Air con & starting problems A4 Tdi 130

[Dansk]

Hi,

I recently bought a 2002 A4 Tdi 130 Sport, nice car, just a few things i'm not sure about:

Should the cooling fan under the bonnet be running all the time when the air con is on? also it stinks of cat pee!

Also it intermitingley has problems starting up, sometimes you can get into it and turn the key and it will fire up without the engine hardly doing a revolution, but on the odd occasion you can turn the key and it will just crank over and finaly start, it has never failed me but it is weird. Its been in at Audi, for other things (esp angle sensor) and they could not find it - no fault codes etc, any one any idea's.

Thank you in advance

[El Dingo]

1. Yes, the cooling fan runs for the air con.
2. Smell - try changing the cabin filter, and check that the scuttle drains are clear, and that the cabin filter cover is correctly re-fitted and not damaged.
3. Non-starting - this one is a mystery...

[Dansk]

Thank you !

[pbb]

I hope I'm not to late, but I think how to solve your 3 problem:
try starting your car with your headlights on. If it starts well, the problem is in the headlights switch.

I'm pretty sure that's the problem.

Good Luck

[Dansk]

pbb - you are right, thats mental and i cant belive it, Audi have been scratching there heads and VW for ages - thank you very much - do you know why this happens??

[pbb]

I don´t have clue. The only thing I noticed in foruns like this, is that this only happens in audi a4 130 hp. I didn´t find any another complains from other engines owners.

[spainy]

This thread has me chuckling as I have the same undesirable smell on start up and cat pee describes it well!!! How easy is the cabin filter to change and where is it?

[aaaa4aaaa]

Open bonnet, look at car from front, the filter is on the right below the windscreen (Under chassis number) to the right of the battery. Remove the plastic cover and you simply pop out the filter and pop in a new one....check for a cat while you at it..Replace lid and also inspect for cracks as this seems to be a MAJOR source of water leaks into the pasenger footwell

Cheers

[Marco34]

I had more over a bad pond smell in mine. Turned out the drain under the battery was bunged up and water was deep in the bulk head!! Nice. I drained off 9 litres before I found where the drain hole was! This eventually caused rust on the vaccum assist for the brakes and consequently replaced as the brakes were sticking on! Cost £320. Well worth checking that drain hole regularly.

I also change the cabin filter yearly!! It's always black in that time.

[Dansk]

Interesting i will take a look a the drain holes, it still stinks so i will take a look.

I changed the headlight swith, and the car is like a new one, and the MPG has gone up - i am well made up, and it makes my computer pay for its self, by saving on Audis charges!! Nice one.

[dpetrov]

Hi there,
my name is Danail Petrov. I'm from Bulgaria, and i have a very strange problem with my A4/B6. The problem is with ignition (a.k.a "Hard start"). I saw this post here and i tried to start the engine with turned on headlights. Damn ... it works! So is it interesting for me to understand the main reason and what was the problem indeed. Pbb, do you have any kind of "classified/internal " information about this issue (from Audi or VW) or somewhere else, because your answer sounds pretty confident. Anyway, i'll try this "workaround" in future and i hope that this will solve my issue. But is there any method to solve it at all? I mean, maybe i have to replace the headlight switch or something? And one more thing ... you said that this problem is typical only for this model (B6/1.9TDI) - Do you know why?

Thank you for your effort and i believe that your answer is very useful for many other users!

Best Regards,
Danail Petrov

[dpetrov]

Oops! I did a double post. Sorry

[Dansk]

Hi there,
my name is Danail Petrov. I'm from Bulgaria, and i have a very strange problem with my A4/B6. The problem is with ignition (a.k.a "Hard start"). I saw this post here and i tried to start the engine with turned on headlights. Damn ... it works! So is it interesting for me to understand the main reason and what was the problem indeed. Pbb, do you have any kind of "classified/internal " information about this issue (from Audi or VW) or somewhere else, because your answer sounds pretty confident. Anyway, i'll try this "workaround" in future and i hope that this will solve my issue. But is there any method to solve it at all? I mean, maybe i have to replace the headlight switch or something? And one more thing ... you said that this problem is typical only for this model (B6/1.9TDI) - Do you know why?

Thank you for your effort and i believe that your answer is very useful for many other users!

