Can't start Audi A6

Do the lights work? Do they dim when you try to start it? Could be the starter, bad connection, or Autozone might be wrong about your battery.

Yes, the lights, evertying electric in the car, even the high beams, work fine, just it doesn't seem anything is trying to make the engine turn (I know nothing about mechanics). The car even says "OK" as if everything is fine. Yesterday, it was at least struggling to start, but today nothing.

I'd guess it's either a bad starter or a bad start relay.

start with the starter terminal as JimV said then look again at the battery. How old is the battery. A battery may have enough volts to run lights but not enough umph to turn a starter. My experience being, my battery, 1 year old, went TU in my Suzuki and the dealer said it spark tested out fine. Yes it did run the lights but when I tested the cells with a hygrometer two were US. Dealer had to eat humble pie and fit new one.

Borrow a good battery from another car, and try it. If it starts, then it was your battery after all. If it doesn't then it is likely a starter relay in my limited experience

"kodrik" skrev i en meddelelse news: snipped-for-privacy@localhost.talkaboutautos.com...

Can nbe either battery or

The battery is over 4 years old (sept 2000). Where is the starter terminal? Should I try to jump start it? Will did help me narrow down the possiblilities if it works or not. Although, the battery indicator is now dead on 12 volts (halfway up the meter), it can swear it used to be 3/4 up before.

Thank you a lot for your help.

An over-4-year-old battery is likely on its last legs. And I wouldn't trust an Autozone salesdroid to know how to actually cell-check and load-test a battery.

Has the weather gotten cold very recently - like the last few days? Old batteries often go to Heaven on the first good cold snap...

I agree. Probably an old geezer battery. But/however, have you checked the battery connections? Any corrosion? Need to be cleaned? A bad connection there is enough to give you power to all accessories, but not enough umph to start the car. Try it. If nothing happens, buy a new battery. People usually turn their noses up to going to Sears, but they do have a good battery reputations.

Dave

If the voltmeter now reads only 12 volts I would suspect something might be wrong with the alternator and/or the voltage regulator. That being said most cars will crank and start as long as they have 10+ volts.

I have seen two batteries the past 33 years that tested as acceptable that were actually bad. Both failed within a month of installation and battery replacement cured the problem.

As far as AutoZone employee skills it doesn't take much to load test a battery. You hook the tester up, set for battery capacity, and push the start button. The test itself runs itself automatically on any tester manufactured in the past 20 years or so

Yes, the weather has changed pretty fast. It has been raining and cold (even snow) for the last few days, which is unusual since I live in Vegas. In short, the big weather change was colder and much more humid.

Before I go buy a battery, should I buy jumper cables and try jump starting it or will it make no difference in telling me if the starter or alternator is dead?

Yes, the weather has changed pretty fast. It has been raining and cold (even snow) for the last few days, which is unusual since I live in Vegas. In short, the big weather change was colder and much more humid.

Before I go buy a battery, should I buy jumper cables and try jump starting it or will it make no difference in telling me if the starter or alternator is dead?

Buy a battery. Yours is toast...

I got jumper cables and tried to jump the car. Connected it undr the hood where there is a "+" sign (the battery itself is under the rear passenger seat.

The battery meter went up to about 16v (from 12v) and I still couldn't start the car, it wasn't even trying to start. Does this rule out the battery as the cause of the problem?

What's left? alternator or starter (don't know what they are or where they are)

The alternator should not stop the engine from starting, but it may cause the battery not to charge up while the engine is running.

I must have missed the original post so excuse me if I ask questions that have been answered.

Are you saying that you turn the ign. key to start and the engine does not crank or turn over? Is this an automatic with a neutral safety switch? Or a manual transmission with possibly a clutch pedal safety switch? Maybe you have an alarm problem, if so equipped, causing the starter not to function. You might have to go directly to the starter and jump the solenoid's energizer terminal to test the starter independent of the ign. switch. Can you turn the engine over by hand.....ummm with a wrench! ;-)

BTW if it has a manual transmission then you could possibly push start it.

Or are you saying that the starter works, the engine cranks over but does not start? Do you hear the fuel pump running? Might be fuel pump relay. Might be an ign. problem, maybe the engine speed sensor if so equipped, or ???

Good luck with it!

later, dave (One out of many Daves)

I'm not that familiar with the Audi starter, but if it is like most other starters, the most likely cause of failure is the solenoid.

When you attempt to start the car, do you hear a "click" sound? Also, have you had instances where you would get the "click" sound, try again and have the car start?

If so, you are probably looking at worn solenoid contacts. In some starters, you can replace the contacts and be back in business. When you think about it: other than the few seconds that the starter is turning the engine, it's sitting there idle. This is what we call "low duty cycle" operation. Things like bearings and brushes don't get nearly as much wear as the solenoid that has to conduct a hundred amps or more whenever you turn the engine over.

Ken

I wish I could do all that but it took me over an hour to even find the battery, which was under the back seat. I have no clue where the starter or the alternator are, and I wouldn't probably be able to identify the solenoid if I found them, even less jump it.

I tried, I would love to know my car better but I guess I have to take little steps at a time. So I am having it towed to a garage so they can do their thing.

Thanks for your help and advice

Would still be interested to know what they figure out.

Christoph