Hellz Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 Hi All, I have an A3 3.2 Quattro DSG (2004) and today driving home from work I was doing about 40mph and slowed to a crawl using the brake. When the revs got to around 1000, maybe just under, the engine cut out. I put the car in park and re-started the car, again, when revs dropped the engine just cut out. This kept happening but I managed to get the car home through revving quite a bit following ignition to keep it going, then quickly dropping it into drive and revving immediately. Every time I'd slow to a junction or roundabout the engine would cut out again - rinse/repeat. Following the first engine cut out and subsequent restart - the emissions control system light and electronic stability program light came on and have remained on. I'm going to try and get a diagnostic on it tomorrow but its got me worried and I cant seem to find any info on the net about the issue - I was hoping you guys might be able to give some insight into what it may be... I should say - I've taken the car out again tonight to check whether it is still cutting out and it isnt but the ESP and ECS lights are still on. The above has also happened about a month ago - On that occasion only the ESP light came on but following a period of non-use and re-start of the car, the ESP light no longer came on. On that occasion I took it to my local dealer as it was under warranty at the time (warranty expired last week) and they said there were too many 'ghost' codes to tell what the fault may have been. They said to get in touch if it happened again - typically it does, a few days out of warranty. Any advice would be appreciated... Cheers all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 12, 2009 Report Share Posted May 12, 2009 If you're a few days out of warranty don't worry about it. As for "ghost" codes, that's all well and good but dealers appear to be too reliant on the computer. What's wrong with clearing the codes and taking the car for a test drive to try to find the problem? Idiots. As you have the issue logged with them and it's come back then I don't think you will have any problems from a warranty point of view. It sounds like a vacuum pipe may have split, and the engine is drawing in unmetred air from somewhere. The engine will put the lights on the dash if it thinks that something is amiss, and if the MAF sensor is measuring "x" amount of air and the engine is getting a different amount, it won't be able to run properly and exactly this can happen. Hopefully your dealer will be able to sort this out (under warranty) and it shouldn't be too involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellz Posted May 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2009 Well, when I started the car this morning to travel to work both the ECS and ESP lights were still on. The car only felt like it was going to cut out the once but it never did. I got to work, parked up, switched the car off and back on - the ESP light is now switching off so it appears that that particular element may be ok - heres hoping. The ECS light however is still staying on - just waiting for the dealership to open so I can attempt to get it booked in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellz Posted May 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Well, fortunately the dealer has offered to fund the cost of the repair - car goes in on Saturday and its expected to take a couple of days to sort out. The problem was linked to an intermittment issue with a 'couple of valves' not 'opening/closing' properly. I'll find out more specific information on Saturday when I drop the car off - I've asked for a copy of the actual fault codes which I'll post here as it might help someone in future diagnose the fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 14, 2009 Report Share Posted May 14, 2009 Could be the idle stabilization valve I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellz Posted May 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 The car has now been in since Saturday and they havent provided me with the codes but... apparently theyve been looking at an inlet sensor, manifold/exhaust sensor and the 'actuator'? They havent yet replaced any of the sensors but theyve said they do not believe the sensors to be the issue... They have also been unable to recreate the problems ive been encountering. Anyhow, the car needs to go elsewhere now as they believe the problem may be a stretched timing chain - which I've since done a little research on and apparently it is extremely rare? Do any of you guys have any experience of a stretched timing chain? If a physical/moving part such as a chain was stretched - wouldnt this be be heard whilst the engine is running? If the timing chain was stretched wouldnt the problem occur more frequently? Its happened twice, the second occurance took place more or less exactly a month after the first.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted May 18, 2009 Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 If the timing chain had stretched I would expect it to run badly all the time, it wouldn't be an intermittent fault. However that's not to say that it hasn't stretched of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellz Posted May 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 18, 2009 Both timing chains were last changed/replaced by AUDI in December 2007, the car has travelled approx 17000 miles since. They shouldnt need replacing so soon should they? Do AUDI offer warranty on all replacement parts and labour they carry out? The receipt of the timing chains work has 3 sets of dates on it - the date the work was completed and two other dates - Dec 2007 - Dec 2010, would these be warranty dates? The car itself is in at an indy garage at the moment and is soon to be moved to another for a second opinion. I guess ill have to wait on the second opinion unless AUDI will look into it under warranty. The dealer I purchased the car from is paying for the independent work as things stand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellz Posted May 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2009 The 2 faults that were found are: 16395 - Bank 1: Camshaft A (Intake): Retard Setpoint not Reached (Over-Advanced) P0011 - 008 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent 16398 - Bank 1: Camshaft B (Exhaust): Retard Setpoint not Reached (Over-Advanced) P0014 - 008 - Implausible Signal - Intermittent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BW2309 Posted May 20, 2009 Report Share Posted May 20, 2009 Hi there. No idle stabilization valve on these, all that's done by the throttle valve but the faults you have listed suggest a definate issue with cam timing. These engines have variable cam timing and the hydraulic adjusters on the end of the cams could be resposible or, more likely than a stretched chain, is that the chain tensioners can become weak and the chains actaully slip a tooth!!! As the car has variable timing it tries it's hardest to regulate the cam timing back to standard but it can only move it so far and at idle the cams retard alot so this may be why it stalls as the inertia of the engine is too low to just keep itslef going with poor combustion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellz Posted May 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 I got the car back yesterday after the mechanics had spent a couple of days looking into the problem - they couldnt recreate it. However, they have a diagnosis to which I'm not convinced (although I hope theyre right). They believe the problem may have been that the inlet sensor and Camshaft Adjuster were plugged in the wrong way round i.e. in each others positions. They've switched the sensors around and the car seems to be running fine but then again, the problem was intermittent anyway. I asked the guy how much the sensors were to replace incase it turns out they are faulty. He then said he'd contacted an AUDI specialist who'd said the sensors were both exactly the same and quoted the same price for each. AUDI on the other hand say they are different and quoted slightly different prices for each... I now just have to wait for the issue to occur again before I can take the car back in - they will then replace the sensors. On the upside, they strongly believe the problem is not the timing chain itself... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellz Posted July 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 Well, I thought they'd finally managed to fix it but today, again, the engine cut out for no apparent reason. It seems that the engine struggles to idle, as if temporarily the timing is out. Whats more odd is that only the ESP light came on this time, no engine management light. I managed to film what the car was actually doing this time - note in the video that as soon as I take my foot off the accelerator the revs drop right down to zero instead of idling at 800-1000. Additionally, on start up I did notice that the ABS light would flash on for a milisecond, on occasion... Any advice would be appreciated as not one garage of the three its been to has managed to pinpoint what the hell is going on. Video - click here I managed to drive it home through holding revs on the accelerator and holding the brake whilst having to stop at junctions/roundabouts... When i got it home I re-started it and low and behold, ESP light off, car idling fine and running as normal... Strange and frustrating. I'm attempting to get my money back today although I expect they'll do everything in their power to prevent that from happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DukeDesmo Posted July 10, 2009 Report Share Posted July 10, 2009 My A3 (2004, 3.2 DSG) went in several weeks ago for a misfire, dealer said it was stretched timing chain or failed tensioner - engine out much labour (cost) to fix, anyway they agreed to stand most of the cost but it took them over 2 weeks to 'fix' it. I got it back and drove less than 5 miles when the misfire happened again, they took it back and said there was a faulty coil pack and an injector not giving the correct spray pattern? So they brought it back again and in less than 10 miles it started missing again but worse than before (felt like it was missing on 2 or 3 cylinders instead of 1), they've now had it at the garage for another 2 weeks and I don't know what the situation is? I'm wondering if they know? :confused: :confused: So I'm driving their A6 allroad and waiting for my car back........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballo Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 I've had the exact problem several times as described by Hellz with my 04 3.2 Quattro DSG. i.e engine dies at idle - ESP and engine lights - restarts but rough as hell and have to keep revs high and play around with the (which makes for interesting driving in a DSG) - dies whenever revs drop. The AA VAGcom says MAF sensor input signal low. Resetting clears the problem - and all is well for three or four days, then it fails again. So I've replaced the MAF three times now in three years. So far I've had two years, then four months between occurences. Am concerned that it's something else. Do MAFs fail that often? What was the final outcome for you Hellz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIDYDUBS Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 All depends on the air mass you are fitting if its a genuine one. BW2309 you are pretty spot on there my friend.Im sure on the 3.2's they do have cam shaft adjusters on the cams and they do give jip and should of been replaced with the chain. given the fault codes you have. If your car was under manufacturer warranty you dont get a warranty on a warranty ie parts fitted a week before end of warranty you only get the week on them. Sucks i know. You should get 2 years on parts and labour. Yes chains do stretch and adjusters, tensioners do give grief. Could be a wiring issue its a tricky one with intermittent faults keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcvsgreen Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 i have an audi a3 2.o 2007 i was driving the other day i was messing with the esp button trying to work out the difference. any way the next time i went to use the car it wouldnt start like it had a flat battery and made a cranking noise the esp fault msg came owner saying see owners manual. i bumped the car and it drives fine can anyone shed any light thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 Sounds like a coincidence really, the ESP system gets upset if the battery is flat. I'm pretty sure you pressing the button and the battery running down are unrelated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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