Best Regards,
Danail Petrov

Hi Danail,

Im sorry, but i dont know the technical reasons behind it - i did buy another head light switch and the car has been perfect ever since,

Sorry i could'nt be of any further assistance.

Regards

Russel.

[dpetrov]

Hi Danail,

Im sorry, but i dont know the technical reasons behind it - i did buy another head light switch and the car has been perfect ever since,

Sorry i could'nt be of any further assistance.

Regards

Russel.

Hello Russel,
thank you for your express answer! I'll try to drive my car in next 2-3 days just to prove that theory.And one more thing - can you please, tell me what was the price for the headlight switch? It's curious for me, because here in Bulgaria the price is more than 60€ !!!

Thank you in advance!

Kind regards,
Danail Petrov!

[Dansk]

HI - Yes i paid £50 GBP, which would be about 69euros,

Regards

[RickT]

I would change the Pollen filter first.

See the below link on how to do it.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=17832

Also.. when changing the pollen filter, check to make sure everything is dry around that area.


Rick

[dpetrov]

I would change the Pollen filter first.

See the below link on how to do it.

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=17832

Also.. when changing the pollen filter, check to make sure everything is dry around that area.


Rick



Hello Rick,
regarding which one of the problems you suggest to replace the pollen filter? I believe that you talking about scenario 2 (smell issue) but i decide to ask you because there is nothing which can surprise me anymore! (after this ignition workaround :-D)

Kind Regards,
Danail Petrov

[tyberwan]

Hey this is incredible. I had this starting problem for 2 months, car taking up to 3 times 30 seconds to start. I tried the headlights on and it worked fine!! So fine that when I do not use the headlights on, it still starts after 2 secs!!!! The car seems to have finally agreed that I discovered the problem.

The only thing is I have not tried driving the car to test it as I have a strange permanent shudder/vibration when I accelerate - I mentioned that in "Camshaft need change" thread posted on Tues 6/11. The diagnosis the Audi dealer gave me was to change the camshaft and accessories to solve this starting problem!!!!

Thanks a lot if you can also advise on my camshaft thread

[dpetrov]

Hey this is incredible. I had this starting problem for 2 months, car taking up to 3 times 30 seconds to start. I tried the headlights on and it worked fine!! So fine that when I do not use the headlights on, it still starts after 2 secs!!!! The car seems to have finally agreed that I discovered the problem.

The only thing is I have not tried driving the car to test it as I have a strange permanent shudder/vibration when I accelerate - I mentioned that in "Camshaft need change" thread posted on Tues 6/11. The diagnosis the Audi dealer gave me was to change the camshaft and accessories to solve this starting problem!!!!

Thanks a lot if you can also advise on my camshaft thread

Camshaft for starting problems??? Sounds crazy ... however. I suggest you to tell him the solution of this problem and to enjoy his reaction :-D
For this vibration i believe that your problem maybe is related to tires or wheels (maybe you have crooked front wheel?) How it vibrates? I mean in some km/h or miles/h range (for example between 20-80km/h) or its permanent ?

Kind Regards!

[tyberwan]

It vibrates and gives a rattling sound near the air filter section when revving up engine. It continues when car is driven, however it does not lose power. Audi dealer says due to camshaft, air is sent back to the engine and causes that sound.

Took it to another garage and they suggested the EGR valve may be faulty. Below the EGR valve, there is a lever, when pressed halfway decreases that rattling sound when I rev up engine. It spits black carbon from the exhaust pipe.

Tires are fine and new, wheel balancing and alignment done. The rattling sound starts when I start the engine and carries on while driving.

[tyberwan]

I've been happy too quickly. After trying the headlights on successfully to start the car for 5-6 times, I decided to drive the car to work the next day. At the end of the day, car took 3 trials of startup (20-30 secs) to start with a lot of white smoke. Even when I tried with the headlights on.

This morning, the car would not start at all even after 6 trials even with headlights on....It's a mystery now.

[dpetrov]

Sorry to "hear" that. Have you ever check your fuel pump? I believe that you have problems with it or some of it's connections? If there is any issues with the hose, your pump maybe suck an air? If your pump is 038145209A you have to know that it's been withdraw and replaced with a new one 038145209E. I had common problems with my pump but i had an oil spill which indicates a serious problems with it. So i just replace the pump.

Hope it helps!