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Audi A3: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • sloomersloomer Member Posts: 1
    My Open Sky is so quitet I thought I had died and gone to heaven when I first opened it full open on the highway! I have a Mercedes and had a VW Beetle and the only way you can leave their sunroofs open is in tilt up not open...maybe you just haven't experienced other cars with open roof systems...test drive the others! I love my open sky!
  • 0806scs0806scs Member Posts: 1
    2006 A3 2.0T Sport package 4100 miles - Phoenix AZ
    Issues to date:
    While waiting to turn at a stoplight after proceeding the DSG will stay in 2nd gear and will not change even if I slow to 5mph or if I hit redline. This has happened 3x once while making a easy left turn and 2x from dashing out trying to avoid oncoming cars. Also another issue I have seen is once I had turned on the cruise control while is 'S' mode and the car couldnt decide what gear to go in to. The display kept jumping back and fourth between 5th and 4th. I was going to bring this to my service advisor's attention once I take it in for a 5000mi oil change.
  • czarnikcczarnikc Member Posts: 1
    Tip: Read the manual. The wipers have a "service mode." You also might suggest that the service mgr get to know the car a little better if he's going to work on it. Ha! Many things about this car that you'd never find/know if you don't RTFM!
  • davescodavesco Member Posts: 1
    I also have this problem, on the same model and age of car. Did you ever find any fixes? I am struggling to find any info anywhere.
  • katzekatze Member Posts: 4
    I purchased an A3 a month ago and have put 3000 miles on it. From the beginning, intermittently when I try to start it, it won't start. It makes no noise. The lights go on, so there is no problem with the battery. It is as if it is in the wrong gear. After I shift it through the gears, (park, neutral, drive, etc.), it will start after about the third or fourth try. It has been to the dealer and they cannot duplicate the problem or find anything wrong. Does anyone have a suggestion for what the problem might be? I can decipher no pattern to its no start problem, except it never happens when the car sits overnight. It always happens after I have driven it for a while, turned it off and am trying to restart.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Unless the dealer requires an elephant with a bell around its neck and a note that says "neutral safety switch", one would think from your clear diagnosis, that he would have replaced this simple switch for you to see if that cured the problem.
  • katzekatze Member Posts: 4
    Thank you, Mr. Shiftright, I am bringing the car into the dealer today and will give him your suggestion. I also received a reply on another forum referencing Technical Bulletin 05-09, which references a software solution to my problem. It is in Adobe format and I don't know how to reference it here. I am new to the forums. If you can advise me how to attach it to this message, I will post it. It is eight pages long.
  • katzekatze Member Posts: 4
    Here is a URL that hopefully will access the Technical Bulletin 05-09.
    It is: http://audia3.net/misc/audi.tb.01-05-09.pdf
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Well that certainly describes the symptoms although it seems like a long shot....keep us informed!
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    always good to wait a while before buying any new model, as these issues always come up.

    Also, that bulletin made particular mention of "tuned" ECM's, so Audi is aware folks are "chipping" this particular model and will void the warranty if they find evidence of it.
    A3 tuners, you are being watched for !! :surprise:
  • katzekatze Member Posts: 4
    What does "chipping" mean?
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    "Chipped" or "chipping" usually means reprogramming the Engine controller computer chips.

    The main purpose of "chipping" is to get more power out of the engine. Audi USA does not approve of this as reprogramming can foul up other engine parameters for emissions, knock resistance, etc.

    Audi USA has said it will void the warranty on any vehicle discovered to have been "chipped" by anyone other than themselves.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    The only car I have ever owned that has used that much oil was a Volkswagen beetle. Everything else, Honda, Toyota, Toyota/Chevy, Chevy, Mazda, used no more than 1/4 quart in 3-5 K miles, and the toyota and Chevy use much less.
  • commuter2commuter2 Member Posts: 2
    Shipo - Can you tell me where you are getting your statistics from?

    None of the other cars I have owned have consumed this much oil. My friend has an Audi S4 and another friend has a VW Jetta - neither one is experiencing this kind of consumption. If this truly is the way the car was designed, Audi shouldn't recommend a 10k service interval between oil changes. If I follow this maintenance schedule, I will destroy my engine.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "Shipo - Can you tell me where you are getting your statistics from?"

    Statistics? No statistics, it's simply both common sense and fact. ANY car that only uses a quart of oil every 5,000 miles is to be considered in perfect operating condition. Don't believe me? Go over to some of the oil related discussions here at Edmunds and ask around.

