cpj002

Any of you guys have a spare belly panel for a 97 A6 (sound deadening panel in EKTA)I could buy off you?
Looks like this forum is knowledgable. Having just bought this winter car, it seems to have a few of the common isses:
outside temp backlight out
transmission oil burning on cat after a run
also alarm system not working, noisy front wheel bearing, radio not turning off when key removed etc!

SoCal Avanti

Pan: next to impossible to find in good condition used. Either cracked from a nose dive, or the outer connector tabs broken. I've found a few in salvage yards, but shipping was crazy expensive. Honestly, unless you are pinching pennies, get a new one from the dealer.
Temp light: Radioshack 2 microbulb pack and a soldering gun/solder/solder sucker.
Trans: Probably the coolant line.
Alarm: Dunno. Troubleshoot it.
Bearing: New bearing/s and a shop to press them in/out
Radio: It's meant to do that. It's on an hour timer, independant from the Ign.
Etc: I'm sure there's lots.

cpj002

Hi Antony,
thanks for the info.
I did figure out the alarm/radio not turning off issue. When the ignition key is removed, the lock is supposed to pop upwards, which then turns off the radio, turns on the (timed) interior lights, and enables the alarm to be triggered. My lock is sticking - maybe some lock lubricant.
Paul

SoCal Avanti

I dont think that I follow you. I dont understand the chain of events that you're describing. Are you describing what happens when you are in the car with the doors locked, radio on, then remove the key from the ign? Because unless they changed everything between '96 and '97 (which I don't think they did), nothing happens to the alarm/radio/door lock/interior lights by simply removing the key from the ign. If you have the doors locked, you have to manually open them by either the door switch or pulling up the ****.(assuming that you are in the car) The radio then only starts it's timer, not switched off, and the interior lights only become lit upon opening/closing a door which then starts the lamp timer. The lamp timer will be over-ridden if you lock the driver door with the key or arm the alarm with the remote. The only time the alarm comes into play is upon arming it with either the driver door key or the remote once all the doors are closed.

cpj002

Hi Anthony,
The way I described it is correct for the '97 model.
When sitting in the car, doors not locked, and turning off the ignition, removal of the key should cause the ignition lock to retract slightly. The radio then turns off, and the interior lights come on. The handbook confirms this. My 92 Corrado is similar - the radio stays on until the key is removed. I had my car inspected at an Audi dealer after I bought it, and it was they who indicated that the radio was not turning off when the key was removed.
My pushing on the lock, the radio can be made to come on again - equivalent to an "accessory" position on other cars.
If the lock does not retract in this way, the alarm will not arm. It had me baffled why the alarm would intermittently not arm, and it was simply the lock not retracting when the key was removed.

SoCal Avanti

I didnt realize so much changed between our cars in that model year.