gibbsylj Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 Hi, this is war and peace but i could do with some help here as I have told both Audi and my company that I am not prepared to drive my A3 any more - a match in the fuel tank would be the best thing for it. The damn thing is dangerous and Audi are acting like I am a moron. I have a 54plate 2.0tdi A3 Sline, with 6 speed DSG, currently on 85k miles, had it since new - company car, so fully serviced, no expense spared. There were various faults, oil sensors playing up, horrible rumbling noise from the back, wing mirrors which failed to heat up, rear view mirror which fell off, glove box which falls open so fast it could do you some serious damage, a new gate appeared in the auto gearbox so there was an extra stop between park and next gear down, but at 62k miles (last September) I was happily storming down the A34 overtaking a lorry with another one behind me when there was a huge shudder which threw me forwards, a vast cloud of white smoke and my little red rocket died. I managed to get off the road (which was dicey with no power) and onto a verge. Audi roadside turned up and told me the engine was gone as there had been no oil in it - which I argued as I carry oil and check it religiously and there had been no oil warning light either. The car was towed to Heritage in Salisbury who said dont worry it's under warranty, the turbo went and sucked all the oil through but we will replace the engine and turbo and all should be fine. There had been paint flaking off the front of the car since new and as I was off sick from work my company decided to get that sorted so i could come back to a shiny car fixed car. They got Swindon audi to take it away to sort paintwork. Swindon then phoned to say that the car needed a new turbo, it was pointed out that it had one less than 200 miles ago but my company were told dont worry its under warranty and it was duly replaced. When I came back to work I asked Heritage what had happened to need a 2nd new turbo but they didnt know, but said there was nothing to worry about. I noticed that the car seemed to be steadily needing oil - every week (I do approx 50k miles per year), it was needing 250ml - 500ml every time. I called Audi and they said that is perfectly normal and acceptable, up to 500ml per thousand miles is fine, but I kept notes of EVERY time i put oil in, what the mileage was and the date. 3 weeks ago and the day after last service I was on dual carriageway, was in sport mode, slowed down approaching roundabout and dropped it back into drive, the car shuddered a bit, I accelerated and it got me onto roundabout and then all drive just went, nothing on the accelerator at all - at which point all I could do was watch the van behind, see that he wasn't going to stop and brace myself for the inevitable. He hit me, smashed my bumper and shunted me forwards. We exchanged details and just as I got back into car my phone rang - heritage audi in salisbury, Bianca was calling to see if i was happy with my service the previous day - what timing!! I pointed out (politely) to Bianca that I was coming in to give them a report in person and would they mind giving me an estimate for the damage caused because this p*xy albatross of a car gave up on a roundabout and caused an accident. In the 15 miles towards Salisbury it started playing up again - but I wasnt taking any chances, so I got up onto the pavement and phoned assistance and demanded that they get me back and get it checked. RAC arrived, checked engine management which showed no faults or problem and followed me into Heritage so that they could check it out. They had it for 2 days and couldn't find anything wrong with it. Apparently one of their service team had driven it home to Andover and back with no problem - apart from it is a bit sluggish first thing. We AGAIN discussed the oil consumption, they again told me I was worrying over nothing. the car was fine, they couldn't find anything wrong with it. Last Sunday, my partner was in the car with his 12 year old son, driving up the A34 (what is is about that road), up the steep hill past sutton scotney, overtaking a lorry, doing about 80 when bang! White smoke and no power or drive at all, he just had momentum carrying him forward, he managed to get over and into a parking area - fortunately there hadn't been anything behind him. I dread to think what could have happened if there had been someone at speed and too close behind him (lets face it, that happens most of the time on dual carriageways and motorways). Heritage have had the car back since Monday and have told me that the turbo has disintegrated and gone through the engine - it needs another new engine and turbo - and this time it is out of warranty at 85k miles so there will be a charge to the leasing company, it will be slightly reduced taking the history of the car into account, but there is no reason to think that it will happen again. It is just mechanical failure on the turbo, there is nothing causing it, nothing strange or wrong with the car - I am just unlucky!!! IF