haggisuk

Dealer is taking your insurance company for a ride, I would demand to speak to the service manager and have him explain to you why an immobilizer issue requires the replacement of mechanical parts (steering column)

RenoRanes

I thought as much, one of the two Master Techs that have been working on my car for the past month is apparently meant to be phoning me to go through everything or so the service guy said. I don't hold out much hope of that phone call happening unless I'm bugging them constantly for it, every other day for two weeks I was promised a call back from the service guy dealing with my car and never got it, I had to ring and it was always "He's not available right now, can he call you back" (which he never did) or "He's not in today, I'll leave a message" (that he never got). Needless to say I never want to deal with Audi themselves ever again, or at least not my local one.

RenoRanes

Ok so the saga is still ongoing, finally able to speak to the technician who has said that as well as the separate module there is one built in the steering column, that is what is faulty on mine and stopping everything from coding, these modules are apparently where all the coding etc is kept in the D3 A8.

Does this sound legit to you guys?

haggisuk

Sounds like a steaming pile to me,

Please have a read through the following SSP and see if you come to the same conclusion as me.

As far as I can tell the steering column only provides a mecahanical lock to the steering along with a means to tilt and extend it there is no Immobilizer functions in it as far as I have read.

RenoRanes

I should probably explain what he said to me a bit better, as my car has keyless entry/start/stop it has the Entry and Start Authorization Control Unit which is apparently the one that's faulty and on the steering column. The pdf you linked actually does seem to back that up:

"New features:
– Immobilizer function no longer in dash
panel insert.

Immobilizer:
The immobilizer function has been
incorporated into the entry and start
authorisation control unit J518."

haggisuk

j518 is not part of the steering column, its under the seat If I'm not mistaken

The steering column has a steering lock on it that cant be removed because of shear bolts. that would require replacement but it does not ring true with the original fault or the process that the dealer has told you.

This is what that SSP says about it

"Steering column lock control element N360
To lock and release the steering column, the
steering column lock control element is
actuated by the entry and start authorisation
control unit via a bidirectional bus. The
steering column lock control element is only
supplied with voltage by the entry and start
authorisation control unit when terminal 15 is
OFF. A motor is actuated by the integrated
electronics. The locking pin is moved linearly
by way of a worm drive and a swash plate.
The locking pin engages in the steering
mechanism at a square slider with bevelled
inner splines. The linear movement causes
the inner splines to lock the steering column.
The steering column lock is connected to the
steering column by means of shear bolts and
cannot be replaced separately."

it seems to me that the dealer has made a ***** of this from start to unfinished, it should have been a relatively easy thing to do other than changing the mechanical locks on the doors there is no other reason for parts to be replaced apart from the dealer f'ing them up.

JohnnyJ A6Q

Hello All,

I am rebuilding a Bentley GT, and here it is the info I have gathered from Bentley in Crewe, and from locksmiths from NJ, NY, and WI, they all state that the "KESSY MODULE" or also known as J518 located on the floorboard, must match as we know with the FOB, BUT also must match with the steering column, and both ECU's, But NOT the Ignition switch, or Instrument cluster,
It may be because of the keyless start/stop, because on the 05 Bentley GT without the start button some thought the steering column didn't matter, BUT because I am installing the whole complete wiring harness and every module from the 06 Bentley GT parts car with start/stop, then they all claim I have to use the KESSY module, steering column, and both ECU's, matching from the 06, although I will be able to retain my 05 key/FOB, ignition switch, door lock, glove box lock, and instrument cluster with proper mileage, and as I only have a key/fob, ignition switch, a fried KESSY, and unknown condition of ECU's from the 05, I will be sending my 05 Key/Fob and 06 KESSY module to be programed (CLONED), cloning the 05 fob to the 06 KESSY, all this because somebody lost (sure) the 06 key at the salvage yard.......

So in short I think the steering column does play a role, as to why the OP's steering column module went out, no clue, but I will check to see when reassembling mine by leaving the steering column unplugged just to see, BUT that won't be for a few weeks.... I hope.



Johnny J J

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321749650511?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&rmvSB=true

haggisuk

There does seem to be some interface between the steering column lock and the kessy, however reading the following tells me that it indeed can be done but looking at the process my guess would be that the technician is not doing the process correctly with the appropriate wait times etc and getting locked out.

I would be printing the likes of that off and asking the dealer to prove to you that they are going through this properly and not blindly guessing.

Its not the type of work they would do every day and I could well believe that the techs may never have done it before.

They couldn't even tighten a bloody jubilee clip on my S8 when it got serviced.

Immobilizer III Immobilizer Swapping (Kessy) - Ross-Tech Wiki

RenoRanes

Thanks for your input guys, it's all certainly something to go back to them with.

Reading that Ross-Tech page, more specifically this line:

"Battery voltage at least 12.0 V. We strongly recommend the use of a battery charger."

They said my battery kept going flat because of the instrument cluster lights staying on all the time and we all know how our cars like to go into mental mode with error codes everywhere if there's not enough voltage. You don't think that maybe that's why they were getting locked out each time? Kinda telling them don't even start the process as if the battery goes it could screw it all up?

haggisuk

You may well be right, theres a lot of stuff to be done correctly to do the work with success.

Reading the below seems to say that its the keys that are node registered creates the safe message

Customer statement / workshop findings

A1, A4 (8K), A5, Q3, Q5, A6 (4F, 4G), Q7, A7, A8 (4E, 4H)

The vehicle cannot be started with a key and not be locked or unlocked with a remote key.

The vehicle can be locked or unlocked via the door locking cylinder with this key.

The other keys work correctly.



A2, A3, A4 (8D, 8E), A4 Cabriolet (8H, 8G), A6 (4B), A8 (4D), TT, R8

The vehicle cannot be started with a key.

The other keys work correctly.


Depending on the immobiliser generation the immobiliser warning light can flash or the message "Safe" can appear in the trip mileage recorder.

The engine starts for 2 seconds and then goes off again.

Technical background

During a previous repair of an immobiliser component not all the keys were adjusted to the immobiliser.

Production change

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Measure

Check according to the repair history whether an immobiliser component was replaced or readjusted to the immobiliser (this could be dash insert, engine control unit, gearbox control unit, control unit for access and start authorisation, control unit for electric steering column lock, keys).

If so, adjust all the keys to the immobiliser.


Please note that all the keys of the vehicle have to be adjusted.

Warranty accounting instructions

Accounting under warranty is not permitted.