While traveling back from NC to PA the following failure occurred. Though it is not confirmed as an HPFP failure by the dealership yet, all directions point to such a failure.
TLDR; Glow plug & alternative light flashing while driving. Car loses power and will not restart. Dealership claims contaminated fuel. Confirms dielsel, but with "brown goop" in fuel filter. Recommends opening claim with insurance company. Hopes draining & cleaning brown goop is all that is needed to fix.
Car: 2010 Audi A3 TDI
Mileage: 50200
Trans: DSG
Additives: No
Purchased: March 2010
2011-10-17
15:15 - While cruising at 70, car loses power at mile marker 80 on I-81N. Gas pedal provides no power. Glow plug and alternator lights blink and car coasts to stop. Retrying engine start is unsuccessful.
Checked fuses and and brake light operation based on glow plug warning light flashing.
15:27 Reached out to Audi card and coordinated tow to Duncan Audi in Roanoke, VA.
16:57 Tow arrives and takes car to Audi in Roanoke. We arrive around 18:00 when the dealership's service dept is closed. My fiance and I spend the night in at a hotel waiting for analysis the next day.
2010-10-18
7:56 Reached out to dealership and told main mechanic is not in until the 19th. Other techs will attempt to look at vehicle around noon.
11:30 Got a rental and drove back to ~350mi to PA.
16:00 Reached out to dealer and told no techs had a chance to look at vehicle.
2010-10-19
14:00 Missed 2x calls with service manager at ~11:30 & ~13:50. Finally got a hold of service mgr and told that fuel is contaminated with "brown goop" in fuel filter. States he contacted Audi and looks toward contaminated fuel from prior fill up and recommends opening insurance claim with insurance co. Awaiting further analysis. I ask for pictures of the brown goop to document filing a claim against the gas station that provided the contaminated fuel.
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To this point, I'm pretty sure that this is a hpfp failure and I'd imagine that the "brown goop" is rust.
I did change the fuel filter at 45k and noticed some metal shavings in the fuel canister.
Since 2010/Jan, PA has mandated that all fuel is at least B2, so I have always filled up with B2 Biodiesel in PA. There's probably about ~15 fillups that were done outside of PA (NJ, VA, NC, OH, IL, MI).
I imagine that having 2% biodiesel has made a big difference in my failure. Most people's failures have shown up between 8k,15k,25k, but I've gone 50k+, then finally had a failure.
PA will be requires B5 as biodiesel production ramps up...
TLDR; Glow plug & alternative light flashing while driving. Car loses power and will not restart. Dealership claims contaminated fuel. Confirms dielsel, but with "brown goop" in fuel filter. Recommends opening claim with insurance company. Hopes draining & cleaning brown goop is all that is needed to fix.
Car: 2010 Audi A3 TDI
Mileage: 50200
Trans: DSG
Additives: No
Purchased: March 2010
2011-10-17
15:15 - While cruising at 70, car loses power at mile marker 80 on I-81N. Gas pedal provides no power. Glow plug and alternator lights blink and car coasts to stop. Retrying engine start is unsuccessful.
Checked fuses and and brake light operation based on glow plug warning light flashing.
15:27 Reached out to Audi card and coordinated tow to Duncan Audi in Roanoke, VA.
16:57 Tow arrives and takes car to Audi in Roanoke. We arrive around 18:00 when the dealership's service dept is closed. My fiance and I spend the night in at a hotel waiting for analysis the next day.
2010-10-18
7:56 Reached out to dealership and told main mechanic is not in until the 19th. Other techs will attempt to look at vehicle around noon.
11:30 Got a rental and drove back to ~350mi to PA.
16:00 Reached out to dealer and told no techs had a chance to look at vehicle.
2010-10-19
14:00 Missed 2x calls with service manager at ~11:30 & ~13:50. Finally got a hold of service mgr and told that fuel is contaminated with "brown goop" in fuel filter. States he contacted Audi and looks toward contaminated fuel from prior fill up and recommends opening insurance claim with insurance co. Awaiting further analysis. I ask for pictures of the brown goop to document filing a claim against the gas station that provided the contaminated fuel.
=================
To this point, I'm pretty sure that this is a hpfp failure and I'd imagine that the "brown goop" is rust.
I did change the fuel filter at 45k and noticed some metal shavings in the fuel canister.
Since 2010/Jan, PA has mandated that all fuel is at least B2, so I have always filled up with B2 Biodiesel in PA. There's probably about ~15 fillups that were done outside of PA (NJ, VA, NC, OH, IL, MI).
I imagine that having 2% biodiesel has made a big difference in my failure. Most people's failures have shown up between 8k,15k,25k, but I've gone 50k+, then finally had a failure.
PA will be requires B5 as biodiesel production ramps up...