Leaderboard

Apologies for the gripe, but the forum has recently suffered from a spate of what can be termed ‘Post and Run’ new members, who seem to think it’s perfectly acceptable to post a plea for help, and simply not return to view the help given. In a more diluted form, help is offered, but is very rarely acknowledged even via. a simple press of the Like button, leave alone a posted Thank You. The last part of the gripe is that we frequently have to ask for additional information, and this extra detail often never materialises. Please remember, everyone who posts replies do so without payment, but it certainly does cost them in time - in terms of the Moderators and Admin back up - a lot of time. So a special plea to all on here who post needing help:- please be respectful enough to acknowledge any help given, rather than simply accept it as a no-cost, no time of yours, free advice service. It’s wearing thin folks, so if you want to retain this service, please respect and acknowledge its benefits. Thank you all for reading this, and above all, agreeing to adhere to the respect that is needed to be shown. Kind regards, On behalf of the Moderators. Please note:- This request is to all members, not just new ones.

Thanks for Everyone who’s posted on this topic, Same issue apart from my car is used every day. I ended up buying one from an Audi dealer £100. As I had a week of long journeys, poss could have risked it and waiting for the e-bay delivery but I’ll never know. Anyway in my head I’ve still saved £150 fitting it myself instead of thinking of the £80 difference of the same part. I still ordered one from eBay and now I’ve a cheap spare. Thanks again for the advise I can’t imagine there are too many sensors on a modern car you can get to so easily 😊😊👍

Whether it is worthwhile is a judgement only you can make, depending on how attached you are to the car. In your place I would get the cost of repair and compare it to how much you are willing to pay for a different car.

When I got my Q5, I was painfully aware of just how scratched and dented the centre trim was. Decided it was finally time to rip out the whole centre console so I could remove the offending trim. Replacing with a standard trim would just end up the same way, the carbon replacements are either too expensive or poor fitting so instead I used some alloy wheel repair filler to fill in all the dents and scratches. After a few hours to cure I got on with the boring job of sanding it down. Got some carbon fibre wrap and set to work. Took me forever to get to this stage but as it was my first attempt at wrapping I expected as much. Carefully put everything back together and here is the end result. Think it's turned out rather nicely 😎

Hi There, thank you for your reply , I took the car to the paint shop and the people have this device that scans the paint you are trying to match , and brings up the paint code , so if anyone is needing the paint code for Audi Matt Grey it’s LMi7, thanks again for the help much appreciated .

Hi,new here but 4 years a member of the A2OC.As you can see,I have a 1.4 petrol SE and recently acquired the red 1.6 fsi SE,currently Sorn-ed.Its been stood a while,only just got it on and off the trailer!Will be pestering people for advice on it soon,lol.

My pleasure. If it ain't broke, don't fix it (had to learn that the hard way). A service regen isn't risk free as there's been occasional stories of service regens melting the DPF. If the car is not causing issues, drive happily and worry free; let the ECU worry about the active regens as it should. Long distance driving will allow for passive regen.

2004 Audi A4 1.9 TDI Sport (B6) - £1500 Registered: May 2004 Previous Owners: 4 Current Owner: Since May 2013. Transmission: 6 Speed Manual Fuel: Diesel Colour: Metallic Blue Interior: Grey Leather/Suede. Mileage: 155’664 BHP: 130 MOT: 06/12/2025 Service History: Full service carried out by specialist 05/12/2024 (serviced yearly by Audi dealership or specialist). Timing Belt changed 08/12/2023. Tax: £240 Location: Wolverhampton/Birmingham Additional Details: Selling as will be getting a company car soon, still looks and drives great for its age, does an 80-mile round trip going down the motorway every few weeks with no problems. Comes with factory fitted 18” alloys (inc. spare), 2 keys, manuals, original and new service book, HPI clear and all MOT certificates and invoices since 2013, with full service carried every year since then (plus oil and filter changes in between at approx. 3000 miles during 2013 and 2018 when driven 10K+ miles a year). One minor incident impacted the front passenger side door, chose to replace door through insurance on 17/10/2016. Paintwork generally in good condition, some bubbling and a couple of spots of rust, no leaks or mechanical problems, and all electrics working, but aircon needs recharging and some minor issues as expected for a 21-year-old car as follows: Crack on the windscreen (has passed MOT’s) Rip on the driver’s seat Glovebox stuck (can open via the side) Airbag light stays on MOT advice notes: Nearside Front Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened Front Anti-roll bar linkage pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement Rear Registration plate deteriorated but not likely to be misread Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened Price reflects the above, but as those in the know can verify, this 1.9 TDI engine is very economical and an absolute workhorse, so still has plenty of life left in it!

