Warning lights galore!

[drewbagz]

Hey guys,

The car - A3 8P 2.0TFSI

The problem - drove a quarter mile up the road, all the warning lights came on and it was screaming Oil Pressure and Break Fluid warnings at me, but continued to run fine and sorted itself out after 30 seconds.

Again this afternoon, same problem but the radio died, and rev counter dropped to zero but the car continued driving absolutely fine and sorted itself out after about a minute.

I've checked all the fluids, everything is fine. Under the bonnet there are no obvious signs of damage, nothing has happened to the car to warrant the sudden issues so assuming it is an electrical gremlin.

Anyone have any ideas or had similar / the same issue?

Cheers guys

 

[Sandra]

Have you had a vcds scan done to see if it throws up any fault codes?

 

[drewbagz]

Scanned it this weekend and not showing any faults codes

 

[Retroman]

I'd get the battery checked

 

[Jnsio]

Sounds like a bad battery/battery connection to me.

 

[drewbagz]

Thanks, will test the battery and check the connections over the weekend

 

[drewbagz]

Hey guys,

So this problem isn't over with yet sadly.

Latest update;

The current issue related to the above is the car now only intermittently starts.

Usually, when you unlock the car and open the door the DIS lights up along with the odometer etc. As it stands at the moment nothing lights up except for the centre console when the key is inserted.

When you turn the ignition on the instrument cluster refuses to play ball, the car will start and turnover once but will then cut out.

I have found previously that by locking and unlocking the car a few times this will bring it back to life however no such luck today.

Audi had the car for a few days and couldn't replicate the issues however they found plenty of fault codes on the control modules though they couldn't pin point exactly what the issue was. I'm working on getting a list of the fault codes from them.

My initial thoughts are;

Fault instrument cluster and/or connections?
Immobiliser is toast?

Cheers guys

 

[aqibi2000]

I'm thinking it's the cluster

 

[drewbagz]

Further update as of this evening.

Having left it standing for about 6 hours it started but flashing all the warning signs as per the original post.

Turn it off and back on again, won't start and back to the dead instrument display with it starting for a moment and dying.

A few further peculiarities to throw into the mix;

When in what i now call dead dash mode (i.e. instrument display), the car windows will not open or close using the fob (they did previously), when you unlock the car the hazards flash twice as normal however they no longer flash when you lock the car. When the car is locked the red LED on the dash no longer flashes indicating the alarm / immobiliser is on.

When sitting in the car with the car locked the alarm no longer works if you move around indicating the motion sensor is dead as well.

So, still on the same thought process as before however now more so leaning to;

Immobiliser chip in key is knackered (i don't have a spare key and the battery was replaced today) or the alarm / immobiliser is at the end of it's life.

I'm now clutching at straws as a new instrument cluster is £650+ and immobiliser is £1k+ so looking for all the help I can get.

Cheers guys.

 

[T8DPR]

well a new battery is about £60 so i'd try that first, if that doesn't solve it, you'll have a spare battery for when yours does eventually die

Edit: which battery have you replaced today, car battery or key battery??

 

[audismart]

Have you tested the battery yet?

 

[aqibi2000]

What is knackered on the original key, they are fixable

 

[Retroman]

Either a failing battery or a replacement which is underpowered, can cause all sorts of cluster and other electrical anomalies on a modern car. The ECU will try and ration power to essential driving functions and cut power (seemingly randomly) to other functions e.g. ABS, central locking, ICE, instrumentation etc.

 

[drewbagz]

Hey guys. Sorry for being quiet.

Car battery has been tested and is operating as new. Fob battery replaced and the problem persists.

I think I've isolated it to the immobiliser chip in the instrument cluster. This was sent away for repair and was returned today however still no luck.

Does anyone know if a second hand instrument cluster can be re-coded? Or could it be the transponder in the fog has failed?