A4 Starts But Immediately Stalls

[Monzta]

My 1.9 TDI starts but immediately stalls. The engine light is illuminated and the one time I got it to run it was in limp mode which was enough to get me home. It's been moored to the drive since the week before last now.

I've now bought a Gendan diagnostic cable and invested in VCDS-Lite. I checked the fault codes this morning but I can't really decipher what it's saying to me.

I've done some Googling on the matter and there's various possible causes such as fuel pump failure and ECU issues but I'm wondering if perhaps it's the immobiliser that's the problem. Starting and immediately stopping is what it did when I had a new key cut a few weeks ago and the chap that did it tried the ignition to see that it fitted before he cloned the chip.

I also notice that there's no immobiliser light in the instrument panel. I though all B6 A4s them.

Here is the VCDS report of the various faults, if someone more knowledgeable on VCDS can take a let and let me know your thoughts that'd be great

...



VCDS-Lite Version: Release 1.2
Saturday, 10 August 2019, 13:26:56:45583


Chassis Type: 8E - Audi A4 B6
Scan: 01,02,03,08,09,0F,11,15,16,17,18,36,37,45,46,55,56 ,57,65,67,69,75,76,77

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine Labels: 038-906-019-AVF.LBL
Controller: 038 906 019 LJ
Component: 1,9l R4 EDC G000AG 5934
Coding: 00001
Shop #: WSC 63251
VCID: 6AA7F3A40567
WAUZZZ8E54A227828 AUZ6Z0D0045638
5 Faults Found:
17957 - Boost Pressure Regulation Valve (N75): Open or Short to Ground
P1549 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
17932 - Fuel Pump Relay (J17): Open or Short to Ground
P1524 - 35-00 - -
17849 - EGR Valve (N18): Open Circuit or Short to Ground
P1441 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
18027 - Glow Plug Relay (J52): Open or Short to Ground
P1619 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
18080 - Coolant Fan Control 1: Open or Short to Ground
P1672 - 35-10 - - - Intermittent
Readiness: N/A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 02: Auto Trans Labels: 01J-927-156.LBL
Controller: 8E2 910 155 B
Component: V30 01J 1.9l PD RdW 3271
Coding: 0000001
Shop #: WSC 00178
VCID: 263FC794D1FF
2 Faults Found:
18265 - Load Signal: Error Message from ECU
P1857 - 000 - - - Intermittent
18270 - Powertrain Data Bus: Missing Message from Instrument Cluster
P1862 - 000 - - - Intermittent

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 03: ABS Brakes Labels: 8E0-614-517.LBL
Controller: 8E0 614 517
Component: ABS/ESP front 3429
Coding: 04259
Shop #: WSC 06435
VCID: E5BD00986C79
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 08: Auto HVAC Labels: 8E0-820-043.LBL
Controller: 8E0 820 043 AC
Component: A4 Klimaautomat 1450
Coding: 00000
Shop #: WSC 00000
VCID: 62B79B84FD57
1 Fault Found:
01312 - Powertrain Data Bus
79-00 - Please Check Fault Codes

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 09: Cent. Elect. Labels: 8E0-907-279-8E2.LBL
Controller: 8E0 907 279 F
Component: int. Lastmodul RDW 0517
Coding: 00001
Shop #: WSC 63251
VCID: 351D10D81C59
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 15: Airbags Labels: 8E0-959-655-84.LBL
Controller: 8E0 959 655 J
Component: Airbag 8.4EP 1002
Coding: 0010602
Shop #: WSC 63251
VCID: 3E0F0FF4296F
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 16: Steering wheel Labels: 8E0-953-549.LBL
Controller: 8E0 953 549 N
Component: Lenksáulenmodul 0611
Coding: 00042
Shop #: WSC 63251
VCID: 3E0F0FF4296F
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 17: Instruments Labels: 8E0-920-9xx-8E2.LBL
Controller: 8E0 920 950 M
Component: KOMBI+WEGFAHRS. RB4 D42
Coding: 00401
Shop #: WSC 00001
VCID: 33192EC0122D
WAUZZZ8E54A227828 AUZ6Z0D0045638
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 37: Navigation Labels: None
Controller: 8E0 035 192 Q
Component: RNS-E HIGH EU H73 0650
Coding: 0301117
Shop #: WSC 06335
VCID: 32172BC4ED37
3 Faults Found:
00856 - Radio Antenna
011 - Open Circuit
00857 - CD Changer Unit (R41)
004 - No Signal/Communication
00466 - Control Module for Steering Column Electronics (J527)
008 - Implausible Signal

