|
|
Save up to $379 on Your Auto Insurance. Compare Quotes from Top Providers Now! Find the Best Deal and Apply! - Adv.
Nathan of Canton, GA March 30, 2009
I purchased a 2001 Audi A4 1.8T in September 2005 from an Audi dealer in West Springfield, MA. It had 55,000 miles and I also obtained the Certified Pre-Owned Warranty. I maintained the vehicle by manufacturer specs or better. I changed the oil with full synthetic every 5-7,000 miles instead of the recommended 10,000 miles. At 78,000 miles, my timing belt broke and caused 5,400 of damage. I have kept all my records meticulously.
I have since read that oil sludge could have been the cause of the timing belt issue. Why didn't the dealership check for this when the timing belt snapped? At 106,200m miles, the oil pressure low indicator light came on 20 minutes after an oil change. I brought it back to the mechanic who changed the oil, and he said my oil pump was not functioning. I had the vehicle towed to the nearest Audi dealership (Nalley Audi of Roswell, GA) and they said the turbo was broken too.
To replace both and desludge the engine, they are charging me 4,800. They are willing to discount 25%. What an insult!!! This is a problem with their design, not my maintenance or use of the vehicle. Their warranty is supposed to be for 8 years, but they don't want to cover it saying that the car was originally delivered to the first owner on 12/22/00. This incident happened on 3/20/09. According to Audi of America, I am 80 days outside the warranty period. Any company with an ounce of decency would take care of their customers. Especially one with 30 years of car buying ahead of them.
I understand why they can't issue a recall. It affects 8 model years of Audi and VW cars. It would put them out of business. But they can't ignore their responsibility to their customers without the same effect. I hope everyone who reads this is helped by knowing how some manufacturers treat their customers.
I am desperately trying to find a way to pay for these repairs. 3600-4800 is a lot to cough up for anyone these days. Laurie of Petaluma, CA August 28, 2007
I purchased a used Audi A4 1.8T and nine months later I find out there is a known oil sludge build up in the engine and I wasnt told about it by Presige Auto in Santa Rosa,CA when I bought it. I purchased an extended warranty also. Needless to say I needed a new engine and turbo parts. Audi refused to pay as the prior owner didnt have the oil changed at Audi for the 5,000 mile oil change. All other maintenance has been proved but they say they wouldnt pay. My warranty company wouldnt pay because they say it is Audi's responsibility. Sonnen Audi is where I take the car per the instructions of Prestige Auto for all service and oil changes. Mike at Sonnen had a friend that was an area rep for Audi and he donated the engine, turbo and all hoses and parts that were needed. They would not cover the 2,600 labor fees and it took many threats to the warranty company to get them to pay 1300. I ended up paying 1000 on a car I purchased 9 months ago and have an extended warranty on. Today, two weeks later I had to take my car back in because the engine is shaking. Mechanic says, O that is probably the coil above the spark plugs. He wouldnt be surprised is there was a recall on the coil which they are replacing on a lot of A4's.
William of Caldwell, ID August 27, 2007
I bought a used 2001 Audia A-4 1.8T Quattro in July of 04 with 49K miles on it. At 59K, the timing belt broke and caused over 3,500 in damage. At first, Audi America denied me coverage even though the belt has a factory replacement interval of 105K miles. The local dealer went to bat for me, and Audi eventually paid for the repair.
I also learned at that time that Audi now specifies fully synthetic oil for this motor, and a service interval of 5K miles. The factory owners manual specifies any Premium petroleum oil, and a 10,000 mile oil change interval, which is how it was serviced by Audi dealers for the first 50,000 miles. Since the timing belt broke, I have been using Mobil 1 synthetic oil and changing it at 5,000 mile intervals.
Recently, my wife was driving back from the mountains when the oil light came on. She stopped the car and chekced the oil level, which was normal. When she re-started the car, it began to make a rattle.knock sound, so she turned it off and called a tow truck. The tow truck driver reccomended a repair shop specializing in German cars, so she had it towed there.
The shop tells us that this is a very common problem with the 1.8T A-4, and they usually find a clogged oil pickup and the cam bearings are susually the first to fail from oil starvation as they are last in line to get oil. After doing a quick internet search, I learned that this is indeed a very common problem and that Audi/VW extended the warranty for oil starvation damage to 8 years/unlimited mileage.
