so i recently was able to fix my rough idle problem and hessitation to take off from the red light or stop and getting smoked by public transportation buses... super frustrating!

long story short took the car everywhere and nothing (dealer as well)
so took me a bit & a few grand but got it back and running again
turns out it was the ICM and Coil Packs

just did a trany flush 3 days ago on my own and shifts are smooth

looking to get a new MAF but is the conversion to the VR6 one worth it (reliablilty wise?) or just stick with a new bosch
lastly and more importantly why im making this thread... so with all the codes having been cleared and the CEL off and nothing incomplete on my simple alctron scanner. when i engauge the key foward but not all the way to start it the dashboard right where it displays your milage..it says something like "service required or service inspection" and it beeps 3 times..what does that mean?? like beside the obivious that its in need of some sort of inspection but what? since the engine oil is fresh, new sensors all over the place from o2 to icm to new cat new sparks, new trany fluid, new coolant and other stuff.

 

the only thing i can guess is that my abs light is on and brake light next to it blinks when the emergency break is down but when i engage the e-break the brake light just stays solid red on the dash

 

The brake light should go on when the e-brake is being engaged so you're fine there.

Which 1999 do you have? The facelift or pre-facelift. From what you said, I'm guessing yours is the pre-facelift.

On my facelift B5, every certain miles, the "service required" light would come on in the center LCD screen. It's just a basic reminder that the car has met its service interval (I believe every 30,000 miles). You can always reset this so it won't go on every time you start the car.

A4 1998-1999
Press and hold button on right side of instrument panel. Turn ignition to the "ON" position. "OIL" or "SERVICE OIL" will appear in display.
Release button. Pull out button on left side of instrument panel until "---" or "SERVICE ---" appears in display. Turn ignition off.

A4 2000-2001
With ignition off, press and hold button on right side of instrument panel. Turn ignition to the "ON" position. Release button. "SERVICE!" or
"SERVICE IN xxxx MI" will appear in display. Turn button on left side of instrument panel to the left until display clears. Turn ignition off.

 

^^^ Krip is correct, it's just a mileage-based indicator that some service or other is due since X number of miles have passed since it was last reset. If your servicing is up to date, reset and forget it. You're fine.

 

I wasnt aware the cluster would beep 3-times for the service reminder, it def doesnt on my car. You should do the above procedure to reset the light and see if you still have the 3-beeps. If its still beeping, see which light you are not seeing during the bulb test at startup.

 

I also thought it would beep if the abs module was shot?

 

B5's will beep for any number of reasons, it's the number of beeps and the light(s) you see in conjunction with them that determine the problem. For example, three beeps and a red oil light = low oil pressure, but one beep and a yellow oil light = low oil level. This game gets more fun when the center LCD screen starts to die and you only have half a dozen or so pixels to decide what the light is supposed to be lol

 

Did y'all miss this (except bmoore98a4)? ABS module is in need of repair... This is why he's getting the 3 beeps.

 

wooo

 

Didn't miss it, I was just pointing out that the beeps, by themselves, mean nothing. The point of their existence is to get your attention so you look at whatever light is accompanying them at the time.