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Audi A6 Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,145
    My biggest concern for you is doing a long-distance transaction, which is not always safe. I will let others answer the reliability questions, but I would ask, why are you buying a car that you have not seen, and how did you locate this vehicle?

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  • kirby2010kirby2010 Member Posts: 136
    These cars are pretty sophisticated - and as I mentioned previously, they need to be taken care of. When I bought my 2001 I was looking for a 6-speed manual. There weren't a lot around and the first dealer I went to had one as a demo. I drove it but I wouldn't consider buying it because many people were test drive the 6-speed just to see what it could do. I would extend than line of thinking to the following recommendation: Don't buy a used A-6 from a private party EVER, no matter how old (or young) it is. And only buy a used A-6 from a dealer if it's a recent model that was sold and serviced at that dealership and comes with an extended warranty.
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hi Robo10:
    Well I just read your post and the three answers that followed, all of which made good points & questions asked should have been enough to cause you to pause.

    Here is the Audi USA page and link to Certified Pre-owned Audi's in the USA.
    I would read through that first before doing what your considering. Then I would do a search through the Audi Web page and locate all the pre-owned vehicles of your liking and budget.
    As for that Japanese owned Audi, the shipping on a 2001Audi will cost you about 25% of the asking prices of the car depending on where you live in the US. If your located near a major port;IE, Charleston SC> New York, Houston,Los Angeles, San Francisco, Etc. then you have land based delivery from port of entry,Insurance, Import duties, Equipment modifications to meet US Vehicle standards (Parts plus Labor), Exhaust emission standards, and maybe even sales tax. Then of course you would want to know what the car is worth before you buy it.
    But it should be obvious at this point that what it's going to cost you to buy the car, ship it,modify and certify the car for US standards is more that it's worth.

    As for the reliability of the Pre July 2004 audi's I would stay away based on what I've read here about systemic problems with those models. A 2005 or newer would be a better choice if it's in your budget. That being the case an Audi is going to cost you for servicing. A warranty is the only way to protect yourself from a major component failure. And with the price of gasoline going up on regular basis, the only way to drive an Audi these days is with liguid propain Gas ( LPG) system installed. LPG is cheaper but it uses slightly more fuel than when run on gasoline but below a certain temperature Approx.-10Centigrade, it will not start.
    So I guess you really need to do more research before jumping on the Audi Wagon from Japan.

    Good Luck.
    JKAudiA6 :shades:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited April 2010
    I would just buy one here. This should not be a hard car to find in the USA.
  • robo10robo10 Member Posts: 2
    Dear All.

