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Audi A6 Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • erickplerickpl Member Posts: 2,735
    Had a comparable problem in my 2002 BMW 325xi. Turns out the problem was a cluster controller unit failure (mainly a dashboard computer issue).

    May be something similar here for your 99 CVT.

    -Paul
  • a0kiaa0kia Member Posts: 2
    I had a head cover gasket leak which resulted in a light that says "OIL" to blink for up to 1 minutes every time I turned the car on. The light would go away and be replaced with the regular odometer reading every time. I had the gasket replaced and the leak stopped, but the OIL lamp still blinks every time I turn on the engine. I would appreciate any advice on how to reset the light.
    Thanks.
  • rcrockerrcrocker Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2002 A6 that has either blown head gaskets on both banks or a combination of blown gaskets and cracked heads. Has anyone had experiance repairing this with products like "Thermagasket". Or is the repair easily done yourself with a repair manual? Shop estimates range from $1900 to $5000 to repair.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Nothing in a can is going to save you I'm very sorry to say, and it's not a very easy repair DIY either. Of course I don't know your skill level with tools, mechanicals, etc.

    RE: Flickering oil light -- I believe on the A6 there is a high rpm oil light and a low rpm oil light, so I'd suspect a bad sensor. You don't have the 1.8T engine so sludge should not be an issue for you.
  • ccaterccater Member Posts: 1
    Does anyone have any information,..i.e..description of the relays under the driver side dash. Here is a list of the numbers on the top of each relay-
    204
    213
    372
    389
    392
    387
    381
    267
    204
    205
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    year/engine size?
  • musicalmadnessmusicalmadness Member Posts: 1
    $950.00?!?!?!?

    If you truly just need the two cv boots replaced, it should not cost you anywhere near that amount. Even if you needed both of the axles replaced as well, that would still be very expensive.

    A lot of these repairs you can get done from repair shops that specialize in Bosch/OEM parts. I own a 2001 A6 2.7T with almost 140,000 miles on it. I had both of the front cv axles and boots replaced for just under $600. I'm pretty sure that the boot itself is like a $30 part.
  • metalbluedogmetalbluedog Member Posts: 7
    i have 1998 audi 2.4 se does exactly the same thing if you solved please please please let me know regards david
  • metalbluedogmetalbluedog Member Posts: 7
    i have a 1998 audi 2.4 that works great until the rev counter goes to zero and then i get oil pressure and abs warnings 15 mins later its all good then does same again its driving me nuts any ideas please
  • davreese0506davreese0506 Member Posts: 3
    colin123- the starting problem ended up being an electrical problem. The Transmission switch was getting intermittent power. It took a trip to the local shop but it was solved. I also had a problem with the engine slowly overheating. Brought it to the same shop and i was quoted a water pump, timing belt, thermostat, and other "goodies". Brought it to a specialist who charges dirt and did the job (just the thermostat) for 150. Find one of them haha :sick:
  • metalbluedogmetalbluedog Member Posts: 7
    : a pattern develops on my audi with abs/oil light/rev counter it is thermal that is it works find when fully cold late at night but fails when either engine or weather is warm ? how do i disconnect abs ecu to see if tacho then works apologies if i am in wropng place new to this best regards david
  • len55len55 Member Posts: 7
    I have a 2006 A6 and periodically get the parking brake malfunction message displayed along with a loud warning sound (which keeps repeating). This only happens when I am driving and the cruise control is engaged and has been in use for several hundred miles. I have taken it into service several times. They see the messages recorded in the log but have checked out the parking brake and there are no problems. If I turn off the cruise control then the warning message goes away. Service cannot find the cause of the problem. Has anyone had a similar problem? Does anyone have any suggestions? Could this be a problem with the cruise control? Or with the parking brake sensor? Or the computer?
  • metalbluedogmetalbluedog Member Posts: 7
    treplying to myself in case anyone ha similar prob now know fault is in abs electonics attatched to pump this fault is definately thermal if i spray with freezer can fault goes away in 1 minute will post again with likely culprit and to let know when problem gone if anyone watching let me know can post more specific info if required
  • pablos4pablos4 Member Posts: 1
    I own an Audi A6 2.0 TDI. Sometimes, (once a week or so), the engine revs by itself to 1500rpm without any reason. The gearbox is 7 speed auto. This may take from 10 to 20 mins. When you brake and slow down to almost a halt, the engine rpm drops to 1000 (not 900 which is the normal revs). Any idea what is wrong?
  • ipod_nanoipod_nano Member Posts: 14
    Paul,

    Thank you for your response..........

