RenoRanes

If it's not one thing it's another with this car.

Basically just over a month ago the main key for my W12 was stolen (amongst other stuff) when my house was broken into. My W12 is now with Audi and has been for over a week now to get a complete new Lockset fitted, roughly a whole days job but like I said it's been there for over a week, first waiting for some more rivets to come in for the door panels but then after everything is fitted and back together they come to code it all and the car apparently just keeps throwing itself into Safe Mode every time they try so they then have to wait 15 minutes to try again and the same thing happens. I haven't spoken to them now since Monday when they told me this was happening. I'm going to give them a call tomorrow or Saturday to see whats happening now but before I do does anyone have any ideas as to why this might be happening or even come across this before?

I wondered if this might also be related:

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/a8-...ights-2881884/

cstarky15

Couldn't they have or you have just purchased a new key for it and have that key programmed to the car? And have the one stolen unprogramed?

I'm sure you are close to the only one that has had their car rekeyed all the way around.

Good luck

RenoRanes

If I just bought a new key and programmed it to the car whoever stole my original key could still come, use that key and take my car at any time. You can't unprogram a key you don't have.

MP4.2+6.0

Sorry to hear this. I'm guessing this is maybe covered by insurance or something--hopefully--since most would probably just get replacement keys newly coded to the car and wipe the old keys from memory. But that does still leave the typically forgotten driver's door and trunk locks, besides the ignition.

Anyway to your question, you will have to backtrack in the technical literature, or rely on dealers ability to deduce/know the same. In particular, where is the key security programming stored? Dealers must know, since they code keys and components to the car. I think you may actually be onto something as far as your prior inst. panel light show being related. Back in my C5 A6 era (and overlapping D2) when they went to coded keys and ignition (2001), I think it may have been in the inst. cluster. Not sure it was in the D3, and I think it has been moved to an overall body control module in newer Audi's like my Q5. In any case, worth raising to them, more so if by chance your homeowner's insurance is somehow involved here for coverage (since the key got stolen first with that break in).

The only other thing I can add is I once triggered a pretty big light show when I had the intake manifold off and accidentally triggered the ignition on (without the starter) before I had one of the throttles reconnected. Apparently that was enough to put it into electronic hysterics. What had occurred technically was the ECU's (both of them) would have powered up, and probably in turn the (disconnected) throttle and maybe the related MAF. I cleared it, took a test drive and initially fine but then it suddenly ran terribly with codes to the (U.S.) driver's side throttle where I had not plugged it in. Big light show, including CEL, throttle control, you name it. Limped home, checked throttle connection and cleared codes. Since I wanted no more of that, I disconnected battery to force full power down in ECU's. ECU's pull power through a simple high powered relay in a plastic box in the plenum directly below where one of the ECU's is mounted but if I remember the documentation at least one of them stays powered for some time (20-30 min?) post ignition shut off--what drives things like the coolant electric recirc. pump. You can't get inside the box without pulling the ECU's, hence going for the main battery. Final code clear, and then never saw an issue, any codes or light show thereafter. Pretty far fetched it connects to your light show unless someone was under the hood/bonnet with stuff unplugged, but you might want to do a full battery disconnect to then re power things. It might be something they are already doing to try to get around the coding/SAFE issue.

RenoRanes

Yea my car insurance includes separate key cover for stolen, broken, lost etc keys.

I will raise it to them with regards key coding being possibly related to the cluster as with previous models.

Would you recommend leaving the battery off for at least 30 minutes then to fully power everything down?

PaulW

Sorry to hear....but when you want to re-code a new key to the car, you have to code ALL keys that you have at the same time. So if they just supplied a new key and coded it, along with your other remaining keys, the one that was stolen would no longer work.

Best of luck!

RenoRanes

Getting a new key and just re-coding all the current locks would have been quicker and easier for sure but insurance weren't happy with just that as the theives could still use the physical key they stole to get into the car.

MP4.2+6.0

If no more light show and codes gone it shouldn't matter for the panel display. IF the antitheft coding stuff is still maintained in the cluster (again I'm pretty sure it moved at least my my Q5 (current) era to a body/overall module), it could overlap your current issue in theory. It certainly will not hurt since batteries do fail, get disconnected for work, etc.

RenoRanes

Ok so update....

Audi still have my car and think they have finally diagnosed the issue, they think the steering column and associated module needs replacing.

Doesn't really sound right to me especially with the Cluster issue although I'm obviously no Audi Master Tech, however if the issue was related to this why not just the Module, why replace the Steering Column as well, it just holds the electric motors and connects the rack to the steering wheel.

dvs_dave

Bummer for you but it looks like a typical dealer MO. They've resorted to the the old replace things until they get lucky rather than spending time trying to figure out the true cause. Be glad the insurance is paying, although it could quickly get to write off values. Especially given the values of large petrol engined A8s in the UK.