    Thank you sooo much for the advice. I am now much more wiser and i have definately abandoned this idea. Thanks guys.
  • phantomblkprlphantomblkprl Member Posts: 2
    did you have to go as far as filing a lemon law suit. we are have repeated problems for over a year with no resolution
  • chandler661chandler661 Member Posts: 4
    Hey jkaudi6, sorry about being MIA for a while, it was a long winter. I wanted to say thanks for the words of encouragement and give you an update. I changed the alternator and have been on point since. I can honestly say we haven't had any electrical problems whatsoever. I'm very happy with it now. Now that the summer is here, I want to focus on other things. I just had a big problem with the front strut bearing the other night, it totally let go. I had replaced all of the suspension parts with sport components and had my mechanic do the work: lower ball joints, tie rod ends, H & R sport springs, Koni adjustable strut inserts, and any bearings or bushings. Unfortunately, I tried to have the car aligned and the retards down st my local Firestone kept tellinig me I needed to get camber adjusters installed because they couldn't do anything until then. Well needless to say i was pissed and haven't been back. That was about a year or so ago.I had crappy tires back then and didn't really concern myself too much with it cuz the car tracked ok but the steering wheel was canted to the left. I put snow tires on it in Nov. and it seemed to be ok so i went with it. Last week I decided enough is enough and went about adjusting the alignment myself. I got it to track straight and seemed to be ok. My wife drove back and forth to work and said she heard a noise so i took it to work. The front wheel was pulsing when braking so i figured it was a sticky caliper warped the rotor. I planned to replace the rotors and rebuild the calipers in the next couple of weeks. Anyway that night i noticed the front driver wheel had severe neg camber and popped the hood. To my dismay, the top of the strut shaft was protruding through the bearing so far it put a dimple in the hood. I had to rig it to get it home. I ordered the parts that morning and they should be hear this weekend. I plan to swap everything myself this time so I know its done. I'm annoyed because i was able to change the camber just fine by myself. The top of the strut was on the inner most spot on the holes and i simply pulled it and after only had a couple of *s neg camber which is perfectly acceptable. German cars normally have more neg camber anyway. I just wanted the car to track straight.
    Anyway, I need help with 2 things: i need the brake bleeding order for both A6 & S6 (with hydralic clutch), and do you have a good photo or detailed drawing of the upper strut assembly for correct reassembly?? Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I hope to hear from you soon.
  • habuhabu Member Posts: 52
    My 2006 A6 Avant with 33,500 miles issued a yellow warning light this Saturday for an electrical malfunction. The car then started missing intermittently, especially when under a load such as going uphill. The car was loaded with 4 adults and 6 bags of clothing for a 4 day vacation. I called the local dealer and the scv writer told me it was probably a failing coil pack and to drive it in. They just got a recall notice for this problem anbd the symptoms sounded identical. He felt the car would make the drive and not hurt the engine. I drove 90 highly stressful miles hoping the car would not die. When running on level roads it was fine and we could do 60mph without stumbling. Hills made the car unhappy. The mileage remained the same as when we started at 29mpg. We arrived at the dealership (where I bought the car 4 years ago) and she was fixed in 1 hour for no cost under the recall program which has not yet been issued for the 2006 models but should be soon. The car is out of warranty but the transaction was hassle free. Good experience.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    edited May 2010
    JKAudiA6...

    I mentioned the issue with the turn signal not working in my A6, come to find out...it was the hazard light switch that was causing the issue. Total charged to get fixed...$130.

    Well...recently, took the car in to get a CV joint looked at and found out both had to be replaced. So...to get both CV joints replaced, oil change, new spark plugs & faulty brake light switch replaced cost me just under $1200. I found this great place in Springfield, VA. Dealer wanted approx. $500 just to replace one CV joint.

    The place I took the car also said they can service the transmission, which will run me about $240 which isn't bad because to get my Azera's transmission serviced ran me about $225. The next big move I have to make on the A6...timing belt. With the car creeping up on 85K miles, it needs to get done soon. As of right now, the car is purring like a kitten and running like cheetah!

    I also had the issue with the check engine light flashing and the car running rough (missing), come to find out...an ignition coil was bad and heard about the recall. Funny thing is...the day after I found out about the recall, I got the letter in the mail. Took it to Audi and they took care of it with no issue with no problems.

    Have a great day!!!
  • dwpcdwpc Member Posts: 159
    I just sold my 01 2.7T after almost 10 years and will miss driving it but not the high cost of maintaining it. Best driving car I've ever had, but also the most expensive to keep running, by far, after the warranty. When the numerous top end oil seeps caused blue smoke to rise from under the hood at stop lights, that was it for me...the final insult. Well, no...the final insult was the horrendous resale value for a car that cost nearly $50K in 2001. A well maintained 01 Accord is worth as much.
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hey Chandler661!
    You must have a really large set of tools to do all that work.
    Brake bleeding, one might think is an easy thing but, with ABS and ESP traction controls you may need a special bleeder to get all the air out. I don' t have any pic's of front strut assembly but Audi has info on both. You don't sound like your interested in going to the dealer so I would say, use Audi Erwin.Com USA.
    There flat rate is hourly, you pay in advance, Approx.$8.00/hr. Get your chassis number from the Vehicle, year model etc. register on there web page and locate the documents, diagrams, etc. you need to do both jobs. They even have info on the correct tools needed to do the job.
    But if "Your Mechanic" did the front end work, why don't you just take it back to him, or does he not guarantee his work.
    Hope this helps
    Best regards
    JKAudiA6 :shades:
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Allmet33!
    Audi recalls are listed on the Audi Web page. You simply ID your Vehicle with VIN Number and they will tell you if there are any recalls for your model. No need to wait for the letter or go to the dealer.
    Check your Mfg. date of your vehicle, if it's pre-July 2004 it has a timing belt if it's after July 04 then it has a Chain driven Cam Shaft system. I posted a DATA sheet to this web page for the 2005 A6.
    Best regards
    JKAudiA6 :shades:
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Yes, I found out after learning of the recall. I googled it and the Audi website popped up and asked for my VIN, which once I put it in...informed me that my car was covered by the recall.

