My A8 has died . . .
 

I found that I was duplicating part of this in:-
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=9665
I am now consoidating on this thread to try and save confusion(09/03/2015)

Today we had plans. We had planned to drive to Swindon and visit Guy, then we wanted to drive to Chepstow to visit a rather poorly old army friend.
I think the itinerary mileage must have frightened the car. Doing a two mile journey to collect two grandaughters and she cut out as I cleared a traffic light junction. Managed to coast to Halfords. God that steering is heavy without power.
Bought a can of easy start, sprayed the air intake, prayed and tried. She fired and ran for a second or so.
Our friend the RAC chap took 50 minutes to reach me. He was very clever and reported no fuel at the filter. SWMBO had filled her earlier with the correct fuel ready for todays travels. He tried the written in stone trick and slid under to thump the fuel tank, that resolved nothing. He plugged his bluetooth dongle in, switched on his laptop and did a scan. His machine could talk to everything but the ECU, it reported no communication. He then requested a flatbed, which took over two hours to arrive after a 20 minute journey from the driver's house.
The motor is now having a rest at our tame mechanics, hope they will find something simple (fat chance with my luck) today.
I'll keep you informed.

I don't know how the fuel pump is wired up, but have you checked its fuse?

Far from the same car, but when we had a very similar problem with our Focus we found a blown fuse and replaced it and all was fine, just a temporary "glitch" or a fuse failure. That was maybe 18 months ago and no further problems.
Initially we used a higher-rated fuse as a get-you-home then swapped back to standard after a few days.

Cheers HP,
At the time I did not have anything with me. No jacket and in flip flops. Two miles, what could go wrong :-(
I have just looked the info up and waiting sort of patiently for the bad news :)

Hopefully something simple - just a fuse or disconnect battery for a bit might reset. Good luck

I feel for you.

Don't you just hate that sinking feeling when your car dies and the day's plans are fubar'd.

Had that happen to me more times than I can remember over the years, but thankfully very rarely in my '8s.

Hopefully it's something simple; sounds like at worst it's probably a fuel pump fault.

Not hard testing fuel pump. You shld also hear it prime when you get into the car if it has been left dormant for a while.

Feel your pain and hopefully an easy fix

^^^^^^^

This, hope it's easily, and cheaply, sorted

Here is what I posted earlier today on another thread. That was when I became confused, then realised I was hijacking another thread.


In the wonderful words of the mechanic:-
"It's your ECU Mate. It is all frazzled inside"

Phoned our sponsor, the answer was:-
"Sorry, we don't have that, they never go wrong. D3s are bullet proof"

Managed to find three with exact part number on fleebay, two in Lithuania, one in UK. All of a muchness price wise. Bought the UK one at £279. Should be with me by Thursday. I phoned them and they said they would do their best to get it on it's way to arrive Wednesday.
If the A8 had been available I would of driven down and collected it. Duh!! Catch 22 again.
When it arrives (three month warranty) it will take minutes to fit, but then it will have to be reprogrammed. Hopefully that should only be a matter of minutes.

Hopefully I wil have some better news in a few days.
I am thinking that the problem was caused when the "mechanics" were attempting to remap the engine ECU. They failed at first because they had tried to do it without attaching a battery charger, the voltage dropped to a level that was too low to sustain a proper working environment. They blamed the battery because it was eventually proven to have a weak cell. I am of course blaming them for starting the update without an external power supply. (Good argument here for using the stealers?). I thought at the time they had "bricked" the ECU but they managed to recover it?? and had the car running. It has run for just two weeks seemingly OK until she failed this weekend.
They know that there has to be some programming done to match the ECU to this vehicle. We will have to see how they manage.
At the moment I am just letting them "get on with it", the arguments about responsibility etc. will have to wait until she is up and running.

Result.
Car failed Friday evening. RAC carried it to my Indie. They decided Saturday morning that the ECU was dead but did not tell me until Monday lunchtime. Took me ten minutes to find and purchase one on fleebay.
The ECU arrived Wednesday at 12:50. Had it in the garage by 13:15.
They worked on it until 19:00 and went for a nice long drive on a green map.
Thursday they checked it over and let me have it back Thursday afternoon (today). The A8 is sat outside looking very smug.
Tomorrow, Friday, they want it back to programme it properly.

Final cost £279 for the ECU. My Indie is charging me nothing for all the work, time and expertise.

I do love my mechanics. SWMBO wants to suuply a crate of ale. :mexicanwave: