I'm having problems starting my 02' Audi tt. Help please

10

Asked by Dave_ Nov 23, 2014 at 05:32 PM about the 2002 Audi TT 1.8T quattro Roadster AWD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

My car will crank and turn over but
shut off immediately after. It does
NOT do it every time. The problem
use to be a lot worse but it seems to
me that it's not as bad anymore.
Before, when it would happen, it use
to do it 2-5 times before it would
actually stay on. Now, it'll only do it
once or twice. I took it to an Audi
dealership to get diagnosed and
according to them, they are not sure
what the problem is but they
suspected it to be the ignition switch
based on the fault codes they got.
They said that they got a bunch of
alarm fault codes or something like
that, but they told me that they
wouldn't guarantee that it would fix
the problem. I've been doing some
research on the internet and It's
gotten me to believe that it's
something to do with the theft
system?.. I didn't want to pay $700
at the dealership without being sure
if that was going to solve the
problem. They also got a fault code
with an O2 sensor, but It had been
replaced 3 weeks prior. I say again, it
does not do it every time. Could it be
the ignition switch or a much simpler
issue? This is a manual 02' Audi tt
Quattro 225hp. If I left out some
information, ask me what you need
to know please.

18 Answers

45,165

Those modal cars seem to have a bunch of alarm issues. And they also tend to have ignition and dash issues from what i have seen so far about the TT. As for a bad o2 sensor i would check out the wire going to it as it may have a short or not properly seated plug. Tho starting issues normaly can cause this as well to put up a o2 sensor. When the car does not start is the engine hot or cold ? and does it do it on hot days in the sun or in the shade as well. And when was the last time the maf sensor was cleaned? these are all good places to start on a diagnosis so once you replay i should be able to provide more info.

6 people found this helpful.
10

Thanks for your response Deathjam4. I will have to check the O2 sensor and update you on that, even though I highly doubt it's bad, but I will do it! And the car will do it on both cold starts and hot starts. It doesn't seem to me that it does it on one more than the other. And with the shade deal, it will do it at night with a cold start, so I don't believe the sun contributes to the problem. Also, the maf sensor was cleaned out a little over a month ago.

1 people found this helpful.
45,165

ok then that rules out what i was thinking it could be. This is now running into either fuel or spark or something electrical. Check All your plugs Pull each and every one from there holes and plug them back onto the wires they came from. Then set them near a metal surface and turn the key and watch to see if they all spark. If they do then that rules out spark. If 1 or two don't spark replace them all. If none of them spark then you know the coil is bad. Moving on grab a long thin peice of plastic like a straw and then prob the cylinders for gas. If the straw come out wet and smells like gas from each hole at this point then fuel is not a problem. If you have gas in some but not others there is most likely a fuel injector issue or presure regulator issue. If there is no fuel period then you either have a clogged filter or bad fuel pump. You can diagnos this prety easy in about 10-20 minutes. let me know what your findings are. Oh and if you crank the car alot while your testing for spark let the cyclinders dry out for a good half hr or more before reinserting the plugs.

10

This weekend I pulled the plugs and they looked good. I forgot to check the cylinders for gasoline though. I also checked the o2 sensor and it's on there, it didn't look bad. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary with the plugs though. This is frustrating!

45,165

well one of the unfortunate thigns about fouled plugs is the only way to tell if its bad is to watch it to make sure it sparks correctly becayuse it can look good but not be alright. Other problems to cause an o2 sensor to go off is a bad catalytic covertor. but as frusttrating as it is you gota check for to see if the fuel is making it to the cyclinders so like before pull all the plugs crank the engine for a second or two and check the holes for gas and gas smell.

1 people found this helpful.
10

Since the problem doesn't occur every single time, how should I expect the plugs to work? Will I only see an absence of the spark when it's going to fail or should it do it all the time anyway? Also, the way the coil packs are on this car, makes it difficult to test the spark plugs the way you asked. The room is very limited. Can I check the spark on the head or does it have to be a different metal surface? And one or two of the coil packs share a little vacuum box that goes on top of them when installed. What should I do with that box when I disassemble this? I don't know what this little box is called or what it does. It has a vacuum though.

20

i have an 02 audi tt it had the same problem start and shut off at first i thought it was the key programming i did that then i checked codes on a snap on scanner found code p032 speed sensor intermittent then i looked up the code it was intermittent crank sensor original cost 220.00 and crank sensor hard to replace took me 4 hours starts and runs fine had no problems hope this helps

1 people found this helpful.

Hi I have an Audi TT 225 bhp 04 plate I'm just wondering what the problem could be the time in belt slipped off but no y I was driving it so had the timing belt changed an it will start up but cuts out what can the problem be

45,165

if you lost the timing belt while driving you most likely bent all the valves. Replacing a timing belt is expensive but its not as expensive as a full head replacement. In some more serious incidents people have had to do pistons because of this.

There's no bangin or anything from the head an I've had a camera down the heads to check the valves but none r bent

45,165

well then you are either having a fuel or sparking issue. some times there can be vacum leaks that cause this issue as well. change out the plugs if not done already with bosch 4 point plugs, clean the maf check the crank case hoses and look for vacum leaks with a spray bottle full of soapy water when the car is running and check the spark with all the plugs out.

Ok I will have a check an see if there's any leaks if there's no leaks what could the problem be ?

45,165

one of many its all check and elimanate from here on out we go with the simplest answers and work our way to the harder and try not to just throw money at the problem.

1 people found this helpful.
355

I have a 2003 Audi TT Quattro and I am dealing with this problem. The other day it had trouble starting like it was out of fuel, but I just put some in. Then the next day it ran fine, day after that it took about 4 sec of cranking to start but started. Drove to a friends house and when I tried to start it again it wouldn't. At first I was not getting any fuel, pump wasn't coming on, so I took it out thinkin it was bad put it to the battery and it worked. Put it back in and it is now getting fuel to the rail with good pressure but still would not start but I can hear and feel it come on and the rail is getting fuel. I then had someone try to replace the crank position sensor and they pulled the three wires out off the clip that plugs into the sensor. I did the work after that. I replaced the sensor and still won't start. But when I first reattached the wires back I think I mixed the wires up. They are black white and brown. I'll post a pic. But can someone tell me what's goin on? Did I mess the sensor up by wiring it wrong, or would wiring it back right fix the problem? I need help my car refuses to start. Cranks all day tho. I heard this is a common problem

1 people found this helpful.
45,165

you can do one of three things for the wiring. Google is your friend for the first and you can try to find one in the wrecking yard. the other is to get he wireing diagram from the audi dealer parts department.

3 people found this helpful.
20

Hi I have a 2003 Audi TT 225 when I turn the key there's nothing no click no lights , I changed the battery still nothing then when I put jump leads on it starts first Time like normal . Hope you can help thanks Wayne

1 people found this helpful.

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