Help! A3 Quattro, cant select gears, wont start/turn over.

[PJM_01]

My wife's A3 Quattro (yr2000 1.8T petrol) broke down on her this morning, basically couldnt select 3rd gear initially then stalled and wouldnt restart - I've had a look at it (In the dark) it appears that 1st, 3rd, 5th and reverse arent engaging - the linkage is operating but obviously incorrectly. The gear lever feels spongy too which it didnt previously.

All dash lights come on but nothing happens when you turn the key, no turning over, no starter engaging or even clicking. The EPC light stays on when the ignitions on - is this normal?

Any helpful suggestions would be gratefully received! The cars never let us down before.

Cheers!
Phil.

 

[<tuffty/>]

Sounds like the selector fork has gone... fairly common problem which sadly means it a replacement gearbox or yours rebuilt at least...

Sorry fella

<tuffty/>

 

[PJM_01]

Thanks for the quick reply, I thought it could be fairly major.

Would the selector fork prevent the car starting even with the clutch down? Whats the association with the "EPC" light? (If any, forgive my ignorance!?!)

 

[s3dave]

I would think the car should still start... on an auto no...but a manual?? what would be stopping it?...Bizzare?
All i can think of is the engine is siezed, or a main earth strap has snapped, you could check the fuses on top of the battery, i think one is a main isolator...

 

[<tuffty/>]

Don't know tbh... need to get the car scanned to find out whats doing that... could be the crank sensor or something but a fault scan will tell you..

<tuffty/>

 

[s3dave]

Reading it again, check an engine mounting as not snapped breaking wires plus making the linkages inoparative, dont worry about the ecp light at this stage...

 

[colicabcadam]

what makes you think it's actually out of gear? somethings broken in the gear box which i believe has locked it in gear

does it turn over if you press the clutch down? can you push the car forward or backwards?

 

[egesford]

i had a similar thing happen. the dual mass flywheel was bent, which smashed the clutch to peices, which damaged the gearbox jamming it all together. wasnt cheap

 

[Alex C]

Thats a bit weird if it is selector forks. There are 3 selector forks for gears 1&2, 3&4, 5&6 so if a fork was broken it would take 2 adjacent gears out? Maybe its just the forward throw gears? R, 1, 3 & 5 are all on the forward throw of the gear stick. Is it stuck in gear? Can you push it with the handbrake dis-engaged?

I had a selector fork go on me whilst i was in gear, so i was stuck in that gear (5th or 6th). When it went the gear stick felt really spongy too like you say. Could be. I could start the car though (clutch down).

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/a3-s3-forum-8l-chassis/114131-s3-gearbox-problem-breakdown.html

 

[PJM_01]

Thanks for all the input so far, I havent had chance to look at it yet (just about to look now). It wont start with the clutch up or down, I assume It did roll with the clutch down as it was winched up onto a recovery truck and rolled down the drive when it got home.

I'll go and have a play now and update if I find anything of interest. A mate has a fancy snap-on diagnostic reader he's lending me during the week so I can check any fault codes etc then.

Thanks again people ;-)

 

[PJM_01]

Right, this is what I've found so far -
The car does roll freely with the clutch pedal pressed.
It is stuck in gear (3rd I think)
The engine appears fine, the crank etc rotate when the the car is rocked back and forth with the clutch up (and stuck in gear)
It still doesnt want to start or even turn over, even with the clutch depressed.

Fairly sure the gearbox is ******. Is this a weak point in the quattros? Anyone got an idea of cost for a rebuild or replacement?

Thanks
Phil.