4WD System not working

Lemon S3

Lemon S3

Alex
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My 4wd system isn't working, it's been like this for a while now and I've forgotten how it handled round corners before, understeers a bit now and get constant wheel spin when accelerating.
Put the car on 4 axle stands and the front wheels went round but the rears didn't, the prop shaft also turns.
Could this problem be the haldex controller?
 
You'll never get the haldex 4wd kicking in on axle stands. The ECU won't detect any wheel spin.

First thing is to check the haldex fuse.
 
As stated fuse will be the first check.
vagcom will diagnose a haldex ecu fault however it will not tell you if the precharge pump on the haldex unit is faulty. - this is the problem i had.
there was a recent thread which i thnk was titled 'quattro', someone had the same symtoms and they found a coroded earth strap on the rear sub frame. Try searching for it there is some usefull info there.
 
All four wheel should spin when vehicle is on stands. You'll have to find out what fault codes are stored and hope it's a nice one.
 
Mine's also faulty. Getting a new clutch put in on Thursday so the mechanic is going to check it out, he said on mine, a valve is stuck in the open position and it should close under the oil pressure when the front wheels spin. Hopefully it's just this which is the problem...there's no faults on the controller thankfully.

When all four wheels are off the ground and you put power down all wheels should spin...Haldex kicks in when it detects a difference in road speed between the front and rear axle.
 
Conflicting stories here, so will all 4 wheels spin when the car is in the air or not?
 
all 4 wheels will defiantly spin when they are off the ground 101% sure also pm me if u need a rear diff have a good one in the garage also has 2 new genuine driveshafts atached
 
Also 100% sure they all spin when its off the ground, I have done a few months ago, and I changed the pump that was at fault, clutch change would not make things any more easier to access. also from what I know if its the pump it won't show up on vagcom. hope this helps. you can use the controller from Audi TT, S3, R32 and 2.8 4motion. do change the oil and filter as well while you are at it.
 
I've also got the same problem. VAG com showed that there was a clutch malfunction and brake light switch faulty. Could this contribute to the problem?

I recall buying the car a year ago in the snow and minutes after parting with my cash, it wouldn't make it up a slight hill. Obviously I didn't suspect anything at the time because I had no knowledge of how the quattro worked.

Add to this the fact that my clutch pedal had just broken too along with some faulty electric seats, damaged wheel hub and an airbag light and you've got an s3 owner's worst nightmare. Really not sure what to do. All happening at once. Any advice would be very much appreciated.:sadlike:
 
I swear mine doesnt work ither? I stopped in a ice puddle and my fronts spin but my rears dont? The fuse is fine so im not sure what it is. Is there any other tests that can be done to see if its working?
 
How to Check if your 4Motion/Quattro is working:

This applies to the following cars: VW MKIV Golf R32, VW MKIV Golf V6 4Motion, Audi TT 225 Quattro, Audi A3 1.8t Quattro, Audi S3 1.8t Quattro, Skoda Octavia 4wd. This will also apply to other cars that use the Haldex 4 Wheel Drive system.



The following items can cause your Haldex All Wheel Drive to be not working. Double check all these. Some require the car to be lifted off the ground.

1: Fuse 31, 5amp
2: Earth on Differential
3: 0.7 amps of Power to the Controller
4: Brake Light Switch
5: Handbrake Switch
6: Haldex Oil and Filter
7: Differential Oil
8: ABS Sensors
9: ABS Master Control
10: Haldex Controller
11: Haldex PreCharge Pump
12: Differential


As you can see, theres a lot of factors involved with the 4motion working or not.

With Car on Ground:

Check the fuse first its the top middle fuse (large blade fuses) should be 5amps, if its higher then replace with 5amp blade fuse.

Connect up VAG-COM and using the measuring blocks you can see if certain things are working for the controller. Temps should be room temperature to start off with. The Power should be 0.7 watts or apps or volts, not sure but that figure which ever it is. Its been a while

Also, with vag-com, you can check the pump with output tests. This is better doing with the car off the ground.

Do a hard launch, if you get front wheel spin, then no power is being delivered to the rear

If you get a grinding noise, then the differential is at fault, where the pinion has moved and locked both the rear wheels.



With Car off Ground (All 4 wheels):

With vag-com, you can check the pump with output tests. This is better doing with the car off the ground.

Can you hear the pump/controller activate once you start the car? if not, then its the controller/precharge pump.

