So I know there are many threads about this, of which I read them all. Here is a success story of the long road I have been down which I thought someone else may learn from.
History:
When I purchased the Audi A3 8l 130hp TDI in the summer, the glow plugs stayed on for a very long time, at least 5 secs, before they would disappear. Not wanting to hurt the car I always waited and it started just fine.
Around February the glow plug light only stayed on a second or two. I would engage and it would not fire up. After phoning a friend he recommended turning the ignition on and off 3 times before engaging the starter. That worked just fine, and I told myself to buy some glow plugs soon.
Very quickly the problem deteriorated rapidly. When it was cold the glow plug light would often not come on at all, and then it would come on intermittently after multiple ignition on and off actions. At one point it took me 15 minutes of turning the ignition on and off until I would get a good few seconds out the glow plugs and it would start up. Sometimes I even had to cycle to work on cold mornings! I replaced the glow plugs and no difference! I replaced the glow plug relay and also no difference. I then replaced the glow plug rail, which only audi could supply. You should have seen there face when I rocked up to Audi in Cheltenham with a 220 000 miles audi a3, with paint coming off the bonnet. Still no difference. I then noticed that when the glow plug light did not light up, I could not hear the fuel pump prime either. When the glow plug did kick in, the fuel pump did kick in. Someone suggested replacing the fuel pump, but I did not think that was the issue since the car ran perfectly once it had started and the fuel pump is required to run continuously.
The part that saved the day was £11, fuel pump ECU relay. Starts perfectly everytime now. Relays are located under the steering wheel.
History:
When I purchased the Audi A3 8l 130hp TDI in the summer, the glow plugs stayed on for a very long time, at least 5 secs, before they would disappear. Not wanting to hurt the car I always waited and it started just fine.
Around February the glow plug light only stayed on a second or two. I would engage and it would not fire up. After phoning a friend he recommended turning the ignition on and off 3 times before engaging the starter. That worked just fine, and I told myself to buy some glow plugs soon.
Very quickly the problem deteriorated rapidly. When it was cold the glow plug light would often not come on at all, and then it would come on intermittently after multiple ignition on and off actions. At one point it took me 15 minutes of turning the ignition on and off until I would get a good few seconds out the glow plugs and it would start up. Sometimes I even had to cycle to work on cold mornings! I replaced the glow plugs and no difference! I replaced the glow plug relay and also no difference. I then replaced the glow plug rail, which only audi could supply. You should have seen there face when I rocked up to Audi in Cheltenham with a 220 000 miles audi a3, with paint coming off the bonnet. Still no difference. I then noticed that when the glow plug light did not light up, I could not hear the fuel pump prime either. When the glow plug did kick in, the fuel pump did kick in. Someone suggested replacing the fuel pump, but I did not think that was the issue since the car ran perfectly once it had started and the fuel pump is required to run continuously.
The part that saved the day was £11, fuel pump ECU relay. Starts perfectly everytime now. Relays are located under the steering wheel.
