1.8 idle control sensor

[A4 Avant 1.8t]

Hi everyone.
I have a 97 1.8 avant with an annoying problem. It started the other month and it wouldn't tick over, this went away when I next started it. I took it to my local garage and had it put on their computer and the result is that the idle control sensor is faulty. I have been told that it is not replaceable on its own and I would need to change the throttle body as well at a cost of over £300. Could anyone on here confirm or deny this for me please. The other problem I have is that I'm currently working in Switzerland and don't know of any local cheap repairers. I have found one on e-bay at a cost of £94 but he needs to know the part number which I cannot find.

Any advice or help will be greatly appreciated.....Mike.

[Crasher]

Absolute 80ll0c<k5! There is no such part as an idle control sensor, it just needs the throttle body removing, cleaning, re-fitting and and re-adapting to the ECU in Basic Settings 04, sub group 098.

[A4 Avant 1.8t]

Thanks for the quick reply crasher. The guy pointed to a small black part on the throttle body with an electrical plug on it. Seeing as this is my first Audi I took his word for it. As for cleaning and resetting, what would you recomend to clean it with ? and how would I get it reset over here.

Many Thanks.....Mike

[Crasher]

The accepted method is to use aerosol carb cleaner and a stiff nylon bush, nothing sharp or abrasive. The reset is done on computer diagnostic equipment held by many garages or also the software known as VAG-COM but this has to be a full registered version to do this. Don’t listen to people who tell you about tricks like disconnecting the battery or pushing buttons on the dash or whatever, these do not work. Cleaning the TB isn’t always successful, just in around 99% of cases.