JMFox

Has no power when the key is turned, the passenger compartment fan still runs though.

It's been parked for a while and the batter has a full charge.

Anyone have any ideas?

JMohn

I'm relatively new to Audis, but I've had lots of experience with cars that wouldn't start.

It is possible to have corroded connections on your battery that would allow enough voltage to run minor accessories, but not turn the engine over. Check that first, it's easy.

Next, look at the connections to the starter itself and any connections in-between. Any of them could corrode to the point of failure. Especially if you live in a salty area like me.

Also check this: <a href="https://forums.audiworld.com/a8/msgs/170240.phtml">Another battery question</a>

You could also try to jump start the car, just to rule out any issues with the battery itself, although you said it is full.

85% of the non-starting problems I have experienced were from one of the issues above.

Good luck!

JMFox

It's not just not starting, no power at all. Completely dead.

I have the Bentley manual, but it pretty much is... for crap. No real schematics or such. Bleh.

JMohn

In the first post, you said that the fan was still running, but now there is no power at all?

Do you have a solar sunroof? I don't know when that option was available but it would probably continue to operate your fans regardless of the battery.

If it was a problem limited to the starter, all your other accessories should still function from battery power. The fact that <i>nothing</i> works seems to indicate a problem at the source. It really sounds to me like either the battery is shot or a bad connection.

If the battery, its connections, and all points in-between check out, then I guess the next thing to look at would be the ignition switch. But since the car was sitting for a while I would put that low on the list of suspects and check over the other stuff I mentioned one more time.

rangervr4.2

Turned out to be a bad battery. These cars have pretty good electrics. Like JMFox suggested, try the simple things 1st.
good luck
Phil C

HZach

if that is coroded, you can have a full battery, but nothing get's to the front.

JMFox

No power what so ever... except the fan the solar sun roof runs.

I pulled the battery and put it on my floor charger... and it seems to have an intermittent issue. My cheap little multi meter got 11.7 volts and it ohmed out ok. But when I put it on the charger, it got about 5 minutes into the battery check routine and says it is bad.

I'll get a battery tomorrow and see.

But you are correct it has the solar sun roof and that fan was running, otherwise no power - no lights, nothing when the key was turned to start or run.

JMohn

I believe it's possible to have a battery that will read voltage, but doesn't have enough amps to do anything. I'm really not an electrical expert, but my understanding is that if electrical circuits are like pipes, volts are the equivalent of water pressure, and amps are the equivalent of flow rate. Amps x Volts = Watts which is a measure of the total amount of energy available.

You're probably getting enough volts to register on your meter, but not enough amps to do anything with. Once you get the new battery in, let us know how it turns out.

JMFox

Well the battery was not bad... took a charge and is holding it. Put it back in the car, car starts, and runs...

So something is pulling an inordinate amount off the battery while parked.

So I'll keep looking... might replace the battery anyway, but I'll try to find the root of the problem first. Got the cable for VAG-COM on the way &amp; I'll keep reading the manual.

Anyone have a technique for getting the positive battery cable on correctly? Just could not get it to sit well, its on and has good current, but I'd like it to sit correctly

rangervr4.2

An autoparts place can put a load on it and see how well it holds up. I've done that and discovered that a battery that "appeared" to hold a charge was actually defective.
Phil C