    Backing this discussion up a few years (err, decades) I used to turn a pretty fair wrench on cars, and when overhauling cylinder heads that didn't have replaceable valve guides we would "knurl" the guides. Knurling effectively reduces the inner diameter of the guide by displacing a small amount of metal from the creation of a spiral grove down the length of said guide. This would accomplish two things:
    1) The reduction of the inner diameter would be limited to no smaller than the OEM spec for said guide thus allowing for better valve placement on its seat (which reduced the incidence of burning said valves), and
    2) The grove effectively becomes a small oil gallery that snakes around the valve stem allowing for better lubrication within the guide area.

    The drawback? Slightly increased oil consumption. The benefits? Greatly enhanced valve and valve guide life.

    The fact remains that engines must use some oil, and a quart every 5,000 miles is a very good usage level. From what I've seen and heard, most manufacturers consider anything above a quart per 1,000 miles to be within spec (VW and Audi included). That a few out there use less than what your engine is using is irrelevant. That your previous cars didn't use as much oil as your current engine is also irrelevant.

    Regarding your comment that said, "If this truly is the way the car was designed, Audi shouldn't recommend a 10k service interval between oil changes."

    The truth of the matter is that one has absolutely nothing to do with the other. You change your oil when the manufacturer says to and you top off your oil when your dip-stick says you need to.

    Regarding your comment that said, "If I follow this maintenance schedule, I will destroy my engine."

    Ummm, why? Keep the oil within the allowable range and your engine will outlast the rest of your car. If it needs a quart, add the quart. Simple as that.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I concur. If given a choice between an engine using a quart of oil every 5,000 miles and one using no oil in 5,000 miles, I would definitely choose the engine using this small amount of oil.

    If I had an engine that used no oil whatsoever in 5K miles, I would probably start to add a small amount of "top oil" or "upper cylinder lubricant" to the fuel.
  • commuter2commuter2 Member Posts: 2
    Any good engineer or quality person knows, without empirical data - you have no basis for your statements. Show me revelant current data, and we can discuss more.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I think you are confusing empirical and scientific data. Empirical data is non-scientific, however, that doesn't mean it's irrelevant. Empirical data (in this case) is simply a collection of observed and experienced causes and effects. Many of the folks who post here at Edmunds have loads of this type of data to offer. Go over to BobIsTheOilGuy.com and you will find many more folks with the same.

    The above having been said, when you say, "Show me revelant [sic] current data, and we can discuss more." I suspect that what you are really asking for is scientific data, and as such, my guess is that you're asking for something that doesn't exist. Why? Because no company is dumb enough to fund a study that looks into the positive and negative effects of using a quart of oil every 5,000 miles. Why not? Because there have been hundreds of millions of engines built that use about that amount of oil and as such, the empirical evidence is extremely strong. What does that evidence show us? It shows us that an engine that uses a quart of oil every 5,000 miles is just about perfect.

    Suffice to say, anybody who takes their car (of any make or model) in to the dealership and complains that it consumes the oft mentioned quart per 5,000 miles is going to get laughed at, maybe not to their face, but certainly after they leave.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • pokipokipokipoki Member Posts: 2
    07 A3 and my driver side window is making noise when closed. Sounds like a tapping noise on glass. If I open the window with one tap, it goes away. On another forum someone said to use Krytox lubricant.

    Anyone have solutions until I take it in for my 5000K?

    With my off and on opensky buzzing and now this I am getting :mad:
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Fair enough, but I rather view it as common sense type of information. If you think of the valves going up and down and protruding into the combustion chamber, the idea of a slight amount of oil mixed with the fuel, lubricating the protruding stem of the valve in these horrendously high thermal conditions----well, it just makes sense, technically speaking. I've certainly asked engine builders about this, who, in this case, I prefer to quiz, rather than pocket protector guys working only on paper.

    Hope that clarifies my point of view on this.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    Quality Control problems (fit and finish and build quality issues with Audi A3)

    rear wiper blade worked like it was 2+ years old
    scratch on glove box plastic (could of been molding manufacturing issue) (Audi won't fix)
    unravelling corner to cargo cover inside (could of been cause by me, but if so, poorly designed and not durable at all) (didn't bother Audi about this one)
    Exhaust tips look like they came out of a junkyard; trying to get Audi to replace, so far I've been met with a brick wall of resistance. I'm angry at Audi for this one. They claim it is within their specification and quality standards. I hope to take pics and post on this forum in the near future to embarrass Audi as revenge, if they don't fix it soon!
    Interior rear quarter panel trim did not fit right, was loose, and had about a 1/4" to 1/2" gap with other trim pieces (replaced under warranty)
    Rearview mirror has a miniscule speck/scratch mirror defect (Audi says its the glass thats scratched, not the mirror, and therefore not covered)
    Rearview mirror moves too freely, not nearly enough tension (design flaw; Audi says its normal for A3) moves everytime I put the sunshade up! annoying!)
    First 1,000 miles, had rattles in the back, but they dissappeared!!! I'm going good at 6,000 + miles now.
    DSG tranny acts up every so often (very rarely), its scary though, I hope if it fails, it fails before my warranties expired, and not right after :( :lemon: The DSG tranny has worked ALMOST flawlessly, but not perfectly. It's just a tad worrisome. :mad:
    Gas mileage has been significantly less than reported by EPA, even with conservative driving, and especially with spirited driving. I was told the engine would continue to improve on mileage up to its breakin period of 15K miles by dealer. I'm at 6K now.