    I didn't wait for the letter, as a matter of fact...the website told me the letter wouldn't come out until June. It just so happened after I called the Audi dealer to set the appointment, the letter showed up the next day...a funny coincidence.

    I will look at the build date of my A6 and see what it should be. The guy I took it to for all the work seems to already know it has a timing belt as he informed me that it would need to be changed.

    As usual, your insight is greatly appreciated!!!

    Many thanks and best regards.
  • tgaua6tgaua6 Member Posts: 1
    On my way to work yesterday I noticed my turn signals weren't working. I checked the fuse, was ok. Later I realized my headlights, windshield wipers, heat and AC weren't working either. I contacted my mechanic but haven't heard from him yet. Its a 2003 A6 2.7T with 115,000 miles. Any thoughts?
  • BrooksmanBrooksman Member Posts: 8
    Yes it has been resolved, but not in the way we hoped. After hours and days of racking our brains on this issue, we finally removed the transmission and took it in to be checked. Low and behold - the problem revolves around a piss poor design in the transmission. It is a COMMON problem with Audi Quatro and VW Passat, or whichever vehicles have this transmission. If you EVER get stuck in snow the VERY LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO is go from reverse to 1st or vice versa trying to rock the car. This is automatic death for your transmission. This process will SHATTER the 1st gear drum or bell - then you are SOL. The transmission guy we took it to told us this piece alone costs him $1,100 alone. These cars are fair weather areas only - even though they are all wheel drive. This is also the reason people can't find used transmissions.
    This should be a recall for poor design. We would have thought Audi would have tested this before putting the transmissions in their cars, but then again it's the all mighty $$$. If you happen to screw up the transmission, you have to fix the transmission to get rid of the car (approximately $3,500 or more), or you are stuck with a giant paperweight in your driveway.
    Never again will we buy an Audi. Buyers of Audi's beware.
  • BrooksmanBrooksman Member Posts: 8
    Runaway - runaway - runaway.............
  • pokechimp88pokechimp88 Member Posts: 4
    Hi everyone!

    We bought a 2004 Audi A6 avant about two years ago with 90K on it. It now has 130K.

    In the last 5K miles, we have replaced at least 4K in repairs (but they are wear):

    Timing belt with 12 other components and fluids flush (all of them): $1600
    Ignition coil (recall): $0
    New brakes and tires $1200 (because the 17" sport tires are huge)

    And now the crank sensor is going. A $250 plug that we need to fix.

    Has anyone had that problem before?????

    But from 90-120K, NOTHING went wrong. The previous owner changed the fuel pump at 86K before he sold it.
  • dalia1dalia1 Member Posts: 1
    Hi all... my car is stuck in park. Replaced brake switch, lights work. Anybody have suggestions? What's the second black switch under the light switch on the brake pedal??
  • alnmaealnmae Member Posts: 2
    have a 2002 audi a6 3.0 and my lifter is making noise should i replace it used or new?
  • alnmaealnmae Member Posts: 2
    i'am looking at a 2001 audi a6 2.7t car looks beautiful but has 148000 . do you think that would be a good buy? the car is being sold 4500 but have gotten him down to 3800.just being cautious with my money cause times is hard.
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Alnmae
    Replacing your "OLD Noisy Lifters" with "USED"Lifter's does not make sense.
    New lifters would be the simple answer if it were that easy.
    Things you should consider before you start out:
    How many miles has the car been driven?
    What kind of Motor Oil are you using, Mineral based or Synthetic?
    How many lifters 12 or 24, Hydraulic or Solid?
    Are they self adjusting?
    Replacing lifters usually means removing Camshafts, not for the faint of heart.
    Lifters plus labor will cost $1000 or more.

