Glow plug light (sometimes) / loss of power

[northtim]

I have a May 2007 Audi A4 Avant 2.0tdi (170bhp)

Only had it about 3 months and today I stalled at traffic lights after a motorway drive (not uncommon, seems to stall very easily at low revs?).

Few hundred metres later major loss of power to the extent it would barely go up a small incline. I stopped, turned everything off and started agin, would creep up to 3000 revs whilst stood still. Sat revving for a few minutes and then everything clicked back in again and drove OK for a couple of miles.

Just done another short journey 5m journey and a few miles in glow plug light started flashing and down on power again, not so dramatically but wont run over 3000 revs. Think that is limp mode?

Any ideas - is this symptoms of injectors or maybe something else? Brake lights working, bit of an odd smell - plasticy?

I have thought car had a little less power than I expected since I got it but nothing to base that on, just gut feeling?

I can take it to an indy to have a look but if injectors I guess I should go to Audi direct for a freebie?

 

[slepy]

Call Audi UK and get injectors checked first thing.
Also you could scan with VCDS and see if there are any errors.

 

[ash1809]

Could be injectors but when injectors go it will suddenly stop and not start at all. The symptoms you are describing happened to my preious car an audi a4 2.0 170...turned out to be the turbo. I had he same smell..any smoke at all from the exhaust? whats the milleage?

 

[northtim]

Mileage about 80k. Don't think there was any smoke but it was dark so can't be sure! Only happened this evening so will see how it goes in the morning.

Is turbo expensive?

 

[SebRogers]

The 170 needs a bit of throttle to pull away without stalling. I believe torque is limited in 1st to help protect the clutch, which is why it's not as tractable at low revs compared to other tdis. It's normal, just takes a bit of practice. The flipside is the 170 revs willingly right to the redline

The power loss doesn't sound like injectors but worth checking anyway (not because they're likely to be the cause of the problem, but because if they haven't already been replaced Audi UK should be able to sort updated replacements FOC - see the injector thread). If it is the turbo the bad news is you're looking at a bill of around £1.5k. But there are lots of things that could put the car into limp, not all of them expensive.

Good luck!

 

[gary3306]

There are a myriad of things that can cause these symptome. For instance, I have just done a VW Caddy at work with similar symptoms, including the flashing glow plug light. It was the EGRT sensor.

First thing you must do is get a scan done with VCDS. Before that, its all guess work.

 

[northtim]

No glowplug light this morning, and no power. Its not in limp mode now, it struggles up to about 3000 revs and no power to go up even a slight hill, smoke and smell too like it is running on just a few cylinders. Will have to get it towed in and looked at.

 

[ash1809]

hi mate if it was injectors you wouldnt get any smell or smoke...what colour smoke?...am pretty sure it is your turbo. The turbo on the 2.0tdi 170 are £1200 (thats what i paid a month ago and only audi do them apparently). My total bill was £2500 as both my intercoolers had oil in them when the turbo went.I do hope its not your turbo.keep us updated.

 

[northtim]

hi mate if it was injectors you wouldnt get any smell or smoke...what colour smoke?...am pretty sure it is your turbo. The turbo on the 2.0tdi 170 are £1200 (thats what i paid a month ago and only audi do them apparently). My total bill was £2500 as both my intercoolers had oil in them when the turbo went.I do hope its not your turbo.keep us updated.

Grey smoke I think, recovery on way

 

[northtim]

Grey smoke I think, recovery on way

White/light grey smoke. Sounds like not running on all cylinders. In garage now so I'll let you know what they find.

 

[northtim]

There are a myriad of things that can cause these symptome. For instance, I have just done a VW Caddy at work with similar symptoms, including the flashing glow plug light. It was the EGRT sensor.

First thing you must do is get a scan done with VCDS. Before that, its all guess work.

Well done Gary, thats what the garage have come up with. say it is sticking open and choking engine. Hope they are right - looking at £400 repair but should have it back tomorrow so not too bad as long as they have sorted it.

 

[rowdyboy]

£400 for a sensor??

 

[jdp1962]

£400 for a sensor??

Probably £3.99 for the sensor, and £396.01 labour to diagnose and replace.

 

[northtim]

To be fair he didn't actually say it was the sensor, needs a new ERG, part cost £250+VAT plus a few other bits. Not a main dealer and friend of a friend so they should be good on price. But then I have no chuffin idea and am just relieved it wasn't £1500 for a turbo so

 

[rowdyboy]

Can't the EGR be cleaned up and the problem solved?? I know they carbon up, so a good clean might save you some £££. That's what I'd do.

 

[SebRogers]

It depends what the problem is. AFAIK the EGR on the 170 isn't vacuum-operated like on (say) the pd130, so a clean won't necessarily fix it.

 

[ash1809]

you must be so relieed ts not the turbo

 

[northtim]

I did check and EGR is knackered apparently - stuck open and broke, not just choked up - I will get it back anyway.

Very glad not turbo, have service and timing belt due so is costing me a fair bit anyway.

Just hope the snow comes soon and I can use the quattro and remember why I traded in my reliable BMW for this!

 

[northtim]

Very ****** off with Audi's now. Car has just cut out on me 2 weeks after the ERG issue.

Bit different this one, driving along normally, glow plug light flashed a couple of times and engine cut out. Tried restarting but turned over and didnt fire.

Got out locked it, left a few minutes, got back in and it briefly fired then cut out again. So what the f is up with it now. Christmas in danger of being pretty poor for my 4 kids if this in another costly fix.

 

[ash1809]

sorry to hear about your latest problem...sounds like the nightmare i had with my 2.0 ti 170...maybe its the injectors this time ...ring audi get them replaced...and get rid of the damn car ...best thing i did !!

 

[northtim]

sorry to hear about your latest problem...sounds like the nightmare i had with my 2.0 ti 170...maybe its the injectors this time ...ring audi get them replaced...and get rid of the damn car ...best thing i did !!

Just been and tried it, still not starting this morning. Hope it is injectors, I will call Audi first and see what they say.

Getting rid? Tempted, but need to fix it first anyway. Need a crystal ball - will this keep happening or not????

 

[northtim]

Just been and tried it, still not starting this morning. Hope it is injectors, I will call Audi first and see what they say.

Getting rid? Tempted, but need to fix it first anyway. Need a crystal ball - will this keep happening or not????

Local Audi dealer pretty unhelpful. Claimed to have heard of injector problem on TT but not A4! Won't name dealer yet as they have the chance to make up for it as Audi UK were much more helpful, took details and confirmed it was model that could be affected by injectors (and had right sort of symptoms) so are now booking it straight into same dealer for FOC injector and wiring replacement.

 

[northtim]

Turns out it is the injectors, which is what I was hoping! Just need Audi UK to authorise it and should be repaired tomorrow.

Fingers crossed that it will run reliably from now on!