ECU or Immobiliser Misery

[AntsAudi]

ECU or Immobiliser Misery

Hello all,

This is my first post on your forum. I have read through a lot of the previous threads to diagnose my Audi’s issues; however I cannot seem to find the relevant information so to the extent I am posting this thread in the hope your experts can point me in the right direction to get a resolution to my problem/headache.

Please see below relevant car information:

· make Audi
· model A3
· spec of car TDI Sport
· engine size 1.9
· fuel Diesel
· year of car e.g. 1998
· reg of car R

History:

I have experienced the following problem where by the car will just cut out whilst driving. The car will restart after 2 - 3 minutes, which can be a bit of a distraction when in London traffic. I took the car to a local garage who wired it up to a VAG COM program, they diagnosed it as an immobiliser issue, the garage reset the ECU or cleared the immobiliser, ‘I think’, also stating that it could be the Key barrel that is slightly worn and this maybe triggering the immobiliser whilst driving.
However this reset did not resolve the issue, so I got an immobiliser company to plug into the ECU, they stated that they feel the ECU is not communicating with the Dashboard.

The car is now immobile, I have called out the AA they disconnected the fuel line and reconnected it and the car started? I let the car run for 20 minutes. I restarted the car the next morning to check all was ok but didn’t drive it. On my return from work I tried to start again but same problem the car would turn over but would not start?

I spoke with a friend who suggested I take of the negative terminal from the battery and leave it for a good 10 minutes then reconnect and try to start. This worked I let the car run and took it once around the block. However when I came to turn it over again the following day the car does not start.

Is this an ECU issue? If so would you advise to replace or simply get AUDI to fix it? My concern is that AUDI charge £125 and hour and I have just paid for service MOT and much more cost is not viable as I wish to sell the car to get a newer model.

All advice would be very much appreciated.

[omegadirective]

Is it actually turning the starter motor over?

[AntsAudi]

Thanks for the quick reply to this thread.

Yes thats correct , When I turn the key in the ignition the starter motor does turn over.

I would take the car to a place where I could hook it up to Audi's computer if I could get it started and be confident its not going to stop on the way.

All thoughts very much appreciated.

[kenney]

Hi your engine will not stop because of a faulty immo,the symptoms of a faulty immo is the engine starts ,runs a few seconds,then stops.I think your problem is one of three.first priority to G28 the engine speed sender,and so J322 the diesel injection system relay,and lastly the electrical part of the ignition switch.

[omegadirective]

Check the above!

Maybe, but I think this one is a little less likely, but it might be the fuel pump? Are you hearing it prime when you turn the ignition on?

[AntsAudi]

Kenney, you thread sounds like it could be an expensive problem. Do you think the only way to get this resolved is to tow the car to a garage for them to confirm whether it is a G28, J322 or the electrical parts of ignition switch, and in which case should it be an Audi dealer with the correct Diagnosis software?

[AntsAudi]

Omegadirective,

I will check this evening whether I can hear the fuel pump priming before turning over the car. My first thread mentioned that I disconnected the neutral battery connection and reconnected some 20 mins later, resulting in the car starting, is this symptamatic of a dodgy fuel pump?

[kenney]

2 of the items i mentioned do not show up on any diagnostics ,the 3rd one G28 sometimes shows up but not always.So its more or less trial and error.The parts are not expensive,nor is it a lot of work to replace them.The easiest is the relay,which is only a matter of pulling the old one out and putting the new one in. To replace the G28 sender is a bit fiddily.I would say the ignition switch is not a DIY job.

[kenney]

There are two types of injection systems on this model,i should have asked you for the engine code,as the one with a distributor injection pump, does not have a fuel pump,what is your engine code?

[AntsAudi]

Hi Kenney,

I check car last night to see if I could find the Engine code. I could not locate it, there used to be a code under a plastic protector that is no longer there this is where I assume I could of found the engine code.

Do you know of any good sites for Mobile Audi auto mechanics in Kingston upon thames that could look at the potential problem points you have highlighted?

The Car has 6 months tax and full MOT, was hoping to trade in for another model, however in this condition with its issues, I dont think I can give it away!

Thanks,