Smoke coming from right wheel arch under engine - Cold Start
 

Hi Guys.

More recently my 2004 A8 3.0TDI has been emitting white smoke coming from front right wheel arch under engine.This occurs only when the engine (from cold) starts with a rough wobble and a puff of smoke out the exhaust. It smells like burning plastic when I get out the car.

I read around forums and heard the smoke from wheel arch could be the final drive seal?

I today received my VCDS cable so was able to scan the car. I am completely new to this so my knowledge is very limited.

Here are my fault codes:

Engine fault codes:

Address 01: Engine Labels: Redir Fail!
Part No SW: 4E0 910 401 J HW: 4E0 907 401 B
Component: 3.0L V6TDI G000AG 0020
Revision: --H01--- Serial number:
Coding: 0011773
Shop #: WSC 02736 210 01865
VCID:


3 Faults Found:
17055 - Cylinder 1 Glow Plug Circuit (Q10)
P0671 - 001 - Electrical Fault
Freeze Frame:
RPM: 0 /min
Torque: 218.4 Nm
Speed: 0.0 km/h
Duty Cycle: 1.0 %
Voltage: 11.32 V
Duty Cycle: 15.0 %
Temperature: 18.9°C
Bin. Bits: 00110000


17060 - Cylinder 6 Glow Plug Circuit (Q15)
P0676 - 001 - Electrical Fault
Freeze Frame:
RPM: 0 /min
Torque: 218.4 Nm
Speed: 0.0 km/h
Duty Cycle: 1.0 %
Voltage: 11.32 V
Duty Cycle: 15.0 %
Temperature: 18.9°C
Bin. Bits: 00110000


18278 - Transmission Mount Valve 1 (N262)
P1870 - 001 - Open Circuit
Freeze Frame:
RPM: 903 /min
Torque: 81.9 Nm
Speed: 0.0 km/h
Duty Cycle: 1.0 %
Voltage: 11.70 V
Bin. Bits: 00101111
Torque: 296.4 Nm
Temperature: 18.9°C


Readiness: 0 0 0 0 0

Battery Fault Codes:

Address 61: Battery Regul. Labels: 4E0-910-181.lbl
Part No SW: 4E0 910 181 B HW: 4E0 915 181
Component: ENERGIEMANAGER H02 0240
Revision: 00000000 Serial number: 00000001114132
Shop #: WSC 00508 210 01083
VCID:


Subsystem 1 - Part No: 000 915 105 AH
Component: von TU3 EB950017SE
Coding: 303030393135313035414854553345423935303031375345
Shop #: WSC 02736 210 01865


1 Fault Found:
02273 - Quiescent Current Stage 2
000 - - - Intermittent
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00100000
Fault Priority: 7
Fault Frequency: 2
Mileage: 118461 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2013.03.05
Time: 08:25:56

Might want to read this: http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=6191

Rough starts would likely be the glow plugs, but the smoke from wheel arch is likely the Webasto heater

Hi. Thanks for the reply

I had 5 new glow plugs installed in December. 1 snapped on removal but is tight and secure. I would expect 1 glow plug to show a fault but why a second especially as they are so new?

What if the battery ECU is playing up from that fault code. Would this affect the power getting sent to glow plugs?

Can you control the webasto heater from within the car? How do you change the settings?

The battery one could just be a spurious error.. they crop up all the time..

Just noticed a transmission mount error as well, that would cause roughness too. You may just have a connection loose, so worth checking them, or you may be unlucky enough to have two faulty glow plugs.

I have just read my vehicle build spec and it states 'Without Auxiliary heater'. What else could be causing this smoke and bad smell?

Just to double check, plug in VCDS and click on 'aux heater' and see if it works :)

Beyond that, not sure, but worth dropping the underfloor pan and checking.