Magnet

Hello Bill, Many thanks indeed for updating the forum on your unfortunate experience. Please don’t apologise for the delay - unfortunately such responses are rare, so are very welcome when they come through. Having re-read my initial response, it’s I who would like to offer apologies, since I now feel the tone of that reply was unsympathetic towards someone faced with a £2,000 bill through no fault of their own. It may have been was factually correct, but lacked any sympathy. I’m sorry about that. I too would have expected this belt (and it’s assembly?) to have been a scheduled change part, and it seems illogically daft that it wasn’t. It wouldn’t surprise me that that might change. Not that it applies to your car, but I advocate changing the serpentine belt when the cambelt is replaced - usually every 75k miles or 5 years - whichever come first. Of course you are correct that such decisions shouldn’t be left to the knowledge of the owner - who like yourself, puts his trust in the expertise of the servicing dealer. Back to FMDSH. This is a desirable starting point for most owners for correct maintenance, but it is by no means king, and in reality boils down to the vehicle spending a couple of hours in their workshop every year or so. In the meantime, it can suffer from a glorious lack of interested owner attention, never getting its oil, coolant or tyre pressures checked for example. FSH will attract a higher part exchange allowance and an easier sale, but the vehicle may not be that well maintained overall, and certainly has no guarantee of enhanced reliability - as you have unfortunately found. For what it’s worth:- Use the main dealer during the 3 year warranty period and supplement this with your own ‘care and checking’ between servicing. After that, use a trusted local garage or independent, and one where you can actually talk with the mechanics to discuss their findings and any concerns you have. Retain all receipts and service documents in a file along with the vehicle documents. To me, this is evidence of an interested owner’s care, and that is rather priceless. Many thanks again Bill, Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, Worth checking within the flexible harness section between the door and the body A post. It’s not uncommon for wires to fracture within this section due to regular opening and closing of the door - particular in cold weather when the harness becomes more brittle. Kind regards, Gareth.

Positive thinking now Kev. 9 more to go to the 3 score and 10, then you are on overtime rates. Keep enjoying what you can do well. Have a good one. Kind regards, Gareth.

Youngster Kev! Kind regards, Gareth.

Apologies, originally posted in incorrect section. Wishing you all whatever you wish for in the coming year, and trusting 2023 will be kind to you and yours. I’m currently contemplating my ongoing participation on the forum, so would also like to take this opportunity to wish you all well for the future, and to thank you for taking an interest in the thousands of posts made in the hope of helping others with their issues. Take care all, Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Derek, Um! Alternator output would have been good, as would a check for any parasitic drain, but it would not have been out of the ordinary to simply replace the battery. Lion batteries? From experience, Lion would be at the top of my ‘last brand to buy list’. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Derek, Was the alternator output checked? Was the new battery coded to the car? Make of new battery as a matter of interest? Kind regards, Gareth.,

Thanks Ian, This certainly takes the star prize for the least detailed car advert - ever!!

Hello Ian, Have you researched specialists who could rebuild yours? Buying secondhand? - You could be buying something as faulty as your own! Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks indeed Gregg. It’s a shame the original poster never returned to the forum, but hopefully the advice given may help someone else at some time. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Maris, I’m not so sure that isn’t an imprint of the outline of the old pad edge, rather than an actual crack, but you have the disc to examine in detail, and I don’t. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mohammed, Thanks for joining and posting your plea. What we need to know is did the temperature gauge behave correctly immediately before you had the thermostat change? If so, it really would be a coincidence that a temperature sensor would have become troublesome at the same time that the thermostat was changed. Not impossible, but….. I think that your assumption that this issue hasn’t anything to do with the thermostat ‘ …as it’s been changed..’. is indeed an assumption, based on new parts are not faulty. It would be great to think so, but experience shows that may not be the case. Is your reader capable of reading real-time coolant temperatures? I would think that this is what you need to be assessing. To me ( without diagnostics) the symptoms you are experiencing suggests a thermostat that doesn’t close and open properly, but …….. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andy, For VAG parts, you could try Audi Parts Direct at Cardiff ( part of now Mon Motors- previously Cardiff Audi) or Aberdeen Audi. Both were giving a bit of discount on mail order. Current cost?? - with everything rising in price at a rate of knots. I didn’t remove the alternator on my 1.6. One bolt was awkward as I recall, but…. Don’t forget to order a rubber ‘gasket’ since it was a separate part with mine. This gasket was daftly priced for wat it was - from memory. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andy, There will be varying opinions on the use of genuine VAG parts or aftermarket, in terms of what I would call critical applications. One way of looking at it is that if you are DIYing it, then your labour is free, so you can invest the savings by buying ‘genuine’ parts. Re. Febi:- I have used this aftermarket brand to good avail with a number of applications - however, not including a thermostat renewal, where I used a VAG part at discount. If you wish to buy Febi to save some funds, then it might be worth trying Car Parts in Motion. I have found them to be competitive and efficient. No connections, and there are many others inc. those who offer large discounts on so called retail prices, and you still end up paying more that you would with competitors! Perhaps you could let us know what you decide Andy. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ed, Many thanks for joining, and sorry to hear you have a problem. Have you mistyped the year as 2022, since if correct, the vehicle would be under warranty from Audi? Kind regards, Gareth

