After addressing the biggest issues on my 2002 Audi TT (MK1) that were just too difficult to ignore, I started knocking out some of the easy maintenance items on the car. Probably the easiest one to check off the list is the engine air filter, which typically takes only five minutes or so to do. Audi generally recommends the engine air filter to be replaced every 20k miles.

Replacing the cabin air filter on any vehicle is usually pretty easy to do. The location where you replace the cabin filter tends to either be behind the glove box, or near the firewall in the engine bay. The MKI Audi TT’s cabin air filter is located in the engine bay on the passenger’s side. There is a small flap that needs to be opened in order to access the cabin air filter for replacement. It is typically recommended to replace the cabin air filter approximately every 10k miles.

As I work through the issues on my new-to-me 2002 Audi TT, I discover more and more things that need to be fixed. While I was fixing the secondary air pump in the engine bay, I happened to come across a set of hoses in front of the engine that were broken. These hoses are part of the N249 system, which is related to emissions. Because of the age of the vehicle and the exposure to heat from the engine, the piping on the N249 system tends to break, which can cause a vacuum leak in the emissions system.

My Audi TT sounds like a jet engine taking off every time I start my car, and I also have a P1432 trouble code. Replacing the secondary air pump fixed both of these issues, but it is a difficult job to do due to the limited access to the air pump’s mounting bolts.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen posts on forums and Audi Facebook Groups with people asking what any particular symbol on their instrument cluster screen is. Although it’s incredibly entertaining to read people’s hilarious interpretations of these symbols are, I wanted to just post this up so that it is easily referenced whenever anyone needs it.

I ran across a Facebook Marketplace ad for a 2002 Audi TT that was initially advertised as the 220hp variant of the 1.8T. However, the seller made a mistake… turns out it was the 180hp variant with a 5-speed manual transmission. I went to check it out anyway because I have always been fond of these cool little cars.

This short cable that is broken off in the photo below is a battery ground cable. This cable should be connected between the negative terminal of the car battery and the body of the vehicle. Over time, if the battery is not securely tied down, the wire strands of the battery ground cable can fatigue and break due to constant movement. Rust and corrosion will accelerate this process. This can potentially be a safety issue and you might see some voltage issues as well.

This front side marker light bulb went out on this 2002 Toyota 4Runner the bulb needed to be replaced. The replacement is a simple change-out of the bulb, but there are a few things to keep in mind when changing out the bulb that will make the replacement easier and prevent any damage to the nearby body panels. The front side marker light uses a 2825 Bulb that can be found at auto parts stores or online.

High mileage 3rd generation Toyota 4Runners are notorious for having excessive throttle play. This is a result of excessive slack in the throttle cable, which directly affects throttle response. Doing a bit of easy maintenance here can produce some quick results and easily revive your 3rd gen 4Runner!