Magnet

Hello Sam, I cannot see that the alignment would change, once it’s set. Possible explanation? Was all the suspension and steering thoroughly checked for wear before the alignment was set in the first place? If not, then that could explain why it was found to be out again on the second occasion. If it were mine, I would be getting a complete inspection of suspension and steering before doing anything else. There just isn’t any point in simply adjusting things if there is wear. Kind regards, Gareth.

Well, of course you can simply replace it on the assumption that it’s now passed its best, but I’m from the school of test first and replace if necessary. Why Varta or Bosch ( same batteries but branded differently so it seems)? It is likely that the original battery was made by Varta, so it makes sense to replace it with a brand which the manufacturer used. You can of course, use batteries from different suppliers/manufacturers as long as they are a match for the battery technology type and specification in terms of Ah and cold cranking current ratings etc., but I have found that buying ‘on price’ is false economy in the long run. Having said that, where I suggested you get your battery checked are amongst the dearest for replacement batteries. I have simply stuck with Varta or Bosch batteries (but their 4 or 5 year warranty quality ones) and buy on line from specialist suppliers such as Battery Megastore ( buy via EBay to get free postage), Tanya etc. - there are more - and you are likely to find that the prices for these premium brands are little more than buying Brand x batteries locally. One thing to be aware of which might, just might, apply to your model year:- the battery may have to be coded in so that the battery monitoring system ( if fitted) is updated with the fact that a new battery has been fitted. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Robert, To cut to your thread heading issue relating to stop/start, it would be reasonable to suspect that the battery will no longer be as serviceable as it needs to be to consistently operate the stop/start facility - even though it may adequately start the car on demand. Most manufacturers build in a battery monitoring system which continually monitors the battery’s performance, and if any of the parameters are below par, then the stop/start facility will be the first to shut down.if a Yes, the dealership will deduce the battery isn’t fully charged and it’s not unusual to blame the car’s usage pattern - short runs etc. - but at the age of the car, it would surprise me if the battery isn’t the main contributor here. You could try charging the battery (only - caps- via. an ‘intelligent’ charger if it’s an AGM type, which it most probably is ) and this might just result in the stop/start working again for a while, but reliably?? If the battery does need replacing, then personally, I would only replace it with a Varta/Bosch one having at least a 4 year warranty. Lights issues?? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Apologies if this dampens your quest, but there’s a fair amount of experience that points to aftermarket sensors being highly variable, quality wise. I guess you have the discounted Audi price, but if you are still insistent on going down the aftermarket route, then the only make I would consider would be Bosch. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Apologies if I’ve got the wrong end of the stick, but generally, requests for part numbers are usually to assist in the purchase of secondhand or aftermarket parts. If buying Audi parts, then obviously it’s as simple as asking for the part at your nearest dealer - part number not required. In case it helps, you can get discount on genuine Audi parts via. mail order at Audi Parts Direct at Cardiff. - part of Mon Motors (were Cardiff Audi). Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Cutting to the chase, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the battery is the offender here. Not sure whether your model year battery is the old style lead acid battery or the later AGM type. If the latter, then they should only be charged using a modern ‘intelligent’ charger. Self testing battery efficiency? Personally, I wouldn’t bother. I would take it for at least a 10 mile run, before running it in to Halfords, who should be able to test it for you. Buying a replacement from Halfords? Obviously your choice John, but I tend to buy my batteries on line from retailers such as Battery Megastore (via. EBay for free carriage), Tanya etc. I tend to invest in a quality brand such as Varna/Bosch from their 5 year warranty range. Kind regards, Gareth.

Well it seems you don’t need any more advice from the forum, you just need to buy new elements and get them fitted by some non Audi garage - job’s done as they say. As Cliff says, the fact that ‘switch’ works does not mean the seat heating control selection side of it does, but putting it bluntly, it seems you know all there is to know, and forum members are unlikely to be able to add to your knowledge bank, and that’s great, and we are all surplus to requirements! Good luck with sorting it out. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dave, About 4 topics down from the start of the forum - headed Audi Recalls. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry, I can’t help anymore. Don’t think I’m getting through.

Hello David, Sorry to hear of your issue. This subject has been quiet for a while, but was so problematic that the forum has devoted a separate section to the topic. Unfortunately only bad experiences had been recorded following emission recalls, and such was the extent of the issue, the consensus of opinion was to keep recalled vehicles away from main dealers at all costs, since even insisting not to have them subjected to the recall didn’t seem to work. It might be worth reading (or perhaps not!) the posts under this thread. Appreciating all of this doesn’t do you any good David, but it may give some comfort to note you are certainly not alone with your discontent. Where from here?? Can tuning specialists assist with getting you back to where you were? Hopefully someone will come along on here and offer some advice on that prospect. Kind regards, Gareth.

