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Audi A4 Maintenance and Repair

2367 messages,  Last post on May 16, 2013 at 8:34 AM

You are in the Audi A4 Forum.

What is this discussion about? Audi A4, Convertible, Sedan, Wagon

    
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Messages Page 145 of 237

#1441 of 2367 Re: replaced engine-now must pay to fix new problem [chelle4] by mishboston

Dec 05, 2006 (8:58 am)

I have a 2002 Audi A4 1.8T w/ 59,000 miles. The car broke down yesterday and let me sit on the side of the road. My mechanic says the engine looks like the oil has NEVER been changed, full of sludge! I never missed an Audi scheduled maitenance an and even had some additional oil changes done on my own. Now I am looking at a snapped timing belt, bent valves, and a cracked head. Will cost anywhere from 2-5K to repair. Or course, I am just out of warranty and the vehicle is a lease. So, the worst part is I dont even own it. I have to make the repairs and give it back to Audi. My mechanic said he lost 2 Audis to this same problem. This is clearly a known issue that Audi is not taking responsibility for. I will be contacting the attorney listed. Thank you so much for the information!!!! Good luck to all of you.

#1442 of 2367 Re: replaced engine-now must pay to fix new problem [mishboston] by shipo

Dec 05, 2006 (9:50 am)

Replying to: mishboston (Dec 05, 2006 8:58 am)
"This is clearly a known issue that Audi is not taking responsibility for."
 
Well, maybe, maybe not. The odds on bet is that while you can prove that your oil was changed at the proper intervals, you probably cannot prove that the oil used was up to the minimum spec required by Audi.
 
A couple of years back (I'm thinking somewhere between 2002 and 2004) Audi retroactively changed their oil requirements for the 1.8T engine. The new requirements called for engine oil to meet the VW/Audi 502.00 oil spec (at the very minimum, 503.01 spec oil is far superior and absolutely what I would recommend). If your dealership didn't use that oil (and many didn't preferring instead to buy bulk/cheap Quaker State or Pennzoil crap) you might be able to coerce your dealership into putting a new engine in for you. Your oil-change receipts should show what kind of oil was used.
 
The other side of the coin is that if you used non-dealership oil change places and they didn't use oil that met the 502.00 oil standard, you are probably out of luck.
 
FWIW, 502.00 oil is typically a full synthetic oil (and the 503.01 is definitely a full synthetic such as Mobil 1 0W-40 or German made Castrol Syntec 0W-30) and the oil changes typically run from $60 up to about $100. If you were paying less than this, it is almost a guarantee that you had conventional oil in your oil pan.
 
Best Regards,
Shipo

#1443 of 2367 Re: 2006 A4 2.0 CVT [2tearsnabucket] by texasa4dude77

Dec 06, 2006 (11:34 am)

Replying to: 2tearsnabucket (Nov 24, 2006 11:08 am)
All I can say is I'm right there with you. I bought my A4 4 months ago, it had 63k on it at the time and I have to admit the transmission seemed alittle rough to start. It has gotten drastically worst over these last few months. I spill coffee on myself for the jolt from starting for stand still. Mine also roles back on hills, are you experiancing this? I have third party extended warranty and they want mechanic to tear it down. Here is the catch no one works on these transmissions. I have to pay myself for a used or new transmission. 6-8k. I'm not even sure this will fix the problem.

#1444 of 2367 Re: 2002 A4 3.0 CVT [2tearsnabucket] by texasa4dude77

Dec 06, 2006 (11:43 am)

Replying to: 2tearsnabucket (Dec 04, 2006 9:55 am)
Where are you finding this information I need to get it to my extended warranty folks.

#1445 of 2367 Re: 2002 A4 3.0 CVT [texasa4dude77] by 2tearsnabucket

Dec 08, 2006 (2:40 pm)

Replying to: texasa4dude77 (Dec 06, 2006 11:43 am)
Texasa4dude77, I am also in Texas. I live in the Dallas area and have been dealing with Boardwalk Audi in Plano, TX. I took my A4 to AutoScope (down the street in Plano), which is a specialty shop that deals with foreign makes, and they recommended a new transmission. Another Audi dealer in Atlanta quoted me that a completely new transmission will cost $5,220.39 plus another $1500-1700 for labor ( $128/hr). Anyway, after I left AutoScope, I took the car immediately to Boardwalk Audi since they seem to be the only CVT specialists around. After several days, they finally reported back that I had a bad valve body. The valve body is a computer-controlled hydraulic component that varies the width of the pulleys in the CVT so the belt can ride at different heights on the pulleys. This provides the varying gear ratio. Boardwalk says that runs $3700.
 
