Ok so forgive me for this is my first post.(I tried to research and just was not getting any real answers).

Ok what happened first:
Started car other day at 5am in morning in 2 degree temps(no problem). Drove to work 68.4 miles one way(no issues). Start car at 1155am for lunch break and drive 5miles(no issues). its about 19 degrees now. Leave work at 4pm to start commute home. Make it about 3 miles in drive doing about 35 mph and car shuts off as if you just turned key off(problem). No sputter or jerks or anything. Just cuts off. Attempt to restart and it just cranks. So after waiting for 3 hrs for triple A, tow to house and I start the researching. This was Tuesday Nov 18th. So attempted to start car yesterday for the first time since this happened. Car started for about 6 seconds and then sputtered out( so I know its getting spark and fuel). NO Codes, Check engines, anything. So stomped now.

About car 98 a4 2.8 auto quattro avant. All maintenance done in last 3 years I have had. Steering rack two years ago. All suspension and soft parts two years ago. Timing/gaskets two years ago. Exhaust and o2 sensors summer this year. New batt two years ago. All bearings in last two years. All vac lines last summer(that I could get to). Coil packs two years ago. Plugs and wires every spring(just do it as preventative maintenance). Oil every other month since I have own car. Nothing major. Repair all fun stuff such as sun roof and doors. Don’t have electric phantoms opening or closing things…lol Has 240,xxxx now. Drove it 68.4 miles x 2, five days a week for last 3 years and never once been stranded until this happened.

So research has led me to(no particular order): 1. coolant temperature sensor? 2. Random vac leak?: 3. Fuel pump/relay(even though mine do come on). 4. Fuel pressure regulator? 5. Cam speed sensor(might be saying that one wrong). 5. Ignition switch? I bought the coolant temp sensor and going to install it later today and start there. All fuses check out(and I replace all of them anyways). No codes on vag and proscan elite. Any more ideas?
I am no mechanic, but I am mechanically incline. I have done all the previous work with help from searching on internet and just going for it..lol But I am stuck. So please anyone any ideas.

 

Ok so here is the update. Nothing accomplished today. I had the wrong coolant temperature sensor. The audi dealer definitely made me mad on this one. gave them all the info including vin and they gave me wrong part. so now hr drive back to them. this time I took a pic of the plug. think I am going to just order new on from ESC(no plug, but have always got the right stuff from them the first time)...
Pic is my square plug. They gave me the green square/round one.
So still stumped. Battery is pulled and on charger now. I checked all lines visually and to see if anything was unplugged anywhere.

 

Well just waiting now. Parts will be here on Tuesday. And I will go from there. 80+ views and no ideas yet? Or similar situations with solutions?

 

It doesn't sound mechanical to me, but more electrical. mechanical you would either hear something actually break or sound "not right", or it would sputter from the residual fuel in the system. Something obvious and obnoxious would happen to give you a clue. Just out right stopping like you turn the car off is just odd.

If you have a multimeter you can check the fuses to see if they all actually get power with the ignition on before you crank it. Then after it dies again leave the ignition on and recheck to see if there are any changes in the fuse panel. The engine may be shaking a loose wire around. other than that, I don't know where to start.

I'm no mechanic, just a tinkerer so don't hold me to anything.

Keep us up to date. I'm curious.

 

Thanks Starving030...yeah multied all the fuses aready. And changed them all again too just to make sure. So the two parts I ordered was the coolant templ sensor and the fuel pump relay. Changed the relay before, but figured I would do it again. If them two don't help remedy my issue, I was going to go ignition switch next. Hoping that I could atleast get it to start so I can see if it will throw any codes. Then I can narrow it down better. Figured I would do all the cheap stuff first and work my way through the fuel and ignition system. If i have to change the ignition switch or not next step will be fuel pressure regulator. Havent changed that yet under hood and its fairly cheap..so why not..lol

 

Sorry everyone. Had to go out of town for family emergency. I have the cts and the fuel pump relay. Going to install them her in a bit today and follow up with everyone on the results.

 

Ok so put the new coolant temp sensor in and new fuel pump relay....still nothing. But this time it when it cranks sounds like no spark...lol I know fuel pump on..No cel..No codes on vag and pro scan tool. I am totally stumped. I would have thought coils, but the fact I got it to start the next day after it went down, but it wouldn't run long leads me to believe it will fire. Next I am thinking ignition switch? The troubling part is that there is no cel or codes.

Dunno, is there something that turns the coils on and off?
If I had spark I know it will turn on.

Can I check coils on vag without any codes?

My wires and plugs not even 3months old, but do you think I should change them again anyways?

I have a spark tester, going to try it tomorrow after I go get it back from my friend.

 

Do the temperature and oil pressure warning lamps in he center of the dash flash when cranking? When my sons engine crank sensor went bad that was the only sign, no codes were present, just the flashing lights during cranking. His was a 96 2.8L.

 

Mark C---No nothing flashes. I wish it would have..lol would give me some glimmer of hope. I may just change it to change it..

 

Actually tried again. The only lights that come on when key is turned on is abs, battery, and seat belt. Nothing flashing, no gauges jumping, no other lights. Even the display reads ok when it does it cycle.

Isn't there suppose to be more lights on when the key turned?

I never noticed. All three lights turn off when trying to crank.