    If your sure it's a single lifter then I would do the following:
    a. Compression check to see if all the cylinders are up to snuff, based on Veh.Mileage.
    b. Check for Sludge build-up in the upper part of the motor, Valve cover and camshaft area.
    c. Is the motor using more than one Qtr of oil/1000 Miles of driving?
    d. Is the motor showing signs of overheating?
    e. Check the spark plugs for carbon build-up or oil residue indicating a pure burn process.
    If all these checks are within reasonable tolerance for the given mileage of the vehicle then:
    Do yourself, or have done, a Motor flush with a reputable shop.
    You don't drive the car during this process and follow the instructions on the can.
    This takes about 30 minutes after which the motor Oil and filter must be replaced.
    The Oil & filter replacement must be done while the motor is still @ operating temperature. If your vehicle is high Mileage and depending on the climate conditions where you live and drive you should use the appropriate Viscosity rated Oil;IE, 5/40;10/40 etc. The Link below will help you choose the one you need.
    VW/Audi Oil codes:
    http://www.audiusa.com/etc/medialib/cms4imp/audi2/aoa/company/aoa-specific.Par.0- 023.File.pdf
    Replace your Mineral based oil with full Synthetic oil and add a can of valve lifter cleaner/lubricant; IE, Liqui Moly or other brand.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m8RiWe8vNU

    Hope this helps:
    JKAudiA6 :shades:
  • kealbertkealbert Member Posts: 6
    The following is my opinion based on my experience with my 2002 Audi, my friend's experience with their Audis and participation on this board (as well as others). If you are a novice mechanic and/or don't know much about Audi's, stay far away from this car. They are just too expensive to repair and the most odd things go wrong with them.

    The most common appear to be problems with the transmission, power steering pumps, electrical system, etc. When I wrote Audi of America that every year I need to budget 2k just to fix problems with my 2002 Audi A6 (that only has 60k miles on it), I got several 'I am sorry sir....but you bought the piece of crap'. My wife's RX300 with 120k miles has about 1/4 of the repair cost as my Audi. I kick myself all the time for not buying the GS300 (that was the model name at that time).

    Anyway...I cannot, in good conscience, every recommend an Audi from the early part of 2000's. I have read that once the car was redesigned (again)...2004/5 maybe...they fixed all the problems that were known in the earlier models. So, 3800 for a car that is gonna cost ya at least 1k per year to fix (even more given it has 140k miles on it), is not a good buy...in my opinion.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited July 2010
    Extremely high maintenance automobile with very high repair and parts costs. A bad choice, IMO, for anyone who is watching their budget. This would be more of a 2nd/hobby car for someone who could put aside at least $150/month for repairs over the course of a few years. This would not include gas, insurance, and normal expendable parts that all cars use.
  • germangermzgermangermz Member Posts: 1
    Could you PLEASE tell me where the name/address of the place in Springfield where you serviced your A6? I'm in Southern MD and need all of the repairs that you needed except for the turn signal, plus a few more. CV boot is going and I'm not trying to pay dealer another $500 to replace.

    Thx.
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    The place is called German Auto Group located at 7520 Backlick Rd., Springfield, VA.
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hi dalia1,
    For starters you may want to go to "Erwin.com" for Audi America buy an hours worth of time and research your "Locked in Park" problem there.
    If your 95 has a Locking theft system then it gets a bit complicated and could be a number of thing.
    As a comparison only: Here's what I hear when I start my 2005 A6 Quattro with anti-theft system and Tiptronic Automatic Trans:
    a. Upon inserting the ignition key and turning to start position with foot on the brake
    and transmission in park.
    1. First a click under the dash which releases the steering column lock.
    2. The motor starts.
    3. Then I can change the Transmission to Reverse.
    Note: On mine there is a switch under the center consoled which blocks the ignition from starting "IF the Park lever is not all the way forward in Park Position."
    So if you follow the same procedure to start your car, then it would make sense the other switch under the brake pedal is for the "Anti Theft System".
    If you have an owners manual look up the section regarding towing the vehicle and the related procedures. There may also be a section related to resetting the Electrical systems in your car by disconnecting the battery cable.
    But my first choice would be ERWIN.COM.

