delay of interior lighting: FAILURE?

[Mike Veglia]

In a message dated 9/5/2002 Roger M. Woodbury writes:

<< Now, a bit more than a year after buying the car, the "new to me" 1994
100CS
Avant is having its first meltdown....it involves the delay gizzie for the
interior lights.

The problem is that the interior lights remain on long after the engine is
started, or the doors are locked.  Many, many minutes, and this delay seems
to be getting longer.

I wonder if anyone else has experienced a failure with this delay mechanism.
Is it a relay located in the fuse box, as I suspect, that might be going
sour?  Or might it be related to the ignition switch, which is becoming
progressivly stiffer and stiffer (I understand that there is an ignition
switch recall on these cars?). >>

I had this problem on my (long departed to my ex-wife) 1987 5kcstq Avant
many years ago. I located the courtesy light relay, pulled the relay, priced
the relay, and in an act of desperation (after getting quoted something like
$70.00 over 10 years ago) popped the cover off and found a rather large (by
relay standards) circuit board. I resoldered the board (a common Bosch Relay
"repair") and the problem was solved. So, I suggest starting with the relay.
I'm not sure of the location of the relay on the 100CS/A6 though and my
Bentley CD is at home and I am at the office right now. If nobody knows, I
can look it up for you later. On the 5ktq is was under the dash. Probably is
on the C4 too...at first glance they appear to have a lot in common with the
type 44.

I'm curious about the ignition switch recall though. Anyone know anything
more about this? Our "new-to-us" 1995 A6 quattro Avant seems to have a
rather stiff ignition switch too. It also sometimes needs "help" to settle
back to the on position after starting the car. I called AoA to ask if there
were any recall campaigns outstanding on the car (gave them my VIN, waited
on hold, etc.) and was told that all campaigns for this car were already
done (but she couldn't tell me what they were).

There is some interaction between the interior lights and the ignition
switch. So, could be...

Mike Veglia
Motor Sport Visions Photography
http://www.motorsportvisions.com