Electrical fault?!

[SCORCHIO12]

Last night whilst driving home i had the lights on, radio and the heater and both windows open a few inches.

I pressed both the windows switches to shut the windows and the battery volt meter on the dash went down to about 8/9 volts and the headlights and all the instruments lights cut out and the car nearly cut out as well.

The dashboard also lcd showed a circle with an exclamation mark in it and was bleeping. When i released the window switches power was resorted and all was ok again.

So when i go to home i tried this again whilst stationery and i happened again. I am also for info having issues with the computer display somedays working ok and otherdays there is nothing there. The wiper stalk is fine as i have tried another one but nothing happens when the buttons on the stalk are pressed.

Also a few weeks back when i went to unlock the car i had no power at all until i wiggled some wires about under the bonnet that led into the car behind the dashboard.

Can anyone point me in the right direction where to start as im tempted to take out the whole dash to see where all these wires run into. I believe i may have bad earth connections somewhere :roll:.

not impressed with Audi electrics at all!!

any help appreciated...

ps Anyone near Croydon with Vagcom to do a check on codes for me. I will sort you out a nice drink if anyone can help.

[Crasher]

Possibly either the ignition switch or X relay but check the battery terminals first, including the earth to the body from the battery.

[SCORCHIO12]

Battery terminals appear to be ok and are all locked tight.

Which relay could this be? Would a really drain a battery like this? Could vagcom detect this fault?

[Crasher]

What year and model.

[SCORCHIO12]

Its a 1998 1.6SE.

[Crasher]

The X relay is under the dash on a 6 relay carrier plate at position 2 with the number 213 on top. The original part number is 8D0 951 253 but this has now changed to 7M0 951 253 A and costs £12.16.