Just found this forum last week. Great information.
Just bought today a 3.0 with 89,000 from original owner with full service history.
Drove from sellers in Houston to home near Austin and the car drove fine. Then went to store, bought gas and parked in the garage. Went out this evening to check out lights. Turned on head lights with out starting car. Only parking lights came on. Tried to start car and nothing. Lights on the dash, sounds like computer running behind dash and the a/c starts to run. Engine would not turn over. Now nothing when I turn the key.
Sounds like a bad battery to me but battery is only a year and a half old. No warning of weak battery. Called seller and says this has never happened.
It's a tight squeeze getting my trusk in to jump. What can I expect if I disconnect the battery?
I am skeptical that it's the battery, any thoughts?
Thanks in advance.
One other thing, when I pulled the key outat the gas atation,it seperated in half but I just put it back togeather. Could this have messed with the computer?
1st Audi.

 

Try tapping on the starter first while cranking to make sure the starter hasn't frozen, (may be a bitch to get to) But if it were the battery when you turned the key the lights in the dash should dim when trying to turn over the engine.
If that doesn't happen chances are its the starter or cable going to the starter. The starter isn't something someone can really DIY on a 3.0L engine, un-less you have an awesome set of metric tools, tow it to the dealer and have them check the wiring to the starter and verify its the starter.
The final chance would be the ignition switch, but that would be intermintent.

 

Is it a manual transmissioned car? If so, are you pushing in the clutch? All the way to the floor? Check for bad Neautral Safety switch / clutch switch. If it is an automatic, make sure your foot is on the brake when you turn over. Also, turn key to on position and then turn on headlights. Do they work? Headlights should work in the "on" position, but won't with the car off,... only the parking lights will be on.

 

It's an automatic.
The head lights don't turn on with the key on. They have flashed and flickerd a few times but not turned on. Now that I think of it, I didn't test the lights when I bought the car.
If the head lights don't work but parking lights do, what does that mean?
Checked the battery, it's OK.
I'm worried about some expensive computer.
Any thoughts appreciated.

Pat

 

could be a tricky one here, automatics have a starter inhibitor if its in R D 1234 you cant crank the engine other things are you might need to press the break peddle and keep it in then crank the engine

 

Pressing the brake pedal.

The lights are now coming on the dash after I cleaned the terminals. When I turn the key to the start position, the warning lights on the dash flicker and make a cliking sound in time with the lights. Starter doesn't even try to turn.

What do you think about the head lights not working?
I'm bummed. (US expression)

 

I haven't had this sort of problem with my car, but when I had my '89 F150 it happened often.

When it did happen, I would disconnect the battery terminals, disconnect the cable running to the starter, clean them off and then reconnect the cables. For whatever reason this helped and the truck would then start.

I know this doesn't speak for the A6 specifically, but the point is there is a weak connection. If there was recent work done to the electrical system in any way look into that. If something wasn't tightened down properly it could have loosened more and created an arc. This could have gotten you home, but now that the car has been off it is not getting a strong enough feed to the starter.

All the other things mentioned above could be the issue as well. So, either the starter is shot, or power is not getting to the starter. Possibly a starter solenoid? The starter solenoid in my truck would need to be replaced every couple years (not sure why), but it was inexpensive.

Take this for what its worth, but I hope it helps!

Khardysius

P.S. Make sure its in park or neutral!!!

 

Based on your last post I would say you have a bad battery, or a bad starter. But I am leaning towards the battery. See of jumping the car works. Quick and easy way to know for sure and then rule it out.

edit: do you have HID's? If your battery is low/dead, your hids will flicker, well at least mine did.

 

^^ yep ill go with the battery first,
break peddle pressing is on many automatics and linked to safety like starting on a hill with E break off as many do ( automatics only ) obviously a warning you car could move when you put it into gear but mainly the between bit like P to D when the tranny is in free mode, anyway that's the idea

 

You guys are right, must be the battery.

I jumped the battery and the car started. Let it run/drove for about an hour, came home, turned it off and it wouldn't start. Battery gauge on dash shows it charging about 14 volts.

When I bought a new battery the guy checked the old one and said the volts were up but the cranking amps were down. Apparently this didn't come up when I had the battery checked this morning.