem to find it. It is a pretty straight foward job tbh.

I did have a link to a passat forum that is sadly no longer working. It showed you how to actually repair the unit. From what I have read there is a wire inside which becomes detached and needs resoldering. The wires are very fine though so needs some good soldering skills!

 

[jonnycraig]

Cheers guys, have to see what I can do before the MOT on the 6/6 as the ABS light is an automatic fail.
ABS WARNING LIGHTS

http://www.motester.co.uk/CarOwnersGuidetoTheMOT/MOTQA/MOTQApage3.aspx

Worst case scenario Webuyanycar-and rip you off-.com have offered me just over a grand for my car, dont want to but may have to take it :/

Jonny

 

[mwarrey]

Why not repair it ? got to be worth it for £100