Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Coupes & Convertibles Audi TT / TTS / TT-RS Audi TT Timing Belt Problems
32 messages, Last post on Oct 16, 2009 at 1:46 AM
You are in the Audi TT / TTS / TT-RS Forum. Your Host is claires
|
Replying to: fluidtt (May 04, 2006 11:56 am)  I write this response as my TT, which has been the bane of my existence since I bought it 2 years ago, sits in a dealership service bay in more pieces than I care to know. Audi says to replace timing belt at 90,000 miles. My 2001 roadster is well under 75,000. While idling at a stop light one week ago today, the engine sputtered out and would not restart. At first, I believed it to be a repeat of the fuel sender pump problems that stranded me on a dark, snowy, rural road last November. I have no such luck. Some teeth on the timing belt broke which had the same effect as if the timing belt had snapped. Thankfully I was at idle so it only needs 8 new exhaust valves, 4 intake valves, a new timing belt, about $1,500 in labor and a few cam gears. The fact that I was idling at a top light probably saved me from needing a new engine. Thankfully, I had the foresight to purchase a third-party warranty for 4 years of 48,000 miles which will cover the belt and the valve damage. The list of problems I have had with this car are too numerous to list here but suffice itto say that in the first 2 months I owned the car, it was only in my possession for 11 days. It had an endless stream of unrelated problems. The timing belts were the subject of a class action lawsuit that Audi settled a few years ago, but the settlement only applied to specific model years of A4 despite the fact that the same engine in used in many models of VW and Audi and similar timing belt problems seem to be noted for most of them. My dealer's Service Department acknowledges that the timing belts in the turbocharged models are subject to more strain then in cars that are not turbocharged. They also tell me that they encourage customers to have the belts replaced well in advance of the 90,000 deadline. In my case, it appears that I may end up doing well since I will be getting the expensive 90,000 mile service done under a warranty/breakdown insurance contract for far less than the cost of doing it preventatively. While that takes the sting out of it, I remain frustrated with the fact that, on average, the car seems to have some sort of serious failure every 6 months. I believe that these cars are overly engineered and rely too heavily on expensive, fragile, computer-controlled systems with too many sensors and other points of failure. I don't think they can withstand more than a few years of regular driving and exposure to typical weather extremes. I have friends with Volkswagens who suffer similarly. I doubt that I would even buy another Audi or a Volkswagen. I had a Honda Accord that ran beautifully despite neglect and abuse for more than 132,000 miles with minimal issues. I had a Nissan Pathfinder that was practical, fun to drive, well-appointed and trouble free. Both vehicles were less expensive to buy, insure, maintain, and repair than the TT that is supposed to be a shining example of German engineering and reliability. Buy a Honda, Toyota, Nissan or anything that is more reliable and less expensive. They may not be as much fun to drive as a working TT but they are more fun to drive than the rental cars that will become a major source of transportation for you if you buy a TT.
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: tterrible (Jun 29, 2006 11:35 am)
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: dontbuyaudi (Nov 20, 2006 1:51 pm) I managed to get 30% out of Audi. Costing 3000$ for the repairs in the end. Totally unimpressed by Audi management and the way they handled this case. The top guys at Audi dealership are saying not to buy German cars including Audi. Wish they would have told me that when I pulled out my checkbook. I wrote a letter to the corporate head quarters and they didnt have the courtesy to respond to my mail. I guess they didnt want to formally acknowledge that they sell a POS product that they cannot stick by. The women called me up from Audi's office and told me explicitly that she would not send a response but that she did receive my letter. I asked her if she knew that the AUDI TT has an "interference" engine and she had NO clue. I am not done with AUDI, but settled for repairs of the car just to close the dilemna in the short term. |
|
| I am thinking about buying a 2004 TT 225 Convertible with 63,000 miles. Is the timing belt still issue with later year build cars. All the problems I have seen relate to 2000-01 MY??? Thanks very much | |
| My 2001 TT has 23,000 miles and dealer says I should replace the timing belt now because of age. Also says there is no way to tell whether it is likely to go or not so best to replace. Car otherwise has been well maintained and only problems have been typically electrical. But I do live in SoCal desert area so car is driven and garaged in very hot area. Am I taking a stupid gamble to stretch another year or three of low mileage driving or should I bite the $1700 (including water pump etc) bullet? | |
|
I just bought a 2001 Audi TT 1.8T 225HP for $6500.00 I practically stole the damn thing from my friend! My biggest concern is with the timing belt. As a previous Volkswagon owner, I've heard nothing but horror stories reguarding both VW & Audi's timing belt issues. Right now it has 93,000 miles and runs like a champion! Still fast as hell, especially when you grab the gears just right. This raises a few questions: -Should I replace the timing belt as soon as I have the money?? -Is it okay to have someone other than an Audi dealer change it? -Also, on average what can I expect to pay? Thanks, Poor ass 23 year old college student!
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: provosc (Oct 01, 2007 3:58 pm) I dont know what it costs when you are proactive and nip the issue in the butt. After the fact, minus the towing charges and inconvenience that it causes you expect to pay anywhere from 2k to 5k. Good Luck. |
|
|
|
| OMG! I am soooo sick to my stomach. I live in NY and was at a training session in Enfield CT. I got in my car to go home, it started, I backed it out, it stalled and never started again. I had no idea it was the timing belt, we thought it was the battery so we must have cranked the engine dozens of times. Needless to say, my car had to be towed to an Audi dealer in MA and that is where it is now. The tech told me it most likely is the belt and that the head will probably need to be replaced but he had to spend more time with it to know the extent of the damage. If the head is blown it will most likely cost $5K to fix. So, I'll wait to hear what the outcome will be for my car 2 states away. I turned 90K on that drive and the maint schedule says to change at 105K. I wish I had read this post miles ago..............I love my car, but I decided long ago I will never buy another Audi because of other strange issues that needed to be repaired while the car was still young - I owned it for 3 weeks and the turbo hose fell off at 75 mph, at 51K - 1K miles after the warranty expired and 2 weeks after I brought it in for service a pump and a bunch of vacuum hoses needed to be fixed to the tune of $998. The cruise control no longer works, every now and then the car hesitates while shifting, my side reflector is always falling off, the gas gauge is whacky...it's crazy... Good luck all... say a prayer for me... | |
|
|
|
Replying to: tterrible (Jun 29, 2006 11:35 am) |
|
|
|
 So, it cost $6139.58 to rebuild my engine, and the car still intermittently hesitates! All I can say is that I am disgusted. This thing better run forever now. My maintenance book clearly states that the belt should be replaced at 105K miles. I don't care what anyone says or what anyone knows, if that is not accurate Audi needs to inform its customers or take responsibility. Why the hell does the book say 105K if the thing breaks at 40, 60 or 90???? It's funny how the Audi rep said that some people decide not to fix the car, and he keeps them and fixes them himself and has a new car! I bet he was hoping I would leave my $42K car up there too.  It's a joke.  Never again. I drove my 1989 Jeep Wrangler into the ground for almost 14 years. I never changed a timing chain or belt or hardly anything else for that matter. I abused that truck. I still have the thing sitting on my property. I could have rebuilt the entire truck for less than 6K and driven it another 14 years! To think I put it to pasture in 2002 to get this TT.
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Coupes & Convertibles Audi TT / TTS / TT-RS Audi TT Timing Belt Problems
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Audi TT
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
