FSuperDuty

With all the problems I've had with my A4, it hasn't left me stranded, so it's been allowed to be in my garage. That and the fact that it's so fun to drive.

It all changed today. Started and drove to work fine. Got out this evening, get in the car, turn switch to on, see dash lights come on as normal, turn to start: Nothing.

Tried a few times and it managed some goulish dash flashing and weak clicks. Car is a 2000 1.8TQMS and I replaced the battery 2.5 yrs ago. (NAPA).

So I get someone to jump start it. Turns over really slow. Starts and runs for a few minutes, pack up and get ready to go, and before I can get back into the car, it dies. Oh boy, now what. Visions of chasing expensive electrical problems start dancing through my head.

Someone else comes along and jump starts it. Again, turns over really slow, and starts. We wait, and wait ... keeps running. No stalling or anything all the way back. Then I get to where I am now (Tech school) and shut it off. Then try to start it. Same deal, but maybe the flashing and clicking is a bit stronger. Now I've got to get another jump to get home.

Some things I noticed: Battery idiot light isn't on - so maybe the alternator is ok. But I forgot to look at what the voltmeter was reading. Argh!

Tomorrow I'm going to limp over to NAPA and see if I can get them to check the battery and charging system.

What else could it be? Ignition switch? Some obscure german relay for $500? I'm sounding paranoid b/c I am. I've had some problems with this car and I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop...

Thanks!

Hillbilly

Sounds like a classic dead battery to me. We sell Interstate at the shop.....very good results.

FSuperDuty

Thx - sure hope you're right

audiringpwr

i had the same issues after a hard rainy storm. the night before someone backed into my bumper and it created a small gap for water to get in.

sure enough, my whole spare wheel area was filled with water along with the central locking pump area.

FSuperDuty

It did rain here but I didn't find any water in the spare area, completely dry. Where is that pump anyway?

FSuperDuty

Got another jump and drove home. Started right up with the jumper cables, but still a slow crank.

Dash voltmeter was not steady. It was between 14 and ~15 from time to time, and was kind of "jittery". For example, it would act like it was trying to hold 14.5 but it would go down a few tenths, up a few, down etc.

Whenever I would try to do something that would pull current (like the power windows) I could see my (xenon) headlights flicker. Above 3k rpm they would get into what seemed like a high frequency flicker, almost like line noise.

Got home and shut off and put the multimeter on the battery. 12.7volts. But I only took the reading for a brief moment. Then I disconnected it and took another reading. 12.6volts. Then I cleaned the terminals with battery cleaner and a battery brush (circular). Reconnected everything. Then I put the multimeter on it again. 9.9volts. What? Then as I watched, it climbed to 12.6 (in a few seconds) then down to 9.9, then up...

What's that all about? A bad cell? I noticed that some things in the car would work and some wouldn't (I could lock and unlock it with the kew fob, but the lights wouldn't flash - the dome light does not come on with the door open anymore but I can make it come on with the overhead switch).

I was thinking battery but now I'm not so sure...

freakness

they do the free load test. Then you can be a hundred percent sure.

Allroady DungBeetle

That is DEF. a bad battery cell. I will put $$ on it. Replace the battery you'll be happy.

audiringpwr

what ever crap you want. if you pull that up, the locking pump is located under that