Please help a new A3 owner - i have some problems

[Tim20]

Firstly Hello im new, i have been into VW's for ages and have now made the move to an Audi A3 1.8T.



I picked the car up at the weekend and have a couple of faults.

My car is a 1998 1.8T

The first is with the clocks - the centre section of the clocks (where the mpg etc is displayed) works intermittently, alos when is does work the display is grainy. The spedo is also acting strangely. If i go over 85mph the spedo sticks and will not go higher if i acclerate or go lower when i slow down.


Any one got any ideas on the cause of this??



The second problem im experiencing is with the ABS system. When i start the car i dont get the ABS light on the dash illuminating. The ABS also feels like it kicks in for a split second when you first start the car and pull away (only on the first movement after starting). It feel like the ABS is on but i dont even have my foot on the brake! I have also stomped on the brakes and it feels like the ABS is NOT working!



Again any help would be very useful



Thanks

Tim

 

[biscit707]

i would be tempted to plug it onto vagcom the ABS light should come on for 2 seconds on start up and then go off..it sounds a bit strange. i have known traders to remove the bulb on the ABS so a fault isn't shown up when selling a car, if thats what has been done it could mean that the intermittant fault with the clock lights and speedo are down to a looose connection on the clocks if they have been disturbed in any way ..hope this helps

 

[Jimmeh]

regards the speedo mate, take the clocks out and try spinning the dial freely with your fingers. Mine 'centre-cap' (if you like) to the speedo needle had been stuck on at a slant, thus, when it turned caused criction between the two and got it's self stuck.

 

[NM3]

It feel like the ABS is on but i dont even have my foot on the brake! I have also stomped on the brakes and it feels like the ABS is NOT working!

Almost certain one of the ABS wheel sensors is faulty. Find an Audi/VW mechanic with VAGcom diagnostic equipment. It should pick up the faults/codes and identify which sensor is faulty. Sometimes the sensors collect crap which builds up and interfers with the sensor, a simple clean can correct it. If the sensor itself is faulty, it will need replacing.

 

[Prawn]

Mine has done the ABS thing in the past, as you pull away it applies the brakes for you on one or both of the front wheels. It's quite weird really. Mine still does it when pulling away across cambered roads, often out of petrol stations.

As for the DIS display they tend to go dodgy over time, and the clarity of the display is generally temperature dependant.

On a freezing cold morning mine works perfectly, but within 5 minutes of starting the car, it starts to fade.

There is a quick fix for this, but nobody has actually confirmed it it works.

Search for DIS to find the thread.

Good luck!

 

[Tim20]

thats exactly what my ABS system does - applies it when you first pull away. Did you find a solution???


Also im thinking the clocks maybe a loose connection etc as the display comes on and off depending on what it feels like.


Would people recomend running the car on VAG COM to check the ABS system???



Tim

 

[NoggyDS3]

I had exactly the same ABS fault on my previous A3 and it turned out to be a faulty sensor. I had it replaced and the problem was solved. As above, get it checked on vagcom.

 

[Tim20]

Great that was the answer i was looking for - im hoping its a sensor that is the problem.


However am i correct in thinking if a sensor was faulty or gunked up that it would cause the ABS light to stay on??


Would it also cause the ABS system to not work under niormal driving conditions??



Tim

 

[Dave_Bayern]

I have the stupid ABS thing, and with Vag-Com, no faults at all with the ABS system.

Again, same as prawn, only wehn pulling out onto cambered roads.