Fit whatever capacity is recommended by the manufacturer, but please ensure you install a good quality battery. Varta and Exide are two names that come to mind, though there are others whose names escape me. Avoid like the plague any cheapie from the internet or the likes of KwikFit.

Car is coming up for 14 years old, so financially it’s probably worth more to you than it’s actually worth. If you traded in, it’s not likely to be a retail car, and would probably go to auction. The advisories are related to multi link suspension arm or bushes. If you’re replacing one on one side side, then it makes sense to do the other side too. This includes front and rear arms. Audi use Lemforder or Meyle HD, anything else will wear prematurely in my opinion. Decent arms can be anywhere from £50-£150 each plus fitting. In addition you’ll need a tracking check, say £80-£100. Audi are known for subframe issues. The subframe is powder coated, so road dirt, salt and water start to corrode on damaged surfaces. You can’t fully sort it unless you remove the subframe and get it powder coated, that’s unrealistic. What you can do, is get the underside of the car jet washed, and dried, wire brush bad areas, potentially apply rust converter then apply wax-oil or Lanoguard. That should keep corrosion at bay for another 2-3 years before you need to reapply. Expect to pay £300-400.

A dying battery can indeed cause all the symptoms you describe. Get it tested if you want confirmation, but in your place I would not hesitate to replace an eight year old battery. Don't forget to get it coded to the car. PS The volt meter readings tell you nothing about the internal condition of the battery.

Hi either 27mm or 32mm unless they changed the sizes again, the correct size is stamped on the top of the housing. Steve.

Morning all, thanks for letting me in !

Welcome Edd, and thanks for joining. There is a lot of conjecture about ‘mayo’ and jumping to the conclusion that it is a definite indication of head gasket failure. I would say in your case that it is certainly due to/ aggravated by unacceptably short runs, and the fact that the engine doesn’t reach operating temperature - even if the thermostat was serviceable - which it isn’t! The fact is Edd, this engine is having a hammering, and is likely to suffer from the equivalent wear that would be encountered on a car operated on motorways and having done say x10 times the mileage of yours. Before going any further let’s start with an important question:- how often is the oil changed and when was it last changed? Kind regards, Gareth.

Massive thanks to Richard aka Spartacus 68 for recommending Tomas at VAG Technic who is very familiar with this problem and can fix it 🙂

Hi OE, Gates, Dayco, Continental, if you dont change the water pump you will live to regret that choice, most kits worth the money come with the lot, belt ,idler pulley, tensioner, water pump and new bolts. Steve.

Hello, Why on earth Autodoc and spurious brands?? Whatever you do, do not buy on price for this critical application - always buy quality parts at best prices. I’ve always stuck with Gates, who were one of the OE suppliers to VAG. I don’t have any connection with this company, but try entering your reg. no. into Parts in Motion ( Exeter ) website and see what their prices are. When you have done that, look on EBay for their listings for the chosen part - often a little cheaper via. this route. Unlike Autodoc, they do free delivery. Always renew the auxiliary belt at the same time. 135k miles an cambelt never? renewed? Glad you got away with that one! Please let us know what prices you come up with. As has been said, worth checking parts price at Audi for comparison. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Where is Rogers?

You’re asking a generic question. There are multiple engine variants on 1.4TFSI platform. If your mates are doing it, get OE, it’s probably less than you think. Failing that a recognised and respected timing belt manufacturer, such as Gates, Continental, etc. This is a critical component, don’t cut corners due to cost.

That it leaks more when the engine is running suggests it is the shaft seal. Speculating further, is it possible the crankcase ventilation is not working properly? I am wondering if excess pressure in the crankcase is actively blowing oil out.

Hello John, I do feel for you. In your situation, I think it would be a ‘good investment’ to spend an hour’s labour with a trusted local garage, with a view to better sourcing the site/s of the leak. Kind regards, Gareth.

The car was sold to someone else so my decision was made for me. Maybe it was meant to be. Still, I’m interested in a 2.0TFSI Quattro Avant so the search continues. I’ll have a look on here, see if there’s anything for sale. Thanks everyone for your advice

Dealer or private sale Will? If the latter, my angle on any private sale is don’t get interested in purchasing any vehicle from anyone, unless it has a V5 registered to the owner at the address you are viewing it at. Length of ownership would also be important to me. It could end in tears. Kind regards, Gareth.

