Audi a3 1998 1.6 keeps cutting out!!

[sparky_style]

Hi guys, I have an audi a3 1.6, over the past few weeks it has been giving me a few problems, it started off with the loss of power, it would not pick up speed in the 1st and 2nd gears. I was told by a vw/audi garage that it was a faulty mass air flow sensor, which I hear is a common problem with these cars.

I had that changed a few days ago and the car seems to be running a lot better, the problem I'm having now is that the car doesn't start 1st time when i turn the key, I have to rev the engine for it to turn over and aslo when I slow down at a junction or to change gear the revs drop and result in the car cutting out, it seems to be an intermittent problem. :1zhelp:

Has any one had this problem with their car, or would any one know how to fix it. I have been told that it could be linked to the throttle body and that cleaning it out could resolve it.

Many thanks :Blush:

[Crasher]

It needs the throttle body cleaning and re-adapting to the ECU using diagnostic equipment. On these (with the AKL engine) they usually also need to have the ECU’s learnt values erased to allow the cleaned throttle body to function.

[sparky_style]

Thank you Crasher, much appreciated. Is re-adapting to the ECU and erasing the learnt values an expensive procedure?

[Crasher]

Well we charge £65 ish for the whole job so if you do the cleaning you should pay around £30 I would expect IF the garage you take it to knows what they are doing.

[eluminati]

Actually im having similer issues aswell. As in SOMETIMES randomly, my car doesn't start 1st time when i turn the key and I have to rev the engine for the engine to stay on. Its usually in the morning or very late at night, so i just thought its because of the cold weather?!?!?

[cb1]

Can this be prevented by any chance? Coz I have a 99 A3 and if there was something I could be doing to reduce the likely hood of this happenin it would be great.

Cheers,
CB

[Crasher]

Can this be prevented by any chance?

Don't start the engine :D

[sparky_style]

I cleaned the throttle body today and the car starts first time when turning the key... lets hope it stays that way.

I went to an audi/vw specialist to have the ecu reset as instructed by "Crasher" but the guy was having problems doing so. First of all the software wouldn't recognise the throttle body then when it finally picked it up there was nothing he could do to it as it wasn't responding.

He has reset the fault codes but the problem I'm having now is that the car is idling too high and stays at that level constantly. He checked all the air hoses under the covers incase there was an air leak but every thing seemed fine. He concluded that it is down to a faulty throttle body. What do you make of that Cracher, does it sound right?

The guy was very helpful and didn't charge me anything, I have the car booked with him for next week so that he can try a throttle body off another car to see if that makes any difference.

[Crasher]

It needs re-adapting by someone who has software that will communicate.

[sparky_style]

that's exactly what he tried doing, even he said it was odd that it's not working because they've carried out a lot of similar jobs on other cars with no problems. It was even bugging him :confused:, he had the car for over an hr but no joy.

Ill wait and see what happenes next week now. I would bring it down to you guys but I live in Coventry so it's a bit of a mission driving to Notthingham.