Car won't start.

[no1hustller]

I have a '98.5 a4 1.8tq and yesterday the check engine light went on during my drive to work. Now this morning my car won't turn over at all. The battery is strong and will crank fine. Just won't fire up.

Any ideas on what it could be, or how to diagnois the problem?


And I was going to advanced auto so they can do their free check engine code check also.

This sucks.

[DRA4]

Have somebody vagcom the car.

[no1hustller]

What is that?

[BQAD]

VAG stands for Volkwagen Audi Group. VAGCOM is a tool used to check the codes in your cars computer.

[no1hustller]

Do you need a special one? I'm pretty sure last time we used the regular OBD computer at my work. I just didn't have time Saturday to run it.

[no1hustller]

I checked the spark, and there is a good one. How do I check if it is getting fuel?

Where is the fuel filter? Is the fuel pump in the tank?

[Brrman]

Coolant Temp Sensor maybe

[no1hustller]

why would the coolant temp sensor make the car not start?



A couple months ago, the engine light came on and it was for the coolant temp sensor. I went to change it, but the parts place sent me the wrong one so I put the old one back in. The light went out so I left it go. About 3 weeks ago, however, the coolant temp guage stopped working. Think its related?

Still, why would the car not start for that?

[no1hustller]

Originally posted by Brrman
Coolant Temp Sensor maybe

Good guess man.

It was the temp sensor.

Does the car have a system where if the sensor isn't working, the car will not let it start so it won't overheat?

[Daft]

There really is alot of parts to check on this type of problem. I stongly suggest you get someone to plug in a code reader before you bother troubleshooting by other means. You'll save alot of time and prevent a mis-diagnosis of the issue.

Autozone usually lets people rent or borrow a generic code reader for problems like this. It's worth a shot if you don't have access to a Audi dealership or a VAG-COM PC.

Post some codes and we can post some remedies.

[DDQ]

Originally posted by BQAD
VAG stands for Volkwagen Audi Group. VAGCOM is a tool used to check the codes in your cars computer.

Actually, that's not what VAG means. VAG stands for Volkswagen AktienGesellschaft. (The translation for AktienGesellschaft is corporation).

Another fun fact: The 4 rings stand for four companies that banded together to survive Germany depression porst WWI.

[Brrman]

Originally posted by no1hustller
Good guess man.

It was the temp sensor.

Does the car have a system where if the sensor isn't working, the car will not let it start so it won't overheat?

The coolant temp sensor tells the car how much fuel is needed to start the car. More fuel is sent to the combustion chamber if the engine is cold. If the sensor malfunctions it can either send too much fuel (flooding it) if it thinks the car is cold when it is actually warm, or not enough fuel for a cold start if it thinks the car is already warm.

I had this problem before. Its a nice $30 easy repair. I could usually start the car with this problem by pressing the gas pedal to the floor and after cranking the car about a dozen times it would start.

[Wholsea]

Hmm, maybe mine is going bad. Had a flooded engine a few weeks ago, and recently it has coughed at startup...