I just picked up this car, a 2004 Audi A4 Avant USP with 1.8T and tiptronic. Demo ride went well, really didn't notice anything except the big grin on my face with it's handling characteristics. Lately (I've owned it for a week) I have notice a very disconcerting event. I have no set characteristics that I have been able to identify prior to it happening, but nevertheless...it happens. Also, I have owned multiple turbocharged cars so I know what turbo lag is and this isn't it.

Upon trying to accelerate from a stop (could have been a short one or one waiting for a traffic light to change), I step on the accelerator and the car barely moves...the engine revs barely start to climb and can take a couple of seconds before it reachs 2000 rpm wherein it then starts to behave properly. I am a bit leery of pulling out on a street in that you don't know when it will operate properly or when it seems to ignore gas pedal input. I have even tried flooring it and it makes no difference, it simply takes 1-2 seconds before it really starts to move at all and then when the turbo cuts in it's "hold on nelly" as it starts taking off.

Has anyone else experienced this phenomenom? Any ideas on what it could be? Is this a drive by wire car?

Would appreciate any experiences you may have had or if you know of this problem in other cars. Other than this anomaly and pretty poor gas mileage, it's a great car, but I would like it to function properly...to me it's a safety issue.

Thanks in advance for all that you can contribute.

Paul
Newbury Park, CA

 

Could be the accelerator position sensor at the gas pedal.

You should check for codes and post them back here.