2024 RS3 with 1000 miles wouldn't start (easy fix explained)

[S3DUDE]

I am sorry if this is redundant, at the end of the day when you do a search in google chances are that instead of maybe two or three findinds now you will also find my finding. I have a 2024 RS3 with just over 1000 miles. I have been driving my car everyday all week and it was driving just fine. On Friday it wouldn't start. My car is always garaged so outside temps shouldn't affect much.

When I attempt to start I get multiple messages:

1) Engine Start system: malfunction! Please contact service
2) Park Assist: currently unavailable. Please take over steering
3) Stabilization control(ECS): malfunction! See owners manual
4) Adaptive cruise assist currently unavailable. See owners manual
5) Distance warning currently unavailable. See owners manual

The car simply doesn't start, instead it blinks lights, displays messages and gives you audio alarms. At first I thought it was maybe the battery on the key fob. I switched keys and I got the same issues. My son found a video of a gentleman posting a two part video on a turbo blue. One he mentions the battery and the other one after the battery was replaced.

I have a DMM(Digital Multimeter) at home so I went and measure my voltage, it was at 12.23volts. On any older car this would be sufficient to start but on these new modern cars with sensitive electronics these cars are programed so a certain voltage that prevents it from starting it although it would be sufficient to start the engine on a regular car or even on the RS3 minus the electronics voltage restriction.

My solution was to connect my battery charger for the first 10 seconds and watch the voltage go from 12.22 to 12.70 volts and telling my son to crank it. It started right up. I made an appointment with the dealer last Friday and although my car runs I want them to read the messages and re-check the battery so see if the battery is indeed bad or not.

Either way, in summary, try not to panic. Apparently all you need to get back on the road would be a small jump in voltage. Who knows, maybe I have a faulty alternator or a weak/bad battery but what causes the engine not to start is not being able to reach that minimum voltage. I had my 8V RS3 for almost 5 years and never had an issue starting it but now I have the 8Y RS3 with less than a month and is not starting... that is how it works right?

[S3DUDE]

Quick update. These top 3 lights yellow lights on top of the instrument cluster are still on although my car still starts. Please stand by until I give you guys an update on Wednesday or Thursday (My appointment with Audi is on Tuesday).

[NapalmEnema]

Probably just a bad battery when they swap it I bet all will be well.

[Vegasgolds]

Quick update. These top 3 lights yellow lights on top of the instrument cluster are still on although my car still starts. Please stand by until I give you guys an update on Wednesday or Thursday (My appointment with Audi is on Tuesday).

just a quick comparison.
I just did a spark plug/ ignition coil change on my daughters 2017 S3
I did this because of check engine light and found out there were multiple misfires in 3 of 4 cylinders.
After doing the repair, the light was still on. After she drove for a day and a half, I decided to disconnect battery.
The first time, I just removed the negative terminal. It didn't clear. Second time I removed both terminals.
That's when I got multiple malfunctions. Blind assist malfunction. Speed control malfunction. Tire pressure monitor malfunction. and at least 2 more errors.
Well, I put the car in reverse and backed out of driveway, when I got to the street and put it in drive, all the errors reset themselves EXCEPT the check engine light.
2 days later, my daughter called me at work and said when she started the car, the check engine light was gone.
Well, long winded story but, check your battery connection, loss of power could have screwed up the computer monitoring.

[rbackhouse]

I had the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago on my 2024. There is a TSB for a software update that fixes it.

The TSB # they listed was 2069999/4

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...44603-0001.pdf

[Fixeroh]

Thanks for the write up and updates. Good info to know! Still waiting on my 2024 8Y but this will be stuck in my head for sure. Imagine it's frustrating. I've worked US Air Force electronics my entire life and know the more complex systems often get, the easier it is for total system failures. Good thing our cars aren't F-35s and 35K feet. Kind of a Murphy's Law situation. Hope the TSB clears things up for you S3DUDE.

[S3DUDE]

I had the exact same thing a couple of weeks ago on my 2024. There is a TSB for a software update that fixes it.

The TSB # they listed was 2069999/4

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...44603-0001.pdf

Excellent reference. I will show the service advisor tomorrow when I take it in for service. Thanks a lot.

[S3DUDE]

Thanks for the write up and updates. Good info to know! Still waiting on my 2024 8Y but this will be stuck in my head for sure. Imagine it's frustrating. I've worked US Air Force electronics my entire life and know the more complex systems often get, the easier it is for total system failures. Good thing our cars aren't F-35s and 35K feet. Kind of a Murphy's Law situation. Hope the TSB clears things up for you S3DUDE.

Lol. I know, you and I are both retired USAF and also in a similar background (you are electronics) I was Avionics. I totally agree and concur with what you are saying about the more complex the system ares the easier to get a glitch. The big lighting storms and the power surges were a nightmare.... I will keep you posted but don't over stress it. This morning one of the warning signs cleared (top let on the picture) but I still have two warning lights remaining.

[S3DUDE]

just a quick comparison.
I just did a spark plug/ ignition coil change on my daughters 2017 S3
I did this because of check engine light and found out there were multiple misfires in 3 of 4 cylinders.
After doing the repair, the light was still on. After she drove for a day and a half, I decided to disconnect battery.
The first time, I just removed the negative terminal. It didn't clear. Second time I removed both terminals.
That's when I got multiple malfunctions. Blind assist malfunction. Speed control malfunction. Tire pressure monitor malfunction. and at least 2 more errors.
Well, I put the car in reverse and backed out of driveway, when I got to the street and put it in drive, all the errors reset themselves EXCEPT the check engine light.
2 days later, my daughter called me at work and said when she started the car, the check engine light was gone.
Well, long winded story but, check your battery connection, loss of power could have screwed up the computer monitoring.

I will check the battery connections. Did your coils went bad or you just upgraded them? What a sweat car the S3 is, I miss mine so much, what a midrange torque avalanche and super quick response the EA888 Gen 3 is capable of delivering. The response of the EA888 in the midrange is phenomenal stock and tuned.

[fzr100098]

I've said before, this car with all its computers and gizmos sucks the juice just sitting there, and will be worse in cold weather. I keep an Optimate 6 on the battery at all times in the garage

[Gunnarrrrr]

so strange. My b9’s voltage gets all the way down into the low 11’s sometimes if I’m doing a bunch of obdeleven/vcds work without a battery tender, and it never has any issue starting.


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