    Here goes.... Bought the car with 46k miles.

    Car has 48k miles and had the following problems:

    Hazard switch kept falling out of dash - replaced
    Right B-Pillar AC vent not blowing - replaced
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkG60oRDmmQ - that was the cold start noise I was hearing.

    That was the beginning of my woes. Initial dealer I bought it from, I will keep them unnamed at this point, stated they could not fix that problem because it did not trip a computer fault. Mind you, they reproduced that sound, even in my presence. Their conclusion - wait till the part breaks so they can replace it. 70mph on the highway and THAT part breaks, I can't say that would be a nice thought. None-the-less that is what they told me.

    Brought it back to that dealer at least 5 times when the noise was getting worse and more frequent, they told me the same thing. Frustration doesn't begin to describe my feelings at that time.

    Brought it to another dealer, they also could not trip any computer faults. Difference here? They told me they needed to keep the car overnight to reproduce the sound and single out the part that was causing the problem. They found a hole in the exhaust manifold(somewhere) which was caused by rust. Replaced that part which fixed THAT noise, total cost $2,000+ which would not have been covered by CPO, 2k more miles and I would have had to foot the bill.

    Now, with that fixed they heard another noise which was attributed to a worn timing chain tensioner? My car is on lifts, engine and tranny out. Can't imagine the cost of parts and labor on this.

    So far I am very pleased with this dealer as they are at least trying to fix the problem.

    Oh yeah, my bluetooth is working on/off. Every 10 or so connects I get a "telephone notes" screen on the MMI display and lose entire control over the telephone. I hope this dealer at least updates my MMI which would hopefully fix the issue.

    Suspension is VERY noise over rough roads.

    Car lurches in second gear at about 15mph when I ease of the accelerator.

    That car is beautiful, is very solid and is very stable at +60mph. If all of these issues are resolved and no other appear, I would be a very happy customer as this is my first venture into the 4 ring world. I am not trying to cause any wars or anything but, I have had 3 BMW's, 1 - 335i(52k miles), 1 328ci(82k miles sold), M5 (62k miles) with not 1 issue.
  • subhash_sen1subhash_sen1 Member Posts: 1
    Is there any site for Audi A6 Repair Manual (2001) on the net?

    Where is the temperature sensor located for Audi a6 2.7 Quattro?

    Thanks

    Subhash Sen
  • firemandave257firemandave257 Member Posts: 5
    Can anyone tell me how to remove my climate control module? I have the stereo out but can't seem to find a way to remove the cover plate to get to the module???
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Looks like it's in a coolant pipe, left rear of engine behind intake manifold.

    For a manual you might try:

    1. www.helminc.com

    2. public library

    3. eBay

    4. www.amazon.com
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You mean the AC control head? You carefully pry off the trim plate and then there are two screws to undo the control head from the console and then pry up the tabs to remove the connector from the control head.
  • firemandave257firemandave257 Member Posts: 5
    Has anyone changed the dash lights in an A6? Most of mine have burnt out and it is getting hard to see the speedo at night. Is this a hard project since I know Audi doesn't make anything simple???
  • firemandave257firemandave257 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks,
    That worked. I was afraid I was going to break something.

    Dave :)
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    good for you!
  • yusuf2173yusuf2173 Member Posts: 14
    Hi I have a 1996 Audi A6 that I had jut bought and I observed that the transmission fluid (Hydrolic fluid) in the resivore tank is sitting just below the low mark on the tank. As soon as I take off even after letting it warm up for about 10 minutes it still shifts out of first gear in the high RPMS. But then after about driving a block or so it shifts normal. Is there anyone that has the same problem or has any insight on the problem? Thanks Joe
  • yusuf2173yusuf2173 Member Posts: 14
    Is there anything that you can tell me about my question
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I'm confused. Is this a manual or automatic transmission you are describing here?
  • yusuf2173yusuf2173 Member Posts: 14
    It is an automatic 2.8 liter
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    If the fluid level is low, you might experience slippage.
  • yusuf2173yusuf2173 Member Posts: 14
    I have a couple of other questions if you dont mind. I guess I did not recieve a manual with the car when I purchased it. I cant figure out how to set the analog clock on the dash board. And also I cant figure out how to make the yellow circle indicator on the cnter of the guage console turn off. The guy told me that he replaced the brake pads but it still remains on. Also every time I Push the brake pad down I here a noise by the automatic shifter stick, it sounds like something is hitting in there. And finally Every time I start the car there are uumbers that blink and say in ..2 miles right below where it says the total miles on the car it blinks a couple of times and then when I push the break it turns off. Is there a way to clear some of these things up
  • yusuf2173yusuf2173 Member Posts: 14
    Also do you think it might be possible that maybe the trans fluid and the filter need to be changed I dont when the last time it was changed. Is there a way of testing the fluid or a certain color that it should be. All that I know is that the Hydrolic fluid for these cars is $25 each quart [non-permissible content removed].
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Yeah you need an owner's manual all right. It might take weeks to google this kind of thing, but only one click to buy a manual!

