Hi Everybody!

I just traded my perfectly good, running 2003 Dodge Stratus to a friend, for a badly neglected, 2006 Audi A4 that can barely make it around the block and had to be towed home!

A good friend will be working on it with me. We're starting out with plugs, coil packs and a cam shaft position sensor. Hoping that will get it running good enough to drive it around and maybe pass emissions once all the unburned fuel is cleared out. My mechanic friend and I both agree it's a risk but both of us got a good feeling about the car. As someone who's never bought even a single lottery ticket or played a slot machine while in Vegas, I only gamble when I'm convinced the odds are in my favor.

It's a gorgeous car; a real head turner with 17" custom rims, 3 bald low profile tires and a spare with a blow out in the trunk. I'm also told it has some cool looking neon lights underneath it... that don't work, of course!

What's the deal with keys? It only came with one that looks like it's about to fall apart! Nearest dealer, 2 hours away in Bakersfield, wanted $250 for the FOB and another $150 for programming it. I see FOB's on ebay for it for next to nothing but I read that dealers will refuse to program them. Is there any way around this? I was hoping to make several copies as I'm always locking my keys in my car.

When we got it home, I sat in the drivers seat and told my friend if it needed more work than I could afford I could always come out once in a while and sit in it. We were both cracking up laughing as I grabbed the steering wheel pretending to drive it like a little kid.

 

Wish you luck in your endeavor. Bought a 2001 Audi A4 Quattro 2.8 liter myself for $900. Did some work replacing 1/2 shafts and brakes. Still have son=me light on in the dash, but is drivable.
Keep us posted as to your progress. I know I have learned a lot about the cars construction, I hope you do the same and keep us impressed with your learning curve! 8)

 

I have since gotten the car running and am driving it trying to get the check engine light to go off. Getting the infamous 420 catalytic converter code. Spent 3 days detailing it inside and out. Looks beautiful! The oil turned black just as soon as I changed it but the car doesn't smoke and there's no visible sign of blow by when I pulled the oil cap off with the car running. Been running a 10:1 mixture of gas and lacquer thinner through it in an attempt to burn whatever is inside the catalytic converter out. Ordered new oxygen sensors and will do a oil flush before a new oil change with some LiquiMoly in an attempt to get whatever is making it turn black out of there. Two mechanic friends both disagree that the turbo is going out making the oil turn black and that there's nothing wrong with it. Probably end up replacing the cat/s but I want to do everything possible to pass emissions with the original ones first. Also don't want to sink too much money into it because with that oil turning black so fast there's a good chance that there are some major engine problems. Transmission also sometimes has a lag and will engage with a bang when it's cold. I think this indicates a partly stuck valve inside it somewhere. Hopefully I can add some kind of chemical and change the fluid to take care of it. Otherwise going to be some major bucks to fix and will probably just drive it that way till it goes out.

 

May still need a new cat, but have you tried the old Acetone trick? 2 oz. Acetone per 10 gallons of Gasoline.
This will lower the emissions quite a bit. Also will improve fuel mileage (on some cars) and increase throttle response. If you get too heavy on the Acetone, your fuel mileage will drop quite quickly, but your emissions will still be low.

 

I read a lot of posts on the lacquer/catalytic converter thing before I tried it and many were saying it was mostly acetone. I'm not sure if I'll try it again anymore if it throws the code again after replacing the oxygen sensors. The ones I got had too short wires. My friend that's doing most of the work said not to splice the old ones but due to how expensive the proper ones are we are going to give it a try and crimp them together rather than soldering them. I also have a huge oil leak. It almost went away after replacing the oil filter cover but came back again. Very strange. It's a huge leak and makes the car virtually undrivable. Ordered the entire oil filter assembly this time. It should be in, in a few days.

 

Just had 2 new keys and FOBs done. Bought a set of 2 from Amazon. (I don't trust E-bay) I had them cut at a locksmith (4 blocks away) for 15 bucks a piece. Programmed them myself after watching several You- boob movies. Granted now the 2 new ones work, but the original doesn't. Oh well, it's the spare now.
As long as you have 1 working key, you can program up to 4 keys. I deleted all the presets (why original doesn't work) and programmed 1 in slot 1 and 1 for slot 2. I could probably program the original for slot 3, but the "mote" is falling apart anyway.