ONE MORE PERSON SAYS - BLIMEY AND AUDIS ARE USUALLY SO RELIABLE I AM GOING TO SCREAM. IF ANYONE ELSE SAYS (WHILST LOOKING SMUG) - WELL YOU CAN KEEP YOUR AUDIS AND YOUR BMW'S I ALWAYS LIKE A NICE VAUXHALL THEN I AM NOT GOING TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ACTIONS. Am I wrong in thinking that there is something very dicey here? Is it normal for this to happen to an A3 which has been well maintained? I have asked Heritage to check it over fully and tell me why 3 turbos have gone in this car - and wrecked 2 engines, but they just seem to be shrugging their shoulders and saying that a new engine and turbo will be fine. I dont want to get back in this thing. Doing an emergency stop on a dual carriageway at 70 miles per hour would be a stupid thing to do - but at least the poor beggar behind would see brake lights, and there is no warning that it is going to go. I think that this car is dangerous and I dont believe that I can be the only person that this has happened to. Sorry to have landed on your forum and just vented - but if anyone can help me out and tell me of any other cases, or causes of this fault I would really appreciate it. Is this a known fault in Audi? Why are Audi treating me like I am a nutter? Cheers Lisa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brabus Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 Blimey, Audi's are usually so reliable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edo Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 What a complete pain in the arse. Surely audi parts are guranteed? The replcement engine should be covered? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3geezer Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 I had a new radio fitted and they said that I have a 2 year warranty on the work they've done. Shouldn't you have the same? I think you're being fobbed off....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oli Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 Anything replaced under warranty, will mirror the original warranty ie. if your engine went at 2 years 9 months, then the new engine would only have 3 months warranty on it. The way round this is to insist on paying someting towards it, then you will get 12 months warranty from that date Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonnyTDI Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Real empathy with you matey. A3 2.0 TDI DSG too ... Under 20k and had a new turbo, my symptoms were producing HUGE amounts of smoke after stopping in M25 traffic after a long run and then pulling away. Audi had the nerve to say "drive it for 3 weeks, and we will weigh the oil". At least my lease company got involved and insisted Audi take it in - and - yep, duff turbo with "Never seen this symptom before". Which stuns me as there must millions of these turbos on the different makes. DSG has always been a bit "iffy" and I have lost all gears twice. As this is a lease car, one feels a bit of a piggy in the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwo Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 i had a light switch replaced in my audi after 35months - this was replaced under warranty. the switch then went about 6 months later - this was then replaced under warranty as the part that they had replaced and then failed again had a 1 yr (from time of putting in) warranty on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danksy Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 mmm Not sure how a turbo can disintegrate and go through the engine! Unless. the turbo sheared a blade off the turbine which in turn damaged engine components. Its unlikely to have gone through the block though More likely you would have had a polka-dot bonnet. Shame about the car though... I like the A3 Tdi's... Welcome to TSN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maersk Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 Impeller disintegrates and is ingested, compressed, ignited and exhausted, collecting vallves, piston crown and if you are really unlucky, the turbo exhaust turbine as well........................ Ouch, Oi ve, my wallet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rekker Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 I think "through the engine" is meaning fragments of the disintegrated turbo being ingested through the induction system. I may be wrong though, and if so it a little worrying for me driving a re-mapped 2.0T as shrapnel making its way through the bulkhead could be a little nippy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelson_R32 Posted June 27, 2007 Report Share Posted June 27, 2007 My A3 2.0TDi 140 has just been diagnosed as needing a turbo at 7000 miles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S3Bangs Posted July 2, 2007 Report Share Posted July 2, 2007 I think for all the hassle you've been through, forget the dealerships and get on to to the top honcho at Audi UK pronto!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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