I just purchased a 2001 Audi A6 2.7t with tiptronic auto transmission. I live in central mass, Worcester area, where it has been cold lately, in case that matters.

A couple days after I got it home, just after startup on a cold morning, I got a beeping from the dash, followed by a flashing icon on my LCD screen. The check engine light, separate from the LCD is not on. I am trying to figure out what the icon is, but as many other sufferers, the LCD screen is not all there. I will try to describe what I see:

It kind of looks like the letter 'F' or perhaps a thermometer. At the bottom of the 'F' is an undulating graphic that looks like a wave moving from left to right. The rest of the display is too shot to make any conclusions.

If I press the dash button on the left, under the tachometer, the display switches to text, and the only word I can estimate is perhaps engine (which worries me a bit)?

After a few minutes of driving, the flashing icon dissappears, and the display seems to read ambient temperature, and some other stuff I can't make out. If I stop and restart the car, the flashing icon does not come back, unless hours have passed, at which time the cycle repeats.

I have pressed the left dash button twice, which brings the display to cycle through various displays, one of which is the same as the flashing display that I see upon cold start up.

I knew the LCDs were a problem on these cars, but I thought with all the gauges and lights, I would not need to see the LCD, guess I may have been wrong.

Any help would be appreciated.

John E

 

i don't recall what it is, but i have had that symbol flash on my display before - just look in your manual, it says what all the symbols means. it may be low coolant if i recall

 

I believe that the "F" symbol is the temp warning, but if it comes on while cold it may be coolant leval is low, chk that coolant is toped off.

 

Thanks for the reply! Unfortunately, it looks like I do not have an owners manual (guess I should order one). There were Audi booklets in the glove box, and I thought they were the owners manual, but actually one is for child restraints, one for the sound system, one for the warranty, one dealership directory, and one is a maintenance record. Nothing useful.

I will double check fluid levels on lunch.

Thanks again,
John E

 

sometimes the manual is in the slot underneath the steering wheel

 

check your coolant level

 

Checked the level, and sure enough, it looks low. It was fine when I picked it up though. Maybe there was an air bubble that escaped to the overflow? The shop I bought it from just did the complete timing belt maintenance.

No owners manual under the steering wheel, guess I will ebay one.

Thanks for all you help.
John Eddy

 

there is a horizontal slot under the s wheel close to ur kneecaps where the manual could be...

 

https://www.audiworld.com/tech/elec57.shtml

 

useful link, thanks

John E