kirkt

I drove my car Friday and the AC wouldn't work, along with the outside temp gauge. The next time I tried to start the car, it wouldn't start at all. It would not start by jumping it. I watched the mechanic temporarily replace the ignition switch, it still would not start. The dealer replaced the starter, and it still would not start. Then they replaced the ignition switch again, and apparently it started.

This makes me really nervous.

After $763 on this visit plus the cost for a rental car, I still do not know what happened.

The dealer claimed the ignition switch burned up the starter. But why didn't the new starter get burned out?

The dealer said that the iginition switch has been faulty for months, and that it is a slow process.

Is this true?

Tsolzyob

Are you asking us if he is lying? How can we tell? Get someone else to look at your car.

Sal R.

...I had a similar problem where my car wouldn't start but all electricals were working. Battery was fine and all fuses accounted for. The problem ended up being a faulty "transmission swtich." Basically, according to the tech, that particular switch was not telling the ECU that the clutch pedal was depressed when starting the engine. I don't know if that helps any, but worth thinking about. BTW-done under warranty for a 2001 1.8TQMS

kirkt

No I don't think they were lying.

I don't think they understand the car well enough to diagnose the problem.

If the ignition switch is faulty for many months - then I want to pursue it as a warranty issue.

"so you're foofighter"

Did you have to pay for this out of pocket? No more warranty?

Pelican Pete

I had it happen on my car a few months ago too, and the dealer told me that they replace a lot of them. Given the choice, I'd just like to remove that silly switch altogether.

BTW, not really a "transmission" switch. More accurate to call it a clutch switch.

-- Peter

gregor

There is an NHTSA recall for a limited number of '96 and possibly '97 A4s. The plastic housing of the ignition switch cracks, preventing the switch from returning all the way from the "start" position to the "run" position. The first clue is that the outside temperature display, headlights, and some other circuits will be dead. If you are really unlucky, the starter itself will not disengage from the flywheel and you will toast the starter. Mine came to $823 for ignition switch and starter replacement. I am currently trying to convince my dealer that although my VIN is not in the range Audi specified for the recall, that this is indeed the same problem and should be covered. Audi of America stuck by the range of VINs they submitted to NHTSA, and said that any settlement would have to come from the dealer, not from them.