I searched (2 pages worth of results), didn't see anyone else having my exact symptoms.


Weird starting problem. '01 2.8 Quattro ATQ

Recently started the car, heard a nice level grinding noise as she turned over (but it did start), but let my ignorance get the best of me, said "WTF was that?" and went on my way.

Next morning jumped in, ready to leave turn the key.. only thing I heard was a "click" (generator/battery light flashed with each time it clicked), tried a couple more times and got the click each and every time, jumped in another option and went on my way because I was running late and didn't want to risk getting stranded on my way home.

Got home figuring it was a dead battery, decided I was going to give it a boost, but decided to try the key one more time (don't ask me why) and BAM! started right up on the first attempted, no looseness/corrosion on the battery terminal, all the entire lights, radio brightly lit and working during the no-starts.

Tonight, went out to pick up something to eat, turned off the engine, ran in, got my stuff (about 10mins), got back out and tried to start the car... CLICK , tried about 6 more times CLICK, retry, CLICK, retry, CLICK etc. Sat there for a nice while looking up staring out of the moon-roof.

Decided to just try holding the key for a little see if anything happens. Surely enough, after a little pause of silence after the initial "CLICK", she turned right over. Rolled my eyes and drove home.

In case y'all didn't care to read all that, car randomly won't start.

Just a "CLICK" and nothing else, other times it'll start right up but accompanied by a grinding sound (like the fan rubbing on piece of the plastic somewhere).

Had misplaced the keys recently, happened that it seemed to rain every single day while those keys were lost.. so she got drenched pretty badly. Trunk light also flashing while driving, noticed the bulb had shorted out and started working after I pulled the fixture out, I'm guessing that also triggers the warning lamp?

Any help appreciated

Battery, Starter etc?

 

If this was a C4, then I would say its either the starter solenoid or the ignition switch which were problematic on the C4. I am unsure about the ignition switches on the C5s, but the starters are still the same ones and what normally fails on these starters is the heavy braid between the main motor and the solenoid on the side of the starter. It gets corroded and ends up breaking down.

Best way to test this is when its just clicking to short across the two heavy connections on the starter and if it turns the engine over,its probably that strap going bad.

I know pulling the starter on the 2.7 is a major pain in the butt, and on my C4 starter it wasnt much fun either but not as bad. Not sure how much different it is on the 01 2.8. If someone can confirm that Audi corrected the ignition switch issues from the last generation, then I would focus on the starter as your problem.

Based on your description of the symptoms, its unlikely the battery is involved at all.

 

Appreciate it, Daremo.

Guess I gotta keep me some jumper wire handy, lol.

I'm starting to learn that replacing just about everything in the engine compartment of these Audi's are a pain , but dang it.. if you can get it done on an Audi.. you're good to go in life when it comes to most auto repairs.

 

C5s, as well as 986/996 porsches, have the same, lovely, switch.
Every f-ing car i own has one.
Harumph.

4A0 905 849B stock up and save.

G

 

So just to share my recent starting problems I also had random starting issues that led me to believe that my ignition switch was faulty because she seemed to start only occasionally. I replaced the ignition switch and found out that that wasn't quite the issue. When the car did decide to start she had great readings from the alternator. I checked the terminal connectivity and noticed my positive line was uncomfortably hot. Took a multi-meter to the positive line assembly to see quantitatively what was going on. I was getting a huge degredation of current between the alternator end and battery end of the positive line assembly (should be less than a change of 0.2). It ended up that internally the positive line assembly had corrosion that was being masked by the rubber protective coating. So maybe just a suggestion to go "old school" and whip out the multi-meter to see what's going on under your hood.

 

Very interesting! Last time I had heard of issues with actually battery wiring was the infamous pos battery cable splice in the passenger footwell on the type44s. I had thought that Audi solved that issue... perhaps not?