    Good Luck
    JKAudiA6
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hi, So sorry it took so long to get back to you but I was on vacation.
    If you have not already taken car of your brake bleeding I would suggest going to
    Erwin.com Audi America. Buy an hours worth of time and get the brake bleeding procedure and diagrams directly from them.
    You need your VIN Number (Veh.ID) to correctly ID your vehicle.
    They will have all the diagrams you need.
    Good Luck

    JKAudiA6 :shades:
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    I've been doing some research since reading a number of Posts on the Audi Maintenance section, in particular about Transmission problems and ATF Oil changes.
    Just a short note to some, who have, no question had some bad experiences which resulted in bashing Audi, or some other model automobile.
    First let me say, that in most if not all cases, Auto Manufactures "DO NOT" manufacture all the components on vehicles which they build. Today's vehicles have literally thousands of parts the greater portion of which are build by third party companies who specialize in a particular areas. The Vehicle manufacture provides those companies with specifications or tolerances in most if not all cases. That being said, I've included links to a Company called ZF Group, a German company which builds transmission along with several other components for vehicles of different types. ZF is a world wide organization, among those, the North America Division which has Manufacturing and rebuilding plants as well as a service chain which repairs and services there products. What this means, if I read it correctly is, they are independent of Audi dealerships which means that those who drive a Audi or other vehicle with a ZF transmission or other ZF product have an option for repair. So here are the list of transmissions and vehicles for which they were build
    including a list of recommended Automatic and Manual Transmission OILS (ATF)
    that are recommended by ZF. Please note that within the ATF list there are recommendations as to which ATF should be used and that "Failure to use the proper ATF Fluid can very well lead to Transmission failure". Finally, that even though ZF has it's own ATF Synth Oil which extends the servicing intervals of OIL changes they still recommend ATF OIL Changes.
    http://www.zf.com/na/zfXmlServlet?resultUrl=/na/content/en/north_america/corpora- te_na/products_services_na/product_overview_na/ProductContentPage.jsp&sessionAtt- ribute=xmlRoot&serviceUrl=http://appsprod01.zf.com/zf.productDataBase/service/ap- plicationLayerSelect&applicationID=12288&applicationGroupID=&productTechnicID=12- 141&productGroupID=17902&productFormID=&productTypeID=316700&languageISOCode=EN&- businessUnitShortcut=&divisionShortcut=#menuArea

