How to Solve Multiple Warning Lights Issues in Audi A3
A warning light flashing in the dash is never a good sign and when you see one it doesn’t set you up to have a good day. But there’s something even worse! We are talking about multiple alerts at the same time. If you weren’t having a bad day before, you certainly would be now.
Multiple warning lights mean your vehicle is in deep trouble. There is only one real option available to you when confronted with this situation – you need to visit an expert and quick. Time is of the essence – any deliberation could lead to further malfunctions, making your car undrivable.
Thankfully, one of our clients did the right thing and spoke to Fitch Autos – Audi specialists.
Mrs A saw multiple alerts flashing on her 2010 Audi A3 one day and thought it wise to contact our garage for a consultation.
She complained that the car was working fine when suddenly the dashboard warning lights came on and this worried her – the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and traction control functions had stopped working. Both are vital safety features of the Audi A3, so she understandably didn’t want to take any risks by continuing to drive this vehicle because of the safety implications for her and her passengers.
Before this, there were no visible symptoms of failure or any drop in the vehicle’s performance. Our Audi expert, Matt, listened to the complaint and made mental notes to help tackle the repair.
The 2010 Audi A3 had an Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), steering wheel, and Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) light on in the dash. Luckily, all the signals pointed towards a single fault area, making the diagnosis part slightly easier for our A3 expert technician.
Matt wasted no further time and readied himself to perform the diagnosis.
Faults Found
Our Audi specialist had to perform a visual inspection of the vehicle before doing anything else. So, without wasting a second, Matt sat in the car, fired up the engine and looked at the dashboard. Sure enough, the warnings were there as the client had stated. So far so good!
Next, Matt took the A3 for a test drive where he confirmed the loss in both the ABS and ESP systems.
Afterwards, he brought the car back and scanned the vehicle for fault codes.
The scan brought up a few error codes that Matt found relevant to the client’s A3.
- 00287 008 – ABS wheel speed sensor; rear right (G44) implausible signal
- 00287 003 – ABS wheel speed sensor; rear right (G44) mechanical failure
- 00387 012 – ABS wheel speed sensor; rear right (G44) electrical fault in the circuit
The faults Matt found were all related to the ABS system but the warning lights for the TPMS and the ESP were also flashing. This meant that something was causing the other systems to malfunction and that they were inherently working fine.
Perhaps the wiring was faulty? Our Audi technician couldn’t be sure before doing a proper evaluation.
Matt did exactly that as he initiated the 15-step diagnostic procedure to find out the root cause of the issue.
Diagnostic Procedure
The 15-step diagnostic procedure is followed by all the mechanics at Fitch Autos. That’s because the detailed process helps our technicians reach the solution efficiently and cost-effectively.
The first step in this process is the visual inspection, followed by accessing the relevant fault code information from the car’s onboard computers. Matt performed both and found the relevant fault codes.
The next step was to find the culprit that was causing such havoc in the A3. Our Audi expert had learned that the right rear end of the car was causing issues. The speed sensor, which is such a small component, was inducing all the other systems to go haywire.
Usually, a quick sensor cleanup can solve this issue, but Matt had to look further and check for sensor failure. Sometimes the component can fail completely and has to be replaced. On some occasions the wiring is faulty.
So, with all these theories in mind, Matt moved forward and inspected the manufacturer’s workshop data. Our Audi technician found something interesting.
He saw that the information sent out by the wheel speed sensor is used by a few other systems in the area. The data from the wheel speed sensor is necessary for the other components to function. In this case, the ABS, the ESP and TPMS were all malfunctioning.
Therefore, changing or repairing the sensor could solve the issue. But before employing that solution, our A3 specialist inspected the data signals coming out of the component. Interestingly, the wheel speed sensor wasn’t sending any signals to the control unit.
Matt also checked the live and ground wiring for faults. Luckily, everything was fine in that department.
As a result, the only deduction Matt could make from his comprehensive investigation was that the rear right wheel speed sensor needed some care. He reached the sensor and found that there was corrosion on the component that came off from the back of the wheel bearing. The pickup ring from the wheel bearing had pushed up into the sensor, causing corrosion and damage.
The Solution
Matt had a lot to consider as he performed the 15-step diagnostic procedure. Nevertheless, he uncovered the truth and found the way to the solution.
Our lead Audi A3 technician had only one job left, and that was to now fix Mrs A’s Audi.
Matt started with the wheel speed sensor and replaced it with a new one. There was no point in repairing or cleaning the old one as it had been subject to significant damage and was beyond repair.
But that is not the only thing our Audi technician did. He also changed the wheel bearing, so that there were no further chances of corrosion spreading onto the new sensor.
Once both the components were replaced and set in place, Matt packed up the car and moved on to retest the control unit. The complete code scan turned up no fault codes, which meant that the vehicle was good to go.
But before handing over the 2010 Audi A3 to the client, our technician performed a test drive – the ABS, ESP and TPMS systems were all working as intended.
All that was left now was to hand over the car to Mrs A.
Summary
Mrs A was having a good day driving her A3 before she saw multiple warning lights illuminate her car’s dash. Immediately after the alerts, the ABS and ESP systems also stopped working. She was concerned and scared that something serious had gone wrong in her decade-old car.
Luckily, she had the presence of mind to contact Fitch Autos and bring her vehicle over to our independent Audi garage.
Our trained Audi A3 expert, Matt, looked at her car, listened to all her complaints and started with the 15-step diagnostic procedure. The method allowed Matt to uncover the root cause quickly. On top of that, Fitch Autos offer dealer-level skills but better-than-dealer value and service.
If that is the kind of Audi garage you are looking for, you should look no further than Fitch Autos. We have expert Audi technicians that never disappoint.
To get a taste of our services, you can call us on 01543 452 630 and talk to our experts.
