Cold Weather = weird clutch?

TallPaul

TallPaul

Member
Hello all,

Has anybody else had this problem with their A2?

This has only happened with cold weather we've been having, and i've only had the car since summer, so i've not experienced it before...

the clutch has been acting very odd, the bite point has moved and it feels extremely light, alot lighter than usual, its like when you get into another car and have to adjust to how the car drives. I'd put this down to the cold weather, but this evening, i went to pull away from a roundabout, and got wheelspin on the nearside wheel, and the asr did not come on! there is no waring lights, and the car is fine otherwise, but it feels really horrid to drive!

the clutch i can put down to the cold weather thinning out the hydraulic fluid in the clucth master cylinder (if my car has one!) but what about the asr?

my car is a drive-by-wire one, made in feb 2003, does anyone know if the clutch/asr/esp systems are worked by hydraulics like a normal car?

can anyone help, as taking it into Audi (its under warranty 'til feb) is a hassle trying to fit it around work!

Cheers
TP
 
Well If you both have problems with the ESP and the clutch maybe there is something wrong with your Brake Fluid??
-Since the brakefluid is the only thing the clutch and brakes (asr) has in common. Try to change brakefluid! (Very important on EVERY car,- since GLYCOL ETER likes water and therefore you easily get water in the system and rust as a result.)

I have used my a2 in -30 degrees Celsius in Sweden and the cars are NOT sensitive with cold, that would be very inappropiate since Audi has a big Demo Center in ÅRE in sweden..

I don´t think you have a "drive by wire" car,- the drive by wire don´t have a steering axel to the steering wheel.
Read on the homepage
www.skf.com/
There you have the first drive by wire car (by Saab and SKF)

The ESP works with the Brake hydralic module and it communicates with the angle sensor in the "FIS" and the wheels, it brakes the wheel if it turns out something wrong.

The asr kills the engine power if you got a spin on the wheels.
Works totally electronic and not hydralic.

So i think it´s time for you to visit the workshop!

/Rickard


TallPaul said:
Hello all,

Has anybody else had this problem with their A2?

This has only happened with cold weather we've been having, and i've only had the car since summer, so i've not experienced it before...

the clutch has been acting very odd, the bite point has moved and it feels extremely light, alot lighter than usual, its like when you get into another car and have to adjust to how the car drives. I'd put this down to the cold weather, but this evening, i went to pull away from a roundabout, and got wheelspin on the nearside wheel, and the asr did not come on! there is no waring lights, and the car is fine otherwise, but it feels really horrid to drive!

the clutch i can put down to the cold weather thinning out the hydraulic fluid in the clucth master cylinder (if my car has one!) but what about the asr?

my car is a drive-by-wire one, made in feb 2003, does anyone know if the clutch/asr/esp systems are worked by hydraulics like a normal car?

can anyone help, as taking it into Audi (its under warranty 'til feb) is a hassle trying to fit it around work!

Cheers
TP
Click to expand...
 
thanks, I've just checked the brake fluid, its looks fine, and is not low. when I said "drive-by-wire" i meant the later A2's have an electronic throttle (rather than hydraulic or cable) but wasn't sure if the clutch/brakes operated the same the same way!

The brake was changed in september 2004 so that should be fine too, maybe a trip to the dealer is in order...:(
 
ULP said:
By 'drive by wire', what Tallpaul means is there is no throttle cable; it's all done electronically, not that the steering etc. is electronic.

As for the problem, I would imagine the clutch bite could change with the weather. I remember my old Punto JTD some day's would feel sweet, and then others would feel just uncohesive (no jokes about Fiats, please). I don't think this is connected to the ASR. Do you remember if the ASR light flashed as you wheel-span away?

Sometimes traction control systems can get foxed; even with only 44bhp and traction control I have spun the smarts wheels before!

I would go out for a spin and try and replicate the driving as best as possible.
Click to expand...

Yeah, i put the clutch problem down to the cold weather, as hydraulic fluids are thick when its cold and thinner when they are hot, and if the clutch fluid is thicker the clutch would feel different.

the asr light didn't light when I tried to pull away...I'll just go for a spin and see what happens...;)
 
Ok, asr/esp sytem is fine, it lit up trying to pull away and giving it some throttle while turing sharply, no wheelspin, and i think i was right about the clutch, once it had warmed up the clutch feels more normal, and heavier than when cold!

Panic over...:D
 
If you call the electronic throttle module for "drive by wire" you should change the term quite soon. In car language drive by wire is what i referred to a steering wheel without axle, Volvo had that electronic throttle module since 98 on their Volvo S70 V70 and so on..
The CAN bus came 99..

I wrote wrong before, i meant the ESP and the Clutch have to do with eachother since it´s the same fluid to the clutch as to the breaks.

Rickard

ULP said:
By 'drive by wire', what Tallpaul means is there is no throttle cable; it's all done electronically, not that the steering etc. is electronic.

As for the problem, I would imagine the clutch bite could change with the weather. I remember my old Punto JTD some day's would feel sweet, and then others would feel just uncohesive (no jokes about Fiats, please). I don't think this is connected to the ASR. Do you remember if the ASR light flashed as you wheel-span away?

Sometimes traction control systems can get foxed; even with only 44bhp and traction control I have spun the smarts wheels before!

I would go out for a spin and try and replicate the driving as best as possible.
Click to expand...
 
TallPaul said:
thanks, I've just checked the brake fluid, its looks fine, and is not low. when I said "drive-by-wire" i meant the later A2's have an electronic throttle (rather than hydraulic or cable) but wasn't sure if the clutch/brakes operated the same the same way!

The brake was changed in september 2004 so that should be fine too, maybe a trip to the dealer is in order...:(
Click to expand...


You CAN´t see with your eyes if it looks OK, you have to measure the rate of water in it.
Or change, since it´s much more easier...

You can have a breakfluid for 10years and it still looks ok;) (in the "tank") not when compare to the new one...

Good Luck.
 
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