My A3... It's annoying me...

[firestar2k3]

Hi all,

Quick confusing one, my first winter with this damn A3...

So veryyyyy cold at the moment, so i get in my car, turn the key..and its started first time and tht...:D

BUT...

Rev...0

Illumination - Off

Clocks / Mileage / Trip - Off

Fuel & Temp - Off/Empty

Heaters & Radio / Headlights/ Wipers all OK...
Then all needles and lights blink randomly and the needles shakes and hesitates before coming to life.

Clock reset, as is trip...

bit annoying as its every morning..

Other thingy...euggggh its got a "shakey engine" as in at idle I feel it shake alot even when at 1100 idle...

Told its a faulty ECU...sounds like carp to me...

When WARM i press the acc lightly revs dip to like below 500... if in gear and not enough gas applied then car will stall....

Other times, it dips and then comes back to normal..

Sometimes its all ok..

no idea...MAF...??

but did that MAF/Vagcom test, got a good reading...

[RickT]

whcih engine do you have??

in regards to the engine issue..

This sounds like a coil pack issue possably, Does it feel to have a slight misfire>??

was nothing showing in VAG-COM under the engine section?? if a coil pack is on its way out this does not always show in VAG-COM until its running pretty bad as the auto choke seems to hold everything together..

In regards to the cluter issue... it could be a simple plug/wire with a lose conection... however has its affecting different dials its a tough one...

More than likley it will be the cluster on the way out... ALSO... this can be checked in VAG-COM under the cluster section for reported faults.

Cheers

RickT

[RickT]

Ps... how many miles is on it??

Cheers

RickT

[firestar2k3]

Sorry about a very late reply was away on holiday.

its an avu engine 1.6
and it has (only) 65567 miles on it.

was going to mention i tried some v-power did seem to make a little diff...

the o2 sensor is out, other then that no reported faults...

[RickT]

i only use Opitmax... renames V-POWER now..i find my runs a lot better on it and more MPG..

RicKT

[firestar2k3]

do you think it could be a coil pack or the fuel could make such a diff...?

thx:D

[RickT]

coil pack... maybe.. however you tend to get a misfire or just flat spots to start with..

RicKT

[firestar2k3]

its poor running stalls easily....

usually just get shakes from engine even when at 900rpm...

how can i tell if it misfires often?

where is coil pack? can i test it, is it expensive... would o2 sensor cause it?

[RickT]

Best way to check is to get the car onto VAG-COM and find which cylinder is misfiring...

However if you dont have access and want to risk thinking its a coil pack to start with (thats if all lead and spark plugs are ok)_

Take out coil pack number 1, and insert the new coil pack in number one.. and go for a drive... if no different... replace the exisitng one and then try by putting the new one in cylinder number 2.. and so on to coil pack number 4... - once you have done this and "IF" its better in one postion leave it there...

I would then recoomend reaplcing the other 3 as they will be next to go... or its upto you..

Cheers

RickT

[firestar2k3]

i have vagcom, how do i check this? sorry, im not too good and am new to it all, does the avu have coil packs i can get easily?

would that account for easy stalling?