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Audi A4 - Lemon laws?

shelbyseashelbysea Member Posts: 4
in Audi
Just this Sunday my 1998 A4 2.8L seized with no warning AT ALL- no noises, no failed electircal, no loss of power- nothing! It just died as I tried to turn the corner from a stop sign. (Ironically last Easter Sunday the starter motor started on fire due to a messed up ignition switch. The dealer replaced it but as soon as I was 300 miles away on a road trip the car wouldn't start and we had push start the car for 3 days)
Back to business.... I've heard that a lot of the 1.8L engines have had a similar problem with seizing and am wondering if anyone has had luck with Audi paying for the fix due to lemon laws?

I'm at a loss as how to get this taken care of with out having to give up my first born and second and third.
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    shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    First off, how do you know your engine has siezed?

    Secondly, no manufacturer on earth is going to help you out with a damaged ten year old engine, especially one that has a very good history of reliability.

    Third, your best bet would be to locate a used engine from a wrecked car and have that put in. Even still, I'm thinking that you should budget at least $2,000 for the job.

    Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I'm thinking that this one is on you.

    Keep us posted on how you make out.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
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    rjlaerorjlaero Member Posts: 659
    Sorry, but I have no sympathy for you. You bought a 10 year old car and took your chances. Now you want to complain about a lemon law?

    What do you expect with a 10 year old German car? How many miles are on it?

    Timing belts can break if not replaced by 100k and seize your engine. There's no way to know the history on a car like that unless you had all the records.
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    shelbyseashelbysea Member Posts: 4
    I'm not looking for sympathy! I was simply asking if anyone had heard- as I have- that Audi did infact have to pay for a lot of repairs under some lemon law- but I don't know how to find out about that sort of thing. Not being a car buff I'm unfamiliar with things of this nature.
    I wasn't complaining; simply looking for insight- not a snide remark. I thought getting into this website and a forum would open doors to suggestions. If you have nothing constructive or helpful I'm not interested.
    The timing belt was replaced at 103k- 19k mi ago.
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    shelbyseashelbysea Member Posts: 4
    If it's a matter of symantics maybe seized is the wrong word but it will not start, try to turn over, no belts will turn, nothing! It's not a battery, there are no broken belts and the electrical is fine, so who knows.

    I realize that I'm in this one deep but it couldn't hurt to look into the lemon laws I heard about Audi dealing with- even with expired warranties- ya never know.

    Thanks for the good wishes.
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    shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    You are correct that VW and Audi did replace some 1.8T engines due to oil sludge related failures, however, that particular engine is very hard on oil, especially if lots of short trips in cold weather are involved, and especially if the proper VW certified oil wasn’t used. Not so the 2.8 engine in your car.

    FWIW, regarding the sludged engines, I seriously doubt that VWoA will replace any failed ten year old 1.8Ts with over 120,000 miles on the clock, regardless of how much sludge had built up inside the engine.

    At this point I'm thinking that you have three fairly bitter tasting options:
    1) Pay a mechanic to tear your engine down, diagnose the failure point, repair the damaged parts and slap it back together.
    2) Find a bone yard (aka. Junk Yard) that has a serviceable 2.8 liter V6 and pay someone to install it for you (probably the cheapest of the three options).
    3) Buy a new crate engine (or a short block at the very least) and have it installed (probably the most expensive option).

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
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    shelbyseashelbysea Member Posts: 4
    Shipo,
    Thanks for the ideas... definately option's I'll have to face.
    I'll let ya know.
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    roxproxp Member Posts: 4
    Has anyone taken Audi to court with the Lemon Law. I have had it with my A4 and it not getting fixed for the same problem, that being the engine. My car is a death trap, and it is in Service again at Riverside Audi (btw, that place is going out of business, don't buy a car there). Any advice would really help me out with where to being the process.
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    savelasavela Member Posts: 1
    We have a good claim under the lemon law here in Alabama, fortunately. Next step is to write the Manufacturer the certified letter. Anybody have that address handy. In Alabama once you've exhausted attempts (three times) with the dealer you must notify the manufacturer.

    By the way, we have an A4 Convertible, 2007. A real piece of crap. We have had a persistent noise while turning at slow speeds that, after 5-6 attempts they cannot correct. Fortunately, I have a great trial lawyer friend who is taking this on for the price of a martini.

    I also own the domain TomWilliamsAudiProblems.com which I intend to promote if this isn't resolved expeditiously.

    Ed Savela
    Vestavia Hills, Alabama
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    roxproxp Member Posts: 4
    Thanks, just mail all necessary paperwork in for lemon law. My car has been in Service for 45 days and counting. Still didn't get my car back. Do you think I will need an attorney to file lemon law claim?
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    imwabudimwabud Member Posts: 2
    Shelbysea any whereabouts of when and what models audi fixed with this sludge problem??

    thanks
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    amkmeco90amkmeco90 Member Posts: 17
    hey guys. we also have here a lemon dealer in holidaysburg, PA named Fiore. these guys are really money suckers and at the same time can't do anything in the way it should be. Even if you called them to schedule for an appointment and left a message to call you back they never call you back again. hopefully soon they will go bankrupt
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