Microtech82

Just cruising along at low speeds through a residential neighborhood, the car just died. No sputtering or lurching...everything just turned off and I had to coast to a stop. I tried firing it back up while coasting, but the car wouldn't crank. After I came to a stop I tried again and it started but died immediately and the gauges acted like someone flicked them with a finger. Stayed alive the second time I started it and held together until I got back home, however I had to slightly give it gas whenever I was stopped because it would start to sputter and die if I didn't. Once home, I let it idle in park for about 30 seconds and I was watching the battery gauge and it would jump all over the place every ten seconds or so.

Does this sound like a battery/alternator issue?

Thanks in advance for all the help guys.

Edit: Car is 2001 Z/28, A4, high miles, completely stock except for exhaust and lid.

Microtech82

Update:

Messed around with it some more this afternoon. Tool several tries to get it to stay running. When I turn the key it will fire up but then die immediately; wouldnt stay on for even half a second. Also, another weird thing happened, as well. After two or three false starts, I had no dash lights, no dinging from the door being open, nothing. I couldn't get any power to go through the dash until I pressed the brake pedal, then everything came to life. Then when I started it I gave it a slight bit of gas and it roared to life. I mean roared. Revs went up to about 2k then slowly settled. Idle was a bit bumpy but I left the throttle alone and just let it run in park for about three minutes. Nothing, no hiccups or stalling.

I've checked the battery terminals and plugs and all the wiring (to my noob eye) looks sound. The battery gauge was all over the place this morning but now it's sitting consistently right where it should. I'm not educated at all with the electrical aspects of the car so I'm at a complete loss as to why this is acting up.

FNSlow

iTrader: (4)

Sounds like alt is not charging the battery. How old is the battery?

Microtech82

Battery was replaced last spring.

I was thinking it was related to the battery or alternator, but I wasn't sure. It did something similar about a week ago. I was leaving work and it stalled right after it started. I tried turning the key and nothing would happen; no power to the dash and the engine would turn. I let it sit for about ten seconds and it fired up and I haven't had any more issues until today.

chrysler kid

iTrader: (14)

Sounds like a bad ground. Check your battery terminals and the ground

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

+1. If it was purely an alternator issue, you'd get advanced warning on the dash gauges before the car shuts down and your battery would keep you going for a little bit. Also, your battery would loose it's charge.

In addition to electrical connections, you may also make sure your exciter wire is intact. (But don't mess with it yet - it's easy to break.)

Microtech82

It's definitely an issue with the ground/power cables; if I leave the keys in the ACC position and go mess with the cables attached to the battery I can hear clicks and whatnot from the engine compartment and the ding-ding coming from the cabin as the dash comes alive.

I can't find the source of the issue, though. I examined the stretch of cables going from the battery to the driver's side and noticed the bundle was hanging loose and rubbing against one of the pullies. Even though the plastic sheath covering the power cables was worn away, however, the cables inside were still intact and unmolested.

I tried tracing back the power cables to their grounds and whatnot, but didn't have any luck. I get lost once the drop down into the header/starter area.

Also, this is weird. I'd jiggle the cables connected to the battery and I'd hear everything turn on. I'd jump in the car and everything would appear normal. Out of habit I push the brake pedal when I start a car and in this case when I press the brake it kills everything again...I'm at a loss as to what's going on...

Microtech82

Oh, and my passenger side headlight no longer works :/

Microtech82

Update:

The positive battery cable wasn't on tight at one point and a lot of corrosion buildup had worked its way between the battery terminal an the cable connector. Once I removed the buildup and reconnected the cable it solved my power cutout issue. However, this has led me to identify the cause of the stalling issue...

Sometimes when the car upshifts during deceleration (A4), there is a momentary loss in function from the alternator. Before I had issues with the battery, I guess the car was pulling juice from the battery during those brief periods when the alternator cut out and kept the car alive. I could hear this in the past as things like the heater or AC would bog down for a split second. My guess is that, when the corrosion buildup on the battery reached the point where the battery wasn't able to provide any juice to the car, the car was dying when the alternator would cutout for that split second because the car could no longer get that brief jump from the battery.

This leads me to my next question. Is this brief cutout from the alternator during some upshifts normal (it has done it since I bought the vehicle three years ago)?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

I wouldn't think so. How is the tension in your belt? Have you checked the gauge on the tensioner?

98boxer

iTrader: (7)

Whens the last time you did a transmission oil change?

Look at where the transmission level is at, it may be low causeing your problem for example; I recently did a transmission fluid change myself. I added 1 quart of Lucas oil, and when i pour in the trans oil i put in almost exactly what i took out from the pan. Well, i drove it, checked it briefly and looked good. Next day i drove it, was having problems going into 1st gear ever so slightly before going into second gear.

I than took the car for a run on the freeway ran fine, grabed every gear. Turned off the car. Next day went to put gas and again, from a stop it hesitated ever so slightly. I ran it, and after about a block away at a red light my car turned off. Than again as i slowly parked next to the gas pump and again turned off at another red light just before i came home.

I then parked car in garage let car idle over 10 minutes, ran through the gears with foot on brake, than checked fluid. Put in 1/4 of a quart of trans fluid. Ran through the gears checked again, let if run another 10 minutes and so on, I finally got it right and added 1 more quart of trans fluid to finally got it to the correct fluid level. Been two days now that all has been good hasn't turned off on me, shifts great, stops at a red light without turning off.

Summarized, make sure your transmission fluid is at the full mark or your car will turn off at a stop light, also may hesitate a little into gear (I hadn't changed the trans oil in 120k miles; these were the symptoms i had).

Good luck, hope you found out what is wrong.