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 45: Inter. Monitor Labels: 8E0-951-177.LBL
Controller: 8E0 951 177
Component: Innenraumueberw. 0704
Coding: 00001
Shop #: WSC 00000
VCID: EBA976A08A9D
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 46: Central Conv. Labels: 8E0-959-433-MAX.LBL
Controller: 8E0 959 433 BC
Component: Komfortgerát T3B 1412
Coding: 01931
Shop #: WSC 73430
VCID: 7399EEC052AD
No fault code found.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 56: Radio Labels: None
Controller: 8E0 035 192 Q
Component: RNS-E HIGH EU H73 0650
Coding: 0301117
Shop #: WSC 06335
VCID: 32172BC4ED37
3 Faults Found:
00856 - Radio Antenna
011 - Open Circuit
00857 - CD Changer Unit (R41)
004 - No Signal/Communication
00466 - Control Module for Steering Column Electronics (J527)
008 - Implausible Signal

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 76: Park Assist Labels: 8E0-919-283-8E2.LBL
Controller: 8E0 919 283 A
Component: Parkingsyst. A4 RDW D08
Coding: 01114
Shop #: WSC 63251
VCID: 2E2F3FB4F90F
No fault code found.

End --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[gary3306]

Check you have no water ingress into the area where the ECU is (under the plenum cover on the drivers side). If the plenum chamber drains are blocked, it fills up with water and causes all sorts of wonderful electrical faults. Its a good place to start anyway. If it is wet, check all the pins to see if any are corroded or worse still corroded off. You could of course, put a new fuel pump relay in for the cost of it, if it still plays up at least you've ruled out the relay itself. If on the other hand it fixes it; happy days

 

[Monzta]

Thanks for the advice @gary3306 .

All the drains in the plunum area are now clear, I did them a few weeks ago and they were all full of crud.

I had water under the driver's side carpet so dug about and found the rubber seal under the ECU chamber was broken too, I replaced the rubber seal with thick butyl cord and that seemed to sort the leak.

Now I've got this problem with the starting and dying. While my VCDS was downloading the error codes I put my hand under the driver's side carpet and the ****** thing's wet again.

And to add insult to injury, my wipers have died.

Seriously losing patience with this money pit A4.

 

[Romax]

219 relay under the ecu

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[Monzta]

OK, I think I've tracked down the cause of the problem. I opened up the ECU chamber to check for water but it was dry. All the connections seem OK, no sign of corrosion. I tried to start the car and it did, and ran fine. Every time I moved the ECU though it cut out. I've traced the problem I think to this specific connector. The slightest wiggle on the connector or the loom running to it and the car cuts out.

How the hell do I unplug it though with the metal bracket holding it in place?

 

[Monzta]

219 relay under the ecu

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OK cool, is that a common issue or can you see the telltale signs of it in the VCDS report?

 

[Romax]

Common mate, trying to get you a part number but you will find it right at the bottom of the ECU box in an inch or so of water and very corroded

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[Romax]

Multi function relay

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[Romax]

I have a spare if your local too me

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[Monzta]

It doesn't look too bad rust-wise but I'll get a new one anyway.

 

[Monzta]

Thanks for the photo. I'm in Dorset.

 

[Romax]

It's pos not that then mate, your symptoms were exactly the same as mine.... Took alot of digging for me to find it ..... I hope it might be as it will be a simple fix

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[Romax]

I'm in Kent

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[Monzta]

I'll buy a secondhand relay from ebay just in case but can't help feel that it's the connector to the ECU that's the problem. I can start the car and it ticks over nicely but literally the slightest touch on that connector or the loom leading to it and it cuts out.

 

[Monzta]

This is what's happening with the cutting out ...

 

[Jacko1]

This is what's happening with the cutting out ...

Looks like its a bad connection or wiring loom break to me

 

[Monzta]

it's booked in with my local garage next week to strip back the wiring and find the break in the loom. I'm not good enough with auto electrics to risk knackering up my ECU.