Fuel rail issue

[Bris14]

I'm just wondering if there are other A3 owners that have had issues with the fuel rail/fuel rail bolts?

My car is currently with Audi as the fuel rail bolts have backed out of the fuel rail and damaged the seals. The day it happen I had only driven roughly 2 miles. 1 mile to shops, 1 mile home. It was the mile home were the cabin filled with the smell of fuel and, drained all my fuel and the engine cut out requiring the car to be towed home. Audi mechanics are claiming it's a wear and tear issue. 

I did some research as I wanted to understand the issue before paying the bill, I found people having the same issue but with different brands, Skoda, Volkswagen, Seat (all of which are owned by Volkswagen). It seems to be vehicles built between 2015-2018 with 1.2/1.4 engines. Audi has also had recalls in Europe for fuel rail bolt issues but for A4/A5/A6. 

I have spoke to Audi UK as I wanted more information as to how often this occurs, to highlight the issue as it could be a fire risk and to ask why other models had recalls but not the A3. The overall outcome was they can only trust the mechanics who looked at the car because a recall isn't currently in place for the A3.

Any information would be greatly appreciated as I'm just trying to understand the issue.

 

[Steve Q]

Can't say I've heard of other cases, however this cannot be a wear and tear issue when the components shouldn't break away like that. It's definitely a fire risk. 

[David Q]

Exactly the same happened to me this week on my 66 plate 1.4 A3. Bolts sheared on the fuel rail and fuel started leaking out and engine wouldn’t start( also at the supermarket!). As I’m out of warranty I took it to an independent mechanic I know who couldn’t work out how this had happened. Worth letting Audi know? 

[Steve Q]

Definitely worth letting Audi know. The more that report the issue the more likely they'll make a recall. 

[Bris14]

On 9/15/2022 at 3:29 PM, David Q said:

Exactly the same happened to me this week on my 66 plate 1.4 A3. Bolts sheared on the fuel rail and fuel started leaking out and engine wouldn’t start( also at the supermarket!). As I’m out of warranty I took it to an independent mechanic I know who couldn’t work out how this had happened. Worth letting Audi know? 

Yeah I'd say it's worth getting in touch with Audi UK customer services and/or your local dealership to report it. It helps to narrow down if there is a batch of cars out there with an issue. 

I'm still chasing Audi for information, I'm interested to see if the A3 uses the same set up as the A4/A5/A6.

[Sophxo]

Hi exact same happened to me this month with my 66 plate Audi A3 and the bolt had snapped off fuel rail and caused a fuel leak. 

[Magnet]

Thanks Sophie, 

Did you question it with the dealer, and raise a complaint? 
 

Incidentally Sophie - would you be kind enough to correctly fill in your location. 
 

I wonder if Alex ( the original poster) could give us an update on whether he got any further with this. 
Kind regards to you both.

Gareth. 

[Bris14]

Hi,

Definitely report it to your local dealer and Audi UK customer services. The more reports, the more likely they are to help customers out! Unfortunately at the time for me, Audi stood firm and denied it was a build problem/faulty part. The best admission I got was from the lead mechanic for my local Audi dealership, he said that this issue shouldn't occur especially at the mileage my car had done (40k). The dealership said there was no recall out for the vehicle so it's the customers problem, Audi UK said the same thing. I do believe this is the start of a bigger problem that Volkswagen will have so I got Audi to repair it and will push for a refund if it becomes a recall in the future. I got Audi to send details of the parts used and how it's repaired, touque tension used etc just as evidence in the future. 

I have spoken about this to a few people and someone mentioned about the change of fuel type (E10) potentially adding pressure to the fuel rail. I haven't looked into this though so just a thought. Is there anyone that has knowledge on this? 

Alex

[Sophxo]

Hi unfortunately I didn’t as I wasn’t sure if this was a common thing. I’ve only had the car for less than 3 years and it’s at 36k miles. Was surprised how it could happen but didn’t get much information on it and my local Audi just fixed the problem as my car engine was struggling to turn on and the strong smell of fuel. I have updated my location now. I’m actually quite hopeless when it comes to cars and after googling it lead me to this page which I’m glad as this could be a bigger issue Thanks. 

[Bris14]

19 minutes ago, Sophxo said:

Hi unfortunately I didn’t as I wasn’t sure if this was a common thing. I’ve only had the car for less than 3 years and it’s at 36k miles. Was surprised how it could happen but didn’t get much information on it and my local Audi just fixed the problem as my car engine was struggling to turn on and the strong smell of fuel. I have updated my location now. I’m actually quite hopeless when it comes to cars and after googling it lead me to this page which I’m glad as this could be a bigger issue Thanks. 

I'd definitely still call Audi UK customer service and let them know. They can view the batch of cars your car was build alongside. My car was built late 2016, I'd be interested to know if your car was in the same batch as mine! 

