Heeelllppppp!!!!!!

[roboblob]

this morning I was dropping my grand daughter off to school when the car (3.7 fl 2000)just stopped , lots of flickering warning lights and when i tried to restart it the display was dimmer than usual and it started beeping and . My brother in law came down and had a quick look and couldn't see anything wrong, vagcom didn't show anything.
So he attached the jump leads and the car burst into life, thinking it was the battery I swapped it over for another one I had which was a known good one and the car showed the same symptoms, but it would now no longer start, the first try the instrument display was bright as usual the car kicked into life then died and the display was then dimmer again.

I am thinking it could be a ground issue due to the weird dim/bright effect and the multiple warning lights with no actual fault.

Do you think it could be the earth at the front?
Can this be reached without taking off the wheel ?
Anyone have a picture of the location ?
Any other ideas ?


to make matters worse, my old car (2.8 1998)which has been sitting for a week has now decided to randomly idle about 500 rpm which makes it stall, not funny when slowing for a corner and the damn thing stalls taking out the power steering and brakes.

I really need my car for getting around else I would be housebound so this is like someone removing my legs

[Architex_mA8tey]

it might well be bad earth - I'd certainly check that one out first of all all the way through . . . main earth strap is from engine to chassis

[The_Laird]

See this thread:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=4743

[The_Laird]

Also found this:

You can check for a bad earth (symptoms indicate this). Withe the engine running on idle measure voltage across battery terminal + 13.5V or more.

Then on a ramp check from big terminal on alternator to engine +13.5V or more. then check from Alternator terminal to chasis if there is more than .1 V diffeence you have a bad earth on eaither the engine earth cable or chasis earth from battery.

[The_Laird]

And this one:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1081

[roboblob]

Thanks guys ,I really hope the earth has failed, just hope the ****ing rain is off by the time i get home and I will have a look

Is there an earthing place behind the drivers side wheel arch liner too ?

[The_Laird]

I seem to recall that that's the point where the battery live comes through and that it is also is prone to corrosion....but I could be wrong!

[roboblob]

for some reason I seem to remember a picture showing a stud with brown wires going to it in that location, but for the life of me I can't remember where i saw it

[The_Laird]

Me too!

[The_Laird]

Drivers side wheel arch, on the chassis rail you will see a wee black box that has the cable from the battery going in and the lead to the starter motor and alternator going out. Next to it is the earth lead from the engine to the chassis.

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c7...37-resized.jpg but this is blank on my computer at work!

- in the picture from 'the librarian', the wheel arch liners are removed. You don't have to do this as there's a small 'panel' about 6-8" square (but it's not square - it's shaped) that you can easily remove - just one plastic nut and a circular clip to get access. You can identify the panel easily as it has some Audi numbering on it moulded into the plastic.