Magnet

Hello Nigel, It has to be appreciated that unfortunately this car is having a rather hard life, unless a part of the annual mileage is done in spaced one off reasonable length trips. I think you are wise to consider an appropriate servicing routine for the car. It will now be approaching 5 years old, and just considering the brake fluid situation alone, it should already have had one brake fluid change on an age basis, due to the fluid absorbing moisture. If that hasn’t been attended to, then it is now overdue. The oil and filter changes are fairly easy to contend with, and if this were mine, I would be changing these every two years, irrespective of mileage. The cost spread over this period will be minimal. Again, gearbox fluid will be a consideration at 5 years old, and although automatic boxes are capable of providing reliable service over hundreds of thousands of miles of regular use, they can however take some strain on very low journey miles. I would be seeking specialist opinion on this - it could be said to be safe to continue to run it in this regime for another few years before changing the fluid, but.... Not sure if this engine runs on a belt or chain, but if a belt, then these have recommended change intervals based on time as well as mileage. The change interval may be as low as 5 years, but the dealer will advise. Low mileage, stop start, seldom-up-to-temperature use can take its toll on belts. Finally Nigel, it’s worth considering the tyre serviceability aspects, since although the tread wear will obviously be minimal, it is likely that they will have spent long periods of time sat in one position, so it would be worth getting the sidewalls inspected. I would think that in summary, I would be tempted to entrust this car to be looked after on a regular two year servicing basis by a trusted local garage, rather than leave it effectively not-serviced for longer periods due to its low mileage use. Not sure if any of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stephen, The easy bit has now now been, the difficult bit of reading the small print exclusions is the time consuming bit! That, in my opinion, is more important than the actually premium to be paid. I think you are wise in seeking viewpoints on this and any other insurance backed warranties you are considering signing up to. Hopefully someone on here will give you the benefit of their experience, but it might be worth widening the net to searches on other forums and reviews as well. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. There has just been another thread on the same subject, so it might be worth keeping an eye on other replies against that one as well.

Hello Tom, Difficult one, since you are rightly looking for advice on not only a comparison of the VAG extended warranty compared with other commercially available ones , but more importantly, the success rate/hassle factor in the event of a claim. To me, it’s the latter consideration which becomes the all important bit, since the cover extent detail is the stumbling block. As is said, the devil is in the detail, and personally, I would be more interested in what is excluded from cover rather than what is included. VAG extended warranties? Probably more expensive ( partly due to dealer commission from their sale to you?), and probably ties you in to a greater extent into servicing at the dealer. Not to say, you cannot get the car serviced at an independent, but I guess this will aggravate the potential hassle factor if you do have to claim. Of course, there is another consideration which suggests you simply put funds one side incase issues arise. Sorry this isn’t of much help, and hoping someone may come up with a sound recommendation based on a claim experience. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nick, Sorry to hear of your problem. I too would follow Dan’s logic and question differential vs. prop. shaft etc. Issues, since the symptoms you suggest do not appear to be typical of diff. problems. OK, it has been checked, but my guess is that the differential is the suspect because they cannot find any other issue - not to say there isn’t - just to say they can’t find anything. Difficult one. Any vibration? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sorin and Otto, Otto - Not sure if you managed to sort out any evidence of an earlier belt change, or if not, if you are going to get it changed. Hello Sorin, Of course, all opinions represent a personal viewpoint, and fair enough, you may disagree with your local dealer’s advice, and believe you can significantly extend the recommended mileage change point. You could be right, and yes, people gamble, and in this case, you gamble a wrecked engine, but.... I take it your dealer would also have stated....’ 60K miles or (say) 5 years - whichever come first’ Time intervals are also important, particularly in the context of low mileage vehicles which have been subjected to regular stop/start short runs. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Wayne, Sorry to hear of your concerns, and I think you are right in expressing any concerns about steering issues. If this was my car I would be contacting the seller without delay and notifying them of the issue, and asking for the car to be thoroughly inspected as soon as possible. I certainly would not have any alignment or balancing assessment carried out, since quite rightly, the seller could claim that your adjustments have contributed to the issue. All I would be doing prior to the sellers inspection, would be to note the tyre makes, how they are wearing across the treads (taking photos would be good) and to ensure the all round tyre pressures are as the handbook lists for your tyre size. Perhaps you could let us know what you find, and how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Well I guess it at least gives you an avenue to ensure these tyres are inspected at the manufacturer. I can only repeat (which would be vitally important to me) to retain one typical example for future independent assessment/evidence should you be dissatisfied with Dunlop’s findings. Probably stating the obvious, but you would need to advise them that you are retaining one typical example, but you wish this tyre to be considered along with the others. Perhaps you would be kind enough to let us known how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, I fear this isn’t going to be of much help, but in the absence of any other replies, could it be a matter of recalibrating the roof rather than replacing any components? Kind regards, Gareth.

