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[Audi A3/S3] Severe S3 Cambelt problem....help!!!! 115k or 80k


uk_spek
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Hello chaps.....NOT A HAPPY BUNNY!!!

Was on the way to the airport about 2 weeks ago, and the thing decided to strip the teeth off of the cambelt....not good....

Took it to my local garage and asked them to proceed with the warranty work. All ok as was inside the end of the warranty by 18 days (phew, or so I thought).

Had a phone call yesterday saying that the warranty company want proof of cambelt change at 80,000. Now hang on I thought, my 82,000mile lovely grey Audi S3 is not due a cambelt for a while. My service book (full of lots of lovely MAIN dealer stamps) states that its not due until 115,000 miles, and my service indicator is showing its not due for 2 year service for another 2,000miles.

So whats the guts??? I rang Audi GB and they said that yes, the S3 is due a cambelt change at 115,000 (as stated in my service book...temporary hooray), but anything with an engine code APK ( i think she said) is due at 80,000....STUNNED SILENCE!!!! Yes, mine is the S3 with that code.

So, basically, everything Audi have provided with the vehicle is CRAP.

Is the cambelt due for a change when the computer tells me?? would it not show up on the Audi computer when I took it in for its next main dealer service?? everything the service book and computer tells me has been followed to the letter...Serviced when due, and nothing written in the book about cambelt servicing due at 2 different intervals. It has had the 2 year long life servicing done last year in accordance with the book at Audi- Southampton. Nothing was ticked or written in there to suggest the cambelt service is due.

Who is liable for the £1500 bill??? Audi for getting me tucked up with the wrong service intervals, or not informing me of a change to the stated mileage????

The dealer i bought it from is non-audi, but as I have only had it since January and only done 9,000 miles (tops) in it, are they not liable for it under the Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994, Motor Vehicle- Second hand cars, Consumer rights C15.

I would suggest people check this on their S3's with Audi GB, and if anyone else has the same problem as me (115000mile camblet change in book, but really due at 80000miles) then please let me know as I am off to Trading Standards & Watchdog about it if I am not the only one. Also, if anyone with an 2001 210bhp S3 has a 80,000mile cambelt change page in their service book, can they also let me know as I would like to see one...lol.

Cheers for your input.

Alex B

uk_spek

2001 Y-plated 210bhp S3

P.S. I am also chasing an original 2001 Audi S3 (210bhp) service manual, namely the origianl maintenance schedule from Audi...the one THEY use, not our service book we get.

If anyone knows where I could get a PDF copy or order one from, let me know, as I have a feeling this one is going to court....cheers guys.

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Hi Alex,

Sorry to hear about your S3 and its cambelt problems. I've got a 2002 S3 which currently has 64000 miles on the clock.

I've just phoned Chelmsford Audi to enquire about my cam belt and was told the following:

S3 Pre 2001 115,000 miles cam belt

S3 Post 2001 80,000 miles cam belt

The service manager did not ask about my engine code, he just wanted to know when i purchased the car.

I was also quoted £425 for the cam belt to be replaced.

I hope this is of some use to you.

Best of luck.

Jules

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Hi mate,

I got a pre 2001 model, but have booked it in for a 75K cambelt change because when i asked the technician he said it's needs doing at 80K.. and started to reel of a story about a customer who waitied till 80,100 and it got fcuked.

I spoke to my dad (normal mechanic) and he advised me to get it done before hand so got mines booked in at end of month (with a water pump change aswell) for around £450.

When i rang the previous dealers where it had a service i asked if a cambelt change was done and they all said it doesn't need doing till 80K. Some of the other garages are saying 115K?

I think the dealers are doing what they do best.. too much information and don't give a definitive answer and pull your trousers down at the same time!

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I have been informed by folks on here that it's best to change cambelt, cam tensioner and water pump at about 50k on all S3's.

Especially the waterpump!! My water pump went at 39k (only had the car 6 weeks) which cooked the engine and blew the head gasket! sportifs2.gif Cost me just under a grand to have it all done which was well cheap, I was paying approx. £25p/h labour, not the £92.50 p/h stealers charge! Total labour 25hours to do the job!!

My advice would be while you have the engine in a state of undress, do everything while you're there!

Apparently, Audi's "wunder fix" for the poor waterpump is to take the impeller off, drill a hole in the end and fit a grub screw! So no reported fault then Audi ROLLEY~14.GIF

Good luck mate 169144-ok.gif

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Alex,

You might want to check out my research on AS.net, - Cambelts can we all agree?

the synopsis is this...................

2 - Is it true S3's with AMK/BAM engines need a replacement at less than 180,000 kms?

Answer -

Technical Data held on A3 as of 1997 onwards

Engine derivative

1.8 & 1.8T 5 valve (except S3) = 180 km - 115 K miles

1.8 S3 5 valve > MY2000 = 180 km - 115 K miles

1.8 S3 5 Valve MY2001 > = 120 km - 80 K miles

So if you have an S3 on a X plate (facelift) or more recent, IT IS 80k MAX

...............

