01 A4 Quattro starter problem.

[01b5a4qms]

Ok, so I have a 2001 a4 quattro, manual trans, that is having a starter issue. When this problem first came about, I was positive it was the starter. I thought this because when it would not turn over, I could bash the starter solenoid with a ratchet a couple times and it would fire right up. Now I have replace the starter and it still will not turn over. It doesn't even appear to be drawing power from the battery. I have double and triple checked the connections to the starter, those being: two wires to the main power terminal(one from the alternator that comes around the back of the motor and the other being the main battery power), the second being the ground connection that is just a connector slipped onto the starter.

Now that you all have a good idea of where I'm at, I guess the question i'm trying to ask it: are there any relays under the dash that could possibly cause this problem? I have done some research and some people have been talking about the park/neutral safety relay, but my car is manual and I don't believe I would have the relay. Also, if you can think of any relays that might cause this issue, a picture showing the location would be most beneficial. Thank you for any help.

Adam.

[01b5a4qms]

I also forgot to mention that it would push start the last time I tried it. I haven't tried it with the new starter in tough.

[walky_talky20]

The answer is yes.

The normal way to diagnose such an issue is to start from the symptom and work toward the source. So you turn the key and get no starter action. You must check 3 things at the starter location:

Thing 1: Am I getting full battery voltage to the starter?
Thing 2: Am I getting full battery voltage to the starter solenoid with key in START position?
Thing 3: Am I getting a good ground to the starter housing?

Obviously, "Thing 4" would be "Is my Chinese reman starter any good?", but at this point you would just answer that by using process of elimination based on Things 1, 2, and 3. You could also bench test the starter, or directly bridge the battery wire to the solenoid while it's still on the car.

You will notice there are only 2 connections at the starter. The first large connection, as you stated correctly, is the battery and alternator connection. The other, however, is not a ground. Rather, it is the positive signal supply to the starter's solenoid (ie: what gets the thing moving). Pretty easy to check that with a voltmeter to narrow down your problem right quick.

If the volts have run dry (or just low) on your solenoid wire, that is when you start asking questions about relays and such. You do indeed have a relay which operates the starter solenoid side of things. It is usually referred to as the Park/Neutral Position relay. However, for a manual car that is a sort of misnomer. A better name would be "starter relay" or "Clutch Safety Relay", but such is life. In any case, that relay is easily bypassed for testing purposes. Mine happens to be permanently bypassed due to my 5-speed swap. Thus, I must take care not to engage the starter whilst the vehicle is in gear without pushing in the clutch. Also this is a good reason for me not to let anyone borrow my car...it is "unsafe".

As always, I recommend you perform your diagnostics based on an accurate wiring diagram that you understand. Else you are flying blind. PM me your email if you do not have access to diagram. Also, the above is for informational purposes only. If you crank your Audi up on a scissor jack in front of the Dollar General and directly jump the starter solenoid, causing said Audi to run you the heck over and continue on to destroy a perfectly good Dollar General storefront, that's really not my problem. I suggest your Audi be towed (by a professional) to your nearest Audi dealership where you will pay in excess of $900 for it to be half-fixed by a certified Audi mechanic, prompting a return visit for another $1100 to get it right. (J/K, but seriously be careful). Good Luck!

[01b5a4qms]

Thank you very much. The only voltage I have not checked would be signal supply line on the starter. It does indeed have main power though. i'll check that supply voltage a get back with you. Also, as a possible time saver, this relay you speak of, I would like to know its location. If these wiring diagrams you are talking about show their location I would really appreciate getting a hold of those. My pm will be sent after I post this.

[01b5a4qms]

does anyone know the part number to the Park/Neutral Position relay? I believe this may be the problem.

[walky_talky20]

Emailed you the diagram. And here is the relay position. This would be behind the driver's knee bolster. Takes a few minutes to get to it.

[01b5a4qms]

So it turns out that there was nothing wrong with anything in my starter system. It turns out though, that the solenoid on the starter that I purchased had two sets of pins that would accept the signal wire that I had not noticed when I started the installation and were virtually impossible to see when the thing was in. I was not aware of these extra pins until I finally decided to pull the starter to get it tested, which it tested fine. So on the second replacing of this starter I used the second hard to see pin set and it fired up first try. Thank you very much for your help though! It was much appreciated with my bently being at my mothers house 130 miles away. And when it comes to getting crushed in front of a general dollar have no fears there. I had my s4 to drive around so the a4 never left the garage. And it was on jack stands. Again though, thank you.

[walky_talky20]

Always glad to see problems resolved.

And the Dollar General situation was in reference to something I saw at lunch the other day. Apparently some guy's american turd (early 90's Lincoln Town Car I think) had broken down in the Grocery store/strip mall marking lot. It appeared that he had barely nursed this 18ft land-yacht halfway into a parking spot where he had commenced what can only be described as open heart surgery on the pile. Hoisted into the air as high as possible by not 1, but 2 rusty scissor jacks, this guy, visible only by the shoes peeking out from beneath the rocker panel, was reefing on some manner of thing under the car with everything he could muster. Meanwhile the car was swaying quite noticeably even from my viewpoint across the parking lot, *inside* the nearby Subway restaurant. As I'm polishing off my absolutely delectable White Chocolate Raspberry cookie, I can't help but be very concerned for this gentleman. Not only were proper precautions being completely ignored on what was probably a hopeless waste of time anyway, the environment was quite a dangerous one to be doing this type of repair in to begin with. All it would take is for the Maxima driver, parked juxtaposed to this rusty piece, to errantly select Reverse instead of Drive. A mere blip of the gas would send the entire bad-idea toppling over on this poor fellow.

I did want to say something to him, but I cannot imagine that he wasn't aware of the dangers he was putting himself in, and he probably wasn't in the mood to hear it from me either, so I left him be. I do hope he got whatever it was squared away.