    Hope this helps:
    Best Regards
    JKAudiA6 :shades:
  • aklein2aklein2 Member Posts: 18
    I was considering buying an A 6 until I started reading about their mechanical problems, at least the older models, and weak local service ( live in Northern VA). Anyone care to comment, especially answering (i) are the more recent models, say those after 2007, better and less prone to mechanical problems (as Mercedes seems to be) than the older ones, and (ii) where can exceptional Audi warranty and later service be found -- if anywhere?
  • metalbluedogmetalbluedog Member Posts: 7
    i have had maby audis all 150000 pkus miles all incredably reliable but ifv you need main dealer very expensive if you can fix your own thenn they are brilluant
  • gbosleygbosley Member Posts: 20
    I had a 2006 A6 4.2 Canyon Red Paint Job with 98% of all option , i loved that car the handling and performance and really gas mileage was great , And Then about a year and half into my lease i am not sure of miles but had to be in lows 20,000 miles i thinking it went south , started with fuel gauge just going from fuel level to empty , GPS freezing up the icon not moving on map as the car was traveling , so i took it in to my dealer in western part of baltimore county and thinking all issues where taken care of and few days went by when i am on belt way and it blew extreme heat out the a/c vents so hot i had to turn it off you could not touch the left side of steering wheel or turn signal , back and forth to dealer this issue not corrected i got a thermomator it was blowing 180 degrees at a snap of a finger , and then fuel gauge gps and other small stuff was happening radio would go to full volume it was having it seems a electrical melt down , finally dealer contacted audi to get a tech to come , well 45 days till that happen my car sat , i could not drive it , the customer care people must read a script i think there is no help there the customer rep for audi would not call me till it got to a very heated moment at dealer and on phone .
    i finally met him in late july or first of august 2007, this all started at end of march i think it was August till finally got audi to take the car back. truly a very difficult and stress full time which it should had not been communication was big failure for audi,
    the day that happen there was two customer in service having a melt down with service rep over there issues , and i spoke to one ask him about his car , his statement to me was this is my second A6 and it my last , when first one was a lemon i just thought no way this would happen to me two times , so i know it was not just me , and looking at all comments on here i am surprised that any one buys one , and if you do decide to step into audi market buy extended warranty , and make sure that you never leave dealership with paper work showing worked performed and always demand a loaner if it in for warranty no matter if it a quick fix
    if you ever have to call 800 customer care line start a log , date and time and who you talk to and what about
    i think the car looks great but quality for money you pay for is not there or at least when i got mine and I even sent a Constructive letter to Audi CEO in Michigan about all my troubles and lack of care i was getting from there rep he did not even have enough courtesy to even send a letter back to say TOUGH , and if dealer says that service is included get copy of what is and for how long and be sure it on there letter head and signed , I had to get Maryland Attorney General office consumer affairs involved to get a result and did . As one audi owner said to me back during my troubles welcome to world of 4 rings hell , good luck
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Greetings Dalia1,
    This may very well be to late but here goes:
    The Automatic Gear shift lever release is controlled by several devices.
    1. There is a sensor in the Ignition switch area ID's the Key
    2a. The Ignition switch is encoded so when you put the key in the switch it knows if
    its the correct key for that vehicle.
    2b. The ignition key is encoded so the ignition switch can ID the Key.
    3. There is another which which released the Automatic Trans gear shift lever when
    items (1&2 have been done correctly.
    4. In the center consoled area under the ash tray is a switch which allows you to release the gear shift should the vehicle need to be towed, for example.
    Hope this helps.
    jkAudiA6
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hi Gbosley,
    Well your message is certainly laud and clear, in particular the portions that refer to "Customer Service and being responsive in a timely manner".
    There are several lessons to be learned for all who read your comments.
    a. The most important thing about any car purchased is not how fast it is, the paint color or the extras list.
    b. That when you have a problem with a particular dealer or it's service department
    you should make a calculated decision to find a more helpful/reliable Certified dealer service department or independent shop.
    c. When all else fails, in particular when a vehicle is "a young timer" (within warranty& low mileage) do what ever it takes to get results, including the Attorney Generals office.
    All of that being the case I'm particularly interested in where these vehicles are Mfg'd. I say that because although the emblem indicates "Made In Germany" I'm not so sure they are. I say this because in Germany, where I live, the independent
    automotive Magazines, including ADAC (The equivalent of AAA) give Audi the highest reliability ratings. These ratings are based on Customer service feed back and confirmed service statistics for Germany.
    And more to the point what is "Made in Germany" really mean. Engineered in Germany, built in the USA or Africa or Hungry or Poland??????????????
    Well you get the point.
    I don' t know how the fine print reads for extended warranties in the USA but in Germany it's a contract.
    One year at a time
    Kilometer dependent, that is as the kilometers increase on the Odometer the amount of extended warranty decreases;ie, 100%/90%/80%.................
    It is a limited Guarantee based on Kilometers and length of ownership but transferable within that time period.
    It is service dependent in that owners service booklet must reflect the Mfg's recommended servicing.
    In general it only covers major components:
    Drive train excluding normal wear items: (Brake pads, rotors, mufflers,etc.)
    Electrical and electronics.
    Finally I would simple tell you that when I had a BMW the rules of the game were
    about the same, and I suspect that most every Vehicle Mfg. will have similar rules.
    There is an old saying in the Sales profession:
    "Sell the sizzle not the steak"
    or in the words of Kenny Rogers (The country Western singer):
    "You gotta know when to hold'em and know when to fold'em".
    Hope your in a better position now than when you purchased you last one.
    Best regards
    jkAudiA6 :shades:
  • willie94willie94 Member Posts: 2
    willie94 My right catalytic converter now failed in my audi A6 2003 AVK 3.0 After I had 6 ignition coil replaced Thur recall due to 1 ignition coil went bad. Also cam position sensor went out well as my mass air flow exchange the change over barrel broken between Actuator mechanism and timing belt change. In all 3,155.07. I had letter from Audi Oct 09 said not to bring the car in unless the check engine light came on <(MIL-Malfunction Indicator Lamp will illuminate then let us know)=from Audi letter.. This check engine light came on in August 2010, one coil failed, and also my car was shaking so badly too. That's when I got this fixed and now right Catalytic converters has fail.
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hi Willie94:
    Are you the original owner of this vehicle???
    If it's a diesel engine and depending on the model (Vehicle year) the catalytic converters in earlier models were not self cleaning;ie, they got dirty after a number of years then have to be replaced. This has since been changed, in that, catalytic converters are now self cleaning. OK.
    If it's a Gasoline engine, then what kind of motor oil are you using?
    See an earlier post of mine with a link to a PDF showing all approved motor oils for Audi/VW.
    I don't mean the brand, I mean, Mineral based or Synthetic? VW/Audi has recommended Motor Oil standards and they should be followed. In particular Mineral based motor oils leave deposits on the "Lumda Sonda" sensor which is usually located in the catalytic converter. Check your owners manual or the Audi Web page for recommendations. Another options would be "The Car Bible" web page @ http://www.carbibles.com/engineoil_bible.html#blackdeath.
    I don't know what kind of Cam Positioning Device your Audi has but in my previous BMW it was an electronic devise with no moving parts. If it went bad it would seem to me that your engine would have been trashed as all the timing factors related to Valve and piston timing would be non functional.
    As for the Air Flow meter meter, I've read information, again on the Car Bible, that spraying cleaner fluids, to remove dust, for exampled will level deposits on the hair fine wire causing it to give incorrect readings. Of course the control device for that unit is electronic as well.
    I'm not familiar with the abreviation "AVK" but if it' means a rebuild engine, who did the work????
    JKAudiA6 :shades:
  • bigdadi118bigdadi118 Member Posts: 1,207
    edited October 2010
    Re I'm not familiar with the abreviation "AVK" but if it' means a rebuild engine, who did the work????
    AVK is Engine Code