Well she went for her m.o.t and a pass

Further to my above post 3 weeks ago, my A6 has reluctantly now been traded in with Audi and I have a replacement car. A shame because I really like the A6 (my 3rd) but could not tolerate the inherent unreliability and likely forthcoming big bills. I have spent time googling Audi + Vitesco, then making use of google translate and reading the various posts on the German websites and forums. (For those not aware, Vitesco appears to be the manufacturer of 48V equipment for these models including the notorious BSG or RSG in German - RiemenStarterGenerator). Clearly liability and fault for all these problems is a major discussion between the two companies which seems far from resolution according to the reports and will be hugely expensive however the legal process pans out. One piece of perhaps relevant information from the motor-talk.de forums suggests that the early "potentially faulty" BSGs had a serial number commencing in 4N0, whereas the SN of the more recent "good" BSGs commence with 4N1. So to possibly answer my own question, I reckon the more recent models with the 48V system may well have the issue fully sorted, which is a glimmer of good news for those such as me who like the concept of the system, despite the poor execution of it. Perhaps surprisingly, I remain a fan of Audi cars as a brand, though the company's poor handling and lack of ownership of the whole BSG issue is simply dreadful. Nonetheless, to anyone buying a new or used Audi with the 48V MHEV system, a long extended warranty would be a very good investment I reckon.

Hi I have a 2023 Audi A3 Sline, 23 months old, have had a problem with battery system failure, for past 4 months, after a few visits to supportive dealer problem was found to be the 48v battery was draining the 12volt battery, both have been replaced under warranty. No further issues. Mark

For sale - 2001 A3 8L 1.8T Sport (150bhp) 3dr silver. The car has recently failed its MOT, which has led to my decision to sell it (detail below). Ideally I’d carry out the work, but the car is being used less and less frequently, so it doesn’t make sense to invest the time just for it to sit on the driveway. I’ve owned the car for nearly 15 years during which time it’s been a fantastic drive - no major issue, kept on top of maintenance and low mileage use. Would love to see it with a fellow enthusiast who can go on to enjoy it as much as I have, as I know these cars are becoming rarer and rarer to find. Details of repairs needed: Nearside and offside rear brake pipe replacement + front to rear pipe Nearside Front Track rod end ball joint replacement Offside front coil spring replacement ESP warning lamp (code 00778 thrown). Steering wheel is a few degrees off centre which I suspect is preventing the steering angle sensor from calibrating. Alignment should fix it, but new arms and track rod ends may be needed. Driver’s seat mechanism has been temperamental since the day I bought it - essentially takes a few pulls to disengage & reengage fore / aft adjustment (cropped up as an advisory over the years, but this year flagged as a major). Paint and body work overall in good condition (24 year old car, so some scuffs). Wheels would benefit from a refurb. Location: Cheshire MOT: 17/03/2025 Mileage: 110,157 Service history: Partial Previous owners: 5 Current owner: July 2010 Happy to supply reg to those with genuine interest Asking £800

Difficult to tell, ideally you want some sort of engine clean to determine what's going on. Oil sweat just now could be related to earlier issue with EGR or oil cooler that was subsequently fixed. Any mention of this in the history? Find someone with VCDS to run a scan. Which 3.0 litre model TDI, the 218bhp (S tronic box) or 272bhp (Tiptronic)? If S tronic, then the gearbox oil is due every 38k miles. Tiptronic although Audi will say is sealed for life, can be serviced at 60-80k miles as ZF have a maintenance kit. If you do buy it, get the engine degreased, steam cleaned and check again. That oil sweat shouldn't continue. For longevity on these engines, get into habit of changing oil every 5k miles. If engine tray is dry - I wouldn't worry unnecessarily, but it would be better if the engine and sump were bone dry. If dealer (probably not Audi on a 2017 model), then see where you stand in terms of supported warranty. Norway will have their own rules to protect consumers. In UK you have up to 30 days.

Have a look at EBC products.

So, oil temperature is 73C but your water/coolant temperature gauge is sitting at just under 50C Possibly thermostat failed/stuck in the open position 🤷‍♂️

Yep, fusebox would be my first checkpoint

Glad you got sorted 🙂

Its Ok now folks, I just squeezed the filter so it would fit in.

Hi All Audi members Having recently purchased a new q3 I wanted to fit a spare wheel kit. I thought this would be easy and just call the dealer I purchased the car from. Wrong!!! Audi have placed a bar on being able to sell a spare wheel kit or parts unless it is purchased with the car. As my car was new but not specified with these parts the parts system will not allow you so view the parts require using your reg or vin number. The Spare parts department at two dealers decline to be able to order the parts due to recent correspondence from Audi. After speaking to Audi customer services they confirmed that this is due to breaking emission laws. I will not give you my thoughts This site was a breath of fresh air and allowed me to be able to establish the parts required. The reason for this update is to make members aware of this situation and update part numbers. The foam insert required is now part number 83A-012-109-N Audi Q3 Foam tool compartment for spare wheel (they call it a 'bin'). and now costs £130.20. The other parts require are still the same and I purchased them all via the web as Audi delinked other than the foam which I was able to get from one kind dealer. Audi part numbers: A5QF-011-031-D Jack A5Q0-011-221 Jack crank arm A8N0-012-219 Wrench OEM space saver wheel (A83A-601-010-A) 145/85/18 I hope this helps any one looking for a kit. For reference my car is a Quattro with a sub woofer in the boot.

