Magnet

Hello James, Thanks for joining the forum and posting your ‘want’. Before suggesting ‘try here, try there’, could you let us know the extent of your own searches so far. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello again Arron, The rod you refer to is a track rod and not a ‘tie’ rod, and as mentioned before, rotational movement is necessary at that point. If this suspected source of the noise was indeed correct, then you would be expecting to feel this at the steering wheel ( and you don’t mention you do) and the extent of noise should be influenced by turning the wheel slightly as the noise occurs ( again you don’t mention it does). This car is trying to tel you something. When have you got it booked in for? Kind regards, Gareth.

It’s a funny old world Beany, so when someone like yourself takes the time and interest to come back to the forum and let us know the outcome, then it really is appreciated. Unfortunately your type of feedback is very rare. Enjoy the car and good luck with it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Matt, What was done at 39k in 2020? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Shaun, Apologies if I’ve got it wrong, but I have the distinct feeling that you want to justify not (in caps) changing the belt assembly, and if that is the case, then don’t worry about it, and just carry on regardless of the potential outcome. ‘Ultimately, I’ll get it changed…’ Ultimately to me equates to some time in the future to suit. Let’s hope that time comes before the consequence of not changing it, as a matter of overdue urgency. You have fair amount of collateral left in this vehicle, please don’t run the risk of rendering it borderline uneconomic to repair - but there again, it’s your car to do, or not do with, as you see fit. Kind regards, Gareth.

Great result Beany. Many thanks for letting us know.

Clutch possibly yes. Cambelt, tensioner and water pump - probably a lot cheaper. Best to get estimates from your trusted local garage before committing. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Shaun, Apologies, but I’m missing the understanding of the ‘U.K. Premium’ bit. Appreciating that you have just spent out a large sum of money on something else on the car, but I think the recommendations for cambelt changes as been clearly explained in all the earlier posts - and I think you are accepting that logic. If you bought the car when it was 4 year old, then it wouldn’t have needed a cambelt up to that time, but it would have been ‘your responsibility’ to change it a year after you bought it. Now, after 2 years over that limit, you are still not getting it attended to, and of course, that is your choice - but moreover, it is at your ( in caps) risk. It might be worth getting an estimate for a replacement engine, so you can calculate the value of the risk you are taking here Shaun. Armed with this you might get your appetite back! Money is money, and risking not spending is just that. It’s rather akin to saying you are going to take a risk and not insuring your house, because you have just insured your car. Might be worth thinking about not using the car until the necessary funds are available?? Apologies, Shaun, but I think there are many folks you can talk to who will know of someone who has wrecked a good engine. Any one of those affected would long for an opportunity to turn the clock back. Anyway, enough said…… Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dave, Thanks for being in touch. What year are these cars? If they are indeed 2011 models as per your profile, then they should have had at least two cambelt changes within their service history, and be half way through the second - every 5 years. In effect, it’s difficult to consider it has full service history if the belt assembly ( and water pump) hasn’t been changed since 57k and it’s now on 130k. To me, this would not be a deal breaker so long as you get it done straight away, and I guess factor in the cost within the purchase price. Clutches and that sort of mileage would however be a worry, since the weak spot will be the in-bell housing release bearing assembly since if the clutch hasn’t been renewed in the recent past ( with quality parts) then this can be an anticipated costly . issue which could realistically crop up. Last point I would suggest you research, is the excessive oil consumption of engines of this era - Stevey Y on here is the man with the knowledge on these ‘low friction’ engines , but suffice it to say, it can have been serviced up to the hilt, but can still have an alcoholic thirst for engine oil. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Buying from a VAT registered seller so you have some comeback?

Should be able to get the correct replacement locking wheel nut remover at your nearest dealer by giving them the VIN.

Hello Arron, Thanks for being in touch. Anti roll bar links are usually the first and easy target to suspect, but you have eliminated those - subject to them still being serviceable. The possibility of springs breaking within the spring cup should also not be ignored. Have you checked all wishbone bushes for splitting, wear and movement? The list could go on, but I’m sure you will appreciate that it will be virtually impossible for anyone to source this noise without actually inspecting the car. Personally, I would discount any connection with the steering rack and the rotational movement you show, until I had eliminated all other possibilities. Only trusting one mechanic is not good news, and if you stick with that view, you are quite likely to find yourself in dire straights at some point, where you will have an immobile car because he has such a backlog. Having faith in one mechanic is good, have total dependence on him is bad news. Have you already booked it in with him, for some point in the future? Kind regards, Gareth.

Good move not to have named the dealer Adam, Kind regards, Gareth.

