Alternator failure related to mild hybrid system?

[PocketsAintEmptyCuh]

On 7/29/2024 at 7:09 PM, DADSQ7 said:

Evening! 
 

An update for you. Apparently the diagnostic tests were sent to Audi UK. They have asked the dealership to try fitting a 48v battery from a “stocked” vehicle to see if the battery is the issue. The dealership can’t carry on negotiating anything with Audi UK until they follow their instructions. However the dealership require us to provide authorisation for 6 hours technician time at £210 an hour to try the 48v battery from a random car, “to see” if that’s the issue! 
 

am I wrong in thinking we shouldn’t have to indemnify the dealership to “try” another battery for them to diagnose the issue? Over £1200 gamble!!! 

Ive said no so far. It makes no sense as the Coventry dealership says the car requires a replacement alternator anyway as it’s coming up on their system. 
 

im thinking we should just flat bed it to Coventry…. It’d cost less. 

Audi really are something else. Charging the customer as they can’t diagnose the issue… 
 

 

This is actually laughable 🤦🏽‍♂️, no way they could hold a serious face while suggesting this 

[PocketsAintEmptyCuh]

Honestly reading all these replies and issues is making me glad I don’t own an Audi anymore. Having to fight tooth and nail with dealerships sounds like hell. 

[88-RS6]

Hello,

For the 48V issue it is confirmed that all vehicles with certain build codes are covered fully which covers most models from production 2020+. I’ve successfully had Cheltenham to get Audi UK to fully compensate the cost of labour and parts.

I took a copy of the internal document with approval from my Audi dealer to help all users from the UK out on this forum.

I hope this helps anyone that’s stuck. 
 

Anyone wish to use Cheltenham Audi I highly recommend. Point of contact is service manager Nigel and he’s fully aware that I have been contributing in this forum.

Thanks 

[Audi Death Trap]

So it's a prevalent manufacturing defect that Audi Executive Office know nothing about. Luckily there are no risks involved in breaking down with this failure.

[DADSQ7]

15 hours ago, 88-RS6 said:

Hello,

For the 48V issue it is confirmed that all vehicles with certain build codes are covered fully which covers most models from production 2020+. I’ve successfully had Cheltenham to get Audi UK to fully compensate the cost of labour and parts.

I took a copy of the internal document with approval from my Audi dealer to help all users from the UK out on this forum.

I hope this helps anyone that’s stuck. 
 

Anyone wish to use Cheltenham Audi I highly recommend. Point of contact is service manager Nigel and he’s fully aware that I have been contributing in this forum.

Thanks 

Many thanks for this, it’ll be very interesting to see how long it takes Leicester Audi to catch up. It’s quite apparent that the service managers should be ensuring their staff are up to date. I have repeatedly asked if they are aware of this issue (regardless of whether our car is affected) and they are just unaware! Now that Audi UK customer services are involved I’d guess they are not too happy with the dealer for getting to to the point where we have “unnecessarily escalated it to CSC” as the point of the internal bulletin is to prevent it!! 
 

Fair play to Lister Audi. We’ve rung around and had nothing but helpful people look it up for us… and confirm it should be appropriate to our Q7. 
 

I am tempted, once we’re agreed it needs doing under warranty, to insist that the car is transported to Coventry Lister so that they get the warrant income… 

[Audi Death Trap]

Dear Richard,

 

I wonder how many loyal British customers Audi is actively trying to lose?

I attach an internal Audi bulletin that describes a warrantable manufacturing defect with the alternator.

Audi should have honoured this and replaced the part on my car at no cost. I even had to pay for diagnostics.

The damage to the steering arm on my car during recovery came as a direct result of the alternator failure.

I had to pay for this part to be replaced as well. Other Audi customers have been provided with courtesy cars

or even had hire cars paid for yet I had to go out and source myself another vehicle.

 

I have no alternative but to approach Trading Standards and the press as Audi has failed to honour its commitments.

 

David Fisher.

[AF1973]

Hi everyone,

I was looking to purchase a 40tdi A7 (2021) and googled A7 problems and found this thread.  I've read through every post with horror and disbelief and I'm now considering looking at a BMW 5 series or the like.  My question is does the problem affect the 40tdi A7 or is it just specific models?

Thanks,

Andrew

[Audi Death Trap]

I believe this is also a MHEV with the 48-volt system. Please avoid unless you want to spend the rest of your life ranting on here!

[AF1973]

Just now, Audi Death Trap said:

I believe this is also a MHEV with the 48-volt system. Please avoid unless you want to spend the rest of your life ranting on here!

