It's a 1998 A4 1.8 Quattro. First, they thought it was the switch, so
they replaced that. Test drive was fine. Next day, blown fuse.

Yesterday they spent 3 hours ($$) examining the wiring. Couldn't find
anything wrong. New fuse in, test drive was great. Today, blown fuse. I
replaced it, drove around, tried everything I could think of to make it
blow (turn indicators, power locks, stereo, A/C). Working great, but I
know I've got about 24 hours before it goes.

If anyone has a suggestion, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm at the
end of my tether. The only solution the service dept has (re-wiring)
is so horrifically complicated and expensive that even they don't want
to do it.

The only other issue I'm having, but this has been going on for many
months -- long before the brake light problem -- is the cruise control.
It works about 60% of the time. The rest of the time it won't engage,
or engages for a short period and then cuts off. Temperature and rain
don't seem to play a role. Happens in the dead of winter and during hot
summer days. I can live without it for now. (I mention it only in
case it's relevant.) But brake lights are serious. I actually found
out I had the problem by having a very angry motorist yell at me.

Please help!

If it's relevant, I live in a climate where the winters are very cold
(-40C is common) and the summers can be very hot and humid.

Thanks!

 

auto or manual?
the auto trans may have a solenoid or relay that needs that brake light
switch to allow you to select a driving range.

just a wild guess but did that tech check the wiring at the trunk lid? the
earlier Audis had problems with that wiring area breaking and causing fuses
to blow

might even be a bad or incorrect bulb

does anything else not work when that fuse blows?

the cruise control might be a bad switch at the pedal(s)

jmho
--
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

<adambr3@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1158446787.001706.12460@i42g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> It's a 1998 A4 1.8 Quattro. First, they thought it was the switch, so
> they replaced that. Test drive was fine. Next day, blown fuse.
>
> Yesterday they spent 3 hours ($$) examining the wiring. Couldn't find
> anything wrong. New fuse in, test drive was great. Today, blown fuse. I
> replaced it, drove around, tried everything I could think of to make it
> blow (turn indicators, power locks, stereo, A/C). Working great, but I
> know I've got about 24 hours before it goes.
>
> If anyone has a suggestion, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm at the
> end of my tether. The only solution the service dept has (re-wiring)
> is so horrifically complicated and expensive that even they don't want
> to do it.
>
> The only other issue I'm having, but this has been going on for many
> months -- long before the brake light problem -- is the cruise control.
> It works about 60% of the time. The rest of the time it won't engage,
> or engages for a short period and then cuts off. Temperature and rain
> don't seem to play a role. Happens in the dead of winter and during hot
> summer days. I can live without it for now. (I mention it only in
> case it's relevant.) But brake lights are serious. I actually found
> out I had the problem by having a very angry motorist yell at me.
>
> Please help!
>
> If it's relevant, I live in a climate where the winters are very cold
> (-40C is common) and the summers can be very hot and humid.
>
> Thanks!
>

 

auto or manual?
the auto trans may have a solenoid or relay that needs that brake light
switch to allow you to select a driving range.

just a wild guess but did that tech check the wiring at the trunk lid? the
earlier Audis had problems with that wiring area breaking and causing fuses
to blow

might even be a bad or incorrect bulb

does anything else not work when that fuse blows?

the cruise control might be a bad switch at the pedal(s)

jmho
--
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

<adambr3@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1158446787.001706.12460@i42g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> It's a 1998 A4 1.8 Quattro. First, they thought it was the switch, so
> they replaced that. Test drive was fine. Next day, blown fuse.
>
> Yesterday they spent 3 hours ($$) examining the wiring. Couldn't find
> anything wrong. New fuse in, test drive was great. Today, blown fuse. I
> replaced it, drove around, tried everything I could think of to make it
> blow (turn indicators, power locks, stereo, A/C). Working great, but I
> know I've got about 24 hours before it goes.
>
> If anyone has a suggestion, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm at the
> end of my tether. The only solution the service dept has (re-wiring)
> is so horrifically complicated and expensive that even they don't want
> to do it.
>
> The only other issue I'm having, but this has been going on for many
> months -- long before the brake light problem -- is the cruise control.
> It works about 60% of the time. The rest of the time it won't engage,
> or engages for a short period and then cuts off. Temperature and rain
> don't seem to play a role. Happens in the dead of winter and during hot
> summer days. I can live without it for now. (I mention it only in
> case it's relevant.) But brake lights are serious. I actually found
> out I had the problem by having a very angry motorist yell at me.
>
> Please help!
>
> If it's relevant, I live in a climate where the winters are very cold
> (-40C is common) and the summers can be very hot and humid.
>
> Thanks!
>