Many thanks for the update Jamie. Since you only use main dealer (parts) then I guess you only use main dealers for your repairs - a really expensive recipe! - but obviously your choice. What I would ask is, did Audi fit your first replacement battery? If so, then it would be reasonable to expect they would have also checked the alternator output. So was that battery unserviceable,(and therefore not requiring changing) or was it simply not receiving a charge due to the faulty alternator? All a bit confusing Jamie. Kind regards, Gareth.

On behalf of those who administer the forum and those who attempt to help out, may I wish you and yours a happy and contented Christmas, and a trust in 2023 being kind to you. Best wishes from me and my family, Kind regards, Gareth.

Hi Steve, ‘… cycle the glow plugs three times…’? Pardon my ignorance but is this providing ‘ignition’ for x seconds, switching off and repeating. I have a non-Audi with the abominable stop/start (which I disable), but start is press button and glow plug coil shows as I hold the button for few seconds ( rather than instant when temps. are higher). Start in cold temps is not that even (missing) for a few seconds before it comes up onto song. Many thanks for sharing your valuable on-the-street experiences for the benefit of others. Kind regards, Gareth.

No response or revisit then.Possibly the product of too many beers after midnight? Or someone experienced in working in Urology!?

Sorry poster, but your question seems irrelevant to the previous topic, and your question is therefore meaningless. Just to add to the confusion, you didn’t seem to be bothered to even complete your profile! Would you like to start again, and let us have some meaningful information? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello poster, Could you please complete your profile. Did this sound and low oil pressure warning appear immediately (in caps)after the service, and was there any ( in caps’ evidence of either issue before you took it in for the service? Kind regards, Gareth.

Any good reason for buying your parts from Germany Maris? I have found the same parts can be available from U.K. suppliers at similar prices. I’ve used Car Parts in Motion to good avail, but usually also search EBay for most competitive prices from reliable sources. Again, it’s only my personal experience, but I haven’t done too well with Mintex in the past, but it could just have been an isolated bad experience - so you avoid in the future. Disc diameter? Listings can be misleading ( as we seem to have both found, but CPinM are generally very helpful. Sure way of doing it? Remove one back and front wheel and physically measure disc diameter ( and get an idea of thickness if possible). Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth. I tend to buy genuine Audi pads at discount from one or two main dealers where possible, but you obviously have to make your own choice, and ‘any brand’ at reasonable price might suit your wallet.

Hello Barton, Thanks for joining. I think it would be helpful to describe the whole sequence of events in much more detail. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Maris, There will be differing opinion on whether you can just go ahead and buy any make that fits, since brake components are brake components, are brake components, and they all satisfy the required specification, so Klaxcar ( as with Cliff - I’ve never heard of them) should be adequate. My experience points me in the direction that basic specifications have minimum and maximum acceptable limits, and for right or for wrong, I stick with reputable brands, and currently am experimenting ( with no misgivings so far) with Brembo on a family non Audi- bought at best prices from on line sellers. This is just my view Maris - Incase it helps. Perhaps you could let us know what you decide to buy. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sam, Thanks for joining and posting your advert. Of course it’s you choice, but personally I wouldn’t be posting my contact phone number on an open forum. Anyone who wishes to respond to you can do so via. the safer route of a PM. Kind regards, Gareth.