AUDI A3 2.0 FSI Desparate help needed

[birdi]

I have a bit of a serious issue with my partners audi a3 2.0 fsi on a 2004 53 reg. Seeing as you are the local expert I thought i'd turn to you in my time of need.

The original problem on the car was that it would start first time when starting from cold but would struggle to start again once the engine was warm. I was told that it was a temprature send sensor and bought one from Audi and replaced it, I checked the car before i fitted the sensor and it worked fine but once I tried starting the car after fitting the sensor it misfired like it was on crack and the engine management light first came on and then started flashing, there was a strong smell of fuel and after a couple of minutes the manifold was red hot. I turned the car off and replaced it with the old temprature send sensor and the problem remained.

I am not sure what has happened but I just changed over a sensor so it doesn't make senser.

Before i changed the sensor the car used to run perfectly besides the starting problem. I was wondering if the ecu needed to be reprogrammed when changing over sensors. It is the 2 pin sensor which tells the choke how hot the engine is so it tells the fuel pump how much fuel to provide.

Help.....

Thanx in advance

[domg]

hi there

did you ever find out what the problem was on your car

[birdi]

HI itsactually my bro inlaw who posted this using my ID,I think his prob was MAFs in the end but I will ask him next week as I see him then,how ever I do know the car is stilli the garage and not totally fixed yet !!

[zeroseven]

Also interested in this. We had the temp sensor replaced (twice - cost £300 altogether) and after two weeks of running with no problems the engine management light is now on again and the car is only running on a couple of cylinders (it feels like) or this may be a fuelling problem

[birdi]

my bro in law's audi had a broken dipstick, so it was not inserted all the way and causing air loss!!! although it's improved it's still not 100% yet !

[stusA3]

could be one or more of ur coils is on its way out, i had loss of power and sounded like it was running on a couple and not all 4, dunno if this helps u

[ac1]

Bridi,

I don’t know if you have sorted your problem but I had exactly the same problem; I changed all the things that people on this site suggested it could be, ECT sensor, cam sensor, fuel pressure sensor none of this worked,
So having taken the car to 4 different garages calming to be experts in diagnosing faults on German cars and spending around £500.00 and still having the problem I decided to take it to Audi, it cost me £1232.00 for parts and labour, the labour being the biggest part of the bill @ £95.00 per hour, but now the car is sorted.
The problem was a faulty cam shaft adjuster and timing chain, also the trimming was out by half a tooth, as you can see this was a mechanical fault so no diagnostic equipment in the world would have found this problem.

[crisis72rdh]

Hi guys, I'm new to the forum because I have the exact same problem so wondered if any of you had a solution as the chaps at Audi cant seem to fix it. Bought the car (2.0FSI) about 9 months ago, the day I drove it home broke down with this issue, next day took it back and they replaced the coils...its happened 4 more times over the last 9 months! Each time its been back and they've replaced several different things from all the engine management cables to the spark plugs but it persists :zx11:. The latest time a few days ago is the worst with grey smoke coming out the exhaust and engine sounding rougher then ever, so I have a feeling its a big mechanical problem. Still under warranty fortunately but really want this to be sorted as I love the car otherwise!

[zeroseven]

My wifes turned out to be the coils again. We're sick of replacing them. Luckily unlike yourself we cant stand the car, its so bland.

So now its sorted we're getting shot of it quick

We're both surprised by the car we've chosen to replace it too. Mondeo estate. I've rarely driven a car so quiet and comfortable. Actually pulls away from dead like a rocket too unlike the A3. Had I not seen the badge I'd have guessed it was a Merc, Astonishing car. I would say I'll never buy another Audi, but said that about Ford 20 years ago......

Advert over

[jaffa-number-1]

Hi A3 Fsi sufferers!

I too have suffered the missfirings and poor performance with my 2.0 ltr fsi A3 sport 2003.

I thought it was coils as the guy that sold it me let me have a set that he was going to replace, I should have realised I was getting a problem.

My fault kicks in after about an hour when the engine and all things Audi are nice and hot, then the miss fires start, poor acceleration and even no throttle response at 80 mile an hour, only for approx 5 seconds then it come back.
On short journeys she was fine, but go on a longer run and it was like driving an old banger!
In the end I took it to Audi main dealer and after parting with the best part of £500 my car now works fine (touching wood here!).
And the fault was???
Dirty fuel - I argued on the phone with the dealer saying it must be electronic and heat related, but they insisted I go down into the workshop and they would show me my fuel pump (this is located in the petrol tank).
The fuel pump stood like a lost soul on the floor of the work shop, covered in black sludge, the sludge was inside and all over it.
They also showed me the fuel tank chamber which again had this black substance in it.
The mecahnics where baffled, they could not suggest what it might be, but they said that as this would be blocking the filters in the fuel line it was starving the engine of fuel and making the electronics play up as a result.
They changed the fuel pump and in line filters, they washed out my fuel tank and sent me on my way with the happy thought that if this did not do the trick the next items to change would be the fuel rail and secondary fuel pump at the engine and or the fuel sensor, which is another £400 to £500.
Luckily so far I have not had to have this other work done.
It has played up once sine the fuel pump problem and Audi said I needed a new EGR valve, but they reset the codes and it has run fantastic for the last 3 months without a problem, so I will not be changing the valve for now as I cannot afford it this year.
Just goes to show haw many parts get changed due to the fault codes when in fact it may just be a little glitch!
If anybody else has had the fuel sludge problem please advise as I would like to see if it is common.
Jaffa-number-1

[zeroseven]

Our problem came back AGAIN before we could sell it. A month ago we AGAIN took it to Audi (6th time) ... this time they said it was the knock sensor and catalytic converter (huh??) £1400 parts plus labour!

So we told them to poke it, traded it with the engine management light still blazing away for a BMW 320 tourer.

Man... the difference. What a class bit of kit.

Good luck Audi owners..... for me, never again :beerchug: