My first car
#1
07-21-2014, 09:04 AM
My first car
My dad recently bought me a 2001 Audi a6 2.7t as my first car. The car has 175,000 miles but when we test drove it ran beautifully. When I went to drive it off of the dealers lot the engine wouldn't start on the first try, it took two. Ever since then about 7/10 times it takes two tries. The check engine light is on and runs the codes P1140 and P1121 both appear to have something to do with o2 sensors and I was wondering if this has something to do with the starting problem. Advice on what to repair next to get it to start nicely would be much appreciated. Thanks
#2
08-18-2014, 08:18 PM
It may have something to do with it.
If your o2 sensors are shot, your car will a use limp mode setting for the fueling. This is a setting that will make it run, but not be efficient.
This means it may not be making the mix rich to start the car and not leaning it off when it's warm.
A quick search on here will let you know which sensor the codes are referring too.
If your o2 sensors are shot, your car will a use limp mode setting for the fueling. This is a setting that will make it run, but not be efficient.
This means it may not be making the mix rich to start the car and not leaning it off when it's warm.
A quick search on here will let you know which sensor the codes are referring too.
#3
08-18-2014, 08:22 PM
If the dealer is little dodgy, he may have reset the error codes before you test drove it and they popped up again as you finished your test drive.
Try erasing them yourself with a code reader and then see if they resurface. Then look at replacing the sensor if it shows up again.
Sometimes a code will show up due to a brief glitch and the car will react to that code, putting it in limp mode. It's not unusual to clear fault codes and there be nothing wrong with anything. That's why most people say to clear their codes first.
Try erasing them yourself with a code reader and then see if they resurface. Then look at replacing the sensor if it shows up again.
Sometimes a code will show up due to a brief glitch and the car will react to that code, putting it in limp mode. It's not unusual to clear fault codes and there be nothing wrong with anything. That's why most people say to clear their codes first.
Last edited by Brityank; 08-18-2014 at 08:39 PM.
#4
08-19-2014, 03:45 AM
Is there a problem with that dealer, was the car as is.
That car with 175K is going to be a nightmare, this is going to give you a massive amount of mechanical experience.
The problem with the start-up issue could be that its mis-reading a parameter.
The codes, what did you read them with.
you need to use a Vag-Com to get all of the codes, because a generic scanner won't get them all.
Those 02 sensors codes are indicating a faulty sensor or wiring issue, check the wires to make sure they are not melted to the exhaust,make sure the connections are good.
One thing I always do is pull the connectors off the sensors run a finger nail file over the male pins and take a small pick to make sure the females are tight, apply some di-electric grease. sometimes they oxidize and separate a little and they will send a weak reading and mess up the parameters. Depending on the sensor the engine may be able to run on pre-sets without the sensor but that's not good either, it just gets you home.
can you bring it back and get something else, a toyota, or something.
i know they are cool looking cars but these things are mechanical nightmares for a beginner, and you are going to need more tools than that car is worth.
plus if you do not have maintenance records, you now need to do the timing belt, rollers and water pump.
Audi engineers are the worst auto engineers out there, the interior designers do a nice job, but the mechanical end of these cars does not match their beauty. The light did not just turn on the dealer turned it off and it turned back on. but get used to it.
How much was the car?
That car with 175K is going to be a nightmare, this is going to give you a massive amount of mechanical experience.
The problem with the start-up issue could be that its mis-reading a parameter.
The codes, what did you read them with.
you need to use a Vag-Com to get all of the codes, because a generic scanner won't get them all.
Those 02 sensors codes are indicating a faulty sensor or wiring issue, check the wires to make sure they are not melted to the exhaust,make sure the connections are good.
One thing I always do is pull the connectors off the sensors run a finger nail file over the male pins and take a small pick to make sure the females are tight, apply some di-electric grease. sometimes they oxidize and separate a little and they will send a weak reading and mess up the parameters. Depending on the sensor the engine may be able to run on pre-sets without the sensor but that's not good either, it just gets you home.
can you bring it back and get something else, a toyota, or something.
i know they are cool looking cars but these things are mechanical nightmares for a beginner, and you are going to need more tools than that car is worth.
plus if you do not have maintenance records, you now need to do the timing belt, rollers and water pump.
Audi engineers are the worst auto engineers out there, the interior designers do a nice job, but the mechanical end of these cars does not match their beauty. The light did not just turn on the dealer turned it off and it turned back on. but get used to it.
How much was the car?
Last edited by Jackmup; 08-19-2014 at 03:47 AM.
#5
08-20-2014, 02:45 PM
I think the other posters covered the symptoms pretty well. Caveat emptor - these things do not show up on dealer lots at the age of 14 with that many miles and no problems. It could have been a trade-in at another dealer and they flipped it at auction. That's not to say it is a bad car, but there are a lot of unknowns and potential problems without a service history.
FYI, the hard start on my A6 was the early symptom of a failing fuel pump. It started in FL and continued, intermittently, on the 1000 mile drive home to MI. A couple weeks later, it would not start at a rest stop on the way to Chicago. After sitting for over an hour, it restarted and I got it within 30 miles of home before it just died completely at 80 mph. I was pretty sure it was fuel related and it turned out to be the fuel pump, replaced for ~$800 by an indie shop. Mileage at the time around 231k.
FYI, the hard start on my A6 was the early symptom of a failing fuel pump. It started in FL and continued, intermittently, on the 1000 mile drive home to MI. A couple weeks later, it would not start at a rest stop on the way to Chicago. After sitting for over an hour, it restarted and I got it within 30 miles of home before it just died completely at 80 mph. I was pretty sure it was fuel related and it turned out to be the fuel pump, replaced for ~$800 by an indie shop. Mileage at the time around 231k.