I am the original owner with just over 50k miles. It has been behaving this way for a while, but started to worsen within the past 2-3k miles.
 
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has an on-line database to track defects, e.g. Office of Defects Investigation: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.cfm
 
Check it out.

#1446 of 2367 Re: 2002 A4 3.0 CVT [2tearsnabucket] by 2tearsnabucket

Dec 11, 2006 (4:05 pm)

Replying to: 2tearsnabucket (Dec 08, 2006 2:40 pm)
And now the latest on my CVT saga... After a week with very little news from the service manager, Boardwalk Audi called this morning to say that Audi America (based in MI) will be paying 75% of the cost of the new valve body. They would not pay 100% because the car is just barely beyond the stated warranty at 50,302 miles. I reminded them that I was complaining before the car's warranty expired, but the service rep claimed he couldn't feel the transmission jerking at that point in time. Admittedly, it was subtle, but it didn't take long for it to get worse. The good-will on my dealer's and Audi's part may help salvage my opinion of the brand.
From this experience, I've got several recommendations for people driving an Audi A4 with CVT:
1) Obey fuel octane requirements. Try not to put anything under 93 octane fuel. Doing so could result in engine/transmission problems.
2) Allow the engine to warm-up a bit, especially on cold mornings before driving off. I recommend letting the engine idle no higher than 1100 rpm before engaging the transmission.
3) Insist on snythetic motor oil, especially if you live in a hot climate like Texas. The 10,000 mile service interval is probably too long, so I would recommend getting the oil changed every 5k miles during the summer months. This is especially important if you have the 1.8L turbo 4cyl engine. It only carries 3.5 quarts of oil. Audi is well aware that natural oil burns up within 10k mile service intervals.
4) The CVT transmission does require some maintenance. An Audi specialist recommended getting the fluids replaced every 20k-25k miles. The transmission control module in the '02 CVT ran firmware that wasn't necessarily designed for driving conditions in the US. Audi flashed the module with all new firmware in subsequent '03 models. From what I understand, the software upgrade is supposed to ensure smoother launches from a stop as well as compensate for aging oil and poor octane fuel.
 
Regards,
2Tears

#1447 of 2367 Re: PLEASE HELP!!! A4 1.8 Quattro Horsepower and Lag problems [01a4owner] by noalittle

Dec 14, 2006 (10:44 pm)

Replying to: 01a4owner (Nov 28, 2006 6:59 pm)
hey,i would defintely change your spark plugs,change you wires and boots.fill up with high octane and ad a octane booster.if you cat is cloged you need to change it,but fist try banging it with something [dont put a hole in it or break it]just hit it.sometime carbon fills up in the filter.make sure you always use synth,oil!for that car.sound like tune up issuses,buy the stuff your self and tune it up your self.dont bring it to the shop until you do that first,becaus all they will do is rape you,and maybe fix the car and mabe not,and you could have more probs then before.always do the basics.[do a full tune up]so if you have to bring it in you know that it not related to your work you did

#1448 of 2367 Cam chain adjuster seal by jdzbox

Dec 20, 2006 (7:50 am)

I'm planning on to buy a used 02 a4 1.8T Quattro which has a cam chain adjuster seal.
It was found during a safety inpection. Dealer is trying to charge 420 bucks for fixing it. I want to drive it to my mechanic who is about 600 miles away. Do you think it's safe to do that? The dealer says "large oil leak" and do not mention what category it is.
Thanks.

#1449 of 2367 2006 A 4 automatic transmission problem by mlorimer

Dec 21, 2006 (9:21 am)

My leased A4 transmission "shudders" when coming to a stop. Dealer recognizes problem and they "are working on it" but the problem still exists. Anyone have luck in "exchanging" vehicles or being let out of lease?

#1450 of 2367 1999 A4 won't turn over by bucko64

Dec 21, 2006 (10:10 am)

In the past 2 years I have replace the battery and alternator in my 1999 A4 1.8T. Last week it began a new problem of barely turning over and won't start. It turns over a little better when I jumt it and it will start then. The battery and alternator check out OK. I'm thing the battery cable or starter motor but I starter motor seem to work or not work. Any suggestions?

Messages Page 145 of 237

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