[s-cars] Re Help! Car won't start...

[Tom Green]

Take Steve's advice and run with it.  You need to start with the basic  
troubleshooting.  The ECU must communicate before anything will  
happen, so you must clear that issue first.  Check the fuses is  
basic.  When the ECU communicates, the MIL (check engine light) will  
illuminate when the key is turned on and before the engine start.   
Always include that check in your routine.  You did not say where you  
live-the MIL is a US EPA requirement and is not included on many cars  
in the rest of the world.  Where you live might indicate whether hands- 
on help might be available.  This long-distance help has many  
limitations.

If you find the coil fuse blown, I would look at the coils for any  
bare wires or obviously burned coils before just replacing the fuse  
and continuing, since a badly shorted coil can damage the ECU beyond  
repair.

Tom '95 S6
          '95.5 S6 avant
Knoxville, TN

> -----Original Message-----
> Date: Wed, 11 May 2011 11:46:25 -0400
> From: "Darren Smith" <DS288925 at mycia.net>
> To: s-car-list at audifans.com
> Subject: [s-cars] Help! Car wont start...
> Message-ID: <1305128785.977458cDS288925 at mycia.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> My car stopped running the other day.  I was driving on the  
> interstate, everything was fine and normal, when i pulled off the  
> interstate and came to a complete stop the car just turned off.  It  
> was turning over but it wouldnt start.  I had it towed back to my  
> mechanic and he said:
>
> No communication with scan tool
> no power at fuel pump fuse
> he jumped the fuel pump and said it was running fine
> ecu sockets look fine
>
>
> any help or suggestions are most appreciated.  Thanks all!!!

-----Reply from Steve
Mills-----
>
> Date: Wed, 11 May 2011 13:07:10 -0400
> From: Steve Mills <s.b.mills at gmail.com>
> To: ds288925 at audifans.com
> Cc: s-car-list at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] Help! Car wont start...
> Message-ID: <BANLkTi=kommfGfptsMjd=32jYT_108fgdg at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
>
> Check the fuse or relay that powers the ECU. It's in the passenger  
> footwell
> right above the ECU. If the coil wires short, they kill the fuse and  
> the car
> stops.