This has been happening for a few months now, and I finally got it to the dealership to look at it, but they don't seem to know what it is and seem to be guessing and wanting to throw money at it to try and fix it.

I'll start my car, go to drive away, whether in Reverse or 1st, get about 5 feet and BAM everything shuts off. Not a sputter and die, just off. Fire it up, try again, few feet, off. Lather rinse, repeat. EXTREMELY frustrating as I couldn't figure out a trick to make it start and stay going. And then after awhile it finally works, I can drive away, and I no longer have to deal with it. Once the car is moving and still on, from then on, no more stalls. I never got any CELs, checked the diagnostics codes, nothing in there. What gives?!

It's totally independent of the car being hot or cold, as sometimes it happens first thing in the morning, sometimes after a 2 minute run into Starbucks or whatever.

Now here's the silly part. I figured out a way to stop the stall, start, stall, start, stall, start, aggravation, cycle. Pull the key out of the ignition, flip it over, and put it back in. Works like a charm every single time.

So I'm wondering, is my key messed up? Is it the ignition? I only have 1 key so it's hard to test that.

I had the dealer look at it yesterday.. called today. "Well.. you don't have any codes.. and uhh.. well your IAC valve seems to be slow to respond.. and your throttle may be sticking some.. but we think that's cause your FI system is kinda dirty, so we recommend getting a full FI cleaning done for $200+."

Great. So they don't know. They didn't check out the ignition like I asked, and they want me to blow 200 bucks on a guess.

I have to let them know soon what to do... what say you guys? Anyone experienced this before? Please help!

Thanks!

 

Firstly the dealer hasn't a clue and he's trying to get you to spend $$$$$ on a worthless fix.

My guess is one of two problems:

The VATS system is playing up. Give the pellet on the key a good clean. it could be the pellet is dirty and the security system is kicking in. Any security ligth flashes when it does it? That may be a clue.

Your profile doesn't say if you have an MN6 or an A4.

The second problem could be worse. Do you have a CLB. If you have an MN6, if the dealer recall for the column lock has been done, you can get the fuel cutting off after 5 seconds because the car thinks the column is locked. That said, normally that's associated with a "pull key wait 10 secs" caption. Hopfully its not this

Even so, if you don't have a CLB fitted, get one yesterday.

 

It's an MN6, and I already have a CLB put on there..

I'm gonna tell them to hold off on that.. sucks cause they're gonna charge me 95 for the "diagnostics" of this ****.

 

i agree with DeeGee completely. the VATS is doing exactly what its supposed to(in the event of a problem). its possible and common that the lock cylinder is going/gone bad. it internally senses the resistor in the key. its possible the 26g or whatever extremely small wires to that system could be broken at the cylinder.

hope it helps...