LighthouseJ

I have a low mileage (25k) B7 A4, and the CEL came on today for the first time. I'm a little out of the repair game so bear with me.

On my old 90 I used to diagnose these using the climate control by setting it in a mode to read the CEL and give me a code number to find out what was wrong.

I saw someone can go to Autozone and they can scan it for you? I'm due for inspection next month and will likely get dinged by this, so I'd like to get it sorted out before then.

How can I get it scanned and fixed myself without Hans at the Audi deallership asking for sacks of cash? Is autozone or similar place the first stop, or is there a way to get the car to tell you?

Old Dog

Find a friend that has VAG-COM to see what codes the CEL is throwing.

Here is a partial post by sean1.8T dated 01-11-2007 on Audizine describing VAG-COM:

"VAG-COM - This could be one of the most important things you get for your B5 as you start to mod. VAG-COM is a software made by Ross-Tech (www.ross-tech.com) that can Erase/Read CELs, Get rid of the seat belt chime, enable remote windows up/down, and most importantly, LOG! With VagCom you can log IATs, knock, CFs, RPMs, Engine Temp, blah blah... Here is the website to see more features B5 VAG-COM... Its about $220 from them for the full licensed verison or you can get an Ebay cable and get the lesser version for $20-100 for that cable."

Also good for your B7, and of course the prices mentioned are from 2007.

He15man

Yeah Vagcom is the best way to go, i know you can buy them online.

Most times than not, you can post Vagcom logs and somebody will be able to tell you what the problem is.

LighthouseJ

Thanks. I was looking at a VAG-COM before but forgot about it, good to hear that they're still relevant.

BTW, the CEL did go away later that evening. I went out again after that post and when I started the car on my trip back to my place, there was no CEL and hasn't come on since.
So it was a 4-hour CEL? I thought that the CEL's were stored and required the VAG-COM or special instrument to clear it, even if the actual problem disappears?

Earlier that day I had driven the car with higher-than-normal RPM's (not redline) and thought I did some damage, but the CEL went away so maybe it was something else.

It's due for inspection next month, so maybe I'll give it a lookover, fluid check, etc... to get out in front of the repair guys in case they check the computer for faults.

I'll try to find a used one for cheap though, seems like a good investment.