[s-cars] Re: Intro and Questions

[jimk at spotgraphicsinc.com]

Doug,
Congratulations and welcome.  Comments interspersed below:
Jim K
95.5 S6 Avant
93 S4

Message: 5
From: "Fifield, Douglas" <Douglas.Fifield at TENNANTCO.com>
To: "'quattro at audifans.com'" <quattro at audifans.com>,
        "'s-car-list at audifans.com'" <s-car-list at audifans.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2003 09:32:42 -0600
Subject: [s-cars] Intro and Questions


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Listers,

Been a reader for quite some time, but previous sled was an 97 A4
1.8tqm.
That car was totaled last October by a zoned out pizza jockey in a 95
Neon
doing 45 mph.  Car sacrificed self for me and my son.  Must have been
message from Audi gods that it was time to upgrade.  After much
searching,
found, bought, and retrieved 95.5 S6 Avant with 40K on the clock.  Just
drove it from Denver to Minneapolis.  A few questions from a neophyte.

The temp during the drive from Denver to Mpls. was anywhere from -15 to
+10
deg. F.  The water temp gage in the car seemed to barely get off the
cold
side peg.  At highway speeds, it sat on about the second hash mark.  If
I
stopped to gas up or eat, it got up a little higher, but then dropped
back
down.  The heater worked, but I wonder if I have a bum thermostat.  The
car
came from Austin, TX.  Where should the water temp needle ride?

- Yep, sounds like the thermostat.  Needle should be (and is on mine) on
the hashmark just to the left of center.  And should not be moving
around.   It's an easy fix (supposedly, do a search in the archives or
maybe someone can post it again.  Haven't had done it myself.

Another concern is that I couldn't get the windshield fluid system to
pump.
Don't know if it is frozen, or not working for some other reason.  Any
suggestions on where to start debugging?

- Being a TX car, it is probably 200% water and thus frozen.  Is your
garage heated?  Although if frozen, the headlight washers will stick out
from the car (they did on my CA car in CO last year).  Other than that,
assuming there is fluid in the bottle, see if you have a break in the
line somewhere.  I had a break in mine once I got to CO - (dealer plug
here  - while Stammler and Prestige in Denver all wanted $12 PER FOOT of
the washer fluid hoseline, a I as passing through Glenwood Springs I
stopped at that Audi/VW dealer, talked to the parts guy, he looked at
the car, figured I need 5 feet and GAVE IT TO ME for free.  Whataguy, if
I ever move to CO, that's where I will try to buy a new Audi)

Lastly, the rear seat heater on the passenger side is reportably not
working
(70 pound son doing the complaining).  I know there is a pressure
switch,
but figure 70 lbs is enough to trigger it.  90 lb daughter on other side
of
rear seat gets hot butt, exacerbating problem.  Suggestions on where to
look
for solution to this minor problem?

-Son's side:  Take the seat out (2 screws at base, easy) and make sure
the link (fusible I think) is connected.
Daughter's side: Tell her to turn it down form "6:
OR even easier:  Tell your kids to switch sides, end of problem

Other than that, the car drove like a dream.  Appears to be in mint
condition.

TIA,

Douglas in frigid Twin Cities
95.5 S6 Avant