Q5 67 Plate Engine Fail

[JohnBShef]

Hi everyone

my Q5 SLine 2 litre diesel 67 plate (2017) broke down after 50,000 miles.  I have been told it’s major engine failure by Audi. 
 

This isn’t normal, right? 

[Magnet]

Hello John,

Thanks for joining, and very sorry to hear of your plight. 
Could you let us know what happened immediately before and at the point of breakdown.

What does the Audi dealer say is actually wrong with the engine? 
Could you let us know the service history of the car, and when ( at what mileage) it was last serviced, and whether at a main dealer or not. 
Have you owned it from new, and if not, how long you have owned it? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[JohnBShef]

Hi Gareth

all serviced via Audi.

On extended warranty with Audi.

car just stop with horrible mechanical sound in the engine.

last i heard they seemed to think the timing belt had slipped causing massive damage.

Waiting for Audi to call back since last update but being very slow.

not what I expected from an Audi te be honest.

never had a problem and it’s my 2nd Q5

[JohnBShef]

Audi just called.

Valves are touching? New engine apparently!

[Magnet]

Thanks John, 

Is this engine running on a belt rather than a chain then? Pardon my ignorance, but I thought they ran on a chain. I could be wrong -? 
If (in caps) it is a belted engine then the rule of thumb is that it’s changed at a time interval of every 5 years, and as such the Audi dealer should have advised you of this when the vehicle reached 5 years old, at some point during 2022. Did they? 
Are there any positive indications to date that the engine work will be carried out under your extended warranty - or indeed indications that it won’t be? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[JohnBShef]

Hi Gareth

Yes the timing belt has slipped. The car was checked for its warranty not long ago and no advise was given to change the belt.

It is now with Audi for a decision.

The car has done 50.000 miles and needs a new engine.

How bad is that for such an expensive car.

Fingers crossed Audi do as you would expect and fix the car under the warranty.

Thanks for the interest. I wondered if anyone else had game the same experience.

 

 

[Magnet]

Thanks John,

So no one at the Audi dealership advised you to get the belt replaced prior to, or indeed just after, it’s 5th birthday -irrespective of the mileage? 
Sorry about all the questions, but when did you actually buy the car, and was that from the dealer who did the last or earlier services? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[JohnBShef]

Yes bought from dealer

serviced by dealer

Warranty by dealer

not advised to change on 5th birthday

cheers 

[dalswinton]

Hi John,

Sorry to hear of your expensive engine problems,

but i do think that Audi should have advised you that the timing

belt was due change at 5 years. my car has been serviced with

Audi from new, and on the bottom of the last 2 service invoices

 leading up to the car being 5 years old, it states that the

timing belt/water pump is due change at that time.

Please keep us informed of the outcome

Brian.

 

 

 

 

[JohnBShef]

Thanks for your continued interest. Get the feeling you work for Audi…

The fact is the car just turned 5 and done 50,000 miles. A £45,000 car should not have engine failure to this extent it looked after correctly.

Hopefully Audi do the right thing 👍

[Magnet]

Hello John,

I’m not sure why you think Brian? works for Audi, but…

The hard knocks fact is you are right, that ‘the car should not have engine failure to this extent if looked after correctly’. Indeed such engines should be capable of 200K miles and more. 
The problem here isn’t to do with sub standard build quality, but all to do with the servicing dealer not alerting you to the (essential) need to get the belt assembly renewed when the car became 5 years old. If they had done that, and they had indeed renewed it, then the engine would have sailed on for the next 5 years. So again the hard knock fact is - it hasn’t been looked after correctly. Your fault? No. 
As I see it, your ‘claim’ rests fairly and squarely with the servicing dealer, and not actually with ‘Audi’. Audi set up the servicing schedule requirements that the dealers need to adhere to, and alert owners of ( as they did with Brian) and as I see it from what you tell us, the servicing dealer has fallen short in your case. You have no blame in this (from the facts you tell us). 
Belts actually going in the 5th year? Not common, but modern stop/start functions ( you have s/s?) put a far greater strain on belts than they used to - particularly in cold weather. 
Hope some of this helps you and your case John.

Kind regards,

Gareth.