Check that the propellor shaft is moving. This way you can eliminate the front differential.

Start car, put it in 1st, then second like you normally do while driving and let the wheels spin, If all 4 wheels spin, then something is wrong with the differential/precharge pump. Not enough pressure/lock is being applied. This can also be the controller. With this, change the filter/oil for the haldex and the differential. This may solve the problem.

If just the fronts spin or 3 wheels spin, double check that the drive shafts are moving or not. If the prop shaft is moving and the driveshafts are moving but not the wheels, then your drive shaft is ********.
 
Thanks for that...ESP on or off when doing the Launch? Mine front wheelspins all the time with it off :s
 
The S3 runs front wheel drive then when you loose grip and your Front wheels spin the rear will kick in. Ratio of 70-30. If you set off gently and apply the power slowly on ice you shouldn't really get wheel spin.
If you want permanent 4wd swap Haldex for a TT one 60-40 permanently.
 
I've got an older model without the ESP button. But I'm guessing you should keep it on?
 
I would if you switch it off handling is lost in the snow and ice.
 
Although dubbed "quattro", the S3 uses a different "on-demand" four-wheel drive system[1]. The Haldex Traction coupling adjusts the bias of torque distribution from the front to rear axle as grip requirements change - most of the time it operates as a front-wheel drive.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_S3

Check the link S3 quattro is front wheel drive but Haldex kicks in rear if need be.
 
Mine's doesn't kick in. Just realized today that the previous owner was a crafty sod who removed the fuse on purpose. I replaced it today but still no joy. Brake light switch is my next hope. Can't believe I was duped into buying a front wheel drive s3 for over a year.
 
Kingston said:
The S3 runs front wheel drive then when you loose grip and your Front wheels spin the rear will kick in. Ratio of 70-30. If you set off gently and apply the power slowly on ice you shouldn't really get wheel spin.
If you want permanent 4wd swap Haldex for a TT one 60-40 permanently.
Click to expand...

I dont think this is correct. if it was then why would people shell out £££ for an uprated haldex ecu when they could by one of the hundreds of used TT ones on ebay?? Just a thought!

As for the fault diagnosis, s3 ryu has covered it all. I had the pump go on me, sorted now tho. Good luck with the fault finding.
 
Kingston said:
The S3 runs front wheel drive then when you loose grip and your Front wheels spin the rear will kick in. Ratio of 70-30. If you set off gently and apply the power slowly on ice you shouldn't really get wheel spin.
If you want permanent 4wd swap Haldex for a TT one 60-40 permanently.
Click to expand...

tt's are not permanent 4wd they use the same system haldex
 
People, Like mentioned with the the fault contributions above, but the most likely two are ther pre charge pump and and then the controller, TT, S3 mk4 R32 Octavia4wd 4motion & A3, quattro use the same controler and pre pump, I have one fitted from an R32, you can get 50/50 from blue or orange controller that will stay 4wd, but they cost around £600 and they behave differently, blue stays 4wd even when braking but orange one becomes 2wd when applying brakes then 50/50 again. change the oil and filter when replacing either just make more sense.
 
Thought it was the other way round. Blue controller is only 4wd when accelerating. Orange/Race controller remains 4wd when braking aswell?

I think there is an MTM version that is permanent 60/40??
 
Ok this may not be the best place to put this but.... My 4wd works :), had my mate watch me this morning at work and i got all 4 wheels spinning but it felt like it didnt work, its just the tyres are a bit **** so dont grip could.

You sure yours doesnt work? Have you had it on ice etc and had someone watch the backs?
 
Thanks for all the replies and info guys. I will go through or the checks n see what happens, will eventually when the funds are right get an uprated haldex controller but which is the best, blue or orange?

Dani_B19 said:
Ok this may not be the best place to put this but.... My 4wd works :), had my mate watch me this morning at work and i got all 4 wheels spinning but it felt like it didnt work, its just the tyres are a bit **** so dont grip could.

You sure yours doesnt work? Have you had it on ice etc and had someone watch the backs?
Click to expand...

