100% Free

No Scanner Needed

Carly logo

Carly Community

sophiahimmel22

Audi A3 Power Loss: Scan Tool Diagnosis Needed

My A3 2.0T from 2011 is running with reduced power and the check engine light is on. I dont trust my current mechanic and want to get some advice before taking it in again. The car has 80000km on it. Has anyone faced similar problems and can recommend how to proceed? I suspect its throwing a fault code but dont have access to a scan tool at the moment.

4 comment(s)

kurt_schubert72

Last month I dealt with similar symptoms on my A4 2.0 TFSI from 2013. The dashboard light came on with reduced power mode after a third-party chip tuning service. The car computer was showing multiple fault codes related to boost pressure and engine management. A proper car diagnostic revealed the tune had pushed the engine beyond safe parameters, causing the ECU to enter limp mode as a protection measure. The fix required removing the aftermarket tune, resetting the ECU to factory settings, and running multiple diagnostic cycles to clear persistent fault codes. It was a serious issue since improper tuning can damage turbo components and affect engine longevity. The auto scanner showed several critical warnings that needed immediate attention. Your symptoms match what I experienced. Would recommend having a certified technician perform a full diagnostic scan before proceeding with any repairs. The fault codes will point to whether its tune-related or a separate mechanical issue causing the power reduction. Important to use proper diagnostic equipment, basic code readers might miss important data from the engine management system. The check engine light in these engines often indicates boost-related issues that need professional assessment.

kurt_schubert72

Last month I dealt with similar symptoms on my A4 2.0 TFSI from 2013. The dashboard light came on with reduced power mode after a third-party chip tuning service. The car computer was showing multiple fault codes related to boost pressure and engine management. A proper car diagnostic revealed the tune had pushed the engine beyond safe parameters, causing the ECU to enter limp mode as a protection measure. The fix required removing the aftermarket tune, resetting the ECU to factory settings, and running multiple diagnostic cycles to clear persistent fault codes. It was a serious issue since improper tuning can damage turbo components and affect engine longevity. The auto scanner showed several critical warnings that needed immediate attention. Your symptoms match what I experienced. Would recommend having a certified technician perform a full diagnostic scan before proceeding with any repairs. The fault codes will point to whether its tune-related or a separate mechanical issue causing the power reduction. Important to use proper diagnostic equipment, basic code readers might miss important data from the engine management system. The check engine light in these engines often indicates boost-related issues that need professional assessment.

sophiahimmel22 (Author)

Thanks for sharing your experience. My issue turned out to be a failing turbo actuator causing boost leaks. The car diagnostic showed multiple fault codes and eventually the entire turbo needed replacement since the actuator had damaged other components. Looking back, I wish I had addressed the check engine light sooner rather than driving it in reduced power mode for a few weeks. The car computer was clearly trying to protect the engine from further damage. Did you track what the total repair cost was for your tune-related issues? Also curious if youve had any recurring dashboard light problems since getting it fixed?

sophiahimmel22 (Author)

Thanks for sharing your experience. My issue turned out to be a failing turbo actuator causing boost leaks. The car diagnostic showed multiple fault codes and eventually the entire turbo needed replacement since the actuator had damaged other components. Looking back, I wish I had addressed the check engine light sooner rather than driving it in reduced power mode for a few weeks. The car computer was clearly trying to protect the engine from further damage. Did you track what the total repair cost was for your tune-related issues? Also curious if youve had any recurring dashboard light problems since getting it fixed?

kurt_schubert72

Thanks for asking about the repair costs. After seeing the mechanic, getting a complete diagnostic scan showed the fault code was directly linked to the third-party chip tuning. The total bill came to 180 Euro to remove the problematic tune and restore factory settings. The good news is that since fixing the faulty tune, the car computer has been running perfectly with no dashboard light issues at all. The check engine light hasnt come back on, and the car performs just like it should. It was definitely worth getting it sorted quickly before any permanent damage occurred. Your turbo actuator issue sounds much more serious than what I dealt with. Good reminder that when the car computer triggers warning lights, its best to get them checked immediately rather than risk bigger problems developing.

kurt_schubert72

Thanks for asking about the repair costs. After seeing the mechanic, getting a complete diagnostic scan showed the fault code was directly linked to the third-party chip tuning. The total bill came to 180 Euro to remove the problematic tune and restore factory settings. The good news is that since fixing the faulty tune, the car computer has been running perfectly with no dashboard light issues at all. The check engine light hasnt come back on, and the car performs just like it should. It was definitely worth getting it sorted quickly before any permanent damage occurred. Your turbo actuator issue sounds much more serious than what I dealt with. Good reminder that when the car computer triggers warning lights, its best to get them checked immediately rather than risk bigger problems developing.

sophiahimmel22 (Author)

I finally took the car to a different mechanic who performed a thorough car diagnostic. The scan tool revealed multiple fault codes related to the turbo system. After a complete inspection, they found the turbo actuator had failed and caused significant damage to surrounding components. The total repair cost including parts and labor came to 2100 Euro for a complete turbo replacement. While expensive, the new turbo has completely resolved the power issues and the check engine light hasnt returned. The car runs better than it has in years. Looking back, ignoring the dashboard light warnings was a costly mistake. When the car computer detects problems and reduces power, its trying to prevent more extensive damage. Now I know to take warning signals seriously and get proper diagnostic work done immediately rather than continuing to drive with reduced functionality.

sophiahimmel22 (Author)

I finally took the car to a different mechanic who performed a thorough car diagnostic. The scan tool revealed multiple fault codes related to the turbo system. After a complete inspection, they found the turbo actuator had failed and caused significant damage to surrounding components. The total repair cost including parts and labor came to 2100 Euro for a complete turbo replacement. While expensive, the new turbo has completely resolved the power issues and the check engine light hasnt returned. The car runs better than it has in years. Looking back, ignoring the dashboard light warnings was a costly mistake. When the car computer detects problems and reduces power, its trying to prevent more extensive damage. Now I know to take warning signals seriously and get proper diagnostic work done immediately rather than continuing to drive with reduced functionality.

Join the discussion now: