correct start procedure manual tdi

[hollows wife]

when i first purchased the audi , to start the car i could put key into slot press once lightly, ignition first position ,foot on clutch press again briefly-let go, wait a second or so and car would start.

now same as above but i have to hold the key in manually for the car to start ,if i let go early starter loses contact car doesnt start.

my brother reckons the 2nd procedure is correct .but i have an ignition error in vcds . Ive taken the key slot out of the car and tested the 4 micro switches . all fine ,cleaned slot and key as well.

this all started when the key got stuck in the slot numerous times in one day .

so which is the correct way the ignition works.

 

[a6_chris]

Clutch in, put key in and hold it until it fires.

 

[Zafi]

Mine is an auto, but foot on brake, insert key fully and release, a second later it starts while I am putting the seatbelt on.

 

[Gazzaflem]

Yes I put key in put my foot on clutch push key once wait few secs depending how cold it is starts!

 

[A3BE]

Yes I put key in put my foot on clutch push key once wait few secs depending how cold it is starts!

Same here!.......no holding key in or depressing key twice to start engine......get in car depress clutch pedal, press key in once, watch glow plug light, glow plug light extinguishes and engine starts. The only time I have needed to press the key prior to starting is if I just want electrics on. A further pressing of the key and depress of the clutch starts engine.

Hope this helps!

 

[hollows wife]

so it was correct before the key got stuck , may have to get hold of another ignition slot .strange how it gets damaged but tests fine.

 

[hollows wife]

thought i would update this post for future a4 owners . noticed a fault that everytime i cleared it it would return if the start procedure failed .

basically i had to push the key into the slot and hold it to start the car ,this i have since found out is a back up procedure in case there is a fault in the starting circuit.
so this weekend while there was time free in the garage i got the car on the guided fault finding ,the error shown is :terminal 50 open or shorted to ground. in the engine ecu.
narrowed it down to 3 wires and 2 starter relays ,non of which were to fault . only other option is a faulty ecu .
the way the starter works is the ecu starts the car and a return signal from the starter to the ecu cuts the starter in and out .

i had no return signal even though no wires were damaged or relays fried.
so i whipped the top off the ecu and found a burnt track ,the return signal from the starter.

10 mins later ,soldered a new trace in ,re-sealed ecu car now starts correctly .

without the guided fault finding this would have been a real P.I.T.A to locate .

so in future if anyone else gets this fault ,cant clear it and is handy with a soldering iron ,this could maybe the answer and will save you an absolute fortune as an ecu from audi aint cheap.

 

[andrew.243]

hollow

Thanks for this, very helpful.

Kind regards

Andrew

 

[DrSasso]

ahhh good tech skills there so just to clarify (mainly out of curiosity) the copper track on the PCB was damaged/burnt so not a closed loop. so to fix it did you lay solder over the damaged sections of the track or just use some insulated wire to bridge to either side of the damaged areas?

love this kinda stuff!

 

[hollows wife]

the track was badly damaged not just a slight break ,the track had lifted and curled.i just soldered a small length of kynar wire across to make a bridge
have a look at the picture below