DanA100

So, here it is...it happened to my car too. I saw the "check engine" light last night and i was hoping that i will never have to see it. Car has 155k miles, 2.3L engine(Audi 100) and this is the first time it happens.
I went Mountain biking in the mountains yesterday (15 miles uphill drive, nice road) and drove for another 2 miles on dirt road (a lot of dust) and on the way back, going DOWN-hill, no gas applied, 3rd gear (actually engine was braking because it was steep), car temperature was normal and etc...and at this moment i see the orange "check engine" light on my dash ON. Not the light on the Auto check system, but the other one, that is located on the side. I slowed down because i was confused. It was ON for about 5 seconds and went OFF. Never came ON again. I drove the car city/highway for another 15-20 miles - no light.
Now here are my 2 questions:

What is the meaning of all this - the light comes ON only once: "There was a problem but it was solved - no worry" OR "There was a problem, it is STILL there and engine codes should be pulled out in order to fix the problem - attention is required" ? Which one of these two is the real situation i'm facing? Is the problem gone or it's still there?
ON my other car, Ford, a check engine light that comes only for a moment means that the problem was there but once the light is OFF, everything is OK.

Second question: How exactly do i read the stored code? Where do i read/see it and what is the whole procedure? I'm clueless and i need to see what went wrong with my car and how serious it is. If you have a link to a website or have time to describe, please help.
Btw, car runs fine, like always, no change in performance or anything else.

Thanks a lot in advance!

SteveAngry

it means that your ECU was at maximum retard...

It does not mean a code has been stored...

However that doesn't mean that you shouldn't check the codes randomly just to make sure that there is nothing wrong with the car...

To find out how to pull codes on the 100's go to Scott M's site...

Steve
Michigan<ul><li><a href="http://www.sjmautotechnik.com">http://www.sjmautotechnik.com</a</li></ul>

DanA100

Could you explain please what "maximum retard" means? Is it bad? Does it have something to do with the fact that i was going downhill for some time on 3rd?

Thanks!

the red pill

My light comes on sometimes if I don't use the highest quality gas. When I first got my audi the light would come on almost every time I went up this moderatly steep hill in 5th gear with the turbo screaming. Turns out it was related to using 87 octane. Since using 92 octane the light had not come on for two months, it just came on the other day up that same hill again, only for a few seconds then it went out. The only thing I can think of is that the car sat for about a week and then I started driving it again. I haven't seen the light since. If it comes on momentarily while I'm driving I don't worry about it.

crotext

Also to think about: if you were on a steep prolonged incline, perhaps your fluids were not registering with the sensors properly, even just for a moment. Is everything up to max level?

DanA100

Fluids are all at OK levels. Above mid level, so that should be OK. Also, it wasn't that steep.
I'll try to pull out some codes. Hopefully i'll be able to read them correctly.

comp_jas

If it flashes briefly and goes out not to worry about it. Goes on to say caused by low octane fuel or ignition system. If it stays on worry about it.

Tom Serrago

The KZ engines don't have this feature, but there is a provision for it in the instrument cluster, maybe the Euro models had it back then?

The A4 TQ just had it's first encounter with that dreaded light this past weekend.
Wow, talk about feeling helpless and hopeless, the bentley shows dozens upon dozens of codes that could cause the CEL to come on, and AFAIK, unlike the MC's, you can't pull codes by shorting a relay and counting the CEL flashes or watching the tach move. You need a VAG style or equivalent scan tool - on order! The alternative is to guess or cough up at least $75. to the dealer to just check it out and reset!
Thankfully the light went out by itself yesterday.
Almost positive it was the gas cap, the wife had just filled up prior to it going on. If the cap is not on tight, CEL will come on. Once tightened up, and after several non error cold starts, the light will go out, the code will stay in memory a bit longer, so I'll have something to look at when I get my latest toy.
Yea, new toys to play with,

Tom S

DanA100

I pulled the codes yesterday and it gave me at least 3 times "4444". Sounds normal, right?
But why it gave me "4444" three times, not only once??? How many times it can be stored.
I used the standard procedure with the fuse in the fuel pump relay.

comp_jas

Re: I think it keeps flashing codes till you turn off the ignition