Tighten Gas Cap Warning...Then...Solid Check Engine Light...

[toaster]

I made the final finance payment for my car over the weekend...Monday morning I get the "Tighten Gas Cap!" warning for the first time. I tightened the gas cap and the warning went away. Then, later that day, solid CEL comes on.

It's been 2 days and the solid check engine light still has not gone out. The gas cap is now tight and the car seems to be running fine. It seems like too much of a coincidence that the Gas Cap warning and CEL would occur so close to each other and not be related.

Do I need to manually clear the CEL for this, or will it go out by itself? And, is there anything else that I should possibly be worrying about?

Thanks.

[xander3zero]

it seems like too much of a coincidence but i wouldnt put alot of money on that statement. if you have a OBDII then scan the CEL and check out the code, if not go to a buddy who has a scan tool/VAG-COM or hit up a autozone or some place like that to read the code. if the code is related to the gas cap you can clear it and if it does not return your all set. if the code is something different then its another story. hope this helps but definately get the code scanned no matter

[jjj751]

I had those exact two issues come up earlier this year, turned out to be a faulty N80 valve so I'm pretty sure that's your issue. If you have trouble starting the car after a fill up then the N80 is definitely the issue. Get it scanned and see what code you get just to be sure.

[raiinman]

Stop whatever your doing and stop asking questions go buy a N80 Valve and replace it pronto. Trust me I had the same exact problem, I wasted money and come to find out N80 it was.

[80sGuy]

Your incident was almost exactly like mine, except my light came on a few days after the 'factory warranty' had expired. At the time I had less than 1/4 gas in my tank and was parked nicely on a huge Sears parking lot. Car ran fine without any problems. I went to fill up the tank and the light went away but it came back again after a couple of hundred miles. Scanned it with a MaxiScan 300 and it was the dreaded P0089 code. Did my search here and bought a Thrust Sensor (G410) from Europaparts and replaced it myself, clear the code with the scanner and hasn't seen the light since. That was on October 2011.

Oh, ultimately Audi also reimbursed me for the cost of the part after they rolled out with the campaign (extended warranty for the part).

[toaster]

thanks for the responses guys.

haven't noticed trouble on start-ups. i did find the other threads on this issue...seems rather prevalent. didn't see any confirmation about how to clear the cel. What's the cost of this repair if it is the N80 valve? And is the thrust sensor different from the N80 valve?

anyone around l.i. (commack) that can help me scan?

[raiinman]

I'm in Stamford CT with a bag cable its a eBay one so not too great but can read obd. N80 is the cheapest repair do that first it is a common problem with audis

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[xander3zero]

the thrust sensor and n80 valve are two very different parts.

n80 valve is about 20 bucks (http://www.europaparts.com/purge-valve-06e906517a.html) and is a very quick replacement (20-30 minutes depending on your skill with hose clamps) located right on the right side of the engine underneath the cover. this is a valve for the EVAP system

the thrust sensor http://www.europaparts.com/thrust-se...6e906051k.html is also a quick replacement. it is a direct screw on to your HPFP also located on the right side of engine under the cover. This is part of you fueling/HPFP system

but really, read the code, then report back, do not just replace a part and expect the light to go out. they are both cheap and easy fixes, but first lets see what code your car is throwing.

[hanzy]

N80 and thrust sensor are different components.

In order to clear the cel you will need some form of basic scan tool, or you can always disconnect the negative battery cable. Clearing with a scan tool is the preferred/better method.

Step 1 is to scan and see what the trouble code is. If it is evap related I would clear the trouble code; If it comes back perform further trouble shooting at that time.

I would not just "replace the N80 valve right now no matter what."

Bottom line, don't just throw parts at the car without even scanning the vehicle first, that's crazy!



EDIT: Alex beat me to it, and basically said the exact same thing I did!
Good advice!

[xander3zero]

N80 and thrust sensor are different components.

In order to clear the cel you will need some form of basic scan tool, or you can always disconnect the negative battery cable. Clearing with a scan tool is the preferred/better method.

Step 1 is to scan and see what the trouble code is. If it is evap related I would clear the trouble code; If it comes back perform further trouble shooting at that time.

I would not just "replace the N80 valve right now no matter what."

Bottom line, don't just throw parts at the car without even scanning the vehicle first, that's crazy!