Yeh mine deffinately doesn't work, I got stuck in mud a while ago, opened the door and the fronts were spinning but the rears weren't.
 
my problem is my traction does not work
no esp light , no traction control
my quatro works for sure i have had some good fun the last week,
all 4 wheels work thats for sure, but i really would like some traction now and again, as the weather gets worse im finding my self getting stuck alot
someone said my haldex controler in another thread, but if it was that i wouldnt get 4 wheel drive would i ?
can anyone suggest what the problem could be, i have no faults on vag either.
i just want some traction :banghead:
 
ex_scoobydoo said:
my problem is my traction does not work
no esp light , no traction control
i really would like some traction now and again, as the weather gets worse im finding my self getting stuck alot
someone said my haldex controler in another thread, but if it was that i wouldnt get 4 wheel drive would i ?
can anyone suggest what the problem could be.
i just want some traction :banghead:
Click to expand...

Its only 4motion tranmission which is ****, you haven't got LSD and you prob haven't got snow tyres.
Don;t expect it to grip in this weather, it will be margionally and I mean margionally better than a FWD car
 
Oh i see, sorry misread. Does the ABS work, not sure about audi's but on my dads BM if one isn't working then neither is the other.
 
Does anyone know how to carry out a handbrake switch test on VAG com?
 
Mine works! Shows how poor summer tyres are in the snow though! I got out though eventually!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Next time any of you get a little stuck, flick the esp switch,i tried it today, i was amazed how much better it goes! :)
 
Kingston said:
The S3 runs front wheel drive then when you loose grip and your Front wheels spin the rear will kick in. Ratio of 70-30. If you set off gently and apply the power slowly on ice you shouldn't really get wheel spin.
If you want permanent 4wd swap Haldex for a TT one 60-40 permanently.
Click to expand...


This is wrong, they all have the same controller. And for all the people saying how bad the system is you probably have a bad car or poor tyres, every tt/s3 etc i drive behaves fine unless it has a fault. My s3 gets around fine in this weather where as my mate came to visit in his clio and i had to drag him up the hill. I used to think it was crappy pretend 4wd but driving a tt sport with check sum error in the haldex makes you realise it actually works (and i bought an s3 a couple months ago) . The only way to diagnose a fault starts with getting the dtc's read, with a haldex you cant use a crystal ball and ask "my car doesnt work what is wrong?" anybody know what the lottery numbers will be on sat btw?
 
I agree with Kunit... Loving the snow and ice with summer tires :) Use common sense and don't rev it too much with the esp switched off (it gets confused easily) and you will get out of pretty much anything this weather can throw at you... well, almost.

Been house hunting recently and had to go up a quite steep hill on a snow/ice-covered country lane to avoid traffic in High Wycombe - very easy and safe.
 
I know mine works.
Managed to end up bellied out on a snow drift today. all four wheels spinning for sure albeit about 6 inches above the road surface...

took b'tard AGES to dig out too...
 
An S3 on all season tyres or all terrains would be like a landrover! My discovery on mud tyres has no problems with any of this weather!

At work we've decided to get an Octavia Scout which has haldex 4wd such is the imnpression the S3 has made in these conditions
 
audi upgrades
My quattro sport is crap in the snow, understeers far to much. Best awd in the snow would have to be sierra 4x4 ghia estate, great snow board express never got stuck, and could donut with the best. Impreza turbo wagon was good until it was modded then had way to much power to go forward with out going sideways
 
Had my clutch replaced today and while it's in trying to get the Quattro system sorted too. Mechanic has just rang me and he's still not managed to get it working and has asked to keep the car again tomorrow. This is sounding like it could get expensive :(
 
lee111s said:
Had my clutch replaced today and while it's in trying to get the Quattro system sorted too. Mechanic has just rang me and he's still not managed to get it working and has asked to keep the car again tomorrow. This is sounding like it could get expensive :(
Click to expand...

How much is the new clutch costing you Lee? Mine's is on it's out's way out too...
 
MIKE GTR said:
Its only 4motion tranmission which is ****, you haven't got LSD and you prob haven't got snow tyres.
Don;t expect it to grip in this weather, it will be margionally and I mean margionally better than a FWD car
Click to expand...

I have to disagree..... to say it's just marginally better than FWD is wrong..... with this snow where i live on hill the only other cars that have been able to get up our street are puka 4X4's..... i love the look on the neighbours faces some of which havn't moved their cars in a fortnight...... i doubt it would be happy doing doughnuts but give it the beans on a nice slippy bit of snow or ice and tail end steps out quite nicely... very controlable and to says it just a bog standard Quattro on normal road tyres i'm very impressed
 
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