Magnet

Thanks Chris. So now we have a more complete story, but apologies some ‘history’ questions remain:- It seems you knew (how?) that the fan wasn’t cutting (as it shouldn’t do unless overheated?), but had it ever overheated or caused you problems before you presented it for an MOT? So in effect, were you happy with the car at this point? The MOT tester refused to carryout the test because the fan didn’t cut in - odd. Hopefully we may get some MOT experienced testers on here to clarify, but I’ve never experienced this, and invariably the ‘oil temperature by-passed’ is normally recorded. ‘Held at high revs’ for emissions ..’ surely it’s 2,500rpm-? Not high, and on a timed 2? minutes, so where is the concern-? Just wonder if there was any history with this tester and subsequent engine problems -? Has the car subsequently been MOT’d by another garage? Anyway, moving forward:- You say you bought both parts from ‘an Audi motorfactors’ and they were cheap. Do you mean a Audi specialists such as TPS, or just an ordinary motorfactors who sell parts for Audi and all other marques? Were the parts a recognised make? As I’ve said Chris, for a start, I would replace each original part in turn and see where you get. Re. AC association of continuously running fan. Not certain on your model if fan ( or one of them) might continuously run if AC is on, so possibility -? Re. AC issues - there was a lot of posts about pressure sensors and their effect on AC problems, so might be worth a look up. Keep on the good work. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Chris. ‘Mechanic seems to think relay is burnt out’ doesn’t instil that much confidence in reality. It’s either getting a confirmed 12v supply to the compressor, or it’s not - it has to be checked. Again, if he’s asking where the relay is then he hasn’t got access to the data systems normally associated with the motortrade. Having said that, it may well tell you in your handbook, where it shows the fuse positions and what they feed - worth looking there. In my experience, many air suspension issues are associated with compressor problems - mainly failing piston ring. These can be obtained from Bagpiping Andy ( on EBay) - he is a great source of information. If your mechanic suggests replacing the compressor with one from our Far Eastern friends then beware - they may ( in caps) not last the guarantee, but they will be cheaper to buy once! Again Andy should advise - if the issue turns out to be compressor associated. Kind regards, Gareth.

Are you not getting power to the compressor then Chris? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Walter, Many thanks for joining and posting your question. Have you looked in your owners handbook? It usually says there, and may well specify what alternative grades should be used in high and low temperature environments. I think the normal grade would be 5w/30, and if so, at your temperatures, 5w/40 may ( in capitals) be an alternative, but please don’t take my suggestion as correct in this case. If this were mine:- I would be searching for your nearest Castrol technical help contact and enquiring there, or of course any of the other major automotive oil producers. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Send a bit of your weather over here to help with our heating bills!

Hello Andrew, What mileages have these cars covered - to warrant gearbox oil changes? Such changes can be difficult -access wise- and worth considering having done at an independent who will have the information you require. I’m not claiming VAG do, but some manufacturers have their own modified specifications on oil, and such oil may only be available in bulk quantities via. main dealers. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, Sorry to hear of your issue. The need to change auxiliary belts as often as cambelts is often overlooked, and the unfortunate consequence is your experience. You say your car has covered 60k in 10 years. How many times has the cambelt been changed? Sorry I cannot help with your dismantling questions, but hopefully someone will be along. Kind regards, Gareth.