EDIT: Alex beat me to it, and basically said the exact same thing I did!
Good advice!

seriously tho, me and hanzy are on the same page, dont throw parts at your car when that code could be anything out of a list of about 8000 codes haha

[80sGuy]

^^Yup! Scan the code, do your research and go from there. Either way, these parts are cheap. The good thing is, if it is the Thrust Sensor, then you are most likely covered by the Audi Extended warranty for FREE! The dealer will also cover the code scanning, but you won't know it until it is pulled.

[toaster]

alright, i'll get scanned and report back.

thanks again, guys.

[toaster]

2 codes found...cleared both and CEL is gone for now.

What do you guys think?



Shoutout to TimR1 for helping me out...and for giving me some time behind the wheel of his RS6.

[raiinman]

Yup replace N80 valve. The codes will come back after a while.

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[xander3zero]

Yup replace N80 valve. The codes will come back after a while.

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once again, by replacing your n80 valve your throwing money (not alot of money) at your car and hoping you will fix the issue. replacing your n80 valve to fix a EVAP leak is like closing your eyes and throwing a dart at a wall and trying to hit a mosquito...

not saying that the n80 valve isnt a faulty piece with these cars, but there could be numerous other problems. For instance if you had even a pin-hole sized tear in a EVAP line you would be getting this code as well. This code can be a pain because the EVAP system is so goddam senstive to even the smallest of leaks...

I would suggest you follow the evap lines from the N80 valve in your engine bay and follow it to the passenger side front wheel well and from there it goes down the passenger side of the car (underneath) and all the way back to your gas tank. If the lines look fine then it may be worth replacing the N80 or you could perform a diagnostic test with a VAGCOM or smoke tester to find the leak...

just my 2 cents, it is a pain in the ass to blindly throw parts at this problem and get your hopes up everytime untill youve replaced the whole evap system and you just had a slight tear in a line somewhere under the car

[raiinman]

2 codes found...cleared both and CEL is gone for now.

What do you guys think?



Shoutout to TimR1 for helping me out...and for giving me some time behind the wheel of his RS6.

Hey brother man. I get what Alex is trying to say but the thing is you don't abuse the car, codes didn't reappear immediately after clearing so it is clearly a intermittent problem. If changing the n80 valve doesn't work I'll give you the $20 you spent.

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[xander3zero]

Hey brother man. I get what Alex is trying to say but the thing is you don't abuse the car, codes didn't reappear immediately after clearing so it is clearly a intermittent problem. If changing the n80 valve doesn't work I'll give you the $20 you spent.

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The codes didnt reappear immediately after cleaning because the EVAP system sensors take much longer to update than many other sensors in the computer...I know because I have dealt with a small EVAP leak before and it takes a few drive cycles for the codes to pop after clearing

But now that the rainman has offered to pay for a new n80 valve, then you might as well right?

[mr shickadance]

money talks, OP give rain your paypal and see what happens

[raiinman]

Lol it doesn't bother me, I keep my word.

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[toaster]

tighten gas cap warning came back on today...CEL hasn't come back yet.

If a few other people tell me N80 valve is a likely culprit, i'll just shell out $15 and see if that works.

Don't worry about paying me back either way, raiinman, hah.

[toaster]

...N80 ordered for $21.69.

raiinman, please send the 1.69 diff to...

[raiinman]

Roger pm your PayPal n I'll send the money asap

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[CharlesP2009]

It's very likely the N80 gauge, I had similar symptoms. Got a brand new N80 off an eBay VW dealer for $15. Car has been happy ever since the replacement.

Oh, and raiinman, may I have some money too?

[80sGuy]

It's a cheap part, I replaced it at 26,000 when I updated the DV to 'D' just for the heck of it. Cost me $13.95. Planning to do it again at about 50 or 65K along with routine maintenance. Think of it like air filters, or spark plugs except cheaper, way cheaper!

[raiinman]

It's very likely the N80 gauge, I had similar symptoms. Got a brand new N80 off an eBay VW dealer for $15. Car has been happy ever since the replacement.

Oh, and raiinman, may I have some money too?

Charles what u need fixed, I might be able to help

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[CharlesP2009]

No mechanical problems right now, but my wish list includes replacing/repairing my broken armrest (one of the j-hooks broke off), my glovebox is broken on the right side, and finally my driver's door doesn't close quite properly. All inherited from the previous owner but I know that the first two are VERY common.