    did your (ahem) mechanic replace the brake pad wear sensors? If not, he owes you.

    You might try: www.helminc.com

    or

    eBay
  • firemandave257firemandave257 Member Posts: 5
    To adjust your clock there should be a knob on the left side of the dash (just like the one to reset the trip odo. but on the left) Push in and twist clockwise the clock should start to adjust. As for the brake pad warning light, I believe you need to buy pads that are compatible with the sensor. Google brake pad warning light and you should be able to find a way to reset this light. I think you again use the two knobs on the dash. Good luck.
  • firemandave257firemandave257 Member Posts: 5
    :confuse: I only get cold air from my heater. Replaced the AC module and am in the process of replacing the heater control valve. Does the system have to be bled? Any way to test the vacuum used to control the valve? Any suggestions would be great. Its starting to get cold and I need to solve this problem.
  • yusuf2173yusuf2173 Member Posts: 14
    hi I have a 1996 A6 that has 130000 miles on it. A couple of days ago On a cold moarning I started the car up and it began to shake. I checked under the hood and observed the engine shaking. I drove it for a couple of days like that then the Check engine light came on. I had it hooked uop to a computer. They said that cylinder # 2
    was miss firing . About an hour after that I was driving the car car and it just stopped shaking and the car was running fine. The engine light then shut off later on that day. Maybe I just need a tune up I have no Idea when the last one was done because I just bought the car from a used car dealer and they said that the car has had 2 previous owners. Is there anyone that has had the same problems as me or know what the problem might be ?
  • yusuf2173yusuf2173 Member Posts: 14
    Hi do you have aluminum alloy wheels, I just replaced my old tires that were on my car because my car was shaking like the tires were not ballanced. So I purchased new tires but the car still shakes a little bit in the steering wheel but more in the gas pedal. What is skaking the most on you car ? I have a very good mechanic that is very informational on the Audi's
  • Diggs814Diggs814 Member Posts: 1
    I recently bought a 2003 Audi A6 2.7T with 54,000 miles. About a week later the coolant light came on (so I filled it). Less than a week after that the light came on again so I checked it. It was empty just from driving to and from work in the city for a week. I filled it again and later that day the check engine light came on followed by the "Service Now" light. There were no leaks on the ground under the car. Made an appointment at the German Import garage by my house but the soonest they could look at it was 2 days later. I tried to drive it as little as possible and always checked the coolant level before starting it. The mechanic told me that when the coolant is pumping through the engine, it was getting to the turbos and the turbos were not taking it in and recycling it through the engine. Basically the coolant is hitting a "wall" (the turbos) and stopping. They said the turbos are shot from the coolant leaking on them and to replace them with used turbos(if they can find them on an engine that matches mine) will cost at an estimated $10,000 to pull the engine, replace the turbos, and 30 hours of labor. I brought the car back home but do not want to drive it and risk further damage or a breakdown. It just sits here because I do not have $10,000 to pay for it on top of my car loan payments. Other garages I have spoken to say they have never seen turbos go out like that and that it could be the water pump (I was quoted $2000 for that repair) and that the garage is trying to rip me off with the turbos. Anyone have a problem like this? Let me know. The temp gauge stays in the middle, but I know that doesn't necessarily mean my engine is not overheating. When I popped the hood after driving it home, there was steam pouring out of it and smelled like burnt coolant. Thanks so much.
  • lou24lou24 Member Posts: 5
    hi everyone i have no power in xmradio i have checked all the fuses they all seam to be good. i lights on everything else except the radio controls all other componets are working fine..please help

    p.s. my car is a 2005 audi A6
    thank you ,louis
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    You have to take an Audi to someone trained specifically on Audis. Someone who fixes Porsches or Mercedes may know nothing about Audis.

