My 2000 A6 Quattro is doing its annual Chitty Chitty Bang Bang number with the central locking and the electric windows. Whenever the weather turns especially wet and cold it does this, a fault attributable to Audi's notorious (in)convenience module, I gather. It's only ever done 35k miles too.
It's time to change and I have identified several possible replacement E class cars. I've never had a Merc and I feel I should try one before I depart this earth. A tail wagger may even hasten me out of it.
Business and travel commitments will prevent me completing a purchase for about two weeks. In that time I need to park the A6 at an airport for a week. I can't take the risk of the accursed thing spontaneously admitting all and sundry by lowering the windows whilst I'm away so I thought I might remove the fuse.
Is this an officially bad idea ? Where might I find the fuse box ? Is the fuse shared with anything else of importance ?
Thanks in advance.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 07/12/2007 at 10:26
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Firstly check the passenger foot well for any signs of damp, idelly unter the base carpet. This and many other Audi and Passats havean issue with the Plenum Chamber under the battery and brake servo and water will up due to blocks drain holes. The wayer raises so high it either seeps in though the AC pipework ruller seal through the bulkhead or through the pollen filter tray or the filter itself. To check this remove the battery cover and loog down the RHS of the battery and shine a torch, if you can see water then that is possible your problem. Audi know of this problem and many main agents will clean thes chambers out and remove the rubber drain grommets to try and stop leaves form getting stuck. I personally have left the original bungs in and check the chamber by flooding the screen with a hose pipe and ensure that there is water running out of the drain holes either side of the gearbox. Onee bung is unber the battery ans the other is behind and under the Brake servo. I have had several of these that have shown very minor dampness on the top of the carpet but on lifting the base carpet the recess where the convenience unit sits has water in it. Visit www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum and you will see it detailed in the forum and a link to a site with photo's of the problem area. Regards Peter
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We also have an A6 (albeit not Quattro) and had problems with a blocked air conditioning drain pipe. I initially thought it was the plenum chamber, but, after clearing it the wet carpet persisted...
Check your car underneath after a run for the tell tale "leak" that indicates a functioning air conditioning drain...
--
Tim{P}
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Thanks for both replies. It might just be within my technical ability to shine a torch down into the engine bay to check for water. I will post the results in due course.
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I checked the area under the battery this morning. I can see the chamber you are referring to but it is bone dry. The passenger foot well is also dry.
On checking the latter I noticed that a substantial wiring trunk is routed from under the floor, which appears to terminate in connectors under the passenger seat. Is that the (in)convenience module ?
Given the intermittent nature of this problem, and the fact that it consistency occurs in cold and wet weather, if that is the module I might put a fan heater into that side of the car for half an hour to dry out any residual condensation.
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The convenience module is under the carpet in the passenger footwell (same as the B5 Passat). When terminally water-damaged, they cost £lots to replace.
The other prime culprit for a leak is the pollen filter itself - either through the lid if fitted incorrectly or the foam gasket under it. I replaced the latter on my Passat for about £15 and that fixed it.
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Ubi
If the quattro is the same as the 2WD cars.
Lift the carpet that would normally be under the passenger's feet and you'll see a depression in the floor containing a black, plastic, case. It lifts out on it's attached cable and, if you open it, the unit inside is the convenience module.
If the module is dry; slit open the loom running to it and, about 18" away from it, there are several soldered multi-wire joints under protective cloth tape. They disintegrate.
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Screwloose and others
Thank you very much for this mind boggling advice. If I were to ask, "What is a carpet ?" it may give some indication of my technical level.
However, having read your excellent description of the possible problem several times I am beginning to understand it a little.
Not that we yet have cause for opening the Christmas Krug. (When you need advice on wine I hope I you will call upon me in turn.)
So we (most probably my wife) have found a "loom" and we have had the courage and the skill and the apparatus from within the kitchen drawer with which to "slit" it. Let us suppose that, however improbably, my good lady recognises soldered multi-wire joints. And let us say that our joint disappointment is complete because they have indeed disintegrated. (May I take it that disintegration in these circumstances is a "bad thing" ?)
Are there further instructions that I may usefully convey at this point to the lady within the foot well ?
Again, thank you very much for your expertise and advice.
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You haven't got an aftermarket radio by any chance ?
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Ubi
Is, perchance, your "Lady of the Footwell" accomplished in the art of soft-soldering?
If not; you may need to call upon the services of a skilled artisan to reverse the, most unwelcome, disintegration of the said joints.
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Thank you for your very prompt and apposite responses.
Well I don't think I have an aftermarket radio. No, I don't think so at all. I just have the black radio which was fitted in the middle when the car came. It still plays very well actually, especially for the cricket.
As for the lady at risk of detention within the foot well whilst debate is engaged, well I'm sure she is accomplished in many ways but hitherto she has given little indication that these extend to soft soldering so far as I understand the term.
I suspect my ignorance puts me beyond help. It seems bit rum to give a chap a thousand pounds or more to do a bit of "soft soldering." I remember when you could buy a house for a thousand pounds!
I am indebted to those who have responded to my postings.
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I usually try to relocate the module to a position just above where the passenger carpet finishes and the lower part of the dash starts.Remove the module from the plastic case and carefully re-route the harness to this area ,there is normally just enough length of wiring.This prevents the system getting swamped again.Just a thought.hth
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