I called Audi Customer Care to verify this, and was told that indeed it is true. But I would need to provide documentation for all of the oil changes, which I don't think I have, beyond a notation in the owners manual. I don't have reciepts for oil and filters that Audi wants to see. I understand that there is at least one class action lawsuit already under way on this iisue
Gerald of Corinth, TX July 16, 2007
The oil lamp came on in my 2003 Audi A4 while driving on the interstate. The engine completely shut-down shortly thereafter. I had the car towed to the nearest Audi dealership,which was over 100 miles away. I received a call the next day indicating that the engine was ruined and that it would cost approximately 10,000. After doing some research on the web, I discovered an extended warranty that Audi and VW sent to owners with the 1.8T engine.
I never received this letter or knew that it existed before now.I have been dealing with the local dealership but since I can't prove regular maintenance, Audi will not cover any of the repairs. In addition, I was told that engine sludge was the problem but when I asked them to put this in the diagnostic report the service manager initially refused. When I refused to pay for the 400 diagnostic and signoff until they included this terminology, the service manager stormed off. I eventually had the car towed to my house because I was told that the dealership had limited space. Meanwhile, I have to continue to make payments and maintain insurance on a car that I cannot drive.
The service manager also mentioned that if my engine were the 3.0 version that I would not be having this issue, which further indicates there are known problems with this engine design. I was told that there was another car at the dealership with the same issue and that the owner was trying to provide documentation of two oil changes. Can a class action lawsuit be filed against Audi Corporation? I've had the car since it was new. Currently, I have 87,000 miles on my A4. This is the first and only problem that I had thus far. At the moment, I'm getting very little cooperation from Audi Corporation or the local dealership. I'm not sure what else I can do.
John of Mentor, OH January 22, 2007
I purchased a new less than 10 miles on it 1999 Audi A6 in July of 1999. It now has 109,655 miles on it. It has been maintained by the dealer since that time. ALL scheduled service, maintainence requirements and recalls have been performed/corrected by the dealer. The low Oil Pressure light came on last saturday and the car just died.
I had it towed to the dealer and was informed today that I need a new engine at a cost of 5K for junkyard engine or 10K for a new one! I have done some research and it seems that Audi/VW have had problems with sludge build-up due to the extended oil change period - 10,000 miles.
As mentioned, I have changed oil as required, and then some. I have all receipts on hand from day one, and I do mean all of them. I am prepared to talk to Audi NA in regards to covering the replacement of my engine and feel the problem is the same as found on the Audi A4 and VW Passat. Can you offer any advice or assistance? This, by the way is my 4th Audi A6 - is it my last? Karen of West Hurley, NY August 21, 2006
We own an Audi 2005 A4. At 64,000 the engine seized while traveling at 70mph on the highway. We had it towed to our dealer ship. We were told we needed a new engine and it was out of warranty. I had remembered seeing an extended warranty for the A4's but my dealership said they had no idea what I was talking about. We had reported engine sludge when the engine light kept coming on while it was under warranty. They have had our car almost 5 weeks and we have not heard a word from them. Our oil has been changed every 5,000 miles and we have receipts. We know this is a problem because we also owned a 2003 Audi A4 and the engine seized on it as well, at 30,000 miles so it was covered by warranty. We are looking for advice and help!
Chris of Gig Harbor, WA June 5, 2006
It has happened to me. My 2003 Audi A4 1.8T has broken down. The oil light came on and seconds later the onboard computer shut the engine down in the middle of freeway traffic.
I immediately had the car towed to the local dealership. Upon inspection I was told that the engine needed to be rebuilt or replaced. I questioned this based on the car only having 75,000 miles and being recalled to replace incorrect oil being put into the vehicle when I purchased the car.
The vehicle needed to have synthetic oil in the engine. This was completed when I brought my car in with 10,000 miles on the vehicle. So the damage had already started unknowingly to me.
Audi then stated that they would extend the warranty to eight years d ue to sludge. Well this did not happen. They stated that I was responsible for the damage because I did not get an oil change at 40,000 miles.
My oil was changed was at 45,000 miles. I think they would have seen something that may cause future damage at this point or at least at my 60,000 mile oil change. Nothing was mentioned.