    Audi blames the selling dealer and most of these issues as (outside influence), but what are the chances at least half of these issues are not dealer negligence or carelessness?
    High!!! very high! They can't all be!

    Audi needs to respect their customer's wishes more. My exhaust tips have a terrible finish and big burnt line going across the whole length horizontally. Even Kia's and Suzuki's have better exhaust tips than this!

    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    Sorry to hear you are having trouble, andres3.

    Not covering scratches in glass in a freshly delivered car? My Saturn ION had that (with other problems) and Saturn ended up replacing the entire car!

    Take heart that your info helps me with my desision whether or not to consider an A3 next year. Very unlikely to buy one new...Audis' warranty sounds worthless.
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    well, lets say warranty seems suspect, at least, for a number of issues. In fairness, Other cars have warranty lapses too.

    I wonder how Audi addresses DSG clutch wear? Is that covered at all? I understand the clutches are very expensive to replace.
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    In fairness to Audi:

    They did replace my rear wiper blade no questions asked.
    They did replace the ill fitting interior quarter panel trim in the rear left side no questions asked.

    All of the other little minor things I've had problems with could easily have been "outside influence" and caused by the owner (being me). However, I can honestly testify that almost all of these issues were certainly already there when I purchased the car. I should have done a better delivery inspection, but it was overcast, and I was excited there were no mechanical flaws.

    Fortunately, the car is a blast to drive, and the best and most fun vehicle I"ve ever driven. It handles like a dream, ESP keeps you out of trouble. The dunlop perfomance tires stick to the road like no other, but the powerful engine still can make them spin w/o too much effort on the gas pedal (until ESP quickly kicks in).

    Mechanically, the car has been fantastic, and I've had no breakdowns or anythhing go wrong under the hood in 6K + miles. I'm just a bit upset over the number of tiny little cosmetic aesthetic issues. I'm really happy the car settled in and the rattles disappeared completely on their own.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • kurtamaxxxguykurtamaxxxguy Member Posts: 1,798
    good to hear your Audi experience wasn't all that bad...
    as I am still thinking about one when I get into the right driving circumstances.

    What is turbo lag like in your car? I keep getting different pictures of this (some pubs find a lot of lag, others say there is very little). Perhaps Audi changed the A3 engine programming over the model year??

    A coworker acquired an Audi A4 FWD recently...felt quite large compared to the A3 interior. But felt very stern, sort of spartian (may have been due to its all black Teutonic interior).
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    I have a hard time figuring out if its turbo lag, or simply DSG transmission downshifting lag.

    When you push on the gas suddenly, the DSG might have to shift down more than 1 gear, which means if each clutch is on the "next" gear, it won't be able to do that magical .2 second shift from 6 to 4, or 6 to 3...
    But I will tell you this, once your in gear, and once the rpm's approach 3,000, you're flying, pushed back into your seat, and up to 100 MPH in no time at all.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • andres3andres3 Member Posts: 13,729
    Either way, the lag is minimal. Better than the Volvo V50 T5 I test drove that felt like a sling shot with the lag holding it up at starts.
    '15 Audi Misano Red Pearl S4, '16 Audi TTS Daytona Gray Pearl, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    You've probably noticed all the new discussions appearing all over the forums. What's happening is that we're closing down general, everything in one pile type of discussions like this, and creating dicussions that are a bit more focused tomake it easier to find helpful info about specific topics.

    For example, here in the Audi A3 Group you'll now find an assortment of dicussions like:
    Audi A3 Electrical Issues
    Audi A3 Suspension Questions
    Changes You'd Like To See in the A3
    Audi A3 Test Drive - What Do You Think?
    just to name a few.

    So when you're going to post, please check the discussion list at the main Audi A3 Group page to find the appropriate discussion for your comments or question. If there does not appear to be a discussion about the issue or problem, please feel free to create a new discussion. We can deal with accidental duplicates as we go along.

    Thanks for your understanding and help as we get things a bit more organized!
This discussion has been closed.