Mouse been in a wiring loom.

[Czar]

Gents (and any ladies)

I have a B8 3.0ltr avant se. It's a lovely motor. Just purchased, sold as seen.

The cars been ace for 3 weeks then I adjusted the passenger wing mirror and got a dynamic steering fault light come up. 10 seconds later a EPS light. Now they won't go. Looking at the car there are a few nibbles in the air intake plenum , nothing gone through but not to say there couldn't be issues deeper in the loom. A specialist in bradford had a quick look and suggested main dealer after his diagnostic said the dynamic steering module had failed. He spoke to a pal at Audi who said they never replaced one and couldn't tell him where it was because they never replaced them, "they don't fail".

So today main dealer on canal Rd :Audi. I told the lady the above and that it might need wiring looking at. She rang me after 8 hours and told me the same back, but that it could be very costly trying to iD a loom break.

I am a controls engineer. All be it building but I know how this stuff works but I don't know about the Audi diagnostic. I am presuming the port in car is into the Cars ecu which I am assuming at the moment that mine is not communicating with the dynamic steering module and as such can't analyse the steering position which is causing the EPS failure. Any good ideas welcome. Tomorrow I am going to have to suggest a direction to Audi. Replace the loom? Pull the dash out? Am I right in assuming Audi cannot connect to each module or even plug into the connectors at the modules to test the wiring for continuity?

Anyone know where to get the wiring schematic for a motor like this? Any really good auto electricians on this site local to leeds? This isn't just a plug in and fault clear. It's a rodent hunt.

 

[Wilko]

Hello Czar and Welcome to the Forum.
Sorry to hear of you troubles. I'm sure that Audi will have a specific diagnosis available from their test gear. Whether that's 100% correct is another thing, unfortunately. If you're not been given a specific fault that they'll chase, I'd be very reluctant to tell them what they should do. Myself, I'd go to another service department. Cheers.

 

[Specialist]

Hi: I normally find a Google search pays dividends when i want unusual manuals, may have to buy from the states or Aus though.

 

[Pat H]

I'd be tempted to do a detailed visual inspection. Pull panels off and expose the loom. If its been nibbled there will be signs.

 

[Deleted member 72666]

Would ElsaWin be of any use to you?

 

[Specialist]

Dealer grade manuals are showing as available from www.emanualsonline.com
Might be an idea to join some of the specialist audi forums as well, normally a good source of info & advice on good techs.

 

[ruston]

If you have rodent problems this could be anywhere in the harness.
They usually get in the vent ducts to eat the insulation.
Usually they chew the harness for access , so with a bit of luck it may be isolated.
If the wing mirror is the common denominator I would be looking in the area of the wheelarch up the door frame.

 

[Czar]

Cheers fellas.

I have spoken to the master tech at Audi. He seems confident he can find the fault in a day. He is starting his investigations by the wheel arch. Horrible little mouse.

I have asked him to photo document his investigation in-case its ongoing and I run out of cash.

 

[ruston]

Good luck .
That is one of their favourite places , that and the hidden open grill vent in most cars , usually at the rear near the bumper , or behind the rear wings/quarter panels.

 

[UNG]

Have a look at the Rosstech VAG-Com software you would need to buy a VAG interface (£15 - 20) the free version gives you access to most of the diagnostics but it's not too expensive to upgrade if you have a need for the advanced diagnostics

 

[Specialist]

Would have been nice to know how this turned out & if it actually got resolved.

 

[Czar]

Hey.

I have left the car with Audi. Spoke to the master tech there. Instructed them to base the wires from ecu to ecu to get the Comms working. First place they will check is the wheel arch to confirm the brake ecu is Comms up to the main ecu. I am on holiday so left with them. Told me to keep me updated and not go mad with the costs although £100/hr inc vat isn't a good rate. I figured thy had the skills to both trace the cables and put hjbgs back together with some care. I'll definitely update on both the fix and cost. Forums are worthless if it's a dead end thread. I asked them to print the wiring schematic and mark up the ok/ checked cables so if I had run out of cash I would at least have a progress report. The girl at Audi was skeptics about them sharing the wiring schematic but I will push like buggery for it if I run out of cash before a fix. Will keep you posted.

 

[Specialist]

Cheers for the update buddy, appreciate it. Where they think they're skills warrant a £100 an hour price tag is beyond me.
Anyway enjoy your holiday.

 

[ruston]

To be honest with the gear they have they should know in a crack what is not communicating. They are vary secretive about sharing information , unless you know someone.
It is highway robbery.

 

[Specialist]

In all honesty, I never entrust diagnostics to any dealer. What I can't do myself, goes to my tame mechanic or if he says it's above his paygrade then to one of the 2 diagnostic gurus we have locally. Never know them fail even where the dealers have given up.
The Audi forums may be your best friend for schematics.
Just did a Google search & factory-manuals.com are showing the avant b8 service manual.