    The story you got sounds bizarre. I'd certainly recommend having the car competently tested somewhere else. You are either leaking coolant or burning it. As for the turbos "burning out", your car, in that case, would run like a dog, if at all. If you are in California I may be able to direct you to a competent shop.
  • yusuf2173yusuf2173 Member Posts: 14
    Get this I when to put new tires on the car and found out that there is less than 15 percent of ware left on them. I notified the dealer because he had told me that he had put new ones on before I baught the car. The only thing that I could get out of him was that If i purchased the pads he would throw them on. I guess I though that was a good deal till i found out they cost about $80.00.
  • dm1212dm1212 Member Posts: 59
    Hi guys,
    I know this is a little off topic but I need imediate help.
    Today I was about to park, didn't think the car was still moving and I threw my 05 A6 into park. I heard the transmission grinding, was there any damage done? I was going less then 5MPH.

    And on that Porsche, I like it, although it somewhat looks like an avant.
  • lou24lou24 Member Posts: 5
    Hi gaillaw, i have a 2005 audiA6 and i have the same problem with mmi there is no POWER.. :mad: i was wondering if you got the problem fixed before i take it to the dailer and get the same answer you got. they tell me there is a fuse behind the radio,did the dailer check that fuse? please let me know if the problem was resolved and what was the cause.

    thank you..lou24
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    That was your park pawl protesting, but if you didn't break it off (in other words, if it still locks into park) then you got away with it THIS TIME :shades:
  • fonefixerfonefixer Member Posts: 247
    I have owned the same car and it is really a terrible vehicle to own and operate w/o a warranty. These cars are among the most complicated to repair of all vehicles and the shops that understand this car are few and far between. Parts are prohibitively expensive, unbelievably proprietary, and hard to order outside the retail dealer network.

    After almost 9 years of Audi ownership experience, you really don't want to drive one w/o warranty coverage. These are cars which should be leased for 3 years and just simply given back to the dealer. Buying a 2.7T straight up was a financial mistake in my opinion. You should have a 30 day warranty if purchased from a dealer, maybe they will make some allowance for the turbo replacement?

    Watch your fluid levels......watch your fluid levels..........watch your fluid levels! I checked the coolant, oil, brake fluid, power steering, windshield washer fluids almost on a daily basis. Letting the coolant run low for any reason is death to the turbos. Again, if purchased within 30 days from a dealer, I believe they have some responsibility towards the repair of this incredibly hard to repair vehicle.
  • kirby2010kirby2010 Member Posts: 136
    Diggs - That doesn't sound good. I'm not an expert but it sounds a lot like the problem I had earlier this year. My low coolant light kept coming on but there was no sign of leakage. In my case it WAS NOT the turbos. I had to have an auxiliary coolant pump replaced. This pump continues to pump coolant on hot days after the engine is turned off. It was the end of summer and I was in for the 105K service. Since the service manager couldn't reach me by phone they didn't do the repair and I had to take it back. I don't drive it every day so it wasn't a problem. NOT suggesting you should drive it. Cost of repair was about $600 or $800 parts and labor. I have a 2001 2.7T w/6-speed. Always serviced at the Audi dealer where I bought it. It will be eight years old in March. Love this car. Good luck.
  • kealbertkealbert Member Posts: 6
    I am very confused and I hope that someone out there has some good advice for me. Here is my issue....I brought my 2002 Audi A6 to the dealer several weeks ago b/c my engine light was on. They said I had two problems. (1) A coolant sensor had to be replaced...no problem and (2) I needed a new torque converter...it could be done for $2000. GULP!!!!

    I initially declined to have the torque converted replaced b/c other than the engine light being on, the car runs perfectly. I brought the car to another location and they too said that the codes being produced by the computer stated I also needed a new torque converter. Soon after I brought the car to the second dealer, the engine light went off. Since then (about 3 - 4 weeks), the light hasn't come back on and the car still runs perfectly. Absolutely no problems.

    The dealer told me that the car may run for the next 50k miles w/o a problem or I could blow my entire transmission as soon as I pull off the lot...and that would cost $5k to fix.

    Well, I finally made an appt to have it fixed. This is a painful fix as my engine light is off and the car runs perfectly. Also, the car is only worth 10 - 11k. I'm assuming both dealers wouldn't lie to me and that the computer tells them there is a problem.

    Any idea what I should do? And, if I truly had a problem, wouldn't my car say so? Shouldn't I be noticing at least some problem with the car?