 

auto or manual?
the auto trans may have a solenoid or relay that needs that brake light
switch to allow you to select a driving range.

just a wild guess but did that tech check the wiring at the trunk lid? the
earlier Audis had problems with that wiring area breaking and causing fuses
to blow

might even be a bad or incorrect bulb

does anything else not work when that fuse blows?

the cruise control might be a bad switch at the pedal(s)

jmho
--
later,
dave
(One out of many daves)

<adambr3@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1158446787.001706.12460@i42g2000cwa.googlegro ups.com...
> It's a 1998 A4 1.8 Quattro. First, they thought it was the switch, so
> they replaced that. Test drive was fine. Next day, blown fuse.
>
> Yesterday they spent 3 hours ($$) examining the wiring. Couldn't find
> anything wrong. New fuse in, test drive was great. Today, blown fuse. I
> replaced it, drove around, tried everything I could think of to make it
> blow (turn indicators, power locks, stereo, A/C). Working great, but I
> know I've got about 24 hours before it goes.
>
> If anyone has a suggestion, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm at the
> end of my tether. The only solution the service dept has (re-wiring)
> is so horrifically complicated and expensive that even they don't want
> to do it.
>
> The only other issue I'm having, but this has been going on for many
> months -- long before the brake light problem -- is the cruise control.
> It works about 60% of the time. The rest of the time it won't engage,
> or engages for a short period and then cuts off. Temperature and rain
> don't seem to play a role. Happens in the dead of winter and during hot
> summer days. I can live without it for now. (I mention it only in
> case it's relevant.) But brake lights are serious. I actually found
> out I had the problem by having a very angry motorist yell at me.
>
> Please help!
>
> If it's relevant, I live in a climate where the winters are very cold
> (-40C is common) and the summers can be very hot and humid.
>
> Thanks!
>

 

On 16 Sep 2006 15:46:27 -0700, adambr3@yahoo.com wrote:

>It's a 1998 A4 1.8 Quattro. First, they thought it was the switch, so
>they replaced that. Test drive was fine. Next day, blown fuse.
>
>Yesterday they spent 3 hours ($$) examining the wiring. Couldn't find
>anything wrong. New fuse in, test drive was great. Today, blown fuse. I
>replaced it, drove around, tried everything I could think of to make it
>blow (turn indicators, power locks, stereo, A/C). Working great, but I
>know I've got about 24 hours before it goes.

I once had a similar problem, many years ago, in a non-Audi car. I
discovered it when I was stopped by the police one night for driving
without tail lights.

The problem in that case turned out to be a wire that was chafing on
the metal part to which it was attached and, once the insulation had
worn through, was shorting. On that occasion the actual wire in
question was not on the tail lights circuit, but something else that
was fed through the same fuse. If you have the same problem - and I
hope you don't - it will be a real pig to trace.

Peter.

 

On 16 Sep 2006 15:46:27 -0700, adambr3@yahoo.com wrote:

>It's a 1998 A4 1.8 Quattro. First, they thought it was the switch, so
>they replaced that. Test drive was fine. Next day, blown fuse.
>
>Yesterday they spent 3 hours ($$) examining the wiring. Couldn't find
>anything wrong. New fuse in, test drive was great. Today, blown fuse. I
>replaced it, drove around, tried everything I could think of to make it
>blow (turn indicators, power locks, stereo, A/C). Working great, but I
>know I've got about 24 hours before it goes.

I once had a similar problem, many years ago, in a non-Audi car. I
discovered it when I was stopped by the police one night for driving
without tail lights.

The problem in that case turned out to be a wire that was chafing on
the metal part to which it was attached and, once the insulation had
worn through, was shorting. On that occasion the actual wire in
question was not on the tail lights circuit, but something else that
was fed through the same fuse. If you have the same problem - and I
hope you don't - it will be a real pig to trace.

Peter.

 

On 16 Sep 2006 15:46:27 -0700, adambr3@yahoo.com wrote:

>It's a 1998 A4 1.8 Quattro. First, they thought it was the switch, so
>they replaced that. Test drive was fine. Next day, blown fuse.
>
>Yesterday they spent 3 hours ($$) examining the wiring. Couldn't find
>anything wrong. New fuse in, test drive was great. Today, blown fuse. I
>replaced it, drove around, tried everything I could think of to make it
>blow (turn indicators, power locks, stereo, A/C). Working great, but I
>know I've got about 24 hours before it goes.

