O/T Audi A3 computer read out problem

[David Miller]

My son has sent me this email:

 

"I've got a 99 A3 1.8T and recently when I start it up in the morning I notice that the trip computer has reset itself. It doesn't happen every morning, its done it about 4 times in just over a week.

I've also noticed that it takes about an extra 1/2 second of "key turning" to fire the engine up - could this be related?

I reset the computer every fuel fill up - so its not resetting because its maxxing out.

 

Any help would be appreciated."

 

 

'Here comes the Miller man' (apologies to Human League) in a red supersprint with clamshells.

[alicat]

Has it got a twin trip facility 🤔

 

My last Passat had this, there are two trips which you can access (can't remember which stalk button). One does not reset unless you do it, the other resets if the vehicle has been switched off for a period of time (an hour or so IIRC).

 

Try checking that you haven't inadvertently switch trips.

 

Alicat

 

 

[David Miller]

No, it only has the one.

 

'Here comes the Miller man' (apologies to Human League) in a red supersprint with clamshells.

[alicat]

Are you sure 🤔

 

Have a look at this A3 manual. Page 4 makes reference to a single journey memory and a total journey memory. The single journey memory does auto reset, thinking back my last Golf GTI did the same.

 

Alicat

 

 

[David Miller]

He's checked again and it definitely just turns it on/off if you just press it and let go. He's also checked the manual which backs that up.

 

'Here comes the Miller man' (apologies to Human League) in a red supersprint with clamshells.

[Pierson]

I'm afraid that I don't know the technical 'ins & outs' in respect of the A3 specifically but do know that on the Audi TT (original Mk. I) this type of activity was often a pre-cursor to what is known as dashpod failure. The dashpod is the entire instrument binnacle in a TT - hence I'm not sure how relevant or otherwise this may be to the A3 - meaning that individual instruments, dashlights and read-out LED's cannot be changed independantly.

 

Other symptoms such as mis-reading fuel indication/miles of fuel left, etc., and the consistency of failure forced Audi to acknowledge a design flaw and replace the entire (£500+) unit at their cost should it fail on UK cars up to 5 years old, even out of warranty.

 

One other thought comes to mind - another TT-related issue along the same lines seems to be a failing battery, causing the computer settings to be lost at the time of ignition power-up. Could it be something as simple as this?

 

The easiest, quickest way to understand such a problem is to get either an Audi dealer or someone with a VAG-COM system diagnostic computer to check the engine fault codes - this will pinpoint the error and allow you to solve it more or less immediately.

 

Good luck!

 

Pierson

[David Miller]

Thanks both for your input. He will be having a word with an Audi dealer after checking out the battery.

 

'Here comes the Miller man' (apologies to Human League) in a red supersprint with clamshells.

[Pooh_R]

Having eliminated the two trip meters possibility, I would quite agree with Pierson that it sounds like a dashpod on its way. ☹️

 

It is well outside the Audi replacement interval. BBA-reman can repair the boards at a sensible cost (the £250 is a max price).

 

Pooh :)

 

[David Miller]

It turned out to be the battery that was on its way out.

Thanks again

 

'Here comes the Miller man' (apologies to Human League) in a red supersprint with clamshells.