Audi know there is a fuel rail issue within the brand and have been forced to recall certain models, that was due to a certain amount being reported. They are simply ignoring other models until enough reports are made or as horrible as it sounds, a car goes up in flames.

Alex

[Sophxo]

Called Audi Customer services today they just said car hasn’t had anything at all logged prior like this. Not much help. Called local dealer to ask what cause was to be told it’s a very uncommon thing and not my fault at all. A vibration in the engine causing the bolt to come loose into the pressure seal of the fuel line? But apparently shouldn’t happen again. Not sure what to think now to be honest.

[Magnet]

Many thanks Sophie,

Of course, it’s not my business, or car, or wallet, but it’s an individual choice whether anyone pursues an issue or not. Some are prepared to just pay up and move on, or perhaps try and get a dismissive response from Audi and their dealers, and accept it. Others justifiably keep at it until they get some sort of recognition of an issue. It’s just a mix of what is an isn’t acceptable. 
If you are unsure what to do next Sophie, then it sounds as if you have had an initial try, and now feel you just accept what you are told - and that’s absolutely fine if the issue ends there without further hassle.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Bris14]

Yeah I got the same response originally (nothing been logged previously, supposedly). One of the reasons why I questioned them in the first place was because I saw others having the same issue, 1 in particular where he called out Audi on Twitter and Audi UK customer services responded to him publicly (I also commented on that thread). I get a sense that there is poor communication internally within Audi, both dealership and Audi UK. I actually spoke to Audi UK again yesterday for an update on the issue and they said a manager would get back to me. 

Like Gareth says, it's up to the individual whether to pursue or not. Even though I don't own the car anymore, I'm still happy to chase them, I will let you know if I have any breakthrough with the issue.

Alex 

[Mamf]

I have had exactly the same thing happen to me with my March 2017 A3. It is at the local dealers at the moment and I will be taking it further with Audi uk. It is completely unacceptable that this would happen with a car of this age. I have done around 50k miles.   It is a fire risk so hopefully they won’t wait for someone to be injured before looking into this. 

I will be looking into this further to see if I can find further evidence of others having the same issue so if anyone has any information that would be helpful. I will be asking for a full report of the issue and the work completed to fix it. Will update as things progress.  Thanks! 

[Bris14]

On 12/25/2022 at 7:22 AM, Mamf said:

I have had exactly the same thing happen to me with my March 2017 A3. It is at the local dealers at the moment and I will be taking it further with Audi uk. It is completely unacceptable that this would happen with a car of this age. I have done around 50k miles.   It is a fire risk so hopefully they won’t wait for someone to be injured before looking into this. 

I will be looking into this further to see if I can find further evidence of others having the same issue so if anyone has any information that would be helpful. I will be asking for a full report of the issue and the work completed to fix it. Will update as things progress.  Thanks! 

Hi,

Just wondering how you are getting on with talking to Audi regarding this issue? 

Thanks 

[Mamf]

On 1/9/2023 at 8:47 AM, Bris14 said:

Hi,

Just wondering how you are getting on with talking to Audi regarding this issue? 

Thanks 

Hi @Bris14,

Unfortunately, it is not going well. The issue was that the fuel rail bolts had come loose causing the petrol to leak. It is out of warranty so of course I have had to pay for it but I have raised a complaint with Audi and the dealership who dealt with it (although I didn’t purchase it from them) as I have to follow this process. 

If I do not hear back by the middle of next week I will be taking the issue to the motoring ombudsman because I just don’t think it’s right. It’s not normal wear and tear and is dangerous. 

I did find out that if you purchase a vehicle from a company and there are issues you may be able to make a claim under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 as there is an implied contract that an item is as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality. This applies for up to 6 years after the purchase date in England. This is worth looking at for anyone who had issues to see if it applies. If you bought the car second hand or via a private sale this may not apply.  

I will come back and update as things progress - it may be slow!

Thanks

[Steve Q]

20 minutes ago, Mamf said:

Hi @Bris14,

Unfortunately, it is not going well. The issue was that the fuel rail bolts had come loose causing the petrol to leak. It is out of warranty so of course I have had to pay for it but I have raised a complaint with Audi and the dealership who dealt with it (although I didn’t purchase it from them) as I have to follow this process. 

If I do not hear back by the middle of next week I will be taking the issue to the motoring ombudsman because I just don’t think it’s right. It’s not normal wear and tear and is dangerous. 

I did find out that if you purchase a vehicle from a company and there are issues you may be able to make a claim under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 as there is an implied contract that an item is as described, fit for purpose and of satisfactory quality. This applies for up to 6 years after the purchase date in England. This is worth looking at for anyone who had issues to see if it applies. If you bought the car second hand or via a private sale this may not apply.  

I will come back and update as things progress - it may be slow!