I once had a similar problem, many years ago, in a non-Audi car. I
discovered it when I was stopped by the police one night for driving
without tail lights.

The problem in that case turned out to be a wire that was chafing on
the metal part to which it was attached and, once the insulation had
worn through, was shorting. On that occasion the actual wire in
question was not on the tail lights circuit, but something else that
was fed through the same fuse. If you have the same problem - and I
hope you don't - it will be a real pig to trace.

Peter.

 

One out of many Daves wrote:
> auto or manual?

Manual.

> just a wild guess but did that tech check the wiring at the trunk lid?

They said they checked all the wiring "at the back"? Exact wording on
the bill:
"Looked at trunk area and under dash for source of malfunction.
Repositioned wires to try and recreate fuse blowing."

> might even be a bad or incorrect bulb
>
> does anything else not work when that fuse blows?
>
I haven't noticed anything else not working, although I've been
looking. I wish I knew out what else would be on that circuit, because
it might indeed be that (other) thing causing the fuse to blow. If they
haven't already, I'll tell the repair shop to replaced all of the
bulbs--see if that makes a difference.

Peter wrote:
> I once had a similar problem, many years ago, in a non-Audi car. I
>
> The problem in that case turned out to be a wire that was chafing on
> the metal part to which it was attached and, once the insulation had
> worn through, was shorting. On that occasion the actual wire in
> question was not on the tail lights circuit, but something else that
> was fed through the same fuse. If you have the same problem - and I
> hope you don't - it will be a real pig to trace.

That's precisely what I'm afraid of too.

I'm driving now with the cover for the third (middle) brake light
removed so that I can see in the rearview if the brake lights are
working. My guess is I'll be replacing the fuse sometime later today.

 

One out of many Daves wrote:
> auto or manual?

Manual.

> just a wild guess but did that tech check the wiring at the trunk lid?

They said they checked all the wiring "at the back"? Exact wording on
the bill:
"Looked at trunk area and under dash for source of malfunction.
Repositioned wires to try and recreate fuse blowing."

> might even be a bad or incorrect bulb
>
> does anything else not work when that fuse blows?
>
I haven't noticed anything else not working, although I've been
looking. I wish I knew out what else would be on that circuit, because
it might indeed be that (other) thing causing the fuse to blow. If they
haven't already, I'll tell the repair shop to replaced all of the
bulbs--see if that makes a difference.

Peter wrote:
> I once had a similar problem, many years ago, in a non-Audi car. I
>
> The problem in that case turned out to be a wire that was chafing on
> the metal part to which it was attached and, once the insulation had
> worn through, was shorting. On that occasion the actual wire in
> question was not on the tail lights circuit, but something else that
> was fed through the same fuse. If you have the same problem - and I
> hope you don't - it will be a real pig to trace.

That's precisely what I'm afraid of too.

I'm driving now with the cover for the third (middle) brake light
removed so that I can see in the rearview if the brake lights are
working. My guess is I'll be replacing the fuse sometime later today.

 

One out of many Daves wrote:
> auto or manual?

Manual.

> just a wild guess but did that tech check the wiring at the trunk lid?

They said they checked all the wiring "at the back"? Exact wording on
the bill:
"Looked at trunk area and under dash for source of malfunction.
Repositioned wires to try and recreate fuse blowing."

> might even be a bad or incorrect bulb
>
> does anything else not work when that fuse blows?
>
I haven't noticed anything else not working, although I've been
looking. I wish I knew out what else would be on that circuit, because
it might indeed be that (other) thing causing the fuse to blow. If they
haven't already, I'll tell the repair shop to replaced all of the
bulbs--see if that makes a difference.

Peter wrote:
> I once had a similar problem, many years ago, in a non-Audi car. I
>
> The problem in that case turned out to be a wire that was chafing on
> the metal part to which it was attached and, once the insulation had
> worn through, was shorting. On that occasion the actual wire in
> question was not on the tail lights circuit, but something else that
> was fed through the same fuse. If you have the same problem - and I
> hope you don't - it will be a real pig to trace.

That's precisely what I'm afraid of too.

I'm driving now with the cover for the third (middle) brake light
removed so that I can see in the rearview if the brake lights are
working. My guess is I'll be replacing the fuse sometime later today.