mechanics help:detailing engine bay gone oh sooo wrong.

[golgo13]

I detailed the engine bay of my a4 before i put it in my garage for it to stay for 3 1/2 weeks (i was driving my fathers camry for the time being) while detailing I spotted a handfull of leafs in the plastic box where the ECU is located. I screwed off the seen bolts and yankd on it a bit for it to come loose. anyways I broke the box and didnt know it. 3 1/2 weeks later im driving my a4 again happy as can be (it starts raining cats and dogs) and i park to eat dinner. I come back to the car and hear either the heat fan on or ac fan. regardless i have never heard my fan on when the car is not turned on. it turns on just fine so I go home. next time i turn it on it does not turn on it seems as if the battery was drained so i got a push. drive to my buddies house to car pool and unplug the battery hopefully re booting the car sort of speak at this point I dont hear the fan turning on anymore. I leave to come back and the car wont turn on anymore i get a third jump and take it to his back yard to take the ECU apart and see if anything is damaged. I open the box again to find a puddle of water (YIKES) I take all the relay fuses out and compress all the water out. I attempt to turn the car on and it feels like it wants to turn on but it doesnt turn over. as if the battery is drained even after the jump it sounded like this and it wont turn on at all.

dealership is closed for the weekend so I cannot get the relay fuses I need. My question is that if the car is attempting to turn on and everything else seems to be fine would the ECU be damaged?? does it sound like its just the relay fuses??

please help

[Twista616]

Well I'm not a professional...but it doesn't sound like an ECU problem...you would be throwing CEL's like crazy...sounds like a battery issue...does your car drive fine when you get a jump?? Try replacing the battery...if that doesn't work, its back to the drawing board...

[golgo13]

I really dont think is the ECU. YES the car "worked" just fine after getting jumped except that last time I ran it and my fuel gauge was not working and was telling me I needed gas even though I filled up the day before.
I check the relay fuses and one looks corroded. Could this be the issue?? I dont think is the battery cause if it gets wet is no big deal. Plus i changed one out like 8 months ago. that shouldnt be the problem. DAMn those expensive ass relay fuses NOBODY has them except the dealer. german

[J-jizzle]

When my old battery had to be jumped my gas gauge did the same thing. It resets after a while.

[golgo13]

yeah the gas gauge is fine now. only one little thing the car doesn't start LOL

[golgo13]

bump for any help guys

[dirtybrd]

Try removing the ECU and check to connector for water.

[golgo13]

I removed the connector and compressed all the water out. As far as the ECU goes (the silver metal box) I cannot find a way to take it apart. I unbolted the 4 Phillip head screws but nothing it seems as if they were welded or something. How do you mean dirtybird

[golgo13]

i Will take the battery out and check it at a shop ( i really dont think this is the problem unless rain water drained the whole battery or the malfunction effect of the fan being on drained it. ) It would suck if I bought all new relay fuses($25 for the cheapest one) and it ends up being something as stupid as necessity of a new battery

[PRY4SNO]

MIL (CEL in layman terms) is indicative of an emissions related malfunction.

EPC is an indicator of non-emissions related, so if there was a big problem with the ECU I'd guess it'd throw one of these lights in the dash.

Hope you figure this out!

[golgo13]

YEAh me too^^ but no engine light or any codes for that matter show. tomorrow I will buy the new fuses and see whats up

[dirtybrd]

Take ECU out and see if any water comes out of it. You shouldn't have to take it apart.

[tlcaudi]

I had basically the same issue. I had shipped my ECU out to get chipped, and didn't properly cover it while it sat. About two months later, my car died. I figured it was the battery, and got a new one, and it didn't do the trick. I ended up bringing it to the shop, and they found water where the ECU sits, that basically fried all the electronics needed to get the car started. It ran about 600 to fix, but I am going to guess that this is basically the issue you are having......

[golgo13]

The water is where the ECu sits but no water can get in the ecu. You took it to a shop and they overcharged like crazy. even if all the relays were damaged and somewires somehow got extremely corroded and broke apart it still wouldnt be 600 bucks. we will see I am doing this myself no shop needed.

[golgo13]

there is no water is my ECU im guessing since the plastic box was damaged on the sides water only leaked inside threw the sides not in the middle. leaving the ECU alone but messing everything else up. I pray is just one relay.

i fixed the box with plasti dip

[A4ringedONE8T]

Electronics do short out, not only fuses and relays but wiring itself. Thats great if its only one relay but I wouldnt be surprised if its much more, even the ECU harness could be fried. $600 is definitely reasonable, even more, if anything else was messed up

[golgo13]

I went to the dealer ( without the car of course since it doesnt start) and they basically told me jack shi$ . I ordered only one of the relay fuses that seemed to be corroded. I wouldnt be surprised if its more than just that fuse especially now because I went back to the car and IT had a puddle of water in there again DAMN the water proof car tarp.

THE fuse will be here on wendsday and we will see whats up. IF something else is wrong with it shwan do you think it will be more affordable to get it towed to your shop or the dealers?? PM me and let me know roud about estimate if all my connections are fried.

[A4ringedONE8T]

I went to the dealer ( without the car of course since it doesnt start) and they basically told me jack shi$ . I ordered only one of the relay fuses that seemed to be corroded. I wouldnt be surprised if its more than just that fuse especially now because I went back to the car and IT had a puddle of water in there again DAMN the water proof car tarp.

THE fuse will be here on wendsday and we will see whats up. IF something else is wrong with it shwan do you think it will be more affordable to get it towed to your shop or the dealers?? PM me and let me know roud about estimate if all my connections are fried.

We will definitely be cheaper than the dealer! lol I have no idea what it is or could be without seeing the car. If you get the car to me Ill gladly take a look at it and see what we can figure out!

[golgo13]

I currently have the car parked in my buddies back yard which is 1 1/2 miles away from reeves. Do you have a tow truck available??

[golgo13]

.................................

[A4ringedONE8T]

I currently have the car parked in my buddies back yard which is 1 1/2 miles away from reeves. Do you have a tow truck available??

I do not, you dont have AAA?

[pyro]

not to bust shawns business, but andrew at Lutz Performance is only like 15 minutes from reeves, it would be much cheaper to get it towed there. Then again Shawn knows more about B6's than anyone, so it might be worth the tow bill.

if you don't have AAA you should call Stepp's Towing, they are good people.
http://www.steppstowing.com/

[golgo13]

If this issue ends up being because of the battery somehow being completely drained i will