Also need to find somebody local with a VAG-COM so I can silence my friggin' door/seatbelt chime!

[toaster]

Roger pm your PayPal n I'll send the money asap

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I am totally kidding, man...

But seriously, thank you for your offer. I am really hoping that you're spot on, and it is in fact the N80.

I'll hopefully be receiving it in the next few days. I will report back once installed.

Btw...sure enough, CEL returned this morning.

[toaster]

happy fourth all.

n80 valve arrived today. will report back once installed...

[raiinman]

Awesome! Quickly batman go I'll be waiting

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[80sGuy]

happy fourth all.

n80 valve arrived today. will report back once installed...

What about the clips? The old ones are unusable once you pry them open. If not make sure you have these handy, that's what I did and they work great. Get a bag of 100 for like a buck or two.




Oh and have a safe happy 4th everyone!

[toaster]

yeah, i realized i need to get new clips before i actually destroy the other ones. while the hood was popped, i also noticed this (probably should have seen this earlier):



since i have not had the usual symptom of difficulty on startups, i am wondering if maybe this hose could be the culprit? what piece is this?

also, i am really not very handy with my car...what is the best way to get those clips off? i read through all the other threads on this, but couldn't really tell what the easiest way to complete this install is.

[80sGuy]

Needle Nose pliers would work best for those suckers.

[spyder101]

An easy way to test the Purge valve is to use a vacuum pump. if the valve holds vacuum/pressure, then it's fine. the little tears at the end of the hose won't cause a leak, due to the placement of that clamp, in relation to the length of the port on the valve. Alex M is correct about the EVAP leak. It will take very little to throw a MIL. An issue with the gas cap will also create a large/small EVAP fault too.

[toaster]

the little tears at the end of the hose won't cause a leak, due to the placement of that clamp, in relation to the length of the port on the valve.

thanks for clearing that up.


i was thinking about that after looking at the picture some more.

[audidougie]

check engine comes on solid a few days ago. Then my wife said she got a gas cap warning. I didn't see this..
So, I bring it to audi for a scan. they tell me it's the n80 sticking intermittently. Try to scare me with to potential issues down the road, (running lean and etc.). Then they quote $198.00 all in.. I declined the work for the moment.
I catch the mechanic outside just before he's about to wash the car and ask him about the N80.
He pops the hood, points it out, explains how to change it and sends me to parts.
Seriously... this is the easiest thing to do....

-1st- unplugged the wire on the back (use care here so you don't break anything), then I used the needle nose to wrestle the clamps loose, has to use my spidey strength to pull the old n80 out of the hoses. After that jut popped the new one in, plugged it in and used screw type clamps and......... bob's your uncle.

so $35.00 part and about 20 minutes work and it's done...no warning ...nada.. I'm pretty sure she runs better but that could just be my imagination..lol..
Shows what a rip off the dealer is though..

[toaster]

finally got the new N80 valve installed after getting a bit preoccupied the last few days.

after doing the blow test, the old N80 valve was clearly going bad...popped in the new one and idle is smoother, and the cleared cel has not returned after one day.

as of now, it looks like N80 was indeed the culprit. i'll report back in a few days to confirm that the cel has not popped back up.

thanks guys...especially you, raiinman ; )

[raiinman]

Woot!! No problem brother man. I had that same issue they wanted $350 to do it. Shit I'd rather waste $20 than $350.

I'm glad things are working out for ya.

Call me Mike

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[Midwest Playa]

I am at work and sorry had not had a chance to read all the post. I also have my engine check light which came on and then it went away and now its back on again, I know my gas cap is tight. Oh btw I hope this is for an A4 Audi B7 2.0 T application? Sorry reading in between work. (:

[raiinman]

I am at work and sorry had not had a chance to read all the post. I also have my engine check light which came on and then it went away and now its back on again, I know my gas cap is tight. Oh btw I hope this is for an A4 Audi B7 2.0 T application? Sorry reading in between work. (:

Long story short replace the n80 valve and it'll fix your problem, I did a bunch of other part swaps but this fixed it

https://www.ecstuning.com/ES2574950/...FS8aAoEN8P8HAQ