Magnet

Hello Craig, I'm very much with Steve on this, and I'm sure this will be covered under warranty. We must take it that the coolant level in the reservoir is dropping - significantly? if some is finding its way onto the road. We guess you are topping it up with the correct type and concentration of coolant. Kind regads, Gareth. p.s. The radiator on our A3 became perforated (not due to damage) many years ago when fortunately it was just within the 3 year warranty. That as replaced at the dealer without charge.

Hello Patrick, I guess you've registered your 'want' with such companies as Partsfinder (I think it's named) etc. who are linked to breaker's yards. These breakers will contact you if they have a suitable engine. Apologies if you already know of this avenue. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Daren, I guess you mean 1000rpm rather than 10,000! If it's 1000 then this is fine - fast idle until it warms up a little. Once it has done that, then it should settle back to around 750rpm, as it does. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Since you cannot feel any vibration through the seat - only through the steering wheel - it would suggest some out of balance with the fronts. This vibration coming in at 80 mph is not typical of wheel balance - normally too high a speed ( you don't admit to breaking the law do you!?) However, if were mine, I would be doing two things before suspecting anything else:- Try another tyre retailer and ask them to balance the wheels - fronts in particular. And yes, get them to thoroughly ( in caps) examine wheels and tyres. I would not assume all good until proved to be so. Try swopping front wheels to back and back to fronts. You didn't mention any mixes of tyre makes on the car. Assumng that this 4/5 year old car is of average mileage and condition, then it would not be expected that things like drive shafts and bushes would be significantly worn - assuming damage has not occurred at some time. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Can you also feel any vibration through the seat by any chance? Were the tyres (and wheels) thoroughly inspected before balancing? Are the tyres matched on the same axle, and hopefully the same on both axles? Aopologies for the questions. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thank you Paycho, '....oil pump ...replaced ....if necessary' may hold a clue. If it were mine, I would be getting the actual oil pressure measured when the oil is hot ( only after a 10 mile run) so that you will be able to know if it's simply an oil pressure sensor issue, or an actual a low pressure problem. How many miles has the car done since the engine was rebuilt? Have you notified the rebuilders? Kind regards, Gareth.

OK , but what work was carried out on both? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Peycho, You will need to tell us exactly what has been rebuilt on the engine and what hasn't. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Cathal, Others more knowledgeable than me will be able to advise with the accuracy of these range computerising on Audis. My experience with non- Audis is that they are guide figures rather than accurate assessments. If it were mine, I would fill the tank to the brim, zero the trip and run it over average driving conditions until the gauge reads around a quarter full. Refill to the brim and calculate the average mpg, but I would not be expecting to achieve 'book figures' consumption. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ray, Never heard of Seark thermostats - radiators, yes. By what you say, so would seriously suspect this thermostat. I have just changed a thermostat on a 1.6, A3 but chose a genuine VAG one in preference to an aftermarket one at a third of the price, due to experience of the potential for variable quality with aftermarket ones. Not sure if you changed this yourself or had it fitted by someone else, but if you fitted it, I work on the principle that I save on labour so can 'afford' to use genuine parts for critical applications. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Angela, In my mind, if you are 'in a panic' you have to deal with one issue at a time. You don't tell us when the car is booked in for an MOT, but yes, you can literally take a chance that the warning like will not come on during the test - but a chance it is. If the light does come on and it fails, you will then have two problems to deal with under pressure, rather than one, as now. If it were mine then I would follow my original advice, since you say you panic when the light comes on anyway. 'Hate cars having all these sensors' :- well they are there to warn drivers of issues, and hopefully allow corrective work to be carried out - generally without pressure. Yes, some may favour not having warning sensors, and just depend on blind faith between services. Hope you can sort it out without too much inconvenience. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ray, Just one simple question:- What make replacement thermostat did you use? Kind regards, Gareth.