    HELP...before I spend $2000 to fix nothing
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Can you tell us what the code # was?

    If it was DTC 17125/P0741, then that's a failure of the torque converter internal oil seal and yeah, that's bad news.
  • kealbertkealbert Member Posts: 6
    Yep...you nailed it: P0741! (My service order says Fault in Torque Converter Clutch Circuit: P0741). Bad news, huh?

    I have been on a few other boards and the feedback ranges from do nothing to get it fixed tomorrow....sigh. I talked to a someone who I think is very knowledgeable...at least he seems to be....and he said that since my engine light hasn't been on for weeks and the car is running perfectly, that I shouldn't worry about it until I notice any wrong with the car. In short, the car just isn't going to drop the transmission tomorrow...I will notice it over time.

    I just don't know what to do....it is hard to fix something that isn't showing signs of being broken.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Is this a 2.7 turbo?

    I just spoke with my Audi experts and they said:

    "If it's a 2.7 Turbo with that fault code, start saving for a torque converter. If it's not, then clear the codes and sit tight. As long as it isn't slipping or failing to go into gear properly, it might just be a "ghost" message that won't come back. It could go either way here"

    so there you go.
  • kealbertkealbert Member Posts: 6
    Thank you for the quick reply. No...it is not a 2.7T. It is a 3.0 (2002 A6). I appreciate the advice and I will sit tight. That seems to be the consensus of the Audi experts that don't stand to make a quick $2k off me!!!

    Thanks,

    Keith
  • MassboykieMassboykie Member Posts: 2
    Hi Diggs

    I must agree with some of the other posters, that the first machanic does not appear to know what he is talking about. I would strongly suggest taking the car to an Audi dealership to diagnose the problem, if you cannot find an independent shop that specialises in Audis.

    As for the turbos... if the turbos were bad you would have experienced one or more of the following... chirping sounds during hard acceleration (when the turbos are at full boost and speed), white or blue exhaust smoke - and lots of it. If you are not having any of these issues your turbos are fine. Someone mentioned sluggish-ness, which might not always mean the turbos are bad, but be an indicator of boost leaks, i.e. leaks in the turbo charge system.

    On a side note... Keep in mind is that replacing the turbos on these cars will be a very expensive repair. It's an Audi so parts are twice as expensive right off the bat. In order to replace the turbos the engine has to be pulled out of the car. There are two ways this is usually done, either from the front or by dropping it out the bottom. Either way, the mechanic needs to know his stuff and labour will be expensive. (my car was in the shop for 5 days - Audi dealership). You can buy a new set of stock turbos for around $1000-$1500, so if you can find someone to do the work it will probably cost around $5000.

    As someone else mentioned here... ALWAYS keep and eye on your fluids. Turbos that are starving for oil (lubricates and cools) will die quickly. Do your oil changes regularly. ALWAYS use synthetic oil. NEVER drive the car hard and simply stop and turn off the engine - if you drove it hard and the oil tempreture is higher than normal, let the car idle for a few minutes so the temp goes down, or make sure you drive it nice and easy for the last couple of miles before you get to your destination.

    Here are a two links that might be helpful to you and some other posters regarding the Audi S4. The S4 has the exact same engine as the A6 so much of the preventative maintenance stuff applies to the A6.

    http://www.vaglinks.com/Docs/Audi/B5/S4/Audisport-iberica.com_S4_B5_Buyersguide.- pdf

    http://www.vaglinks.com/Docs/Audi/B5/S4/audiforums.com_Audi_S4_Newbie_FAQ.pdf

    There are several shop listed at the bottom of this site, by state, so hopefully some of these are close to you... http://www.VAGLinks.com

    It is unfortunate that these awesome cars get such a bad rap, but all they need is a little more attention and care than naturally aspirated models, and they are very reliable. Certainly fun to drive!

    I hope that helps.

    Cheers
    Massboykie
  • fonefixerfonefixer Member Posts: 247
    Your post is right on except the last part. I have owned Audis (100 & A62.7T) for almost 9 years and especially here in snowy, cold Minnesota, the twin turbo just isn't made for our weather. Too many sensors combined with twin turbo issues does not make a reliable vehicle.

    Wouldn't spend $2000.00 to get your A6 fixed, try to get another car. It is just one thing after another with these cars.

    Do agree about the fun to drive part and the Audi interiors are the best in the business. Just make sure you lease and return, never own and go bankrupt over repairs!
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