A4 B8 2.0TDI 143 Starting Problems

[ceegee]

The car has been pretty much fault free but has now developed a very occasional starting problem.

When pressing the clutch and then pressing the key I get a click but no turnover of the engine, as soon as I try it again it bursts into life.

I've only noticed this recently, the car is a MY2009 and the mileage is 28K.

I suspect its a faulty starter motor but because its so intermittent don't want to book it into the garage just yet as I'll get the usual response of no fault found!

I'd be interested to know if anybody else has had this issue?

Cheers

[A4 Lad]

If she is 09 she is still under warranty. I wouldnt care what the garage says, its an intermitent fault but it may show up as a power or signal loss when Audi check it with their diagnostic software. If not, just explain to them that it only happens a few times a week. Either way, you want to get her sorted before she is out of warranty !

[Big Bird]

I too had this last year (MY09 2.0 TFSi with 15k miles). Occasionally, very occasionally, the car didn't start on first click and would also fail to release the key at the end of the drive. Audi gave the car a thorough check, including the key, and could find nothing wrong and no error codes. Very bizzare, and they said keep an eye on it and bring it back if it gets worse.

All i do now is give the key a few seconds longer in the slot both before pressing it to start and also prior to releasing it (i press it in and hold it a fraction longer). Since doing this, nothing! The problem is long gone!!

Worth a try.........

[ceegee]

Thanks for the response guys.

Big Bird - I've got into the routine of leaving the key in the ignition for a few seconds before starting as I've been too quick in the past which I think confused the car!!

I'll get her booked in for a once over, at least I'll have registered that there's a problem if nothing can be found this time round.

Cheers

[Niko]

Although it has happened to me a few times it is because I did not have the clutch depressed far enough. I take it you are consistently pressing the clutch pedal right home before deploying the key?

Nik

[ceegee]

Clutch definitely pressed right down Niko, when I haven't done that in the past all I get is a deathly silence and the lights go off on the dash! This time there's a click from under the bonnet.

[AndyH123]

Mine's always been intermittent when it comes to starting on first key push. Sometimes the dash lights up but nothing else happens. Other times I get the "put foot on clutch" message. Sometimes the 2nd push starts the engine. Sometimes the 2nd push turns off the ignition.

It's been looked at 3 times, had a new switch under the clutch, a new key hole bit and it still ain't right. Audi claim it starts 100% of the time when they've got it.

I sat in the car and demonstrated the problem. I was told to hold the key in until the engine starts. That seems to improve matters but it still isn't perfectly reliable.

I'm tempted to say its been better now the weather has warmed up but really it seems a true intermittent problem

[PWW]

I Also have the same issue (2.0TDI Quattro 2010 manual 4,500 miles) cars due to go back soon when replacement car arrives so not reported it yet, can take upto three attempts to get the car started and is an intermittant issue.

[jonesey]

I have had this intermittent starting problem since Day 1 with my 60 reg 2011 model A4 2.0 TDI, at best it was a 50/50 chance that the car would start first time, symptoms where on first push of key fob in starter all expected lights would illuminate and extinguish except engine management light then on pushing the key fob to start the car that light would go out but starter would not turn over. it was slowly getting worse and then a couple of weeks ago while having the car hand washed at one of those Polish run car washes you find everywhere the car failed to start. I had the embarrassment of having the car pushed out of the car wash area by about 6 car wash employees as I was blocking the waiting queue of cars. The car wash operator was shouting "Flat Battery?" in broken English as I was on about the 20Th attempt to start the car with my left foot pushing the clutch pedal through the floor pan and jabbing the starter button.
Booked the car into my local Audi dealer and according to the report sheet the fault was diagnosed as "Carried out checks and found software update required".
Its been working 100% since leaving the Audi dealer on Tuesday and my confidence in the car starting first time has now been restored, should have took it back the first week, but thought maybe it was something I was doing wrong in the push button, press clutch, starting sequence. If you are having the same problem get it back to your Audi dealer and ask for the software update. The report also mentions that the software update was also required to fix "dynamic oil function" which the service receptionist explained was for an issue with the oil level indicator incorrectly reporting low oil levels, which was not something I had noticed.