Audi A6 2006 - disable electronic handbrake

[chodecz]

Hi guys,

I'm looking to buy a salvage 2006 Audi A6 S Line. It's had moderate front end damage, the airbags have gone off.

The guy selling it said it starts and drives, upon inspection it doesn't, the battery is showing 10% on the in-car display and when you turn the key it just clicks, the engine doesnt begin to start at all. The dash all lights up, sat nav, etc.

He said the battery is flat, but then charged it and now that's not the issue. He said a solenoid has gone so the battery isn't giving power to start the engine. I'm prepared to take a chance with the car,, but the problem is he has it on a trailer and he can't take off the electronic handbrake due to that lack of eletrical current!

Any advice please!!? :)

[Niall76]

Avoid!

[kenney]

Although you can not start the engine,with a fully charged battery you should be able to turn the handbrake off.

[chodecz]

Avoid? I need a more descriptive message than that to put me off buying it i'm afraid.

[Niall76]

sorry.

The chap is telling you a solenoid has gone? How does he know this? If he claims it runs then I'd let him get it fixed before handing over any cash. Audi's are not cheap to fix I'm afraid..... I wish they were...

[Chris T O'Phart]

Check out the handbook - page 163. It says the handbrake can be engaged with the ignition on or off, but to disengage it you need to insert the key, put your foot on the footbrake and press the handbrake switch at the same time. The (P) light on the dashboard and on the switch will then go out. When you say the dashboard now ligts up, is the red light on the brake showing and can you hear the steering lock disconnect?

If it's not starting, has anyone reset the post crash "switch"? This cuts fuel and the HT crcuit (in petrol cars) - which tends to hamper the starting process :-) No idea where it is or how to reset it though, so, sorry, a bit useless really.....

[kenney]

In the event of a crash,it is the airbag control unit,which sends a signal for the engine to shut down

[chodecz]

Got it delivered, my garage boosted the battery and disengaged it within a a min! The owner obviously doesn't know how to boost/charge a battery!

The front damage isn't bad at all, here's some pics:
1. http://i.ebayimg.com/09/!BT6ZMh!BGk~$(KGrHgoOKjsEjlLmVqugBKK-Dsj-Yw~~_1.JPG
2. http://i.ebayimg.com/15/!BT6Y1vw!mk~$(KGrHgoOKigEjlLmbZRpBKK-Cty7jg~~_1.JPG
3. http://i.ebayimg.com/21/!BT6ZBQ!BGk~$(KGrHgoOKjIEjlLmW!tGBKK-DNt,Tw~~_1.JPG

Something's gone through the middle section though and dented the rad and lower metal frame that goes horizontally across the front.

How is that switch taken off from the airbags, so I can get the engine started??

[kenney]

Nice car Since the airbags have been deployed,there will be a fault logged in the control unit,Audi maintain,when, this is the case the unit must be replaced,however ]

[snapdragon]

I'd get a vag com and run some tests.
Post-crash shut-down can be disabled as an option hidden away in there (for Police, VIP, armoured cars etc...) , but I don't know whether disabling it after a crash would still disable the feature.

[chodecz]

I have contacted VagCheck who are in the next town to me, they should be able to shed some light on this and give me a quote to fix it.