I did mention fuel associated Greg. New sensor to be fitted. Question what make sensor is going to be fitted, or you could end up worse off. There are some pretty dodgy sensors available. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Akbar, Thanks for joining and posting your issue. This sounds typical of inherently low oil pressure, which of course will be at its lowest at tick over once the oil has reached its operating temperature. If so, the following is likely to occur:- Car starts from cold and oil pressure light goes out and no ‘low…’ message. You can travel up to a few miles and no message at tick over. Message appears at tick over after a few miles have been covered. Message less likely to come up following an oil change. Probably causes:- Operating oil pressure is indeed low, and should be checked without delay, and if confirmed to be low, you have oil pump/ bearing wear issues. You must have the pressure checked only after the oil has reached operating temperature, and not just when the coolant has reached temperature - two very different situations. Oil pressure sensor is at fault. Best to hope that this is the cause. Perhaps you can keep us informed as things proceed. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dee, Am I right in thinking that this work has been paid for in advance of being done - or at best - has been sanctioned to be done at the quoted price? If so, it sounds as if any advice re. alternative quotes are too late, and now you are simply asking if the car should be disposed of after spending that money. Perhaps you could clarify. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sam, What was the Advisory notice wording about the front springs? If they have fractured near the ends then they will sit lower, and cause the rear to sit higher, so wording and investigation is important. Kind regards, Gareth.

Let us know what price you want for them Mark, and where you are located in the U.K. Also good to know if you are prepared to post them or not. It’s far easier for you to tell forum members, than for them to have to refer to Gumtree. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Aineias, Changing to Michelin might help a bit, but pessimistically, I believe you are suffering from the S Line specification’s characteristics, and any (if any) improvement, could be marginal. Worth a try if you have to renew your tyres. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Mick, Starline are an ‘EPC exclusive’ and their cheapest brand, and I can only quote from one of their delivery drivers who said to me that he wouldn’t fit any Starline product to his car! They may be the correct fitment, but to Audi’s specification?? I might, and probably will!, be blown out of the water, with this opinion, but… For me, I stick with brands such as Febi for aftermarket, and I’m seldom tempted by EPC’s big discount offers on sometimes inflated retail prices. I have used Car Parts in Motion quite a bit ( no connection, and there are obviously a far greater choice). They have usually provided the service I require at a competitive price. Back to your original question:- Would I put my money on renewing your shock absorbers and all will be well again? No I wouldn’t. Would I alternatively replace the springs in the hope of an improvement ? That would be my preferred option, but I could be wrong Mick, and I’m conscious that it’s not my money. Perhaps you could update us when decisions are made. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mick, Thanks for joining and posting your plea. Your shock absorbers are 12 years old and likely to be passed their best, but… The ECP springs maybe the correct ECP one for your car, in terms of dimension and fitment, but does the story end there -? The springs still may not necessarily be what they should be in terms of their compressibility- yes, guess, but this could be the case. Personally, I would want you to change the shock absorbers, only to find this doesn’t return the ride to where it was. What brand of springs did you buy from ECP? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Its probably me, but I think a recap might help here, and this is my stab at it:- ( some is assumption, and all open to correction) Coolant always had,and still does, heat up sensibly to normal temperature. Your fan always remained off (as it generally should do) and you had no reason to suspect an issue, until the fan didn’t come on during an MOT test - as you believe it should have -? It now stay on continuously following you renewing components. You have now renewed the fan unit, and it’s control module, and it now stays on continuously -? Did you change both items at the same time -? If so, this is not my convention of ‘change one thing at a time and test’. Worth replacing one of the two items at a time with the old units -? Is there a coolant temperature sensor on the radiator which senses an over-heat and then activates the fan? If so, is this at fault and remains closed-curcuit even when it shouldn’t be? Anyway, I digress when I’m not really sure about the history of the issue. Can you do us a kindness Chris, and re-post this on a timeline basis, also clarifying what I’ve written/question. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Aineias, Thanks for joining and posting your plea. I’m not sure how much of this is going to help:- but… S Line has sports suspension so will have an inherently harsher ride, and will be biased towards road holding rather than comfort. As I see it - and I could be wrong - this package comes with equipment that is attractive/ appeals, but the package has a compromised ride quality if comfort is your bag. 18 inch wheels are ‘mild’, and should give as near to ‘best for specification’ ride as possible, so down sizing to 17 inch may still not show you significant improvement, since you now have a rather generous 50 profile set up. That profile will have to increase if you downsize to 17 inch, and you may find it difficult to find tyres of a bigger profile than 50 anyway. Were 17 inch wheels a specified option for your vehicle? Handbook should clarify. Questions re. existing tyres - Are they ‘extra load’. (XL) tyres? If so, the sidewalls can be harder than non-XL. Are these tyres ‘Run Flat’ by any chance? Again adverse affect on ride quality due to sidewall strength. Perhaps you could come back to us. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sam, ’..will naturally settle..etc…’ is rubbish. If they ‘settle’, then why don’t they continually settle, until a point where the tyre touches the arch? Springs are designed to compress under load, and return to their unladened condition once the load is removed. Yes, given many years of use, they will compress a little, but that will take years not weeks. You have been subjected to ‘receptionist speak’. Reverting:- you have to find the correct figure I mentioned in my first post, and once armed with this, you can accurately determine whether your new set up is within tolerance - or not - and anything else is simply conjecture until you do that. You should be able to find this somewhere on a Google search, but best to e-Mail Audi your VIN and ask them the specific question. Perhaps you can come back to us Sam. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. As I think may have been mentioned, your old springs may have fractured close to the ends, thereby decreasing the ride height. Alternatively, the vehicle may have been used to regularly carry heavy roads before your ownership, and have indeed compressed with some years of ladened use - but again all conjecture.

