[Biturbos4] Engine Cut-Out...

[Greg Amy]

New prob on the '00 S4: engine dies randomly.

It started a couple of weeks ago; I was cruising down the highway and suddenly the engine cut out and the tach went to zero, then just as quickly it came back. No CEL, and no codes with my generic code reader (yep, I've gone 123k without a VAG-COM; ordering on this morning). Ran fine for a week or so, then did the same cut out-back in once last week. Same thing: no CEL, no code.

Yesterday, however, on the way home from work it simply died. No warning, just ignition dead, didn't come back. Key was still on, and there was pwoer to the dash; fortunately I was on city streets so I simply coasted to a stop. I was so surprised by it that I neglected to hit the clutch and a few seconds later the low oil pressure warning came on.

I tried to restart it; it turned over (starter and battery are good) but wouldn't start. Third time it "caught" then immediately died, then wouldn't start again. Finally, for whatever reason I decided to turn the key on and let it sit for about 5 seconds, then when I hit the start it ran. But, as I drove away it died again and I was stuck for another 2-3 minutes trying to start it.

Then, when I tried to leave the house today, same problem: no start, but when I let it sit with the key on for 5 seconds or so it would start (could just be a coincidence. And it ran fine all the way to work...

As noted, I'm ordering a VAG-COM this morning. However, until I get that I'm looking for any similar experiences that anyone's had with this?

Greg Amy
Middletown, CT