# A3 Sportback Note Deadlock won't crank



## baknrboy30 (Nov 12, 2006)

I'm in Greece for a month and rented and picked up an A3 sportback at the airport -- it's been a great little car, fun to drive and all that. Loved the fact that it starts / stops itself when you stall out until today when climbing a very steep hill it stalled in first and would not re-start even when manually turning the key.

I had to let it roll back, put it in R and pop the clutch. Been popping the clutch ever since and now that I am finally back to a town with internet I am trying to figure out what to reset to get this working again. Is it like the safety switch in my old Turbo Coupe that used to have to be reset when it thought I had flipped the car or some other safety kill switch?

Everything works fine, locking and unlocking the doors etc. it just wont fire the starter -- I have to pop the clutch everytime I need to start her up. 

Finally got the dash into ENGLISH mode and it is saying NOTE DEADLOCK SEE OWNERS MANUAL

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Fortunately there is nearly no flat land in Greece so it hasn't been a huge inconvienance yet but I'd like to be able to turn the key and start her the normal way. It looks a little strange having my friends push the brand new Audi every time we leave a cafe.


----------



## skotti (Sep 27, 2005)

I can't help you- but might want to provide year/engine.
Haven't seen that issue here on the Forum that I can recall- so I guess you can be happy to be first? :sly:


----------



## baknrboy30 (Nov 12, 2006)

Its either an 09 or 10 -- only has 4k miles I am going to guess its a 1.8 and its definitely a turbo


----------



## VWAddict (Jun 12, 1999)

Start/Stop is (I think) only available on Diesels...

Possibly your starter motor. Remember that Diesels take a lot to crank because of the higher compression, and that they have no throttle, so there's always lots of air to squish... Also, the starter motors in the early start/stop engines in the early 1990's (which DEFINITELY were all Diesels) tended to heat up if you used the start/stop frequently.

There's a clutch interlock switch... that's probably about it other than the solenoid. -Maybe there's a neutral sense also. -No way to read these without plugging in a dealer scan tool or a VAG-COM.

If it's a rental, why not just have it fixed?

Keith


----------



## guiltyblade (Jul 12, 2007)

Not that this help but if it's the starter you can also jump the starter using a screw driver. Screw driver or long metal with handle, positive terminal battery to starter terminal will jump starter and bypass key ignition. At least you can start without having to roll possibly.


----------



## VWAddict (Jun 12, 1999)

guiltyblade said:


> Not that this help but if it's the starter you can also jump the starter using a screw driver. Screw driver or long metal with handle, positive terminal battery to starter terminal will jump starter and bypass key ignition. At least you can start without having to roll possibly.


Actually, no.

If it's your starter, there's nothing that you can do.

What you're describing bypassing is the switched feed to the SOLENOID.

If the starter motor is burned out, the commutator/coil is open circuit, and nothing you do will make it turn by itself.

However, what you describe is a good test of the firing circuit... but UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE THE VEHICLE IN GEAR when you try this... otherwise someone is going to get VERY seriously hurt.

Keith


----------



## dfischer1 (May 20, 2004)

Call the rental company


----------



## guiltyblade (Jul 12, 2007)

VWAddict said:


> Actually, no.
> 
> If it's your starter, there's nothing that you can do.
> 
> ...


Well assuming his starter is ok, but for some reason ignition isn't working, perhaps wiring is shot between ignition and starter. Then you can do this. I wasn't implying you can do this if starter is dead. However this is a way to see if starter is good, or just use a voltmeter.


----------



## yam (Jul 18, 2005)

Its a rental. I would just exchange it for another one as soon as possible and not bother troubleshooting it.


----------



## baknrboy30 (Nov 12, 2006)

Well after a week on the coast in Giolova / Pylos and another in Kalamata I am heading up to Athens today for the final leg of my trip. I plan on dumping the car anyway as having a car in Athens is more trouble than convienance so I guess I'll just do as advised and let them handle it.

Just for the reference of others I am sure it is not a diesel and it definitely has the start / stop system because I noticed a few days into the trip that whenever I stopped to take photos it would shut the engine after a bit and as soon as I was back in the car with my seatbelt on and depressed the clutch it would start itself.


----------