Again, Gates belt and tensioner should be available Mathew. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mickie, Everyone needs to applaud your efforts on this, and my cynical side suggests that despite these Sterling efforts, potential ‘buyers’ might still find themselves in situations where they still aren’t clear about what their servicing costs are going to be, as this filters down to individual dealers. Of course, for many ‘buying’ on PCP type deals, servicing may work out at a relatively nominal on-cost on a monthly basis - so fairly easily sold, along with ceramic coating, GAP insurance, and all other add-ons! Simply repeating:- financing a £40,000 + vehicle is a substantial commitment and to some, an additional ‘unexpected’ few hundred £s servicing cost over the 3 years may not be a deal breaker within the overall cost of that commitment, and indeed saving on those costs may not be too important to them. But, importantly thanks to your efforts, anyone reading this can now ask the meaningful questions about the actual ( in caps) additional servicing costs over the expected. Many thanks again Mickie. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mathew, My suggestions will relate parts rather than procedures:- If you aren’t buying genuine VAG parts at discount, then I would suggest you buy Gates kits which will include belt, tensioner and water pump (if belt driven). As Kev says, EBay would be one source, but if I was in your situation, I would want to ensure that what you buy off EBay is not ‘old stock’ , since belts should be renewed every five years, and you could find belts may already be a couple or 3 years old before they are even fitted! I have used Car Parts in Motion to good effect and at reasonable prices, so it might be worth checking there. I would also renew the serpentine belt and tensioner at the same time. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mickie, Many thanks indeed for the comprehensive conclusions of your ‘researches’. If I understand it correctly ( and I hope I do!) then the main concern, and fundamental argument, rests with the importance of the use/lack of use of the all important ‘up to’ in terms of the 18K or 2 years service interval. I certainly don’t want to dilute your argument, but these two words are so often abused in advertising, that it has almost become ‘acceptable’ that their inclusion in adverts - in the smallest print possible- next the largest possible ‘50% off’ etc. has become the norm. The follow on as far as Audi and it’s dealer’s marketing is concerned is that it becomes based-on-fact as my notorious late friend often said! As always, the buyer needs to be as sharp as them and get the the situation clearly spelled out via. e-Mail etc. thereby clearing the way for challenges as they occur. I think owners should be very grateful for your clarification. As I understood it, new owners covering higher than average mileages welcomed the ‘up to 18K…’ schedules, and my experience was that most new cars were set on this unless the owner pointed out that they were only covering low annual mileages - at which point the dealer would switch to the annual service schedule. All sounds nice and reasonable, but now we understand that additional service triggers have been included - confusing - and yes, lucrative for the business - and unacceptable ?? I would guess the 2 year signalled service is to change the brake fluid? Again, I don’t want to dilute your argument, but buyers spend many tens of thousands of £s buying new vehicles and then wish to spend out as little as possible beer-money on servicing if they can get away with it. Then we good folks on here go into raptures about the benefits of ‘full service history’, and some of the servicing may not even be to the standard one would accept. It’s a funny old world of sometimes getting away with what it is possible to get way with. Many thanks again Mickie. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Beany, Sounds like you are going to need to take the alternator to an autoelectrician and get it tested and sorted, or buy a replacement. By what I understand some of the cheap replacement ones can be cheap to buy - twice!? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Beany, Alternator output at 14.1 volts is borderline low and nearer to 14.5 would be better. A constant under-load voltage output of 13.7 is too low, and should be little different from the not-on-load output after an initial drop from the ideal 14.5. If you have indeed checked all associated connections and earths, then I would say you have a poorly alternator, particularly if you believe the clicking noise is coming from the alternator and not -say- the tensioner etc. Problem is you see Beany is that you don’t tell us whether you had any problem before you fitted the new belt and tensioner, or if you fitted these in an attempt to solve the pre-existing ticking noise under load. My teachers ( too many decades ago!) used to say ‘It’s like extracting a sore tooth’ when you failed to clearly explain the answer to a question. Still…. Any chance you or someone else has connected jump leads the wrong way at some time? Probably unlikely, since you don’t usually now get away with it that lightly. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Beany, Thanks for the important additional information - it would have saved two of us suggesting what you have already done! Alternator output at 14.1v is lower than expected, and at 13.7v ,is unacceptable. If all connections and earth leads are sound and serviceable, then it suggests you have an alternator issue and the clicking is likely to be an associated symptom. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks for clearing that up Ryan. Since you’ve only just had this work done then you certainly need to get the car back to whoever did the work as quickly as possible. Source of the noise? Could be a noise from the servo?? Not sure if they released the bleed nipple to allow the ‘excess’ fluid to escape when forcing back the piston rather than it being forced backwards through the ABS system. Perhaps you could let us know the outcome. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Carl, Have you checked with Audi - via reg. no. or VIN - that your particular car was fitted with Powerfold window? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Guess you’ve personally checked the on-line VOSA MOT history to confirm mileage and records of passes and failures - often a good guide to how the car has been looked after -e.g tyres near limit etc is generally bad news in terms of interest in the vehicle. Checked DVLA Vehicle Check which will tell you when the last V5 was issued - short ownership can indicate dissatisfaction with the car. Again, guess you’ve checked the service history with Audi via. the registration number or VIN. Motorpoint - ‘don’t most business (charge an Admin fee) now’. Car Shop ( part of the Synter Group) don’t - for one. ‘investing a lot of money in the car’. Always worth investing in a professional independent inspection before committing to buy. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ryan from the Homeland, Apologies, but….discs and pads on the front of the car … on both axles.. is a bit confusing. Could you please explain. Also… recently? Have you just had this work done and you’ve now got the problem, or was it done some little time ago and it was OK until now? Whatever, safest advice would be to return it to the garage that carried out the work with some urgency, since it’s always difficult/ impossible to diagnose at a distance and without inspecting the vehicle. Kind regards, Gareth.

You mean you, yourself have made these checks, and if so what have you checked? Motorpoint? Are they still charging Admin charges etc.?

Hello Chris, Before getting into general details about the model, can we confirm that you have already carried out all the on- line and service history checks about the particular car? Kind regards, Gareth.