hi everyone and thanks for looking. i have a 2000 a6 and here are my problems;the check engine light is on, the radio doesn't work (no power at all), and the onboard computer doesn't communicate with any obd scanners.

i have taken the care to get smogged and the tech told me that the car wouldn't pass, because it will not communicate with the scanner. i also took the car to an independant audi shop and the techs there told me that the instrument cluster needs to be replaced. the center piece in the cluster does not work, but the rest of the cluster seems to be working fine.

can anybody help me out with suggestions other than checking the fuses. for some reason i don't believe that the cluster needs to be replaced. i'm pretty low on cash right now, so replacing the entire cluster with a new one is out of the question.

if i unplug the ecu and plug it back in, would that potentially fix the radio at least?

thanks for any help!

 

It wouldn't communicate to the ECU and he told you to replace the instrument cluster?..... Yeah, im gonna say try another shop. Does it communicate with the brake electronics? The gearbox? Comfort control module? Radio? If it doesn't communicate with any of these modules then something is wrong with the diagnostic port or the tech isn't using a vag com.

 

^thank you so much for your help, i really appreciate it!
it communicates with the gearbox. i'm too sure if it communicates with the brake electronics. the car sounds like a rusted p.o.s. when i brake! as for the comfort control module, i don't know if it communicates with that either. the a/c works if that is what you're refering to. the radio is completely dead, it doesn't have any display or static from weak frequecies.

could you tell me how i can check if these systems, that you mentioned above, are communicating or not?

if the port was defaulted, how would i repair it? do i need to buy a new port or just re-connect all the wires?

what is vag com.?