Srcoates Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Hello! I have got a problem with my S3... I sent it in to get a front roll bar changed (to a friend of the family's local garage) and it has come back working only in front wheel drive!!! I know I should have taken it to a bigger garage but they take lots of time and care, plus it only cost me £80 including parts (from Audi which I supplied!). Any hoo... I am guessing it is electrical as there are no nasty grinding and crunching noises! Any one know of any sensors etc that could have been disturbed? Also has anyone heard of this before? Help is appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Is your ESP light on? There's also a fuse which controls the Haldex - not sure which one though, have a look in the manual and check it Interestingly, how are you sure its only working in FWD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 any fault lights? Have you got access to Vag-com to check/clear the faults? It does seem a little strange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Interestingly, how are you sure its only working in FWD? [/ QUOTE ] On ours, (remapped) it would wheel spin and torque steer like a bitch, and usually leave long black lines from a standing start its far easier to see when its not working, than when it is. 1 notch on the handbrake to bring on the parking brake light on the dash, fools the car into 2wd ( haldex disconnects on braking) try that on a quiet road and do a brisk acceleration. your soon appreciate haldex is activated and 4x4 more often than people give it gredit for. Basically every time you mash the pedal under boost. all at your own risk of course, use only for a brief test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidicks Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I had a similar problem with my S3 a while back - went to accelerate away from a junction in wet weather and suddenly huge wheelspin and very little forward momentum. I'm pretty sure a fuse was at fault in that case too ! Hope you get it sorted, Sidicks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srcoates Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I first noticed that something wasn't right when the ESP was cutting in far earlier than usual when planting the throttle on boost on exit of a roundabout, also the car tended to understeered a little less. The next major thing is the torque steer the car is wandering like a goodun under acceleration! But the final certainty was when I had the car on 2/3rds lock exiting a junction yesterday (as a test to see if it was in 2wd) without the ESP on the car just sat there spinning the fronts. I am going to do the final piece of mind check today involving a mate standing to one side (at a safe distance!), a patch of grass, no ESP and a lead right foot!!! I am thinking that there might be a sensor that has tripped as no warning lights are being displayed and the ESP light isn't on (so I guess it isn't a wheelspeed trigger). My initial thoughts are that it is a sensor connected to the brake system that is disabling it (ie the car doesn't think that it actually has a fault - should be fun with the diagnostics!!!!). I am going to try and wind the handbrake right off so that it is miles off engaging and see if this solves anything. Hmmm... bl00dy cars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srcoates Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I will check the fuses first though!!! Forgot to put that in the last post!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srcoates Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I will check the fuses first though!!! Forgot to put that in the last post!!! [/ QUOTE ] No fuses in the Fuse panel blown... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Have you got access to Vag-com? No fault light, doesnt mean no faults. If not, you could disconnect a terminal off the battery for 10 mins and it should erase any fault codes and start from scratch. once connected, turn ignition on , but without engine running and leave a couple of minutes without touching the throttle. The throttle body goes through a reteaces it self fully open and fully closed and goes through a motrised cycle. Basttery off would also mean reteaching one touch windows, (just drive them down and up) and maybe loosing radio code. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChriS3 Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I'd go along with Pauls handbrake trick - the haldex can be very subtle sometimes. Even when it's working well with an updated controller I can spin wheels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srcoates Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I can assure you that there is no drive to the rears, that is 100%... As subtle as the haldex is, as Paul says it is far easier to tell when it isn't working to when it is! I will try the battery off trick at lunch! I have provisionally got it booked in at Elite Motor Tune in Northampton for tomorrow. They have got all the diagnostic kit and are also a Quattro specialist. I have used them before and they have been really good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srcoates Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Right then... Here is a tricky one for you! It is working again!!! I just took it to a flat grass field near work and performed the test that I described earlier!! First I took it out and warmed it up (no way am I going to do some 'launches' at low engine temps!!), once it was up to temp I gave it some and it was torque steering like a beast... It spun the front wheels coming out of a junction, again no push from the rear. So I took it into the field, placed a mate to one side and booted it (ESP off). I adjusted my mirror so that I could just see the rear wheel and the car just sat there spinning up the fronts hardly moving at all, then after about 0.5-1sec the rear wheels kicked in and booted out an almighty load of grass and propelled me forward! I have turned the car off let it sit for a bit, then tried it again, this time right from the word go it was working in 4 wheel drive! What the %*&^!!! Now If I were reading this I would think 'Rubbish! It was working all the time, he just ballsed up' but I can assure you that it was genuine (being a professional engineer I have got plenty of experience with back to back testing!!!) I wonder whether something was disconnected during the ARB removal and needed something to kick it back into life? Unlikely but it is the only thing that I can come up with! Very confused!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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