Hey all, I'm new around here, just checked this site out for the first time today. Looks like some good info has been compiled here.

Well, the time has come to retire my honda to track only use, and a friend is going to sell me his 99 A4 (always loved it). It only has one problem, the ABS doesn't work and the ABS and e-brake light are always on. How do I go about begining to diagnose this issue? On my honda I could just jump the service connector and count the # of times the ABS light flashes for the code. Is it that easy on Audies, or do I need some fancy diagnostic software?

 

you need "some fancy diagnostic software"....for audis it's called vag-com, it costs about 200 bucks for a kit, or you can check out this link to see if someone in your area has one that you can use for free

EDIT: if you're going to be doing your own maintenance/repairs, i would strongly suggest investing in your own vag-com setup, it will come in VERY handy in the years to come...

 

Pooface ahahaha, ok sorry, anyways where are you located. You need to scan it with a vag-com. If the control module is still good it will tell you which speed sensor is shot. If you can;t connect to the control module than thats shot and there is a company that can fix it for 250 although you need to take it out and send it out. If you have the dealer fix it it will run about $2400

 

Well the Abs light is staying on so that means you dont have Abs Braking right now
just Power brakes, So most prob you you going to be lookin at the Module or somthing electrical

The Hand brake light can mean anything, Low brake fluid level, Closed Handbrake switch
anything,
A trick you can do, we do it on some Gm models is the Abs shuts off and the light on the dash
comes up, so we take drive it onto the road and make the Abs, work by applying brakes
on awet or sandy surface to lock up the wheels, Strange but true on some GMs

 

WOW, cool link. I'll be sending some emails out in the near future for sure. Thanks for your help!

Is there anything else I should look at before I buy? Any typical parts that go bad after 110,000 kms??

 

make sure the suspension is good....worn control arms will squeak, tie rod ends will clunk when you hit bumps, cv joints will click during low speed turns (if you're on the gas), open up the oil cap to look for signs of oil sludge...do the same for the power steering fluid, as well as the coolant (sometimes people top them off with regular fluids and that can cause big problems)....try the cruise control when you drive it, the switches are known to fail, you can knock some money off the price of the car and just clean it yourself with some spray cleaner later....that's all i can think of right now....oh, and leave the radio OFF during the test drive...it's also coming up on a timing belt change...search the forums, there are TONS of threads on tb changes on here....