naid

My 2000 A8 has developed a new problem these days. Since the remote does not work, I am using a key in the driver's door until I can get an extra key/remote programmed.

After switching the ignition on, all the interior lights start flashing. If I start driving the car, they would flash for the duration of the drive. Sometimes (like once in 5-10 times), opening and closing the driver's door fixes this.

Then, after locking the car, the interior lights flash for about 30 seconds, then the alarm seems to get tripped and all the turn signals start flashing very quickly.

Does this sound like a door switch? Anything I can do to troubleshoot or fix it? Someone suggested spraying contact cleaner on the switch. Is it accessible when opening the door or do I have to take it apart? Thanks for any suggestions.

PaulW

I remember I was in WI at the time...I ended up turning off all the interior lights and not locking the car.

It stopped within 24 hours and never came back. If you have vag-com, check the central locks control module for fault codes.

naid

I remember one was for a leak in the central locking pump. It would operate longer than it should. Can't remember the other two numbers (running shareware VAG-COM and it didn't translate them).

As soon as they come back, I will post them. The car seems to behave today.

icsamerica

I'd suggest getting your remote programmed to start, then get the codes like Paul suggested.

I'm just detailing this so its in the ethos and thus searchable. My car did something similar but with a major additional and annoying feature, the car would stall. The VAG indicated "Crash Detected, Shut down started". The car thought it was in a crash so it unlocked the doors, sounded the alarm, and cut the fuel. Apparently this is what happens in a real crash.

Locking, unlocking the doors also solved the problem temporary at first.

For me it stared with just the unlock and alarm, then a few week later it progressed to a fuel cut once in a while. Eventually the car became un-drivable. I had my door locks programmed to lock automatically at 5 mph, if you don't have this feature you may not notice the unlock characteristic.

It turned out to be the door lock controller in the trunk. It's a vacuum pump with a circuit board on it.

You really need a VAG, post the codes, that would be the best place to start.

If your car is doing this often, unplug the vacuum pump in the trunk, for me that was where the false crash detection was originating.

naid

It's the driver's door closing mechanism or switch. When I tried to *slowly* close the mechanism by hand while having the ignition on, this is what happened:

1. At one point, I heard a very light "click" and the the interior lights and the chime went off. Then, they started flashing (bingo!).

2. I kept pressing the mechanism further and heard a second very light "click". All lights went off (normal behavior).

3. I pressed further and heard a loud mechanical "click" -- the mechanism locked in place.

So, when the mechanism locks in place, theoretically, the switch should fully engage. However, it doesn't always do that.

I tried this experiment several times. Sometimes, I would hear the first light "click", then the loud "click". The door would be closed without the switch being fully engaged.

Has anyone taken the door apart to look at how this works? Is activating the switch really a 2-step process or could something be broken?

I am contemplating whether I should spray contact cleaner in there before taking the door apart.

naid

It was the switch and it really does click twice. The other doors behave the same way. There was a lot of dirt around the switch and it was sometimes preventing the switch from engaging fully. I sprayed contact cleaner liberally. That fixed it... for now.