Hello Sam, Thanks for being in touch. Who fitted your new springs for you , and if not a main dealer, were genuine Audi parts used, and if not - indeed the correct replacement fitment? There will be an unladen ‘distance’ measurement ( taken on level ground) from the wheel centre to the underside of the wheel arch, and this will have a specified tolerance. Sorry, what measurement is? - but your Audi dealer will know, or indeed you may well find it on a Google search. If all else fails - you can always measure another example of the same model. Perhaps you can colour in there detail for us. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Anthony - don’t know what you are talking about. Could you come back to us with what your question is actually about?

Hello James, Is the car wearing its tyres unevenly, and if so which ones are wearing most, and where? I notice the car is just two years old, so it would be helpful to know what mileage it has covered to result in the alignment being out at this stage. With regard to settings, you shouldn’t have to concern yourself with these, since the operator should have the necessary data and tolerance figures, within their system. If they haven’t - worry! It is likely to prove difficult to get recommendations in your, or indeed any area, but you never know. As it turns out, in my area, I have confidence in my local ATS, not because they have the most sophisticated equipment, but just because you can talk things through with them, and I have confidence in them. Others may point out they wouldn’t use their local outlet, and opinions and experience will vary. What I have found is that a garage may have the most up to date equipment, but the ability/interest to use it properly?? Perhaps you can come back to us James. Kind regards, Gareth.

Price Waqas please? Kind regards, Gareth.

Price please Phil? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Munith, It’s probably me, but I’m rather confused unless when you originally posted, your mention of ‘the AA’, you weren’t referring to the ‘AA’ as most people would have interpreted, but indeed Audi Assist -? as you now mention in your second post. Also, you say Audi Assist has taken the car to a ‘repair centre’ - what sort of repair centre?? Surely this didn’t-get-you-home-less-than-100-miles-from-new car should be in the hands of the Audi dealer who sold you this new car - not some (independent?) ‘repair centre’. Sorry Mumith, this simply doesn’t add up to me, unless there is more detail - between breakdown and now - which you haven’t yet disclosed. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Well worth posting your ‘want’ on on-line breaker link sites, such as Partsfinder etc.etc. Kind regards, Gareth.

As I say James, the economics is really based on your circumstances, the car’s overall condition, and its ‘worth-to-you’. You may need to temper this with the hassle factor of repairing, and the (perhaps surprising in relation to purchase price) price the car may realise as-is, in say an EBay sale. Sounds like you will need to give this a few coats of thinking about. Good luck with whatever you decide. Kind regards, Gareth.m