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03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

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Old Oct 22, 2007 | 09:06 AM
  #1  
edrocks3's Avatar
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Default 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

Is this one of those dealer only things I need to get done? I want to see if my car is spitting out any trouble codes. How do I go about this?
 
Old Oct 22, 2007 | 09:45 AM
  #2  
JohnT's Avatar
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Default RE: 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

Most non dealer garages have a code reader to check your vehicle, call your local garage to ask.
 
Old Oct 23, 2007 | 12:26 AM
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Default RE: 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

Of course, if you have any codes, you'll see the Check Engine Light come on. For information sake, I called my local Audi dealer and they wanted $56 to hook up the reader. I checked around town
and one garage wanted $40 and another wanted $10. Shop around.
I've hadan checkengine light issueand when I had local garages try to readmy codes, they couldn't read any. The light was onbut readers told them no DTCs detected. I bought a newreader for $100 and it couldn't read the transmission code that was causing my light to come on. I would find a place with a
good (expensive?) reader.

Good luck
 
Old Oct 23, 2007 | 01:55 AM
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Default RE: 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

Borrow one from Auto Zone. They loan them out free of charge. If you want to get more detailed information, quite a few people on here have a VAG-COM. It is diagnostic software designed specifically for VW group cars (Audi, Skoda, Seat brands included). I'm sure there's somebody on here who lives close to you that has a VAG-COM. One thing... when they come out to help you with their car, buy them a beer or two for their trouble. [sm=icon_cheers.gif]
 
Old Oct 31, 2007 | 03:20 PM
  #5  
edrocks3's Avatar
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Default RE: 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

Where is the best place to buy the interface cable and software? I saw a bunch on ebay. Are these ok to use?
 
Old Oct 31, 2007 | 11:10 PM
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Default RE: 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

1. There are lots of codes that can be stored without tripping a check engine light. In addition the ross tech software can read non-engine realted codes for the HVAC system, radio, locks, instrumentation, etc.

2. The ones on ebay are hit or miss. Sometimes they work, sometimes they dont. Ross Tech, the site that sells the VAGcom has shareware programs that will read codes with these readers. Full software license is about 100 dollars. Real vagcom software and cable from rosstech is about 250 dollars. I've probably saved thousands of dollars with the Vagcom from Ross Tech.

Sounds like spam, but I like my vagcom. Besides, I've also gotten free beer out of the deal by people who want help.
 
Old Nov 1, 2007 | 09:01 AM
  #7  
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Default RE: 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

ORIGINAL: david9999

1. There are lots of codes that can be stored without tripping a check engine light. In addition the ross tech software can read non-engine realted codes for the HVAC system, radio, locks, instrumentation, etc.

2. The ones on ebay are hit or miss. Sometimes they work, sometimes they dont. Ross Tech, the site that sells the VAGcom has shareware programs that will read codes with these readers. Full software license is about 100 dollars. Real vagcom software and cable from rosstech is about 250 dollars. I've probably saved thousands of dollars with the Vagcom from Ross Tech.

Sounds like spam, but I like my vagcom. Besides, I've also gotten free beer out of the deal by people who want help.
Thats what I was beginning to guess, that there might be codes stored without the check engine light coming on. I don't have any check engine lights, but do have some bugs to work out of my 03 A4.

So when I do get this setup, is there a site or manual I need to purchase to actually make the codes readable for actual fixes? Does the sw have the code information and the possible solutions/fixes?

Thanks again in advance for your help!
 
Old Nov 1, 2007 | 11:20 AM
  #8  
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Default RE: 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

If you use the regular code-reader, your code will have one letter, followed by four numbers. There is a de-coding chart floating somewhere here on AF... too lazy to search for it right now. Anyways, just post the code(s) on this site, and we can tell you what the code means.
 
Old Nov 1, 2007 | 03:03 PM
  #9  
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Default RE: 03 A4 Trouble Codes? How do I get them?

These are VAG code readers;

http://search.ebay.com/search/search...&category0=
 
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