2005 A4 3.2 V6

I have a oil pressure light that has been coming on for over a year. I have been in casual work for the past year and just couldn't afford to take it anywhere. I've been trying to sell but understandably people don't want a car with oil pressure warning light on.

I've driven it everyday for a year including between Adelaide and Melbourne twice (8hrs straight each way) and it stills runs perfectly... Just with the pressure light on.

Super hard to find much online for the V6 3.2 but I bought a oil pressure switch hoping that since the engine hasnt destroyed itself yet it's just the switch and not the pump. BUT now I have the switch from the Audi dealer... I can't find where it is on the engine!!!

Any help/pictures/advice would be very much appreciated.

With my BMW E39 I've always found heaps of stuff online and so I've done everything on that car from changing the power windows, sunroof and the complete cooling system to the sensors has been no issue.

Thanks

mtroxel

I don't have that motor, but my Bentley show it here, #2.

2005 A4 3.2 V6

Thanks heaps mate. I managed to find a similar drawing and worked out it was in the worst possible position. That oil filter goes down the back of the engine and the oil pressure switch/sender sits at the bottom about 15cm from the fire wall and about 40cm directly down from the top of the engine. Because of the wire harness etc. it is nearly impossible to get to it....

BUT by taking the water overflow off one side and pulling the air intakes off the other side and laying on top of the engine I was just able to squeeze my arms through all cr*p to get my finger tips on the oil pressure switch. (I did cut and scratch the cr*p out of my arms and hands feeling round for it though)

The big issue is you can't see it. So the entire job has to be done by feel. You can just see the connection (once you've worked out where it is) but after you disconnected it it's its all by touch. The way you can work it out is feeling for the the size of the nut and the plastic and wire.

The only way you can get this off is with a 24mm thin walled deep socket and flexible head wrench. It only just fits in the space you have. I actually used a flexible breaker bar I have because it was thinner. The ring spanners I had can't get on because the ends where too thick to get into the gap between the stuff on both sides in the way. Even if they could get on you wouldn't be able turn it without destroying stuff down there.

Worse job I've ever done on a car, even though it should be the easiest. I have had no issues doing any job on my BMW 5 series but evevevevery job on my Audi is horrible I should never have got the V6! Too much engine squeezed into to little space! AND no one has them so there is nothing out there to help! Does sound amazing though and driving between Adelaide and Melbourne is a dream in it.

It looks like the Oil pressure switch was the issue as it was on 99% of the time before and since I changed it it hasn't come on. BUT havent taken for a long drive yet. But fingers crossed. Part was $50 from the Audi dealer in West Melbourne. Was quoted $1000 to swap it over so I guess they get at it by dropping the engine out on a hoist?

I

mtroxel

Sounds like you got it now. Crossed fingers...

CSlaughter

I am now trying to do this job on an a4 b7 3.2. So far I've managed to locate the sensor and unplug the old one, but haven't got it unscrewed yet. I bought a deep thin walled 22mm socket, as the sensor that arrived fit 22mm, not 24mm. I'm wondering what you did with the wires/hoses running right along where the switch sits, seems like they are wayyy too in the way. So far all I've taken off are covers and half the air intake, plan on taking off the rest of the intake to make getting there a little less painful. I'm also worried about the bottom bolt right under the sensor, seems like even my thin walled socket might have some trouble squeezing in there.

Anyway if you have any tips (perhaps I should disconnect certain hoses or jack the car up and try from underneath?) They would be greatly appreciated. The information here has already saved me loads of time on this, thank you so much.

Unrelated to the sensor: the car was crashed not too long ago and had to have the radiator and some hoses replaced, the front is still a bit mangled but it isn't bad as it was a low speed crash. Lots of oil can be seen on the entire underside of the car. My hand was also getting covered with much fresher oil when reaching around the pressure switch itself. The car has tons of small oil leaks at seals and stuff, but very little is actually leaking... It's now been sitting on the street for a few weeks and the oil level hasn't dropped at all.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, related to the oil pressure switch or not.. Thanks!