four months ago I took my 2002 a-4 3.0 liter v-6 to the shop to have the electric windows repaired. After installing a new comfort controll module they still didnt work. So, they replaced the wiring harness to the windows. This supposedly got them working. NOW COMES THE PROBLEM. After repairing the windows the mechanic left and when he came back a few minutes later the instrument cluster was smoking. FRIED MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER!!!!! So he ordered one from a junk yard. Got it in and realized the dealership had to programm the immobilizer codes. Sent it to dealership... they couldn't program it. So, they ordered another instrument cluster, sent it to dealership and still couldnt program it... so they did all this again ..still to no avail. So anyhow the mechanic shop doing the work order a 3000$ tool that would go into the ecu and decript the immobilizer pin #. This in essence will allow them to enter the code themselves thereby bypassing the need to go to the dealership. Well they couldnt get it coded either. So, I bought a new ecu, new instrument cluster, and new ignition with key from a junk yard. All parts came out of the same car. Just new this would solve the problem since all parts were coded to each other. However it didnt. This is where im at now............ the car will only crank for a second before the immobilizer shuts it down.
any suggestions on how to defeat this problem

 

Sounds like a pickle... The immobilizer is part of the cluster itself, the dealership should be able to do it with the proper key and a workig cluster. If you haven't had luck with it, check that all the connections are fully engaged on the back of the cluster, an improper connection could cause the cluster to believe there's no proper key in the ignition and will engage the immobilizer, it should read something like "SAFE" on the cluster, if it doesn't that's a sign that there's something wrong. Also, there could be a possiblity that the mechanic crossed a wire on the window harness, causing it to short everything in the Central Convenience Module which would cause a bad problem, kind of like what you're having, I would go back to very beginning, the window harness, and start from there, trace all the steps.

 

sounds like good advice. Just got off the phone with the dealership, they say they've exhausted all the standard test for the immobilizer and it still wont crank. So I explained to them about the power windows wiring harness. They agree, there may be something going on there. Theyre going to check it and start an electrical diognostic... all at 160.00 $ an hour. Oh well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Four months into this thing, I guess I'm willing to foot the bill.

 

just to update and keep youll informed... ive had it at the dealership now for four weeks... they still havent been able to determine what the malfunction is. they say they are going to put a brand new cluster in and see if that works... Personally, i dont think it will. Ive already had at least four clusters ( all though they were from junk yards) installed, all to no avail. Anyhow, well see.

 

You're the one paying for all this? Doesn't sound right to me..

 

That car is barely worth all of the time and money your pouring into it. Cut your losses while you still can.

 

update: Installed the new instrument cluster... doesnt work... is this any suprize??? O.K. Going on 6 weeks at dealership. They say with the new cluster installed that theyve narrowed it down to just one wire in the two wire cam bus system. They say there has to be a short somewhere in this one wire. I sure hope it doesn't take them too very much longer to find it. On the good side... so far theyve only charged me two hours labor. Now the cluster cost 1100$, plus two hours labor and he said it should only cost me a few hundred more. So I guess Im lookin at around 1500$ total cost and what appears to be about six months without my car!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW... TRUTH IN ENGINEERING

 

You're putting a brave face on this whole ordeal, I salute you. If this would've happened to me, I'm pretty sure I would have pushed the car over a tall cliff by now....with me in it.

 

yeah, but youve got to put yourself in my position. I put it in the shop for the power windows - everything else worked fine. It ran good, it has great tunes, the interior is in pretyy good shape and it looks good. I mean , its a perfectly good car other than this immobilizer issue ... which spang up out of no where. What are my options... Stick by it or trash her. I dont know what I could get out of her if I junked her... but that seems like a waste and alot of effort to do that. I just hope itll all work out and soon!!!!!!

 

O.K., It's been at the dealership now for about 3 months. Andrew, the service advisor, wanted me to spend 900.00 $ for a new E.C.U.. Well, I told him that we replaced the E.C.U., with one out of a salvage yard, At the independant repair shop and this did no good. So what I wound up doing was sending my E.C.U. to a rebuild company out of California called,"Direct Auto". Here, they open it up and inspect the circuit board, capacitors, diods and everything else associated with the internals of the E.C.U.. After their examination they called to tell me there was nothing wrong with my E.C.U.. So they are mailing it back to the dealership. I called Andrew and told him this And once again explained to him what had happened to cause this problem. He's going to be looking into it further.
My question is : Will AUdi reimburse me for the car once the dealership gives in and says they can't fix it? I'll let you guys know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!