#^$% Audi!

[Opal]

Okay, so a friend's friend left him a 16-17 year old A4 sedan. Which unceremoniously died next to my apartment building when my friend dropped me off the other night.

We've checked the fuses, tried jumping the car. Battery is definitely not the issue. Starter doesn't seem to even try and I'm not hearing anything indicating a relay gives a rat's butt.

The thing pisses power steering fluid at about 1L/1000km, but otherwise has no known issues beyond "old".

Any suggestions?

The Friend is somewhere in Asia for a few weeks, at which point he flies back to Toronto and then drives the #^$% back to Quebec, so it really should, oh, I don't know... WORK?!

(Needless to say, SteveD is RIGHT and I'm NOT buying an Audi to replace the Civic of Doom. Sure, this one's elderly and apparently lemon-flavoured, but I can take a hint from the universe.)

[JoeT]

Could be as simple as a failed starter. Failing that, it could be the starter relay. Your description points to the starter.

If it's a manual transmission car, you can try to bump start it, if it runs, then you know for sure it's the starter. If it screeches to a halt during the bump start, you may have a siezed engine.

[Opal]

Thanks Joe.
That's what I'd figured - it's nice to know I was on the right line of thought.

It is manual transmission, but the manual has the big ol' "Don't bump start" warning.

Anything I should know about trying that procedure on an AWD?

[JoeT]

Nothing actually, just push hard, dump and go, preferably in 2nd or 3rd gear to make it easier on your pusher.

[GTibyJB]

Opal wrote:
Thanks Joe.
That's what I'd figured - it's nice to know I was on the right line of thought.

It is manual transmission, but the manual has the big ol' "Don't bump start" warning.

Anything I should know about trying that procedure on an AWD?

Joe's got the right idea aout the starter, they're not the best in those cars. As for a bump start just get 2 people with really big legs and great lungs and you should be just fine ;-)

[Opal]

Yeeeeah, pushing that sucker UP HILL next to my apartment turned into a no-go. Couldn't imagine why ;)

Towed it to a local shop (long live CAA!) and it seems that there's a corroded wire into the starter. Was just a matter of time until this happened.