Thanks David, I certainly will which is such a shame as it's a fantastic looking car.  BMW it is then.

[Audi Death Trap]

Dear David,

I hope this email finds you well, please accept my apologies for my delayed response I have been away from the office.

Unfortunately the extended warranty on certain alternators fitted to Audi vehicles was only brought to my attention after your case was initially closed. The technicians at Hull Audi should have identified this when your vehicle was initially diagnosed, I sincerely apologise for this.

When I reached out to you again initially on 27 June 2024 it was my intention to discuss putting a more satisfactory resolution in place for you given your experiences and the additional information, we had become aware of. Unfortunately, as you had indicated that that matter is now in the hands of the DVSA and AA Motor Legal Assistance we would be unable to pursue the matter further from a customer services perspective as any legal correspondence from AA Motor Legal Assistance would be directed to and managed by Audi legal rather than customer services.

[Magnet]

Thanks David,

And if you agreed to withdraw that ‘action’ - how far would you anticipate they would be likely to stretch to?

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Audi Death Trap]

Any action depended on a positive response from the DVSA but they effectively said that my breakdown could not have been as described despite three witnesses from recovery firm BDV Ltd. Apparently it was impossible to be left with no hazard lights and unable to get out of the vehicle and therefore I was never in any danger. And the suppliers of this unbiased assessment? You guessed it ... Audi. The whole thing is a complete lost cause and I'm totally despondent.

[Audi Death Trap]

I expected them to honour their warranty but because I made legal enquiries about them not honouring their warranty they won't honour their warranty!

[Magnet]

Really sorry to hear that David, particularly since Audi Customer Services now?(not sure when that was written) seems ‘prepared to talk’. 
Press, media? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
 

[Magnet]

Last two posts crossed. I suppose it now rests with the economics of seeking further legal advice. 

[MikeyW]

2 hours ago, Audi Death Trap said:

I expected them to honour their warranty but because I made legal enquiries about them not honouring their warranty they won't honour their warranty!

I'm not surprised that their customer services team have been told to stand down if there is now a legal case moving forward.  I'm not trying to defend Audi as their actions are awful prior to this, but it would be entirely expected to not be able to pursue a customer services resolution whilst legal proceedings are in hand.  However, I see no reason why this would prevent the warranty works being undertaken.  By their own admission there is an extended warranty in place and they are of course throwing the dealership under the bus there for not telling you.  I guess really it depends what your objectives are now for a resolution as to how you go forward.  They cant deny you the warranty because you have lawyers involved - the warranty is the warranty, but I suspect you will want and need more than just a warranty fix here to resolve this to your satisfaction.  If your car remains unrepaired then Hull should undertake this and the Audi email doesnt say they wont.  But they wont discuss with you any other remedies, goodwill etc whilst there are legal proceedings.  I would talk to AA Legal and see where thats heading to see what your best course for a positive outcome is.  My own experience with audi executive relations is that I have generally got to an outcome that I found acceptable, aside from all the very real issues with the continued failures and lack of recall and resolution.

[MikeyW]

On 8/3/2024 at 9:52 AM, DADSQ7 said:

Many thanks for this, it’ll be very interesting to see how long it takes Leicester Audi to catch up. It’s quite apparent that the service managers should be ensuring their staff are up to date. I have repeatedly asked if they are aware of this issue (regardless of whether our car is affected) and they are just unaware! Now that Audi UK customer services are involved I’d guess they are not too happy with the dealer for getting to to the point where we have “unnecessarily escalated it to CSC” as the point of the internal bulletin is to prevent it!! 
 

Fair play to Lister Audi. We’ve rung around and had nothing but helpful people look it up for us… and confirm it should be appropriate to our Q7. 
 

I am tempted, once we’re agreed it needs doing under warranty, to insist that the car is transported to Coventry Lister so that they get the warrant income… 

I would just sack off Leicester and get the car to Coventry.  Leicester clearly have no clue and their proposal to charge you to investigate a known fault is laughable.  Cov are Listers and their guys at Stratford were superb.

[Audi Death Trap]

Hi MikeyW, my situation is complicated by the fact that Audi Hull have repaired my car and been paid by me. AA Motor Legal Services were only involved insofar as an initial enquiry that could be escalated when the DVSA confirmed the risks involved in breaking down with no electrical power at all. They failed to confirm this and stated such an outcome wouldn't happen. Something that was carefully explained to them by Audi themselves. Audi = Judge + Jury + Witnesses = Case Closed.