Sounds OK Andy, I only use Mann filters if not using VAG. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Angela, Always difficult to diagnose without examination, but this could be as simple as a dirty contact on a sensor on one of the wheels. Or possibly corrosion on one of the signal toothed rings etc. Someone more experienced than me with the capabilities of diagnostics, will confirm or otherwise that it would be possible to identify which wheel set up to investigate first. If it were mine, I would be booking it in to a trusted local garage who can identify the problem for you. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sounds a good idea to restart from a known base and ensure the oil is the correct grade for the engine - since it is a largely unknown factor at the moment. Personally, I use Quantum brand oil (Longlife 3) which I understand is/was the VAG recommendation. What brand filter are you using Andy? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andy, Appreciate the convenience of a minimum-level sensor for engine oil, but I'm old fashioned (well simply old actually!) and tend to check the dip stick approx. every month. Again, out of interest, how much oil do you add between min. and max? 1/1.5 litres? Grade of oil you are using Andy? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andrew, I believe Audi (and most other manufacturers) list the expected oil consumption in the handbook, and the quoted consumption can often be much higher than would be considered reasonable. My guess would be that the consumption of your car would not be considered 'excessive', but I am sure some similar engines will have negligible consumption if they have been serviced at regular intervals. Others far more knowledgeable on this engine will perhaps give opinion on whether these engines did have issues - something rings bells. It would be interesting to know if the car's compumption has recently increased during ownership, or if you have acquired it, and are now finding its consumption. We take it that the recommend grade of quality oil is being used. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sounds great and all boxed up Chris, and your car sales dealer has indeed gone the extra mile for you. Happy new year and kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks John, So we now know that this car has been workshop examined as opposed to just getting a verbal opinion. With knowledge of that, if it were mine, I would now be contacting Audi Customer Services and expressing my (understandable) discontents, and requesting an independent assessment of the problem. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Happy new year and kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, Many thanks for the additional useful information. Low coolant level warning? Now seems inexplicable with knowledge of what has been done. I think I would still suspect this to be associated with a contact issue, and I would revisit this if it were mine, but if you keep an eye on the actual level then I guess this spurious warning would be something that can be lived with. Temperature only getting to 65 degrees? I would put my money on this being a thermostat issue, despite the car being only 4 years old. Not sure where it lives in your engine, but 4 hours labour would suggest it's somewhere inhospitable! A total estimated cost of c£500 would equate to the part costing only c£100 ( labour est. at £100/hr). If it were mine, I would be wandering into (another) Audi dealer and getting an actual cost and description for the part, and establishing whether the part is available as simply the thermostat, or if it is supplied including a housing (usually plastic). I would then be enquiring about the cost of fitting it at the same main dealer. It would also be useful to have an alternative quote from an independent. I've just replaced the thermostat on our 12 year old 1.6 A3 and that is now spot on on temperature, as opposed to being reluctant to get close to 'normal'. If you do decide to replace yours then my recommendation would be to only fit a genuine VAG part (particularly with the anticipated labour charges) since aftermarket ones can be variable in quality and reliability - so just don't go there! Does the car have a full main dealer service history? When did you buy it, and did you buy it from a main dealer. Subject to the answers, it might be well worth contacting Audi and presenting your issues to them - they may be prepared to make some contribution. I hope 2019 is kind to you and yours, and that you can get this issue sorted easier and cheaper than the current estimate. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Looking at this from a detached point of view, is it reasonable for Audi to sell near-new cars which make a noise from the rear brakes under the conditions you describe? Personally, if a salesperson had informed me of this before parting with hard-earned, I think I would have chosen to by another marque. Would the 'reported this twice' mean that they have given you a verbal opinion that it is 'normal', but have not examined the car to ascertain whether there is anything wrong with it or not? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alan, Many thanks for updating us on this. The garage you bought the car from appears to be very accommodating on this - really well beyond the 'call of duty', and all you now need is some written confirmation (can be done by you e-mailing them along the lins of ..... further to our earlier conversation ......) that they will reimburse you half the cost of you getting the belt kit and water pump renewed at an Audi dealer. Is it yet due for renewal though? You will need to contact a dealer, or couple of dealers to be certain of sound advice, and asking them for the interval at which this needs doing. It will always be x miles or x years, whichever comes first. There is something in my mind which points me to 80k or 8 years, but please do not take this as read. There could be a question mark over whether the belt assembly on this 6year old/ 64K car is actually due yet. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Rob, Being a but pessimistic, I doubt if you will hear from the original poster via. this thread. It might be worthwhile contacting him by PM. On to your issue:- Does/did the poor starting apply in non-winter weather as well? When you say '.....the garage....' - are these diesel specialists? If not, I would certainly recommend you spend your investigation money with a trusted local diesel specialist rather than an ordinary local garage. Local taxi drivers are often a good source of recommendations for diesel specialists. Relay? It could be a fuel pump relay, but I would think this is an assumption rather than a known issue. 'Really don't know where to go from here'. If the issue is a cold weather problem, then it could (just could) be glow plugs.These - and the associated wiring can be checked. Injectors? Again it could be, and again these can be assessed by a basic leak-back test. Your wallet needs to hope it isn't an injector issue! Do you get smoke and an excessive smell of diesel when it does start? Hopefully the above will be of some help, but you really need to invest in an hour or so labour at the specialists, which should save you money in the long run. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alan, My first port of call would be trawl through the service history by checking with the servicing garages ( main dealers?) when this belt was last changed. I guess you would have bought this from a non Audi dealership, due to the age if the car, but irrespective, I think you will find that cam belt changes are 'service items' and would not form part of a warranty cover - very much like tyres etc. needing changing from time to time. Personally, even if they were prepared to make some form of contribution, I would be wary of entrusting the job to them since it is highly likely to be 'lowest cost option', and as such, after market parts could be used, rather than VAG parts. If so, and the water pump is changed, then aftermarket pumps can be of variable quality and serviceability - with potentially frightening consequences. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello A, '........drops of oil coming out of the exhaust...' Strange! Are you sure this is oil? Try creating a puddle of water in line with the end of the exhaust. If it's oil drops then the drips will create a spectrum effect on the surface of the water. Back pressure from removed oil filter cap hole? If you can see oil fumes and experience any pressure then combustion gas pressure is where it shouldn't be. You can do the same type of test by partially removing to dip stick. Kind regards, Gareth.