So if yours is a Y plate which is definitely an 2001 registered car, your car will be either a Manufacturing Year 2001 or maybe 2002 car (MY years generally start around July/August of the previous year). This would suggest to me that you are an AMK engine code not APY which from my research are the ones which are supposed to go to 115k miles. You need to confirm if yours is an APY or AMK?...my research here may not be definitive but i think the MY change is more of the deciding factor when it comes to the revised cambelt change regime.

154 kW (210 bhp) Engines in S3

APY

Date: 11/98 - 09/00

Drive: Haldex 4WD

Emission: VVT (mechanical), EU3

Throttle: drive-by-wire

Injectors: big

Turbo: K04

Gearbox: ? (6-speed)

AMK

Date: 09/00 - 04/02

Drive: Haldex 4WD

Emission: VVT, EU3

Throttle: drive-by-wire

Injectors: big

Turbo: K04

Gearbox: ? (6-speed)

165 kW (225 bhp) Engines in S3

BAM

Date: 08/01 - 05/02

Drive: Haldex 4WD

Emission: VVT (check), EU3

Throttle: drive-by-wire

Injectors: big

Turbo: K04

Gearbox: FWS FMN (6-speed)

The amount of confusion in the dealerships over the cambelt change on the old A3/S3 is immense...different stories on different days etc.

Anyhow, looking at my service schedule booklet (which appears generic for all audis)for my A3 from April 2001, your right, it only mentions cambelt change for 5V 4 cylinder 1.8ltr petrol engines at 115k miles. This booklet is dated August 2000, and does make reference to Audi S3 in terms of oil type...but nothing is mentioned to specify different cambelt change interval. It appears the documentation here from audi for S3 as of MY01 is WRONG...(I hadn't notced this before now)...at least for the service schedule booklet with that date on it. Perhaps we need to get a look at a service booklet dated August 2001 and see if they changed the adiitional work text....

I would have thought this is good enough to go back to audi CS and kick up a stink, and kick up a stink with dealership etc...after all , you've done everything you could do to abide by the service schedule. The onus for cambelt change awareness i think falls squarely on the servicing dealerships...if you bought independentely then i think SoG Act maybe an option...but one that will probably only work by starting a small claims court action....afterall they could not reasonably know the belt was going - however i'm no expert here. I personally would go more with the audi CS angle to begin with.

All i can think of for now...good luck

Evo

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what ever it is mine wont be going over 55K.

the same 225 lump in the TT has been known to go in the low 60K miles.

besides the water pump is made of chocolate and will need replacng well before cambelt official figures.

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Cheers for all your help chaps.

Have spoken to Audi-Plymouth, and they are saying that the 80k was a 'recommendation', as the service books say 115k. As you said, different story, different day!!!!

I have advised the guy doing the work on the car to replace the cam tensioners and water pump on the advice given here.

Again, thank for all your help... I'm glad that there are people out there willing to lend a hand and give some support.

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AmD charged me in the region of £750 for a service and cambelt change - this was December last year.

@uk_spek - surely if you've always had main dealer services then you can't be held accountable for the fact that the change wasn't done at 80k? It's not like you told then not to do sooner is it?

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hmmnnnn....Thats what I thought.

Trying to Audi to do it on goodwill, or tell the warranty company that they were wrong and it is 115k...

The best response I have had yet has been from Plymouth Audi, but we will see what they can come up with.

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I know £450 is steep... but i had £400 set aside for the work (got some tax rebate!!).. and might aswell get it done properly (not that local chaps are rubbish).. cause im new to the Audi scene.

Anything else that needs changing in future im going to get my dads West Indian mate to do it.. you can pay him with Red Stripe and a bottle of Rum!

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[ QUOTE ]

Anything else that needs changing in future im going to get my dads West Indian mate to do it.. you can pay him with Red Stripe and a bottle of Rum!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hope you don't pay him up front before he works on your car grin.gif

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I've had two quotes drom Audi specailist to have my Cambelt and Water pump changed. One is £100 cheaper laugh.gif but i dont want them to do half a job even tough he's saying he'll do all of the required work. Can anyone list the things that need to be changed so that i have something to make sure he's going to carry out the FULL service.

Apparently the tensioners etc need to be changed confused.gifconfused.gif forgive me as i don't know much about this.

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[ QUOTE ]

I just about to have mine replaced on my T sport

Im having belt and top pulley also smaller bottom one replaced

Aparently water pump Audi do not replace, not usually necessary

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks 169144-ok.gif, although i think having the water pump replaced is quite important too.

Can anyone help me by listing the things the specialist needs to change on my S3? (apart from the obvious cambelt and water pump smirk.gif)

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