What a horrible weekend! Fiancee had gone to do some chores with my 2001 A4 1.8TQTip with GIAC chip. The car wouldn't start and I had to get towed. I tried to start the car and it would crank and there was power but it wouldn't start. Thankfully I had purchased the chip with a spare ECU. So I put the stock ECU back in and voila, it started fine. The car has been chipped for 4 months and this the second time this has happened. The first time was a week after I had received it. The first time I sent it back to the distributor and they said it was fine and they sent it back to me. This is because it works most of the time but once in 100 starts, it wont start the car. It cant be the cars fault as the minute I put back the original ECU its fine. The first time it happened was after a car wash. This time was after a rainstorm. Coincidence? Perhaps. Now the distributor is saying to send it back to them etc etc. I dont know what to do as I cant deal with the un-reliability of it all. Its costing me money,time and worries! Do I try to get a refund? That would mean gettign a refund from the distributor then them returning the ECU to AUDI. They will refuse but if I have to I will contact my lawyer as I dished out well over $1000 US for something that doesnt work.
How can I be assured it won't happen again?
Is it the AUDI spare ECU that is disfunctional? Has anyone else had these problems? Any comments and help are appreciated.

 

last Thursday. Mine is a ECU/Chip from APR. It has been working great for the past month, new on 10/24/01, about 500 miles with it. Rainy day, cruising along at 50 mph and the engine goes dead. Finally restarted, ran about 2 miles with a number of warning lights on and once I touch the brakes it goes dead again. This time no restart. Swapped back to the stock ECU and all is running normally after 4 days now. Was it the rain? Great, I have a fair weather only chip. Sent back to APR and waiting to hear what they find. Let me know what happens in your case.

PS. Did read a post about some bad modules being produced. Not sure if they mean ECUs or modules for APR chips.

 

then your chipped ECU isn't sealed. Water is getting in somehow and more than likely causing the problem. Go get some silicone sealant and seal that mother!

 

start?

 

There was no water on it when I checked. Also, it rains at least once a week where I live. How come its been starting 99 % of the time if its the humidity thats causing it? It would always be problematic.

 

but could it have something to do with the brakes being wet? Remember, after i got it started the first time, touching the brakes caused it to die again. Then it would not restart Do ABS sensors tie into the ECU ?

 

Also,not seeing water on it doesn't mean there isn't any water in it. It wouldn't be the humidity causing the problem, droplets are to small.
I would take the top off your chipped ECU and re-seal it with an RTV silicone. Give it a shot, really at this point you have nothing to loose.

 

Not sure on the ABS. Never heard of that happening before.