Intermittent Starting Problem
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 139
Likes: 17
From: Massachusetts
Intermittent Starting Problem
Hi,
I have a 2012 A6 3.0 with 108K miles, and have been having intermittent starting problems for the last several months. When I press the start button, I sometimes hear 2 or 3 relay clicks before the starter cranks and starts the car.
Other times, it cranks on the first try. No pattern, sometimes it starts right up in the morning, sometimes it clicks a few times. Other times it happens aver driving for hours, or it doesnt.
This past week or so its been cold here with temps around 0-14 degrees, and I havent had a single problem...The car starts right up when I press the button.
Today, we actually broke 25 degrees, and the problem is back. So something must be contracting in colder weather to make the contact better maybe?
The battery is new, so it sounds like the starter circuit, just not sure where to start. Are the clicks I am hearing the Starter Solenoid? or some kind of ignition relay?
thanks
I have a 2012 A6 3.0 with 108K miles, and have been having intermittent starting problems for the last several months. When I press the start button, I sometimes hear 2 or 3 relay clicks before the starter cranks and starts the car.
Other times, it cranks on the first try. No pattern, sometimes it starts right up in the morning, sometimes it clicks a few times. Other times it happens aver driving for hours, or it doesnt.
This past week or so its been cold here with temps around 0-14 degrees, and I havent had a single problem...The car starts right up when I press the button.
Today, we actually broke 25 degrees, and the problem is back. So something must be contracting in colder weather to make the contact better maybe?
The battery is new, so it sounds like the starter circuit, just not sure where to start. Are the clicks I am hearing the Starter Solenoid? or some kind of ignition relay?
thanks
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 863
Likes: 156
From: Texas
I would bet the click is the solenoid, I'd be surprised if you could hear a relay inside our well sound insulated cars. You may need someone to listen near the starter to be sure. Symptoms are common for a starter/solenoid going bad, but there are electrical clues you can follow before throwing parts at it (i.e. relays are usually easy to replace, not too expensive, and can be checked with voltmeters). On my other cars, it was never cost effective to just replace just the solenoid, do the assembly, starter&solenoid. Lot of DIYs on youtube etc. to diagnose starting problems, but 80 percent of the time it will be the obvious.
Thread Starter
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 139
Likes: 17
From: Massachusetts
I would bet the click is the solenoid, I'd be surprised if you could hear a relay inside our well sound insulated cars. You may need someone to listen near the starter to be sure. Symptoms are common for a starter/solenoid going bad, but there are electrical clues you can follow before throwing parts at it (i.e. relays are usually easy to replace, not too expensive, and can be checked with voltmeters). On my other cars, it was never cost effective to just replace just the solenoid, do the assembly, starter&solenoid. Lot of DIYs on youtube etc. to diagnose starting problems, but 80 percent of the time it will be the obvious.
Some I am wondering now if its something to do with the ignition interlock maybe?
Sounds like its coming from the drivers side dashboard
AudiWorld Newcomer
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Thanks, yeah one other thing i noticed yesterday is that the clicking is the same sound that I hear sometimes when I am exiting the car, (WHen I open the door and the electronics shutdown)
Some I am wondering now if its something to do with the ignition interlock maybe?
Sounds like its coming from the drivers side dashboard
Some I am wondering now if its something to do with the ignition interlock maybe?
Sounds like its coming from the drivers side dashboard
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