Magnet

Wonder why tyres, if the noise is only on one side Kev? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nicola, Thanks for being in touch. This looks like poorly repaired accident damage where the filler and/or paint used has shrunk over time. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Simon, but it’s getting very difficult to advise you where your redress is, since we don’t know whether the car was OK after the main dealer fitted the cameras, but has given problems only after the tracker was fitted. If that is the case then your main dealer will likely to be charging for any investigation and repair work, since the issue will not be their fault, but until you give us a clear order of who did what, when, and when the problem arose, then obviously everything is just assumption. Sorry, I don’t think I can advise you at this stage. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Simon, Sorry, but you are not telling whether these gadgets were fitted at the main dealer or not. Were they? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Craig, I think you are in danger of forming - indeed have formed- a conclusion that your issues are due solely to the tyres currently fitted to your car, when in reality you know the only difference tyre ‘height’ difference between your old model and this is probably an insignificant 14mm. If this were mine, I would be first swopping backs and fronts (as said) to see if that influences the vibration issue. I don’t think I would be visiting Kwik Fit at this stage if I were you, since you are minded that your issues all all tyre brand associated, and changing brands will solve it. Couple this, with KF’s understandable marketing and branch targets, and you are likely to be driving away with a new set of boots! I would do this stage by stage, but... Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Simon, Many thanks for being in touch. When you say ‘they (who fitted to gadgets?) refuse to listen’ - who are ‘they’? Can we take it you have had this work carried out on your new car at the main dealer? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks James, Sounds a good idea to try to dry it out quietly. Hope it solves the problem. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Jonny, That’s great. It just didn’t seem to make sense that you couldn’t get such a part anywhere, when the first port of call would have been your Audi dealer, not your garage - who obviously just hadn’t tried. Kind regards, Gareth.

Last call:- £34. + p&p as last resort. Does it fit others as well?? Please check the main dealer price to decide how cheap this is. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Vic, Thanks for being in touch. Some detail please! Are we to understand you are looking to obtain this part, but you have failed? If so, what avenues have you tried so far? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Craig. 235/55 on old model = 129mm of tyre wall height. 255/45 on current model = 115 mm. So you have 14mm less tyre ‘height’. Significant? Would not have thought so. Tyre brands and sidewall flexibility? Others maybe more experienced on this, but I would have thought that the main tyre contributing factors to ride quality would be XL (extra load) - where the sidewalks are less flexible, and of course run-flats for the same reason. Are you still confident that neither of these apply to your current tyres - particularly the run-flat aspect? Not always apparent, so worth visiting your local tyre retailer? Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Hugo, Great. 20€/hr! Wow. Pardon my ignorance - particularly since I used to enjoy Geography - but where is Almancil? Save me looking it up! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sumeet, Thanks for coming back. Maintained Mercedes petrol or diesel should see 100k miles, sigh, and cover the next 100k with the same effort. Ones which have previously suffered from a lack of maintenance will, like any other marque, soon let you know. Some will put all (in caps) their faith in the ‘quality’ of a vehicle, based on its service history. SH is important, but may just equate to a vehicle having spent half a day at a dealer every 18 months or so, and might not give any indication of the way it’s actually been cared for in daily use. We have a local executive hire company near to us, and his vehicles can cover around well over 200k in under 3 years. His drivers are queuing up to buy them because they know they have actually had a good and active life. I’m not saying low mileage is the reciprocal of this, but they can take a bit of a mechanical hammering via. constant short distance journeys, and of course, the interiors, doors etc., have to withstand a far higher than normal amount of getting in and out. Anyway, Sumeet, good luck in finding what you want. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sumeet, I’m sure other will give you the pros and cons or should that be the other way around!?) of these gearboxes. On the more general principles, you are looking to buy an eleven year old car and have set your maximum mileage requirement to an example which has covered between 4 to a maximum of 6,000 miles/a. Not very realistic in my book, and very restrictive in terms of choice. It obviously follows that such low mileage examples will have been subjected to numerous stop/ starts, more not-up-to-temperature use , and a much higher clutch operation - i.e. not the best of operating conditions. Clutch (release bearings) will certainly suffer over time. Cambelt and water pump schedules are not strictly in accordance to mileage, but also to time periods, irrespective of mileage - generally every 5 years. Hope some of this might help pending more in depth comment. Kind regards, Gareth.

Tried swopping back wheels to front Craig, to see if that makes any difference? As said, 55 profile are generous, but were the satisfactory 19 inch fitted with say 60? Suspension specs between the two any different? e.g. Sport vs non Sport. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Craig. That profile is very generous for 20 inch wheels, and should give you good ‘insulation’ from varying road surfaces, so nothing there to point you to a cause, I’m afraid. Just to confirm:- tyres are matching in terms of brands and amount of tread? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Warning lights often work by picking up circuit resistances outside of the norm, so the bulbs may still illuminate, but might have higher than expected contact resistance. If this were mine, I would be investing in a spray can of contact cleaner, removing the offending bulbs, giving everything a good spray, then refitting and wiggling the bulbs in their holders. See if that does anything. If not, let us know, and there is one more area you could check, but the car would not really be old enough to expect to have that issue. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Craig, Could you let us know the width and profile of your 20 inch tyres and whether they are run flats or perhaps extra load (XL) ? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Hugo, and welcome to the forum. You raise a good question and hopefully someone with access to a trade system should be able to help you out, by letting you know the scheduled time for these jobs. Personally, I wouldn’t use a mechanic who won’t give you a price for the job, since he either doesn’t know the work involved - so hasn’t done it before, or he might just be working out how much money he can get from you. Worth trying to find another mechanic. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jack, Many thanks for being in touch. I wondered how long you’ve had the car, and whether you inherited the issue with the car. To me, this looks like a previous owner has ‘deliberately’ modified the spot and fog light system so it’s permanently on. It was a fad a couple or so years ago - maybe still is?- to have fog lights on all the time ( not in bad weather as should be). Something to do with attention seeking, and look at me, I’ve got spit lights on my Audi! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jonny, Hopefully Kev’s link will help. If not, have you actually visited, or phoned you local Audi dealer? I guess you must have since you say you have tried everywhere, but I’m not certain of that, from your reply. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian again, If your main dealer fails to help you, then I would be resorting to checking EBay for an original brochure for the car. This brochure will answer your question. Always a nice addition to a collectible car’s portfolio. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, Although there had always been a vast aftermarket for hoses, resulting in them being in plentiful supply, I think that it was around the time your car was registered, that hoses generally became main dealer parts only. My first port of call would be to pay a visit to the Parts Dept. of your dealer - armed with a photo and VIN and Reg. no. ( if not able to take the car. They will be able to advise you whether this part is still available or not, and if it isn’t, should help you out with a part number. I would not attempt to do this over the phone or by text. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jonny, Thanks for being in touch. Are you saying Audi are no longer able to supply this part for your 13 year old car? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Peter, Thanks for being in touch. It seems you have got yourself into (potentially expensive) problems by wanting to fit tyres which are a meagre 10mm wider than the manufacturer’s specification. I would have thought that now attempting to fit these on the fronts is just compounding an already confused situation, and one you would not want to get involved with. In addition, I guess you would have already considered the possible affect on your insurance premium by fitting non standard tyres. Kind regards, Gareth,