Hello,

I own a 96 A4 and it's been more than 2 yrs now.(3rd owner..)
This pretty baby never gave me any problem until yesterday, when it refused to start the engine!

Someone (previous audi owner passing by told me unplugging the MAF would help, but it didn't help at that moment. so I left my car and went to sleep. Amazingly, next morning I tried it and the engine was back!

So I took it to a local german mechanic and the VAG reads

17748 - camshaft position sensor (G40) / Engine speed sensor (G28) - incor. correlation
P1340 - 92 - 00 unknown weeoe elaboration
17800 - camshaft position sensor bank 2 (G163) : Open short to plus
P1392 - 92 - 00 unknown weeoe elaboration

In addition, the mechanic found one of the camshaft sensor (right under the hood near the sparkplug) is not firmly connected. It felt like a plug with a broken neck, kind of weakly connected - almost dangling - but not disconnected yet. However, he said he is not sure if this camshaft sensor alarm can block me from turning on the engine. Since the engine was back now, he erased the error messages (reset) and I drove it back home.

Next day I drove with no problem.. almost 30 miles.. until it refused to turn on after I had dinner at my friends place. This time, I just let the car cool down WITHOUT unplugging the MAF. Next morning, engine DIDN'T start. I opened the hood and disconnected the MAF and plug it back in. It WORKED!



To sum up,

1. Why unplugging & reconnecceting the MAF let me turn the engine on while VAG is sending error signals about camshafts?
2. In addition to the MAF reset, it seems cooling down the engine is necessary. Is it because OBD only resets when eng temp is down to certain temp? (as opposed to pulling out the key?)
3. If it is really MAF problem, does it have power to not letme start the engine?
4. Or if it is the camshaft problem, does it have power to not let me start the engine?

Thanks in advance