A4 1.9tdi avf hard starting

[nevo]

Try nipping up the pump bolts a little.

[busteroonie]

yeah we had start up troubles and found it was the headlamp switch, weird.

[Marco34]

My car is identical in this freezing weather. The engine is in super condition but my battery is original so 9 years old. I can wait 6-8 seconds at -6 for the glow plug light to go out. Cranking at worst can be 3-4 seconds. I've concluded it's the cold and an aging battery. No fault codes with VCDS. I have no gunk near EGR etc and fuel filter within 18 months old and 10k.

I get smoke too. Much more than normal but most diesels I see do.

Is yours ok after 10 seconds or so??

Cheers.

[karl_tanner]

This is great reading!
I gotta "R" reg 1.9Tdi A3, and lately it's a complete b**tard to start..
I found that the "glow plug" relay wasn't being energised.. Even though the light on the dash came on. This is controlled by the ECU, no way am I replacing that. So I made a little timer circuit which brings the glow plugs come on for 10secs when the ignition comes on.
However, it's still hard to start... I have seen some fluid on the fuel filter... So it's the o-rings in the connections that fail?

I'll check the glow plugs too, keep us posted if you find anything else!

Cheers

Karl

[basic147]

Dont buy a new pump just yet, if it starts ok you need to check whether the non return valve in the pump return line is holding,just remove the pipe put a container under and switch on the ignition a few times to get the lift pump to operate,it shouldn't pass any fuel.

Great thread I have a similar issue so im working through a few of these pointers. My audi won't start easily if its been parked on an incline so im pretty sure I have an issue thats being covered here.

Please can someone explain the above post again so I can understand thanks?

[Grangey.]

Guys sorry for the thread revival, but ive just baught a 1.9tdi 130 B6 with starting problems and thanks to someone pointing me the answer on another fourm- believe it or not the pointer on page 3 by stu_m is absolutley bang on. So i thought it also worth posting in this thread for other people searching for the fault.

This is not the answer to the thread in question (ie the starting on a hill etc) but if your a4 tdi130 takes some time to start (about 10 rotations or so)......

Believe it or not ITS THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH that causes this fault in most cases! Put your sidelights on, then turn the ingition, i bet it starts almost faultlessly. I've got a friend that works in audi that confirmed that there has been a run of these faults which have been related by the switch (ie the part you turn from O to sidelights to headlights)! Im not techincal enough to understand why, but it seems to fix it!

i thought i should put this in for others looking for this fault.

[Pentti]

Not sure about the 1.9TDi engine layout, but have had a similar fault with my 2.5TDi ie brake warning comes on and I have been told its the battery complaining, as suggested by Nevo. My problem was caused by leaking injector leak off pipes.

[funkyfin2000]

Did you ever get to the bottom of this! Would love to know! Sent you a PM!