Re: Help wanted: 90q fault code interpretation

[Steve Manning <stephenm@ix.netcom.com>]

At 11:13 AM 9/10/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Audi mavens:
>	At the end of the first two of my last four drives in my 1988 90q,
>the "check engine" light went on.  This occurred after at least 20 minutes
>driving, during very low throttle cruising, and went away upon accelerating.
>The first time it occurred I checked the codes, but forgot there were two
>sets, so got only 4444 for the ignition computer.  The second time I had
>consulted my Bentley, and got both codes, 4444 and 2132, the latter
>presumably for the fuel system.  According to my Bentley, 2132 indicates a
>broken connection between the fuel and ignition computers, but applies only
>to California (CA) cars.  I seriously doubt mine was ever in CA, and there
>is no indication on the door or engine that it has any CA credentials.
>Could the Bentley be wrong (gasp!) about the CA aspect?  How else can the
>fault code system function unless the computers communicate?  Doesn't this
>CA aspect conflict with the list consensus that Audis are 50 state cars.
>Can this code mean anything else in anyone's experience?  If it is a CA car,
>can I prove this by reading the codes even after the engine is shut down and
>restarted, as implied by the Bentley?    All comments welcome.
>
>                .... Kirby   (Kirby A. Smith)
>                              2 x 1988 90q
>                          New Hampshire USA

Hi Kirby - sorry I'm slow to respond (maybe you've fixed this); I'm behind
on e-mail.

I had this exact problem on two different '88 90q's.  There were two
different problems:

1.  As another lister wrote, there are two different computers for
California & 49-state (the 49-state was a replacement; it had a different
date code).  I had a 49-state fi computer, and a California ignition
computer.  Big problem.  Bentley actually has part numbers.

2.  Flaky grounds causes the computers to intermittently 'lose contact'
with each other.  In my case it was the one on the intake manifold.  Check
around.

I've never seen a '88 90q with anything other than the California
computers, BTW.

Hope this helps..........SLM

Steve Manning:  stephenm@ix.netcom.com
...Physical home: Metro D.C. area, USA
.....Virtual home:  http://www.stationwagon.com