Many of these lights (from different car manufacturers) are simple LED strips, and the fine links connecting the individual elements are quite flimsy and can suffer from corrosion, and one link can break and the light then doesn’t work at all. It might be worth checking that there hasn’t been any water/moisture ingress - which would be a definite aggravator. LEDs are fine, but the quoted life expectancy can be way out. Just as a comparison, I renewed all my strip lights in the garage with LED tubes. One tube was not working as received in its individual cardboard tube, and another one has failed well within 1years infrequent use. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Christina, Can we take it this has failed within the year's warranty, or has it been fitted longer than this? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jake, So you’ve now looked at your carpets as Steve’s good advice recommends. Fortunately they are dry, so again fortunately? your electrical issues are unlikely to be associated with this, not uncommon problem. Sound advice, and it’s probably a difference in senses of humour, but personally, I’m struggling to see anything funny about it. You will now need to look elsewhere for the causes of your ABS issues, and perhaps someone else may help you out with this problem - I know where I’d now be looking, but... Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, I have found that where similar components have suffered with damp, it manifests itself as what is called ‘white rust’ on the inner surfaces of the electro-galved cases. Very often, the printed circuit boards are close to these inner surfaces and the white deposits get onto the printed circuit. On a little to lose basis, it could be worthwhile removing the unit, before removing part of the case ( if not sealed), drying it out, and gently brushing away any residue, before cleaning up with some contact cleaner. I have had success with Sat Nav units using this procedure. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Craig, Sorry, but not surprised to hear about your problems with these tyres. Just wondered what your next move is going to be with attempts to get some resolution. I also wonder if earlier posters who have reported their similar issues to Watchdog etc. have had any feed back from any of these organisations. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Stephen, Apologies, but I’m a little confused by the timing of events with this. Can we take it that there was some previous history of problems, which resulted in you having the wiring loom in the boot ‘replaced’? If so, what were the previous symptoms? ‘.....been changed...so no broken wires there’. Apologies Stephen, but this is simply an assumption, and this will only be proved when it has been thoroughly re-inspected - perhaps it has?? If this were mine, my next move would be to return it to the person who replaced the part harness, or if you no longer have sufficient faith in this person, then book an hour at a trusted local auto electrician. Sorry if this doesn’t seem very helpful, but I think the reality of such things is that it would be extremely difficult to diagnose the cause of these issues without working on the actual car. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dennis, A couple of possible avenues where no known service history exists:- Apologies if you have tried some/all. Wander into your local dealers (I’ve found Parts Dept to be the best first port of call). You need to be armed with the VIN incase the registration number has changed (say by cherished number change). There might just be some traceable history in the ‘main’ system.I would take your V5 with you and a good proof of identity, so that you can ask for a copy of what they have. Check where the car was first registered. You can Google the prefix to find the region - let me know if you fail. Check with Audi dealers in that area. Last keeper details? Still recorded on V5? Contact them and enquire about servicing records. The car must have been serviced at some time, particularly within the warranty period. If all of this fails, then I would think you cannot take a chance on not doing it. If you do go down this road, then the ‘quality’ of the parts used is more important that low quotes. I would only use a genuine VAG water pump for example - no exceptions. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Dennis. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, I’m sorry to hear your sister has yet to resolve the issue. To put it in a nutshell, the fact that the Audi dealer cannot find any fault (codes) obviously does not mean that the fault is not present - it just means they cannot identify the fault. I think “Which Legal” having given your sister sound advice based on your description of the events. Writing a recorded - delivery letter to the dealer principal should be done without delay, and should be sent off before approaching the Ombudsman. As I said, I would be encouraging your sister to visit her local CAB, as suggested, and I’m sure they will draft a letter for her. Difficult to put this delicately Mark (and with apologies) but the way in which this letter is written will be of paramount importance. In view of this, I would not be writing this for her/with her since they will (understandably?) pick up words such as exceptable for acceptable ( predictive text?) etc. and unfortunately that could dilute her case. She would be well advised to talk this through face to face (ASAP) with CAB and ask them to draft the letter for her. An additional progressive move should be to write to the finance company involved - if the car is on a finance agreement. Of course, all of this is just my opinion, and will possibly differ from others. Good luck in sorting it out. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, As Cliff says - the bleeding obvious is that this car is trying to tell you something, and you must, just must, get this looked at a reputable local garage without any delay (delay in caps.) Failure to do this will demonstrate a lack of respect for the car and for your wallet. The fact that you are asking, suggests you don’t do much mechanicaly with this car yourself, but if it were mine, I would be disconnecting the auxiliary belt to find if the noise remains - and hoping it doesn’t, but if I were you, I would leave this for a garage to do. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Richard. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mark, Sorry to hear of your sister’s issues with this car. You ask if there is anything that needs looking into, and my advice would be for your sister to go to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau, and take advice on the options open to her. As I see it, the car is not fit for purpose ( and indeed could be considered dangerous) and she has given the seller opportunities to correct the faults - which they can’t. The next point could be that she formally rejects the car and has her money refunded in full. Not sure what you mean by ’....replacement... which apparently cost £6000...’ Was the car bought from an Audi main dealer? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, I’m not sure about the correct grade of oil for the diesels, but I guess you have looked that up in your handbook. Brand of oil? As I have mentioned before, VAG did/still do? recommend Quantum oils ( some say manufactured by Castrol, but....?) and for the petrol engine at least, I see little point in chosing anything else. I use the Longlife version, but still change it annually, since it’s cheap to do it yourself. Oil filters? In my book, genuine VAG ones are the ones to go for, but if you must go for an alternative, then I would only use Mann. OEM and aftermarket? OEM is a very much misused term, and personally I take little notice of it. ‘Aftermarket’ can also cover a multitude of sins, and once respected brands are now no more than ‘bought out’ brand names used for supplies which can be dubious. I would not skrimp on quality. Price becomes very much a secondary consideration when the cost savings of DIY are applied. Kind regards, Gareth.

