Intermitent Starting Problem and Oil Warning

[smelchionda]

Guys,

I was wondering if anyone has any idea what may be wrong with my 2003 A4. Occasionally it will not start and sometimes the engine dies. The stall is usually accompanied by the oil warnging light. It all started one say when my wife was driving the A4 (insert wize-crack here), it was really low on fuel and she was pulling into a gas station. It stalled just as she got to the pump. She filled it up and it started no problem. She then drove it to Jiffy Lube for an oil change. After the oil change on the way home the engine died and the oil warning came up on the screen between the speedo and the tach. The car re-started and I told her to bring it back to Jiffy Lube thinking that they may have forgotten to put in the oil, replace the plug or put the right oil in the car. Turns out that oil situation was fine and the car worked properly all the way back to our house. Over the next few days the car would sometimes have trouble starting and somtimes not start at all. The engine turns over easily so I dont think its the battery, but the engine never catches or runs on its own. Sometimes if we let it sit for a few minutes it will eventually start. Sometimes if I'm driving it, the car will just die and the oil warning will pop up on the screen. I then restart the car and it seems to work. Sometimes the car starts to die, and the dash starts to light up like a christmas tree but then the engine catches and it keeps going. The other day it died for good and we had to tow it to a local Audi specialist. He hooked up all his Audi diagnostic stuff and then started the car no problem. He also checked the computer and said that there were no codes. So far (after two days of random tests) the car starts every time. Our plan is to leave it there and have him keep testing it until he catches it not starting. Anyone have any ideas? Anyone seen this before? I'll check with Audi of America to see if our car was part of the fuel pump recall. By the way, I live the Bay Area of San Francisco, so I'm thinking rain, or extreame cold are not issues that should be a factor.

[A4Shizl]

I would change the fuel filter and check for boost leaks..

[smelchionda]

They just found the problem. Its a bad computer. A new one is $1300 and about $300 in labor. And the kicker is I lose my chip performance!

[NiveK1970]

well atleast they found it, now stop taking your car to jiffy lube, poor thing was probably just commiting auto-suicide or something ;)