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View Full Version : Please Help 2004 A4 avant 1.8T 20v s line.......... engine faults/limp mode?



jase roberts
08-07-2012, 04:41 PM
Has anybody every had any of the following faults? cooling fans running constant, engine running very lumpy, stability & EDC warning lamps on, BUT, engine oil/water ok, no smells, no noises?.

Wife used the car yesterday morning to pop up the shop, a round trip of no more than 2 miles.
Came back, parked the car on the drive as norm, locked it & came in the house. About 4 hours later, we went back out to the car to go somewhere but found the radiator cooling fans running for approx 30-40 seconds, then stop for about the same amount of time, then start up again. We were stood next to the car, which was still locked & i had the keys in my hand. I opened the car, popped the bonnet to double check the coolant level, which was bang on the mark with no leaks. I went to start it but found the battery flat.


Jumped started it off the wifes polo, the fans stopped doing what they had been & all seemed well. went out, no probs, returned home, pulled on the drive & switched the engine off. Got out the car, locked it & just as we got to the front door, the fans kicked in again, i'm stood there, with the keys in my hand & the car locked. I then assumed the fans must run through a control unit & THAT must be the problem, so short term my plan was to remove the fuse for the fans & get it sorted monday.


Jumped in it last night to go to work, shot off down the motorway & then the problems started. cruising along at a nice 70ish when the stability warning lamp & the EDC warning lamps came on together (amber) along with total loss of power. I hadn't gone through any puddles (dry roads) & hadn't had any sort of traction or wheel spin problems. Got into the hard shoulder, turned the engine off & the fans are going again. Temp gauge is reading norm, popped the bonnet & again, the coolant level is bang on. Then noticed that it will hardly rev & trying to move it along the hard shoulder it was more "bunny hopping" than driving. There are no funny noises, even running as bad as it is it's as quiet as anything, theres no funny smells of any sort, no oil or coolant leaks, but it's now running really rough, like its only running on 3, & just dont want to play.

The car is the A4 1.8T 20v 190bhp s line, engine code BEK (i think, or is it BEX?), 74,500 miles with a full service history, inc cam belt, etc. It has had the Audi coil pack warrenty done & i even had the oil pump pick up pipe done on the last service & until yesterday the car has been a legend, absolutley faultless. I know its got to go in & have the faults read but just wandered if anybody has had or know of a similar problem. I am an ex truck mechanic so i like to think i'm still mechanically minded, but this has me stumped. The only suggestion someone has come up with thus far is the MAF sensor?


Just to mention, went out to it this morning, jumped in it & went around the block, no problems, revved up a treat & was as responsive as normal.

Sorry for the essay, just wanted to get all the info down in case this rings any bells with someone. Fingers crossed it isn't an ECU problem!

Regards, jase

Crasher
08-07-2012, 05:46 PM
As the engine warning light is on you must start with a fault code read.

jase roberts
09-07-2012, 11:01 AM
Bit of an update, i've had the fault codes read and the following was picked up.
1) the fan control unit has stored a couple of faults & was the probable cause for the engine going into limp mode/EPC warning. It seems that by me removing the fan fuse & then using the car, it chucked a wobbly because it wasn't able to switch the fans on when it wanted them on. I've been told that i need a new fan control unit, part no: 8EO 959 501 AG. Main dealer part only, £181.19 inc vat.
2) with regards to the stability warning, a fault was stored on the steering adjuster or position sensor?. He asked if i'd had any wheelspin, if i'd driven through any big puddles or major water or if i'd carried out any significant steering monouvers, of which none of the above had happened. I did hit a bit of a dip in the motorway when all this happened but i personally wouldn't have thought it enough to create a fault code to be stored. I travel the same route every day & know nearly every bump in the road.

Anyway, he cleared all the faults & took the car on a road test. When he returned he commented on how nice it drove & that no further faults had being recorded. He also noticed that the top bolt that secures the MAF sensor to the air filter housing was for some reason missing & recommended that I get that replaced.
Fingers crossed, its just a case of fitting a new control unit & all will be good.