 

Fascinating! What year Audi? Do you have any links for the videos you watched? Everything I've come across says a dealer has to do it. I did the one in my Ford Ranger. That was easy. When I did that one the old key quit working too but after several tries I got them all to work. You've inspired me to keep trying. Though I hear the older ones are programmable without the dealer. Mine is 2006 A4.

 

After watching several videos I was able to program the one key I did have to remotely unlock my doors. Awsome! I wonder if it's different for getting the keys I ordered to work. All I did was put the key in, turn it to on, lock my doors from the inside and hold down the lock button for several seconds.

I also watched a video where a guy had two keys. In that case he put one in the door and used it to lock it and did the same thing. I wonder if that even needed to be done and if it will work with three or four keys as long as they are within programming vicinity.

I just went ahead and ordered 2 blanks from Amazon. One of the comments said he had a 2006 a4 Quatro and it was the right blank for his. Mine's not Quattro but otherwise it's identical so I believe it will be the correct blank. Next I will find a locksmith to cut them and then I will see if I can program them myself to work. The guy on Amazon said he had to pay Audi to do it. I'm going to try and do what I learned from the videos once my keys come and I get them cut...

 

I just found this:

Instructions for Programming Audi A4 Keys

There are two types of programming. One type is for keys that have been previously programmed, and the other type is for brand new keys. Among the directions that will follow, there will be a reference to turning the ignition on. This does not mean that the engine should be started. Turn the key until the dashboard lights are on but not far enough to start the engine.

Previously Programmed Keys

1. Press and hold the unlock button on the remote.2. While continuing to hold down the unlock button, insert the key into the ignition. Turn the ignition to the on position, and keep holding down the unlock button while the ignition is on for approximately two seconds. After two seconds have elapsed, turn the ignition off and release the button. Repeat these steps for each key fob.

Programming New Audi A4 Keys

Put the key into the ignition. In this case, a valet key is a good option. While it's not absolutely necessary; valet keys just seem to work best with new key programming. 1. Turn the ignition to the on position.

2. Roll down the driver's side window. This is not required, but in case there is a problem, it’s a good safety precaution.

3. Exit the car, and shut the door.

4. Using second key, lock the door by turning the key in a clockwise direction. Do not use the remote to lock the door.

5. Take the first remote to be programmed, and press the unlock button. The lights will flash once.

6. Wait 10 seconds. Press the unlock button. The doors should unlock, and the first key should be programmed.

If there is only one key to be programmed, skip to step 16. Otherwise, continue to step seven.

7. Physically lock the door once more using the key and not the remote.8. Press the unlock button twice with a one second interval. The lights will flash for a total of two flashes with each press of the button. 9. Wait 10 seconds, and press the unlock button. The doors should unlock. The second key is now programmed.

If there are three keys to be programmed, proceed to step 10. Otherwise, skip to step 16.

10. Using the key, physically lock the door once more.11. Quickly press down on the unlock button three times using one second intervals. The car's lights will flash every time the button has been pressed. 12. Wait 10 seconds. Press the unlock button. The doors should unlock. The third key is now programmed.

If there are four keys to be programmed, proceed to step 13. Otherwise, skip to step 16.

13. Physically lock the door again by turning the key in a clockwise direction.14. Press the unlock button four times with one second intervals. The lights will flash with each button press for a total of four flashes. 15. Wait 10 seconds. Press the unlock button. The doors should unlock. The fourth key is now programmed.

16. Remove the key from the ignition.Test the newly programmed keys. The original key should be removed from the ignition before testing to see if the programmed keys are working. The action of removing the key sends a signal to the car that the programming process is complete.Some Audi A4 owners may have difficulty accessing the programming mode. If the programming process does not work, remove the key from the ignition and begin the process again.If there are still problems after starting the process over, check to ensure the keys are the right ones for the year that the car was manufactured. If that checks out, make sure that the batteries in the key fobs are fresh.

https://www.ebay.com/gds/How-to-Prog...8627435/g.html

Hope it works. My blank key FOB's came yesterday. Next step is to find a locksmith that can cut them. All the ones I called on the phone said they couldn't. I'm just going to take the blanks in and have them tell me that to my face as the closet one that said they can is in Bakersfield 120 miles away. . A friend who is an amateur locksmith said the machine to cut them only costs a couple hundred bucks.

Here's another similar link to program the keys that I also found.

https://www.youcanic.com/guide/audi-...g-instructions

 

I used the steps surfsteve had underneath. Mine is a 2001 A4 Quattro 2.8 5 speed.
As Steve said though, do this with the window rolled down just in case you have an issue, you can still get in.