Thanks

Please keep us posted on how you get on 🙂

[Fatbloke]

Shocking that they said its a wear and tear item especially when it involves fuel. If it was wear and tear, it should be in the service schedule.

They will know about this and deny its an issue. They did the same with my electronic handbrake issues for 2 and a half years until it was out of warranty.

Sounds like usual fob off from Audi. Very disappointing. 

 

 

[Steve Q]

14 hours ago, Fatbloke said:

Shocking that they said its a wear and tear item especially when it involves fuel. If it was wear and tear, it should be in the service schedule.

They will know about this and deny its an issue. They did the same with my electronic handbrake issues for 2 and a half years until it was out of warranty.

Sounds like usual fob off from Audi. Very disappointing. 

 

 

Yep, but unfortunately all manufacturers seem to find off these days. I've experienced it with VW, Audi, ford and vauxhall. 

[Mamf]

On 2/21/2023 at 2:20 AM, Fatbloke said:

Shocking that they said its a wear and tear item especially when it involves fuel. If it was wear and tear, it should be in the service schedule.

They will know about this and deny its an issue. They did the same with my electronic handbrake issues for 2 and a half years until it was out of warranty.

Sounds like usual fob off from Audi. Very disappointing. 

 

 

To be fair to them (reluctantly) they didn't use the words wear and tear I did but I agree that it should be in the service schedule if it were 

[Mamf]

Hi Everyone,

Wanted to give an update following contact from Audi this week.

They of course won't accept liability for it "because we are not aware of it being a wider issue with this model or age of vehicle". I am unsure if this is a fob off or if they are being sincere and people are not reporting it. I would encourage everyone experiencing this issue to report it to Audi. The more people that do, the more chance there will be of them doing something about it. 

They wanted the dealer to offer me something which I really didn't agree with given the issue is likely to be with the manufacturing process. In the end they did offer me a payment of half of the value of the repair as "a gesture of good will" which I accepted. I couldn't push further with the Consumer Rights Act that I mentioned previously because I inherited the vehicle from my father when he passed so the implied contract does not apply to me. Had I purchased the vehicle myself I would have proceeded with them legally under this legislation. 

The service received and lack of ownership from Audi UK is disappointing. The dealership took a month to repair the car due to lack of stock (Audi UK accepted this was their issue hence the payment). It took approximately 6 weeks to get any sort of acknowledgement from Audi UK after raising my official complaint and when they did acknowledge it they said they would close my call if I didn't respond to their email in 24 hrs, not impressed to say the least!

It's such a shame and I am so disappointed. I really like Audi's but this experience has put me off buying one again. I will not recommend them and will warn people about this going forward. I accept that issues arise, it's how companies respond which is important to me. This is a serious and potentially dangerous issue which, in my opinion, they have handled poorly and done nothing to allay my fears around.

Hopefully the above helps someone else!

[Steve Q]

Glad you got some sort of resolution. It's frustrating that Audi and other manufacturers like to deny issues and wash their hands of the engineering once it's out of warranty. 

[Moggsy]

HI All,

I am going through this at the moment as I have an Audi A3 2017 plate, with 45000 on the clock, On Sunday 28th March 2023 I noticed my EPC light come on and it struggles to start,

however Monday morning I noticed a pool of fuel underneath my car, so took it to an independent garage to find out today that it is the fuel rail leaking from one of the seal's 

costing me £888.00 to be fixed, and without a car until Friday. so if anybody has any tip's on what process I should go through with Audi please PM me. 

Any advise would be gratefully received.

Many Thanks

John

[Magnet]

Hello John,

Sorry to hear of your issue.

I’ve deleted your e-mail contact, since this is an open forum. Anyone can contact you by PM.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

[Bris14]

2 hours ago, Moggsy said:

HI All,

I am going through this at the moment as I have an Audi A3 2017 plate, with 45000 on the clock, On Sunday 28th March 2023 I noticed my EPC light come on and it struggles to start,

however Monday morning I noticed a pool of fuel underneath my car, so took it to an independent garage to find out today that it is the fuel rail leaking from one of the seal's 

costing me £888.00 to be fixed, and without a car until Friday. so if anybody has any tip's on what process I should go through with Audi please PM me. 

Any advise would be gratefully received.

Many Thanks

John

Hi John,

From my own experience regarding this exact issue, Audi just deny any issue exists and claim it's the first they have heard of it (even though there is evidence here that people have reported it). 

I personally think a group complaint to Audi is the way forward. It's clear from this thread alone that there is a batch of cars made late 2016-2017 that has this issue. I'm sure there are plenty of others out there that haven't seen this thread but had the issue and Audi no doubt suppressing the issue. The closest I ever got to an admission from Audi was the lead mechanic from my local Audi dealership agreeing that this issue shouldn't occur at the age and mileage that it happened. But because it's not recognised as an issue (I was the first report of it happening supposedly), Audi said no to "good will". 

Alex