Hi everyone!

Hi everyone,

I recently bought my Audi and I’m having an issue that I can’t seem to fix. My check engine light and the glow plug warning light keep coming on, and the car goes into safe mode, but not always.

When I drive through the city, everything is fine. The problem happens mostly on the highway, at 120 km/h or more, during a longer drive. After that drive, when I stop, turn the car off and then start it again, both lights appear and the car loses power.

I already changed the turbocharger, but that didn’t solve the problem. I also replaced a turbo sensor (boost/pressure/air sensor), but the issue is still there. I’ve already spent a lot of money and nothing has fixed it.

From what I understand, these symptoms could point to a problem with the fuel pumps (low-pressure or high-pressure fuel pump), but Audi could not detect anything through diagnostics, and other mechanics are not suggesting this either.

I would really appreciate if anyone here has had a similar experience or any advice on what else I should check.

Thanks in advance!

I am a lady in trouble, living alone abroad. So nobody can help me here. Any advice would be highly appreciated. 

Irena.

I sympathise with your predicament, but without a firm diagnosis from a code reader we can only guess which of the many possible faults are responsible for the problem. Those possibilities include a blocked diesel particulate filter, a dying battery, faulty fuel pumps, faulty mass air flow meter, and several others as well. It is clearly uneconomic to renew every possible part in the hope that you will be lucky.

Audi should be able to diagnose a car as young as yours, and I am puzzled your workshop can not do so. Is there an alternative Audi workshop you could try? Are there any independant VAG specialists you could try? (Many of us here prefer independant workshops for reasons I need not mention here, but I do not know if they exist in Germany.)

Hi Cliff,

thank you for your answer. I will attach below the picture from the first diagnostic check (before the turbocharger was replaced) and the last two emails from Audi this week.

Actually, Audi might be able to find the issue, but they dont know how long the search will take, and one hour costs 240€. On top of that they cannot guarantee anything, which means I could spend a large amount of money and still end up at the starting point. I have already paid 650€ at Audi so far and the car is still in the same condition.

I was also shocked when they refused to give me the diagnostic report with the error codes, claiming that they dont have diagnostic that show error codes. Even the machanics who replaced the turbocharged did not want to show me the error that appeared after the warning lights came back on. 
would it be a good option to buy this small device, I saw there are some for 50€ on the internet. Could any of those be able to show the codes? Any recommendations?

 

9 minutes ago, User220196 said:

Hi Cliff,

thank you for your answer. I will attach below the picture from the first diagnostic check (before the turbocharger was replaced) and the last two emails from Audi this week.

Actually, Audi might be able to find the issue, but they dont know how long the search will take, and one hour costs 240€. On top of that they cannot guarantee anything, which means I could spend a large amount of money and still end up at the starting point. I have already paid 650€ at Audi so far and the car is still in the same condition.

I was also shocked when they refused to give me the diagnostic report with the error codes, claiming that they dont have diagnostic that show error codes. Even the machanics who replaced the turbocharged did not want to show me the error that appeared after the warning lights came back on. 
would it be a good option to buy this small device, I saw there are some for 50€ on the internet. Could any of those be able to show the codes? Any recommendations?

 

Hi most of the dealer level diagnostics will show the fault code, the time it occurred and how many times it has occurred, I can't believe they fed you that B@ll@cks, you are paying for it therefore you should have the information requested, I find it hard to fathom the fact that you can't find an independent garage to sort this out, I wouldn't be buying a cheap code reader as they cause more problems than they solve due to limited capability of the software,

Steve.

Some of the real story is now emerging.

1/ You had the turbocharger replaced at a non Audi workshop, but have no receipt so it is no surprise that Audi will have nothing to do with it. Why did you not return the car to the turbo fitting shop?

2/ Audi labour charges are always high, but no worse than other manufacturers. None us like it but sometimes there is no choice if you don't want to find an independant specialist as I suggested.

3/ A cheap code reader will be money down the drain. Either buy an expensive machine such as VCDS or pay somebody who has one.

I did return the car to the fitting shop but they couldnt find what is causing the problem. 
I have thought that maybe Audi just need to do calibration or software update, but apparently they didnt do that.

I will take it again on Saturday to someone who has code reader and hopefully I will have an error code.

thank you!😊

 

 

feel for you so much, looks like I have very similar issue

8 hours ago, DimiPom said:

 

 

feel for you so much, looks like I have very similar issue

But u havent replaced turbocharger ? I have read your post.

I will let u know if I will manage to solve anything. Think about checking the fuel pumps. That is what I am going to do after my turbocharger is checked again. I was also thinking about replacing ECU.

Also, calibrating is also a very important thing. After changing any part You have to tell your car’s computer - “this is your new part”. And I am not sure are people doing it properly. 

Hello Irena,

’Thinking about changing the fuel pumps…… ECU…’

As has already been said - totally the wrong thing to do, and will result in seriously damaging your wallet and unlikely to guarantee to rectify the symptoms. 
Please, please get this plugged in to official (in caps) VAG diagnostics before moving on. 
Yes, I think most folks know that many new components have to be coded ( your term- calibrated) to the car after fitting.

Regards,

Gareth. 

1 hour ago, User220196 said:

But u havent replaced turbocharger ? I have read your post.

I will let u know if I will manage to solve anything. Think about checking the fuel pumps. That is what I am going to do after my turbocharger is checked again. I was also thinking about replacing ECU.

Also, calibrating is also a very important thing. After changing any part You have to tell your car’s computer - “this is your new part”. And I am not sure are people doing it properly. 

haven't change to new turbo but reconditioning serves exactly same purpose, you keep body and replace all parts in site for new ones. 

3 hours ago, User220196 said:

Think about checking the fuel pumps. That is what I am going to do after my turbocharger is checked again. I was also thinking about replacing ECU.

 

That is madness. Fitting new parts at random will cost you much more than taking the car to a properly equipped and knowledgeable garage.

So, the problem is still not solved 😞 i took it to the mechanic and he was driving it 200km/h without any problems, testing it and no errors.

I took it back and here they are again, but this time I got the codes. First comes check engine and it goes into the safe mode and then comes the glow plug starts blinking.

any ideas? 

 

 

 

11 hours ago, User220196 said:

So, the problem is still not solved 😞 i took it to the mechanic and he was driving it 200km/h without any problems, testing it and no errors.

I took it back and here they are again, but this time I got the codes. First comes check engine and it goes into the safe mode and then comes the glow plug starts blinking.

any ideas? 

 

 

 

Hi looks like the low pressure EGR cooler is blocked depending how badly that would throw it in to limp mode as soon as the fault occurs more than ten times it will then put the EML, the p0299 is a byproduct of that as the turbo wont go full boost as it thinks the DPF is blocked, which it is not just the cooler and valve.