    CAT Converter has mandatory waranty of 8 years / 80,000 mi ... Audi has to replace it for free if within that.

    For reference : Mini-Cat-Cel-Fix

    There is MAF sensor cleaner made by CRC ... I saw my local PepBoy carries it.
  • wchocolatemattwchocolatematt Member Posts: 1
    I drove the car and parked it as always. Two days later the lever will shift from P to R and to N, but it won't shift to D. I really do not know what to do anymore.... Any help?
  • skiddadleskiddadle Member Posts: 1
    My engine light has been on since March of this year! My dealer said it would need to be analyzed for $360. Received the Ignition Coil letter; checked with the Audi website today. It responded that my Vin # was not one of those with the problem. I've just added about 1 quart of oil in the past 1.5 months. I'm thinking it's the engine?
    I now have 98000+ miles on it and need my 95000 service done. Any hints as to what I should be aware. I know those service fees are exhorbitant and would like to lessen the "bite." Thank you, skiddadle
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    The check engine light came on in my A6 as well. Took it to the shop for the diagnostic ($89) and they informed me that the left catalytic converter had gone bad.
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hi Skiddadle,
    1.Engine light on which model A6;ie, Quattro 3.2l, 4.2l, 3.0l Turbo.............
    The engine type would determine if you have one or two Catalytic Converters.
    2. If your engine is using more than 1 quart/1000miles and I assume it is because your adding Oil.
    My Question is what kind of oil have you been using for the last four years or since you've owned the vehicle?
    3. The "Engine Warning light" will come on for a number of different reasons.
    If you've been using a low grade gasoline, fuel or oil additives which are not recommended they can contaminate your Lamda Sonda sensor which is mounted directly in or near the catalytic converter/rs.
    If will answer these three questions then I can be more specific.