Yes OK, so really it could be said that you had a responsibility to test the car before completing the sale - and you didn’t - so warranty?? What you really need to know is whether there is anything wrong with the heated seat, on your particular car, or if the heat level you have is typical of the model. That’s your priority to find out. If you simply get someone to replace the elements, as you suggest, then you may end up exactly where you are now! Yes, worth checking with the seller, but I would still follow my suggested path and get the car looked at by a trusted auto electrician, before deciding what is needed to be done, and who is going to do it. Of course, advice is given freely when asked for on this forum, and it is your choice to decide to follow any of that advice, or ignore it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Ian, I don’t think I would be looking to buy one of these off EBay, until I knew what price I would have to pay at an Audi dealer - you could end up buying secondhand at little saving - until you know different. I can’t really see what a part number is going to do for you, since the seller is unlikely to know that either. Your photo and some additional measurements requests should suffice. If you (understandably) don’t want to pay Audi prices, then it’s worth registering your ‘want’ on the car breaker network sites such as Partsfinder - there are more. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adyg1974??, Did you buy the car from a dealer, or from a private seller? Did you make it clear that efficient heated seats were essential to you, and did you test their operation - before buying- to ensure they met your requirements? Re. the problem and it’s solution:- Probably a daft question, but can we take it you have selected the maximum heat level on the heated seats, and it’s still not adequate? If that is the case, does the degree of heating change according to the level of heating selected? Problem could be to do with a faulty control switch. Two courses of action (if you don’t have any warranty - which you may). Invest in an hour’s services of a trusted local auto electrician, or buy a set of heated seat ‘covers’ for next to nothing, when Lidl have them on sale later in the year. Do you really, really need them in the summer? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, Many thanks for coming back on this. It might be me, but I’m failing to understand why you want a part number, rather than simply visiting the Parts Dept, of your local local dealer - equipped with the posted photos and asking ‘ can you please advise price and availability on this?’ Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Charles, Thanks for coming back on this, but honestly, I’m still not altogether clear, but do understand that someone has already attempted to do a reasonable ‘bodge’. Considering spending £1,200 at Audi to improve its trade in value? Personally, I think you can knock that idea on the head. I just cannot see any chance of the economics working out in your favour. So OK, you have a nicely shaped aperture and as I understand it, you no longer have the ‘cover’ for that hole. Want to effect a reasonable alternative repair? Why not fabricate a slightly larger cover plate and simply attach it with small removable self tapping screws, and get the areas sprayed! I could even think of neater ways to solve this on a DIY basis, but even that one is better than spending £1200 or buying a cheap aftermarket one. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Charles, Am I right in thinking the paintwork is chipped around the hole where the flap sits? Personal view:- £75 for an aftermarket just sounds too cheap, and OK, pessimistic, but you could find its fit and finish is not what you would want - and that’s before you will be spending a significant amount of money to it painted. I would be giving this route a good couple of coats of thinking about before following that. My time would be spent on thinking about an alternative method of securing the flap back into your existing bumper. This should be well within the scope of a bit of head scratching. An absolute economical, and relatively hassle free way to get back where you were. Bare aftermarket bumper would certainly not be for me in this case. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, Apologies if obvious, but take it you’ve tried Audi, and you then didn’t need to know the part number. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, I’m not sure I’m understand the bit following the abbreviated swearing - incidentally, I’ve asked the question why this forum (quite rightly) blanks out offending words where written, but allows the offending words to remain in their abbreviated form! Totally illogical! Sounds as if you might have an ‘intelligent’ charger, but you would need to consult the manufactures to confirm or refute that. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Charging batteries is done by connecting the positive lead of the charger to the positive terminal of the battery (straight from the school of the bleeding obviously!) and the negative lead of the charger to any suitable metal earthed point. No need to get at the actual negative terminal of the battery. Now for suitability of chargers:- For ‘modern cars’ fitted with stop/start facilities and AGM batteries, these batteries should only be charged with what could be referred to as ‘intelligent’ chargers, which charge in a programmed mode depending on the state of the battery. You should not use the old style chargers to charge AGM batteries. Kind regards, Gareth.

Well done David!

Hello David, If renewing the clutch then I would only use LUK replacement clutch components (no exceptions - in caps) if not using the daftly expensive? Audi parts. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ernie, You don’t share with us the extent of the tyre wear on the three Michelin tyres, so it’s not possible to advise whether fitting 1,2 new ones onto one axle is a wise thing to do or not. If it were mine, I would be sending a recorded delivery letter to the dealer Principal, expressing your concern regarding the fitting of this cheapest-option budget tyre to a vehicle already fitted with 3 premium grade tyres. Question:- Why was this one tyre changed? We take it you inspected the car and agreed to buy it when the ‘original’ (worn?) tyre was on it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Yusaf again, Very much a personal opinion, but you are causing yourself unnecessary stress by now trying to work out how you would expect the repair to be conducted when at your own admission, you are not even familiar with the basic points of what bodyshop do and don’t do. You are in danger of over complicating the whole thing. Trusted local bodyshops? Visit a couple of smallish local used car sales sites and ask for some recommendations for good trusted bodyshops. These used car boys expect good workmanship at reasonable rates, and should know the good from the bad. These bodyshops will likely be run by people you can actually talk with and discuss what will and won’t be done. Or you can simply go along to larger bodyshops/accident repair centres and sit and have free coffee while some estimator -who you cannot talk to - compiles an estimate. I did say I’m out, and I feel I’m going round in circles! - but you would be doing yourself a favour by not trying to work out how to do it, if you are not actually going to do it. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Fred, The first port of call for such things is to check the wiring within the flexible section which runs from the body to the tailgate. Carefully peel back the corrugated rubber section - having pulled out the shaped rubber grommet from one end - and inspect each wire. They are prone to splitting due to this section being flexed every time the tailgate is opened, and eventually can stay together only by a couple of strands. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Yusaf, Many thanks for your thanks for my ‘super helpful’ reply. You are most welcome. But Yusaf, it must be said that your are blindly ignoring the advice given! I don’t think I could have made it any clearer that the specific experienced advice you need will only be obtained from a reputable bodyshop, and certainly not at a main dealer - unless that main dealer has an on-site bodyshop ( which will be rare). Of course, this is a personal opinion, and it’s your choice to go with it or ignore it. It seems you are still hell bent on going down the main dealer route, and that too is fine of course, but you are still asking for suggestions on how to proceed from here!? Are you just looking for someone to come along and agree with exactly what you intend to do anyway? Good luck with getting those alternative opinions, but I can only declare myself ‘Out’ as they say. I just cannot help any further. Kind regards, Gareth.