Problems Starting

[bibfrey]

Hi Everyone, I'm a little new to this, thought Id turn to the internet as all else has failed.

I've got a 2005 A3 TDI, nice runner with about 80k on the clock. I use it mostly for 40mile round trips to work on motorway.

I had a few problems where the car seems to lose power while driving, in my panic I turned the key on and off to start up again so am not certain what lights came on (if any) and whether the engine actually cut out.

Car went in was checked, serviced and on I went.

Problem then happened once more, but I also had a flashing light which I believe is for the glow plugs. When the car was turned off it wouldn't start again. If I held the kep for 10-15secs it eventually would start and the felt like it was fine when driving.

In the car went again to be checked over and diagnostics checked, glow plugs changed, sensors changed.

I was then told I had some serious problems with the car, diagnostics they run could not look deep enough into the car but it didn't look good.

When I collected the car, again started after 10 secs and drove home fine but the oil light was on, despite a nearly full tank of oil?

Has anyone got any ideas what could be wrong or next step i should take? It's cost £600 so far and nothing seems sorted.

Thanks

[Mike Foster]

Did you take it to an Audi main dealer or a VAG approved dealer ?

Their diagnostics should tell what the problem is.

[bibfrey]

Hi - The diagnostics was done by a local garage. Do they have different diagnostic equipment to a dealer or VAG?

If so, is there any difference between the tests Audi can perform to a VAG? and does anyone know where I can find a list of VAGs?

Cheers

[kite]

Look in the vagcom section for a member with VCDS, scan the car for faults.
Have a look at the Shark Performance wabsite, Ben could do your scan.

[Mike Foster]

Sorry bibfrey, my first reply was not clear. What I meant was that it is likely only Audi dealers or VAG approved garages have the full diagnostic equipment to investigate the problem.

Ask the garage that scanned it if they used VAG scanning equipment - if not then book it into an approved dealer.