Dimitri

I took my A4 1.8TQMS in for 10k service here in Richmond, VA at Hawthorne Imports. They did their thing, I picked up my car and drove it to my parents house. I had resealed my driveway and didn't want my car parked on the street at my house so I parked it there until the seal dried for 2 days. My father started the car the same day and moved it about 15 feet...turned it off and locked it. 2 days later, when I went to pick it up the car would crank but not start. I tried about 10 times plus and nothing... I called Audi Service (Audi Advantage) and they dispatched a tow truck....
They took forever to get there so after about 45 minutes I tried again, but this time I just let it crank a lot longer (about 30-40 seconds). Finally it started and I cancelled the call.

So here is the question... What would cause this? I haven't had any problems with the car and I am running 93 Octane gas..... The car at the time had about 3/4 of a tank of fuel. I tried opening the gas cap to let gases exhume but still no luck. Is it possible that the lines accumulated moisture and I had to cycle through it until gas came through the lines? Does Audi put something to clean the injectors that I didn't allow to run all the way through?

Anyone else with similar problems? I hope i am making sense here....

Thanks
Dimitri

PS> No my father didn't drive it or mess with it while it was there... It's too fast for him. He enjoys his 86 VW Jetta 1.6L Diesel

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99.5 1.8TQMS

Andy Hedin

<i>My father started the car the same day and moved it about 15 feet...turned it off and locked it.</i>

BINGO! Sounds like the same problem people were having when they'd pull their car out of the garage to wash it and then couldn't start it again to pull it back in. I think, and please correct me if I'm wrong, that the problem is that your car was flooded. If you let the engine run for just a short time while cold and then shut it off it can cause this problem. Strange is it may sound, the best way to get it started is to hold the gas pedal all the way to the floor while you crank it. More info in the archives.

Andy Hedin

Dimitri

Cranking it after, it did feel flooded.... like it needed to breath through the bad stuff.... I had forgotten of the infamous car wash faint! It never came to mind that in an EFI you'd have such a problem I guess..

Thanks
Dimitri

DaveN

the fuel injection continues to pump fuel into it, but one trick I found that works is to pull the fuel injection fuse, crank the engine with it floored to clear it, then put the fuse back and start it. Worst case of flooding I ever had (it wasn't an Audi) I had to pull the plugs and dry them before it would start.

TomP

Twice I have started my 99 A4 1.8T and moved it several feet (in and out of the garage) and not been able to start it again.

Once was like your case. I moved into the garage from outside (ran about 15 seconds), left it for 2 days and then it would not start. Finally, cranking and cranking, got it started, but set the check engine light. I took it into the dealer and they said the error was "too many misfires" and cleared it.

I have made it a point to not do that anymore. I run the engine for at least 1 min. Have not had a problem since.

Several other people have reported similar problems. I have not heard any solution.

Eriq

Yeah but the Audi manual specificly warns NOT to do that, as it will mess the engine up

Dave M

I have had this happen once before, but mine did start and just ran real rough for awhile and the check engine light came on (which went off after three sucessful non-flooded starts). This is a common problem to newer cars, not limited to Audi's, thanks in part to the new ODB-II standards (I think). This will happen when the engine is cold, as the engine will run rich under those conditions to help warm the engine and emissions systems up faster. If the engine is shut off while it is still running rich, then the excess fuel will lead to a flooded condition the next time the car is started. I don't have the problem here in Dallas during the summer when it is over 100F every day, but in the winter I make sure the engine is already warm before doing a quick startup/shutdown. If them engine is not already warm, then I will take a quick drive around the block before shutting it off and that has always been sufficient.

Dave M - '97 1.8tm