Timer Belt Failure at 54k miles

[PaulSom]

Hello All,

I have owned a 2018 Q2 from new. Originally, I was due to cover 27k miles per annum for my work. I changed jobs during the pandemic and worked more locally. My annual mileage dropped to 5k.

last week my Q2’s timing belt failed- on a busy 60mph road. My recovery service took the car to my motor technician- he is Audi/Merc/BMW/VW etc accredited and has serviced my car since I bought it. He used to service my Q5 too. He was amazed to discover that the timing belt had snapped. 

The engineer told me to contact Audi Customer Services as their guidance is 140k life cycle for the timing belt.

I have spoken with Audi and even raised my case with their new UK Managing Director. 

Audi tell me that they have no liability and it is therefore on me to get the car fixed and pay for any damage. This is likely to be expensive and at least £3k.

i had suggested to Audi that they need to look at the car to diagnose any learning points relating to quality failures in production. I have noted on here another 2018 Q2 that had a premature timing belt failure. I pointed out that if I’d carried on with my original mileage, I’d have hit the current mileage in year 2 of ownership and it’s likely the timing belt would have failed then. 

I’m not getting anywhere with Audi though. They don’t appear concerned at all at this failure in a supposedly premium brand car. I’ve done 100k+ miles in a Honda CRV and not had a timing belt failure.

Can anyone help?
 

 

[Steve Q]

You could contact the motoring ombudsman but this is a slow process. The car is 6 years old, the old schedule used to be to change the belt at 5 years. Which is probably why Audi aren't interested. 

[PaulSom]

Hi Steve, thanks for your reply. As the part’s wear and tear is more a function of use rather than time (ie. miles driven) I would have thought Audi would be keen to learn of a quality threat to their brand. Especially as my car has been regularly serviced and generally well kept. The failure has made me consider whether the value for money for premium price and supposed quality (reliability) is really in balance. I will have a go at using the Motor Ombudsman for mediation. If Audi remain uninterested then it probably demonstrates what they think in terms of ownership loyalty.

[Magnet]

Hello Paul,

I’m very sorry to hear you have encountered this totally unacceptable failure, but I feel you are into the battlefield in respect of getting contributions from Audi. It will require a great deal of support from your best pal Percy Verance, and as Steve say, the battle is likely to be protracted, but you have to keep at it. 
Perhaps you could let us know:- 

How many (main dealer?) services the car has had from new and at what mileages? 

Are most of your journeys short.

Do you isolate the stop/start, or do you just leave it to operate? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Steve Q]

Truthfully Audi have never cared about customer service. My A6 turbo 1 day out a warranty and Audi would only Psy half. That was 22 years ago! As my Audi has been owned by my dad then me. 

Also Audi has the worst parts retention for older cars than any other German brand. 

They did away with the time scale on cambelts which non of us here could understand as rubber deteriorates. 

[PaulSom]

Hi Gareth, I had my Q2 serviced at least annually from new. I used a qualified independent. He is highly experienced covering all VW Group, Mercedes and even premier brand like Porsche and Ferrari. He only uses official Audi parts too. As soon as the car indicated ‘service due’ and/or it was MOT time, I would book it in. 
 

initially, my journeys were long, 150 mile round trips for work, 3 to 4 days a week. Since 2020, the mileage dropped significantly with shorter journeys.

I left start/stop on auto- always. I didn’t pick up any guidance to use this sparingly. 
 

My dealership (Yeovil Audi) encouraged me today to speak again with Audi Customer Services and see if they will liaise with my motor technician.

At the moment the car is off road and my engineer has told me once he does any work on the cam belt repair, then it’s curtains for any Audi goodwill. 

I shall keep you updated. 
 

 

[Magnet]

Many thanks for the additional information Paul.

If you expect (and plan for) Audi using any means of getting under a snakes belly with a top hat on, in an attempt to avoid paying any contribution, you won’t be disappointed.

Based on the above, I’ve attempted to summarise as follows - warts and all -  some of this results in more questions, but:- 

You bought the car new from Audi Yeovil, but they haven’t subsequently seen the car for regular servicing. 
You have used an independent to service the car, even during its 3 year warranty period. 
That independent has only used genuine Audi service parts, and only oils that can be proved to meet Audi specification -? 
Has the independent registered these services on Audi’s computer service record?

If not, do you have itemised copies of all services carried out? 
When was it last serviced and at what mileage, and when did the cambelt fail in relation to both service mileage and date? 
Can you confirm the independent is VAT registered? 
Have your dealings with Audi Customer Services been recorded in writing? 
 

A detached viewpoint:- Due to the car having covered only short trip mileages over the last couple of years, coupled with the fact that the S/S has always been deployed, this belt has had a hammering over its short journeys and regular s/s restarts, compared with if it had been used for regular long distance use. 
Having said that, it should have been capable of withstanding this use.

I hope all of this doesn’t present too gloomy a picture, but as I see it, you have lost valuable browny points by not having a ‘genuine’ Audi servicing history. 
I think your mechanic is absolutely right in not touching it at the moment, but you have to consider how long it’s likely to take you to reach a situation of receiving any contribution from Audi, while the vehicle remains dormant. 
I genuinely wish you good luck with this since it should not have happened.

Perhaps you could come back to us Paul with the answers to the above. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

[PaulSom]

Hi Gareth,

Yeovil Audi did the first two services and fixed a failed MMI Unit (this blew on a trip 7 months from new). 
I switched to the independent as I wasn’t happy with their approach to servicing and the hourly rates. 
The independent has added all my services to the Audi System. All parts, oils etc are as per Audi specifications. He is VAT registered. 
I have used email recordings all all dealings with Customer Services and Audi Executive Office since their initial rebuttal. 
I have also extended my communications to Audi’s MD in Germany. His PA called me today. Lots of empathy and they have made contact with the UK side. A further member of the UK exec team is now reviewing my case. I made a recommendation for their Poole Audi dealership to liaise with my engineer. She said she will consider this, review all my notes and the case in general. She will also speak with their senior motor technician (which suggests that none of the Customer Service Team bothered to do so). I got the impression that the some of the Audi people I spoke with didn’t even know what a timer belt is- never mind its lifecycle. 
 

The latest is, the new exec will contact me again tomorrow with her outcome. The German MD is keen to check on where my Q2 was produced and ensure the issue isn’t systemic. 
update to follow when I hear more.