Audi is stating that they are not responsible for a known problem with the engine and want to charge me 13,000 to replace the engine. I cannot believe after paying 35,000 for the car that they will not stand behind their product and the known issue. This is reprehensible in my eyes.
They started the problem by putting the wrong oil in the car and don't you think that the oil light should come on before the engine is completely damaged. When the computer shut the car down I was in the middle of rush hour traffic, this could have endangered lives. No power steering or brakes, extremely dangerous.
Richard of Bedford, PA March 13, 2006
My 2002 Audi A4 just hit 69,900 miles and the third turbo on my car had just gone bad. In addition to this, the car has now developed a ticking noise in the valve-train. Upon hearing this noise, the car was promptly delivered to Fiore Audi in Altoona, Pa. Fiore technicians stated they never heard a noise in the top of the motor and that the "dentist drill" turbo noise was caused by an exhaust leak.
After I reiterated my concerns about the car's problems and my worry over oil sludge issues with this car, they pulled the valve-cover and the oil pan and found oil sludge build-up in the oil lines feeding the turbo and in some of the oil galleys in the engine. Fiore contacted Audi of America who agreed to replace the turbo and the oil feed lines under Audi's extended oil sludge warranty.
After completing these repairs and putting the engine back together, Fiore then contacted me to tell me that they now heard a "ticking" noise in the top of the motor. Big Surprise there, as I had initially told them about this. After pulling the head they determined that the engine block AND the cylinder Head were warped and refused any responsibility for the repairs, stating that we needed a new engine. Fiore technicians informed me that these damages were caused by the engine being excessively overheated. This was news to both my wife and I, as the engine had never indicated that it had overheated.
For this "excuse/reason", they refused to cover any repairs regardless of the fact that I had produced receipts documenting that the oil was changed religiously around 3,000 mile intervals with full synthetic oil. Incidentally, my oil replacement schedule was well below Audi's initial recommendation that the oil be changed every 10,000 miles, as referenced in the manual, or their subsequent recommendation of changing it every 5,000 miles with an Audi recommended full synthetic oil (a changed recommedation of which I was never informed of in the first place). Subsequent communication/negotiation with Audi's Service Representative and Fiore's Service Manager resulted in their adamant, and at times rude, refusal to honor their "goodfaith" engine warranty of 8 years regardless of mileage due to oil sludge issues.
My complaint is simply that this car continually smoked upon idling from the time the first turbo was replaced at around 39,000 miles. Upon further complaints to Audi about the "smoking" issue, the turbo was again replaced at around 49,000 miles. Unfortunately, the car still continued to smoke upon idling. When I called back to Fiore Audi to again complain that the issue had still not been resolved I was informed that the car was out of warranty and that they were unable to find the cause of the problem in the first place and that I "should not worry about it". Interestingly enough, the oil lines that feed the turbo charger were never checked or replaced during any of the turbo charger replacements, or other oil smoke complaints. Subsequently, now, after our third turbo replacement, (this time they did change the oil lines) obviously due to oil sludge build-up, we are now told that our motor is no good.
Had Audi taken care of this issue when these problems were first developed and identified, I would not be in the situation that I am in now, having to pay for a major repair, (i.e. engine replacement), at less than 70,000 miles due to an issue that is well-known with this vehicle and that was also obviously present when this vehicles warranty was in full effect. It is obvious after searching the Audi specific forums, consumer complaint sites and the internet in general, that Audi of America as well as VW of America is well aware of this problem and that many people are beginning to experience this issue that is a direct result of a defective engine design that holds less oil than the car's systems need as well as improper maintenance schedule recommendations and oil specification guidelines for this car.
Audi of America should have an obligation to stand behind their warranty as well as their product and be responsible for their design flaws and manufacturer's defects. After all, who has around 35,000 to spend for a vehicle that will last less than 70,000 miles, only to then be faced with a 5,000 - 8,000 repair? I believe that as the 2001 and up 1.8T models begin to "come of age" so to speak, mileage-wise that many more individuals will be becoming aware of these issues as they too experience major engine failure and replacement costs due to this faulty design.
Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.
|
|
|
MOST-VIEWED PAGES
|
|
NEW COMPLAINTS
|
|
|
Print This 
Email This
• 
