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FelixWagnerFan

Black smoke and increased fuel consumption in the Audi A3: Possible problems with the lambda sensor heater?

Hey guys, I'm having a lot of trouble with my 2010 Audi A3 gasoline engine (mileage 112,345 km). It has recently started showing the following symptoms: When accelerating, black smoke comes out of the exhaust, the check engine light is on, the engine runs rough, doesn't pull away properly, jerks during acceleration and fuel consumption has shot up. I suspect that it has something to do with the lambda sensor heater. Have any of you ever had something similar? How was your experience with the repair at the garage? The last time wasn't a blast, so I'd really appreciate any tips. Thanks in advance!

(Translated from German)

4 comment(s)

SebBeckRider

Hey buddy, my 2013 Audi A4 had very similar symptoms some time ago. My engine control unit was defective. This could be determined quite quickly in the workshop and it had to be replaced. Yes, it was a serious problem because it directly affects the engine's behavior. This can lead to misfiring, poor engine performance and even engine failure. But don't worry, as soon as the problem was fixed, everything ran like clockwork again! Nevertheless, check whether it really is the engine control unit, as there could be other causes.

(Translated from German)

FelixWagnerFan (Author)

Hey, thanks for your feedback and the tip about the engine control unit! That's a good place to start. Do you remember how much you had to pay for the repair? Has anything else come up since then or has your Audi been running smoothly since then?

(Translated from German)

SebBeckRider

Hey, no problem, glad to help! I paid a whopping €1000 to fix the engine control unit fault. I was probably lucky it wasn't more than that. And on the subject of the lambda sensor heater, as you suspected: that was actually defective in my car too. But since the mechanic came, the fault has been rectified. Since then, the car has been running perfectly again without any problems. So keep your chin up and don't hesitate to have it checked. With a bit of luck, your Audi will soon be better again!

(Translated from German)

FelixWagnerFan (Author)

Wow, thanks for the information. So it looks like my first suspicion about the lambda sensor heater wasn't that far-fetched and I'll definitely keep an eye on the engine control unit. I'm glad to hear that your car is running smoothly again and hope that it will work as well for me. In any case, thank you for the good advice and I'll be on my way to the garage tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that it's nothing serious. Thank you and have a good evening!

(Translated from German)

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