Hi all, Long post alert!
...my medium mileage TDI90 has had a few electrical gremlins since last year and the symptoms have got much worse this year - now everything is particularly erratic on startup and this is causing multiple systems to error and complete loss of battery power to the dash at times.
In the most brief way I can I'll detail symptoms from last year/earlier this year, and then I'll bullet point the latest list of issues with the electrics that are disabling the car completely, in the hope that it sounds familiar to someone and I can start to trace the possible cause/s.
The car: 2004 TDI90 / 161K miles / general condition 8/10 / No real mechanical issues and drives beautifully...
ELECTRICAL PROBLEM 2019 into 2020 summary:
ELECTRICAL PROBLEM 2020 current picture:
The cold damp weather we are now having might well have contributed to things getting worse, the car is permanently plagued by these issues and I can't use it.
Think that's it...Sorry but that's as brief as I can make it to give an accurate picture of all the symptoms!
Does any of this sound in anyway familiar to any owners? Are any of you more Techy members able to offer any thoughts on what I could try to trace the issue...
Help get me back on the road!
Thanks, Kennedy
...my medium mileage TDI90 has had a few electrical gremlins since last year and the symptoms have got much worse this year - now everything is particularly erratic on startup and this is causing multiple systems to error and complete loss of battery power to the dash at times.
In the most brief way I can I'll detail symptoms from last year/earlier this year, and then I'll bullet point the latest list of issues with the electrics that are disabling the car completely, in the hope that it sounds familiar to someone and I can start to trace the possible cause/s.
The car: 2004 TDI90 / 161K miles / general condition 8/10 / No real mechanical issues and drives beautifully...
ELECTRICAL PROBLEM 2019 into 2020 summary:
- On half turn of key the usual illuminated dash icons you would see would steadily flicker rather than appear 'constant' - I learned the car would never start when in this state, the starter motor would be turning strongly but nothing
- Turning key back and trying several more times would eventually make dash illuminate with bright constant ABS, battery, glow plug etc lights - the car would then always start
- When dash lights flickered there was an audible electrical sound possibly from a struggling or faulty relay but appeared to be from the passenger side glove box area
- Other notable warning from around this time was occasional Oil Level sensor being triggered
- I realised that the reverse lights or selector switch could have something to do with it, when dash lights in flickering state (car not yet running), selecting reverse would cut all power
- Then there was an issue that on selecting reverse to park after I had been journeying around in it for a while, the car would completely cut out with all power to dash again cut. Try to start again, flickering dash lights yadda yadda - then would be fine and 2 or 3 more attempts reverse would be fine again.
ELECTRICAL PROBLEM 2020 current picture:
- On half turn of key dash is now very erratic, flickering, fuel gauge needle bouncing back and forward like a windscreen wiper, sensors triggering problems with everything from ABS, Oil level, Air Bag etc and even audible warning bongs I've never heard in an A2 before!
- Way more difficult to try and get the dash to light in a more stable way like in the previous phase, taking up to 10 minutes of trying to hit that sweet spot for everything to work
- Problem seems much worse on cold damp mornings which I think may suggest some kind of more exposed electrical circuit, wiring or sender shorting repeatedly
- Audible electrical grumblings still coming thick and fast from the glove box area of the car
- If I can manage to start the car the power steering is regularly not kicking in and the Air Bag light temporarily displays
- If I can get the car to start, normally on drier days, it is running and behaving perfectly apart from complete loss of power just once I think (shortly after startup whilst still cold)
The cold damp weather we are now having might well have contributed to things getting worse, the car is permanently plagued by these issues and I can't use it.
Think that's it...Sorry but that's as brief as I can make it to give an accurate picture of all the symptoms!
Does any of this sound in anyway familiar to any owners? Are any of you more Techy members able to offer any thoughts on what I could try to trace the issue...
Help get me back on the road!
Thanks, Kennedy