Audi A2 Starting Issues Linked to Terminal 30 Power

I had a very similar issue with my 2004 Audi A3 about a year ago. Having some experience with electrical issues, I initially thought it was just a weak battery, but it turned out to be more complex. The symptoms matched yours exactly, sluggish start, especially in the morning. After checking the obvious things like battery terminals and fuse box connections, I took it to a workshop. They ran a comprehensive diagnostic on the charging system and found that while the alternator was fine, there was a combination of issues: 1. The battery was heavily discharged and needed replacement 2. A short circuit was draining power when the car was parked 3. There was corrosion at the main terminal connection The full repair came to 290 Euro, including parts and labor. The workshop traced the parasitic drain using specialized equipment and found a faulty circuit breaker that was causing the issue. To help diagnose your specific case, could you provide: Battery age and last replacement date, Whether you notice any electrical accessories working while the car is off, If the problem is worse in specific weather conditions, Whether the battery warning light comes on while driving The ignition switch might also be worth checking, as these models sometimes have issues there. Let me know these details and I can share more specific insights from my experience.

Last service was completed at 154350 KM and included a full electrical system check. After ruling out obvious culprits like battery age and loose connections, our workshop conducted voltage drop testing across the entire starting circuit. The results showed excessive resistance between the starter motor and the power supply. A detailed inspection revealed corroded wiring near Terminal 30, causing intermittent voltage issues during cranking. The fuse box connections were clean, but the hidden corrosion was affecting power delivery to the starter motor. The permanent fix required replacing the affected wiring harness section and installing new terminal connectors. Total cost was 180 Euro for parts and labor. Since the repair, starting has been consistently strong with no more sluggish behavior. This matches other cases where Terminal 30 issues were traced to wiring problems rather than component failures in the charging system or ignition switch.

Thanks for the detailed follow-up about your Terminal 30 fix. That matches exactly what I experienced with my A3, those hidden corrosion spots can be tricky to spot without proper voltage drop testing. After my initial repairs, I actually discovered another issue where the wiring harness had subtle damage near the starter motor connection point. The voltage drop testing proved crucial in identifying this, as the short circuit was intermittent and wouldnt show up in basic diagnostics. The 180 Euro repair cost sounds reasonable. My follow-up repair for the wiring harness was similar, around 160 Euro. The workshop mentioned these models often develop corrosion in that specific area due to water exposure over time. A tip from my experience: after fixing the main issue, its worth doing regular checks of the voltage drop across the circuit breaker and starter motor connections. This helps catch any developing issues before they cause problems. Since my complete repair, starting has been consistently strong for over 8 months now.

Thanks for sharing those details about your experience. After reviewing my symptoms and your repair process, Im confident the Terminal 30 connection is the root cause of my starting issues. The voltage drop testing results from my workshop match what you described, showing high resistance between the starter motor and power supply. They found significant corrosion in the wiring harness near Terminal 30, which explains the inconsistent power delivery during cranking. Im scheduling the repair next week to replace the affected section of the wiring harness and install new terminal connectors. The quoted cost of 190 Euro seems fair based on your experience. The workshop will also inspect the circuit breaker and surrounding connections while theyre in there. Really appreciate your tip about regular voltage drop testing. Ill make sure to add that to my maintenance schedule to catch any future issues early. Its good to know that after your repair, the starting problems were completely resolved. Looking forward to having the same reliable starting once this is fixed. Thanks again for confirming my diagnosis and sharing your experience with such a similar issue.