A3 Steering Light - Amber

[newbieboyy]

Hi,

I have an intermittent issue whereby the steering error light (steering wheel) is coming on Amber on my car.

I am going to get it plugged into VCDS but I didn't know if anyone has any idea what it could be?

 

[audismart]

Low power steering fluid, probably comes on when in a bend or up or down hill.

 

[Matt268uk]

Also possible steering angle sensor. Best bet is to get it plugged in and see if there are any stored faults.

 

[newbieboyy]

Fluid level looks fine, hopefully get it plugged in tomorrow!

 

[SootySport]

Been mentioned a couple of times recently but a faint Amber glow. Only happens on Facelift cars and it's the cct board in the dash, needs new complete binnacle.

 

[newbieboyy]

VCDS suggests it is a Dying Battery which the Multimeter is also suggesting!

 

[SootySport]

VCDS suggests it is a Dying Battery which the Multimeter is also suggesting!

Yes, could be the battery but the warning lamp usually is red. Also the warning light usually goes off after you drive the car a couple of minutes. Mind you a 5 year old battery as I guess you have, could be on its way out. What were the voltage readings across the battery, before you start and with the engine running?

 

[newbieboyy]

It was 14.5 i think with running (Showing Alternator working ok) and 12.1 when off.

There was a battery specific error, and i was told by the mechanic that the steering lights do go amber when the batteries are starting to fail sometimes.

My OH's coincidentally went and it was reading 12.3 and struggling.

It is only £75ish for a new genuine battery so i am going to try that as it looks like it needs doing anyway, hopefully that is all that is wrong.

Will know tomorrow evening though!

 

[SootySport]

Hope it is just the battery then.

 

[TimS2016]

Been mentioned a couple of times recently but a faint Amber glow. Only happens on Facelift cars and it's the cct board in the dash, needs new complete binnacle.

Mine's just started to do this.. (MY2009 A3 1.9).. Faint amber glow regardless of if the ignition is on or off. No difference in terms of driving, steering or performance however.
Does it tend to get worse if left alone as such, or is it something that can be lived with?

 

[newbieboyy]

Mine's just started to do this.. (MY2009 A3 1.9).. Faint amber glow regardless of if the ignition is on or off. No difference in terms of driving, steering or performance however.
Does it tend to get worse if left alone as such, or is it something that can be lived with?

Mine hasn't got worse it's just really annoying.

Does anyone know the best way for a proper diagnosis? My mechanic advised I take it to Audi given my car is only on on 40,000 and get hem to pay most of the costs.

As an aside a battery was £53 from TPS for the update yuasa battery!

 

[SootySport]

So, is the new battery in the car now?

 

[newbieboyy]

So, is the new battery in the car now?

Yep

 

[TimS2016]

Interesting stuff - oddly, the faint amber light on mine has gone off overnight... all back to how it should be now without any intervention!

Going to consign it to the "forget about" pile for now... from what I've been able to find out it's a common problem, and the fix is to replace the gauge pod & displays..

 

[audismart]

Mine hasn't got worse it's just really annoying.

Does anyone know the best way for a proper diagnosis? My mechanic advised I take it to Audi given my car is only on on 40,000 and get hem to pay most of the costs.

As an aside a battery was £53 from TPS for the update yuasa battery!

If you want a proper diagnosis? find someone with a vcds near you, its the same as the stealerships and a quarter of the cost, there is a vcds map on the forum.

 

[newbieboyy]

If you want a proper diagnosis? find someone with a vcds near you, its the same as the stealerships and a quarter of the cost, there is a vcds map on the forum.

Yep, I plugged it into VCDS and there was nothing, Audi want £120 an hour to diagnose...

 

[audismart]

Yep, I plugged it into VCDS and there was nothing, Audi want £120 an hour to diagnose...

Is that all? So nothing on vcds shouts something gone wrong with the instrument cluster as others have said.

 

[newbieboyy]

Yep, is it easy to do do you know?

 

[saq85]

I've had mine connected to vcds and no errors anywhere :s

 

[newbieboyy]

I've had mine connected to vcds and no errors anywhere :s

I am going to send mine off to clusterrepair.co.uk soon. They recon its just a software error in the cluster and would be £70-120 to fix depending on what it is exactly, which is still cheaper than an hours fault finding in Audi.

 

[TimS2016]

I am going to send mine off to clusterrepair.co.uk soon. They recon its just a software error in the cluster and would be £70-120 to fix depending on what it is exactly, which is still cheaper than an hours fault finding in Audi.

Would be interested to hear how you get on - mine's been off for a week or so now, but am kind of expecting it'll come back at some point.

 

[Lima]

Mine's just started to do this.. (MY2009 A3 1.9).. Faint amber glow regardless of if the ignition is on or off. No difference in terms of driving, steering or performance however.
Does it tend to get worse if left alone as such, or is it something that can be lived with?

My car does this too. Has been for about 6 months or so from memory. It had its annual service the other day and I forgot to mention it to my mechanic. Oh well!
I don't drive it very much it these days, it turned 14 earlier this week and only has 142,000kms on it. Still going strong though.