Yep you need to remove the door card and some of the trim around the window. I watched a video on you tube and replaced mine within an hour. It’s pretty easy. Just don’t rush getting the door card off or you’ll break the clips.

I've done 120K in mine and they're the original discs so can't complain really. I asked the mechanic to clean the hubs anyway after what was said here. My guy put the car on a rolling road so he could also feel the shaking. My discs and pads came to £350 plus VAT for reference.

Any answer for Stephen, Richard?

Emily. Two possibilities come to mind: [1] The instrument panel may be faulty even if the engine stills starts. The only way to be certain is to send it to ECU for testing. [2] The 12 volt battery may be defective despite showing 12.2 volts. Your mechanic was on to something when he found low amps from it. Of the two I favour the battery. Winter always highlights deficiencies in battery capacity, so I suggest you get it professionally tested. If a new battery is required ensure you get it coded to the car.

Hi yes I agree with what you say in principle but the poster was asking what are the likely problems owning that model within a certain year band, the problem I quoted will happen at some point I had three coolers over 270k and it did not matter how much chemistry/care I lavished on the car that problem still persisted, there are legions of posts on this site about adblue and cooler problems its an inherent flaw with Audi A4/A6 within those years which is very much peculiar to the brand, you can't generalise its VAG engineering, no its Audi engineering, dont get me wrong I loved my car but over the miles the costs are prohibitive, ask yourself the question why are these cars being sold at around 80k, answer its around 80-100k the real fun and expense begins, I now have a VW Passat as a cab had it from 60k now on 100k and in terms of reliability and part costs it knocks spots off of the Audi and I would say in sports mode very little to choose between the two power wise as you are not dragging along all that weight. Steve.

Search for EGR (exhaust gas recirculation).

What was the result of Halfords visit? Did they test the battery?

Hi Spartacus 68/Richard, Thanks for reply and the "price range" estimate. It's not a question of "walk away". I'm not buying this car (my passion is a large V12 Series 3 Jaguar Sovereign). I'm trying to help my friend whose plans have been changed due to illness. Having been smitten by the car his mistake was not to be more thorough in collecting all the history from the selling garage. Regards Peter

I’m closing this thread due to the OP’s disrespectful attitude.

If you want "genuine" Audi expertise without wasting your time please go to Audi and pay for it. On the other hand if you want free help from fellow Audi enthusiasts you are in the right place, but you might have to wait a while until somebody chooses to reply.

Very nice!

You've done a great amount of diagnostics, I'd definitely consider a wiring fault next

Parts diagram here. https://www.lllparts.co.uk/catalogs/audi/RDW/A2/248/9/955/955000 The motor was made by Valeo. From memory, as my wife used to have an A2 is the wiper arm can’t cope with the sweep. It eventually wears at the spindle. Aero blades help to a point. Anything on EBay could be just as bad, but worth a punt if the money is right. Beware of breaker yards, they normally ask top dollar then fail to deliver a serviceable item.

Well at least that answers the software question. Hopefully it's the easily accessible ones that they've mentioned. Unfortunately it doesn't surprise me and all manufacturers are like this other than Toyota, lexus and honda. The German, french, Italian brands plus ford and vauxhall have cottoned on to the fact they can earn more money from parts than the vehicles themselves.

Keep us posted on how you get on. I believe the hazards run off a different system even though the same indicators flash.

Guide and pictures credited to Jack Millin. Flat bottom steering wheel off a S3 8P fitted to my 2010 B8 Avant. The electrical plug needed 2 little tabs trimming off and 3 of the wires de pinning and putting in different positions and it all works. I've attached a picture of the wiring guide as well. This guide should also be applicable to the b7 A4 too.

You are on the right path. Low data usage requests like weather and smart home integration go via the built-in Audi SIM (the one that's used for OTA map updates). All entertainment requests that consume more data (e.g. Amazon Music) require that a second wireless connection known as "APN2" is active. APN2 can be activated by: 1. Purchasing a data plan from Audi - https://audi.cubictelecom.com/en/; 2. Inserting an active SIM card into the APN2 SIM slot; or, 3. Connecting a phone that supports Bluetooth Remote SIM access profile (rSAP) to the infotainment system. Hope that helps.