HI ALL!

I was hoping that the community could help me with a small little issue i am having with my 2.7T

Today I get this CRAZY ABS and Brake light flashing at me. I come home and have my friend bring his diagnostic reader and i get a P1606 error code. (18014 P1606 Rough Road Spec. Engine Torque ABS-SG - Electrical Malfunction A )

Let me give some background.

I took the car to the dealer a couple weeks ago and they said my brakes and rotors need to be changed soon.
ALSO I put 18" wheels on the car about a week ago.
AND i've been noticing some vibrations while driving. previously it was due to a bent rim (hence the upgrade) and most noticable while stopping.
now i get vibrations not while i'm braking but while i'm actually driving.
and the vibrations are intermitten. it will happen for like 5 minutes and then smooth out for another unspecified time frame.

I called my AUDI guy and the first question out of his mouth was "do you have different size tires"

i'm kind of in a pinch eh?

I checked the brake fluid
and i checked fuse 7

i'm going to take it to the wheel place tomorrow and have him do a once over to make sure that the rims aren't rubbing or anything like that.

HOW DO U GUYS FEEL ABOUT THIS?
ME - I could do without another VW/AUDI headache that is going to cost me $100000000000

any suggestions?

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Let's tackle the wheels/vigration issue first...

What type of wheels did you put on there? (brand, size, offset, etc.). That can help people diagnose the likelihood of rubbing. If that's not the case, the first thing I'd recommend is a Hunter Roadforce Balancing. This will make sure the balancing of the wheels is spot on. This has often been successfull in eliminating wheel vibration for other people.

What was your answer to the "do you have different tire sizes" question?

What kind of mileage do you have on the brakes?

Did your friend clear out the error code? If everything is working OK, it may pay to see if it comes back. Searching I did on this error indicates in can crop up in an intermittent manner - not good news in terms of a quick fix.

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for the wheels i put 18" Enkei LM-1S. And no, i have the same size tires (brand new) all the way around. I did not clear the error code. IF the error code is not cleared, would it still indicate on my dash? The light is not on always. It's only come on twice in the last week. as far as the brake mileage. I bought the car from a used auto dealer about 2 months ago and he claims that he put new brakes on the car. I took it to the dealer 3 weeks ago and they said that the bent rim i had had created uneven wear on my brakes. They recommended a brake change but i wasn't willing to fork over another gnote ontop of the 1500 dollar service that i was scheduled for.

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Now I'm getting nervous for you... A bent rim causing uneven brake ware? Sounds suspicious to me... (how bent was the rim?). I'd suggest getting a second opinion if you can. If the dealer you bought the car from claims he put new brakes on, there's NO way you can need new ones yet. Just doesn't add up. You may want to search the appropriate regional forum to find a reputable dealer or independent garage that can be trusted.

The light in your dash and the error code in the log should be independent. If you've got the light coming on periodically it could mean some sort of problem with the ABS curcuit. Try to note what is going on when you see the light flashing and get that code reset so that you can see if it pops up again.

Finally, what service did you have that ran 1500?

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the rim was bent enough thtat i could hear it and feel it while driving/braking.

i bought the car from a used auto dealer 2 months ago. 3 weeks ago i took it for 60K check up because i don't trust anyone and the dealer notified me that one of my front cv boots was torn and the rear differential was leeking fluid. SO. 60K + CV + DIF = $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ (garbage). i could have taken it back to the used car dealer but PISS i hate dealing with those type of people.The dealer also told me that my bent rim had cause uneven break wear. i have yet to replace the brakes but ordered new wheels with brand new tires. I'm going to take it back to the wheel guy and have him re-evaluate the mounting because i have a feeling i notice some rubbing (as i'm turning?). should he have installed spacers? my friend had an A4 and he said that his car needed spacers for his 17" wheels. I have 18" enkei LM-1S

So what you're saying is that the light and the code are not related? I have the p1606 AND my ABS circuit is failing? can it be that i really do have to change my brakes and brake fuild is leaking causing the light to trigger? It came up again but only once this morning. it started blinking almost immediately after i noticed the wheel rubbing (i was turning slowly and listening and i think that might have triggered it).

thoughts?

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I think we need to slow down and take ONE issue at a time. Let's make sure you've got proper wheels on the car first.

What size rims and tires are you running (diameter, width, aspect ratio, etc.)? Was the rim bent when you bought it (therefore having more then 3 months on the car and more likely to have caused a problem) or did you bend it in the 3 months you've owned it? Let's get the rubbing & vibration issues squred away first.

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they are ENKEI LM1 5x112 + 35 chrome
tires are 235/40R18.

i bought the car with the stock 16s. It was ok for a while and then i noticed a vibration while stopping. I may have bent the rim myself. I actually don't think the rim was bent. I think i had a flat spot on the tire and the smuck at town fair tire just put it on his balancing machine. figured since he couldn't balance the tire - the rim must be bent. HOWEVER. the dealer told me the same. I had originally gone to town fair for a balancing hoping to correct the vibration and then with the result from them and the dealer i decided to go to my trusted wheel guy for an upgrade.

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As far as I know, that wheel/tire combo should not be a problem. If the braking you experienced ONLY occured when braking, it may be your brake rotors being warped or having material deposits embedded in them. You may want to do a little background surfing at the following web site: Stoney's Links. Check out the brake section. If the vibration is occuring all the time, balancing is more likely the culprit. Another thing to check out at Stoney's links are the references to Hunter Roadforce balancing.

Are you still running the supposedly bent rims? If so, go the Hunter site, find a local wheel shop that has their system and get your wheels balanced there. If not, is the vibration only while braking or all the time?

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with the bent rims it was only while braking. (on the 16s)
now i have new wheels and it's never while braking but while i'm driving. (18s)
usually noticable from the 50mph to 80mph range
HOWEVER. it's not constant. the ride will level out at points and then become vibration-ish later.

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I suspect a Hunter Roadforce balancing will help out with the vibration - it has for other people. BTW, what year & engine is your car?

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