    Thanks
    jkAudiA6 :sick:
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hi wchocol,
    OK, it's a multilevel problem in that it could be any one of several general areas pertaining to the Transmission and supporting elements:
    1. Does the Lock release button on your Gear shift lever work?
    2. What type transmission due you have:ie, Automatic which type?
    3. Is the battery in the vehicle OLD or new?
    4. Does your vehicle have All wheel drive (AWD) quattro with Electronic Locking of
    the wheels when the transmission is in Park.
    5. Do you hear any clicking sounds from the following areas when starting the engine and moving the gear shift lever to P,N,R?
    a. Clicking near the Ignition switch
    b. Clicking near the Gear Shift lever.
    c. Clicking when you step on the brake, engine running or not?
    If you can answer some or all of these question perhaps we can narrow it down do just a couple areas.
    Note: If you don't feel comfortable with all this then have the vehicle towed to a reliable Audi Dealer or Certified Independent shop who has knowledge of Audi and the necessary test/Diagnostic equipment.
    Your next question should be "What is a reasonable answer to your problem".
    I would say that if the transmission gave you no problems/unusual noises or low fluids (ATF), then it could be a simple as a broken control switch, or low ATF Fluid, a control valve within the transmission, loose mechanical connection of the gear shift, a ECU (Control Unit) which control the Transmission functions or a combination there of any of the above. Without more information it's difficult to narrow it down.
    An authorized Audi service center would be your best beat, but don't let them sell you a new/rebuilt transmission at this point.
    Best Regards
    jkAudiA6 :sick:
  • allmet33allmet33 Member Posts: 3,557
    Interesting turn of events. After taking the car for a diagnostic due to the check engine light coming on...the light has now gone off by itself. :confuse:
  • kilo35kilo35 Member Posts: 7
    Hi & Happy New Year,

    I have sustained some damage to my front passenger side along with some slight damage to the grill "bezel". My local dealer quoted me around $2200 for repair. My question is two-fold,
    1: Should I just wait until I turn the the car in (5 months) and just deal with what they say then or could that backfire on me?
    2:If I take it to a local collision shop and obviously save some cash is it possible when I do turn it in that it won't pass their muster and I still get hit for more fees?
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,145
    You might want to also post in our Lease Termination Fees and Other Costs discussion - I know it doesn't sound like a good fit, but people who have expertise in the general area of turning in a car with damage vs. fixed damage will be likely to see it there.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • kilo35kilo35 Member Posts: 7
    Thank You, I will do that.
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    edited January 2011
    Hi kilo35,
    You should compare both options.
    1. If the accident was not your fault and your insurance company will pay the bill minus your deductible is one option.
    2. Check your Leasing contract for turn in of a damaged car.
    a. Normally the lease turn-in has conditions Mileage/year Max @ Turn-in......
    and condition of car.
    b. Under your conditions:ie, damaged vehicle, depending on the contract conditions you may have to pay them a portion or all of the repair cost.
    The question really is: Is your deductible less than what it may cost you @ turn-in time in five months if the dealer charges you for the damage.
    jkAudiA6 :sick:
  • bigdadi118bigdadi118 Member Posts: 1,207
    edited February 2011
    There is sqeaky noise on right front wheel area when car goes over a bigger speed bumps.
    Lately it has same over the potholes.
    Will this be sway bar bushing, tierod or upper control arm bushing?
    2002 A6Q Avant w/125k mi.
  • jkaudia6jkaudia6 Member Posts: 77
    Hey bigdadi118:
    All of the above plus shocks or ?????.
    Another words!
    When the front suspension compresses something is squeaking. The car does not know if it's a "pothole or speed bump.
    a.You need to get the car up on a lift and look for dry warn rubber bushings
    leaking shocks, if they are hydraulic, or ball joints on tie-rod ends where the rubber bushing is leaking.
    b. You could us a lubricating "Light Oil" and spray each of the aforementioned parts, one at a time, Test and repeat until the squeak stops. You could also go to a "Inspection Center where they have a Vibration machine to test and provide a printout of shock absorber analysis.
    You should do this with a helper in the interest of saving time and energy.
    c. Also try turning the steering Lock to Lock (Rt.& Left) which may also reveal a unusual noise if it's steering or linkage related.
    Good Luck
    JKAudiA6 :shades:
  • edres1691edres1691 Member Posts: 2
    Hi, I have a 99 A6 that I have loved for a decade. Today, when turning on the ignition, the usual display came up on the panel indicating all systems were "OK". Then when I shifted into gear, the display screen went dark. Only the gear indicator was illuminated. I tried to push the reset button on the underside of the wiper stalk but nothing happened.
    Any ideas please?
    Thanks in advance.
  • edres1691edres1691 Member Posts: 2
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