[Audi Death Trap]

Dear Sir or Madam,

I recently made a telephone enquiry about taking action over Audi endangering my life

due to a potential design fault with their mild hybrid alternator following a breakdown.

I informed Audi that I was waiting for a report from the DVSA before coming back to

yourselves. They will now not cover the £2,000 cost of replacing the alternator as they

wrongly believe you are taking legal action against them on my behalf. By challenging

Audi for risking my life they have withdrawn financial support which is a double kick

in the teeth. Could you please provide written proof that you have not been instructed

to take any action on my behalf.

[Mark2]

Is this your letter to AA Legal Services ?if so I am an AA member and have settled with Audi so my taking this up would not jeopardise any claim. Would you like me to do that ?

[Audi Death Trap]

Any help would be gratefully appreciated. There is no claim as the DVSA exonerated Audi of any design failings despite hundred of witnesses to my plight.

[MikeyW]

3 hours ago, Audi Death Trap said:

Hi MikeyW, my situation is complicated by the fact that Audi Hull have repaired my car and been paid by me. AA Motor Legal Services were only involved insofar as an initial enquiry that could be escalated when the DVSA confirmed the risks involved in breaking down with no electrical power at all. They failed to confirm this and stated such an outcome wouldn't happen. Something that was carefully explained to them by Audi themselves. Audi = Judge + Jury + Witnesses = Case Closed.

I see Mark is offering help which is great - given Audi have thrown Hull under the bus I would contact Hull and ask them for a refund of the money they have charged you for what Audi have confirmed is a warranty item, and was prior to your vehicle suffering the failure.  They cant charge you under these circumstances.  That for me would be stage 1.  Obviously get that back then you can have a conversation with Hull and Audi about the plight you found yourself in, and what they will do to make it right assuming you can confirm that you arent going after then legally (at this point, and in the spirit of finding a suitable and appropriate resolution)

[DADSQ7]

3 hours ago, MikeyW said:

I would just sack off Leicester and get the car to Coventry.  Leicester clearly have no clue and their proposal to charge you to investigate a known fault is laughable.  Cov are Listers and their guys at Stratford were superb.

Hi, yes, we’ve considered that. However I seem to have a sensible person talking to me now. Taken 2 weeks but he’s listening to me instead of treating me like a numb skull. I have provided the bulletin kindly posted further back on n the thread dated 27 June, and he’s toddled off to investigate. He did then empathise with how it looked, based on the information we have. 
 

The PR code of 9G8 is key. If this is included on the build sticker in the  boot, or the one on the inside cover of the owners manual, and it’s the alternator that has failed (confirmed by diagnostics) then I don’t think there much argument really now. Ours has this. My debate is whether the battery has gone too, and then if the battery was killed by the alternator (which is highly probable). My beef is now that they needed me to indemnify them to guess by a parts swap with another car… 

We’ll see soon enough. 

[MikeyW]

11 minutes ago, DADSQ7 said:

Hi, yes, we’ve considered that. However I seem to have a sensible person talking to me now. Taken 2 weeks but he’s listening to me instead of treating me like a numb skull. I have provided the bulletin kindly posted further back on n the thread dated 27 June, and he’s toddled off to investigate. He did then empathise with how it looked, based on the information we have. 
 

The PR code of 9G8 is key. If this is included on the build sticker in the  boot, or the one on the inside cover of the owners manual, and it’s the alternator that has failed (confirmed by diagnostics) then I don’t think there much argument really now. Ours has this. My debate is whether the battery has gone too, and then if the battery was killed by the alternator (which is highly probable). My beef is now that they needed me to indemnify them to guess by a parts swap with another car… 

We’ll see soon enough. 

OK - good luck - I was advised by Listers that the Alternator failure can kill the battery - but this would be established post repair with a road test.  I would expect this to also be replaced as a consequence if it was proven not to be charging.  But Leicester should be ordering the parts and booking your repair in not messing about with further investigations.  Mine failed on a Tuesday I think and I had the car back the following Monday all fixed, road tested and valeted......

[Audi Death Trap]

Hi MikeyW, Audi Hull are going to come back to me by the end of the week once their warranty manager has looked into it. It's grossly unfair for Audi to deny me the warranty claim and then deny me it again once I've sought legal advice on how to get Audi to fulfill its legal obligation. There must be consumer protection laws out there but how do you make a company comply? I'm the innocent victim in all of this and I could have been killed. But hey, as long as it's only cost Audi £500 then who gives a stuff about anything else?