I’m with you Michael with this theory, but what confuses me is that I would not expect the coolant to pressurise the system to any great extent before the thermostat opens, and if I am right with this, then you would expect the gauge to get close to normal - say after approx. 1mile - before dropping back. Coolant reservoir caps can be an ignored source of issues, and yes, I guess they can fail to release excess pressure, but more often (I think) they fail by not allowing the pressure to build up. Although thermostats are rated to open around mid 80s degrees, the full operating coolant temperature can reach around 100 degrees ( the boiling point of water). This is fine, since the actual boiling ( bubbling) point of water is increased with pressure so the slight increase in pressure - around 4psi - will suppress the ‘boiling’ (bubbling) point. If the caps fails to allow this slight boiling. Kind regards, Gareth.

Guessed you might have tried that Ray, but being pedantic, did you drop them in boiling water and found they opened when you did that? Probably not. My test is to gently lift the opening section very slightly (important words being gently and very slightly) and insert a length of fine cotton under the seat so that it is jammed under the seat. You can then dangle the thermostat in the water to be heated and note the temperature at which the thermostat falls off - I.e. when it opens. Apologies if that is what you did. Boiling water is fine if you want to see if it opens, but not if it opens too early. Pressure in the system? Worth feeling how hard the hoses are when running. No need for me to mention all safety requirements?? If above proves to be OK, then I’m struggling Ray. Anyone else have any advice? Kind regards, Gareth.

Well Ray, this is confusing to me, so let’s hope someone more knowledgeable on here can throw some light on it. As I see it, stating the bleeding obvious, if the thermostat has been correctly fitted and is properly serviceable, then it must retain the initial heated coolant in the engine block, until that coolant reaches around 80+ degrees i.e. near normal on the gauge. The heated coolant then opens the thermostat, and allows the coolant to be passed through the radiator to be cooled, while the block heats more coolant - and so on. Eventually all coolant reaches the operating temperature. For the coolant not to heat up?? Suggests the thermostat is ‘permanently’ open. How could that happen? If it opens at too low a temperature - but two faulty ones? That would be a bit of a coincidence! but.....? I would now want to test it’s operation by heating water in a pan and actually checking the opening water temperature with a thermometer. Got to positively eliminate that first! Just a thought - no more than that. Could some pressure build up in the engine block force the thermostat to open early? Food for thought?? Could you let us know how you get on Ray. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Yiyang, Can we take it you didn’t buy the car from a main dealer? Not surprised there isn’t a service book - many manufacturers have discontinued using these, and depend on the dealer entering the servicing details into VAG’s computer system, and it is retained there as evidence of correct servicing. Do you have information about its servicing before you took ownership? i.e. did you check it had full service history? As you will know, the car is under warranty by VAG within the first 3 years if it is serviced at the correct intervals and the correct parts have been used. I’m sure Steve (SteveQ) on here will clarify this for you, but I believe that if you choose not to use an Audi dealer for your servicing, then you must use a VAT registered garage, and that garage must use the ‘correct’ (Audi) parts and approved oils, if you want to retain your warranty with Audi. As you rightly question:- how do they input the servicing details into VAG’s system. Unless they have authorised access, then I guess they can’t, and personally I would not want to be arguing a warranty claim based on this. OK, you are not impressed with Finchley Road Audi, but aren’t there other Audi dealers within reasonable distance who you could use? An alternative could be to use an independent Audi specialist who has the necessary service detail computer input link. 10 digit code? - can the seller help you with this, or another Audi dealer? Kind regard, Gareth.

Very helpful post Gursel. Kind regards, Gareth

Sorry to hear that Ray. Have you had the actual running of the coolant checked to compare it with the indicated temperature? Kind regards, Gareth.