Audi A3 - Issues - Dealer Options

russell664

russell664

russell664

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19 Nov 2011
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Hi all,

Looking for your opinion on a few things wrong with my car - I bought this car back on the tailend of June this year, a month in it developed a rattle from the exhaust which didn't bother me too much windows forward to now I have had the following issues with it:

  • ESP light came on last night, the car died as soon as any throttle was added. Tried to restart, just turned over. Turned it off, keyout for 10 seconds, restarted, ESP light came back on with a warning saying 'Refer to Manual'. when the car was driven it was in limp mode as such and didn't have as much power as normal.
  • Rattle from the engine bay. I can't workoout if this is the exhaust manifold, or the cat or something like that. At around 2k RPM going at 30 mph there is a constant rattle noise which I noticed yesrerday. The reason I didn't notice was due to alays having music on when driving.
  • Clutch is high. The cluth does seem really high, the car has done 48k miles so I can see it being end of life already. The clutch was high when I got it, but thought it was a german car thing, but it seems to of got higher since i've driven it. I have driven my girlfriends Golf GTD and the clutch is quite a bit lower with 80k on the clock!
  • Wobbly mirror glass - apperently this is a common thiing with Audi's?

I got this car from AvailableCar - with warrenty which is lucky.
I'm waiting for a callback, but given the fact the car is in warrenty, and has been driven normally would the warrenty cover all of the above?

This is the warrenty page: Linky

I'll keep this thread updated with what service options i've been given, but I just wondered if anyone else has any similat experiences?
 
Is the car still under manufacturer warranty? If so I’d take it to an Audi dealer and not where you bought it from personally.

As for the clutch seeming to be high this is why you always look at and ideally try more than one example of any given car before you buy, to see if they are all like it or something specific to the example your looking at.....
 
Scania said:
Is the car still under manufacturer warranty? If so I’d take it to an Audi dealer and not where you bought it from personally.

As for the clutch seeming to be high this is why you always look at and ideally try more than one example of any given car before you buy, to see if they are all like it or something specific to the example your looking at.....
Click to expand...
Yep it is indeed. I'm not sure if the warrenty is only valid if I take to to AvailableCar, or if I can take it to and Audi serevice place and the'll cover the warrenty request. Something i'll find out shorly hopefully.

I did a bit if reading and it appears that it was a common thing with the clutch so didn't really think much of it, up until i've noticed it seems even higher as of recent.
 
russell664 said:
Yep it is indeed. I'm not sure if the warrenty is only valid if I take to to AvailableCar, or if I can take it to and Audi serevice place and the'll cover the warrenty request. Something i'll find out shorly hopefully.

I did a bit if reading and it appears that it was a common thing with the clutch so didn't really think much of it, up until i've noticed it seems even higher as of recent.
Click to expand...
I’d be tempted to just go with the Audi warranty until it runs out - so long as the car has been serviced in accordance with the manufacturers guidelines then it should still be wholly valid, then ,if need be ,revert back to the supermarkets warranty for the remaining time it runs for (assuming it’s longer than the manufacturers one) although compared to the manufacturers one I doubt theirs is worth the paper it’s written on to be blunt!
 
The car is a 2010 Audi A3 Technik with 48k on the clock.

It is outside of the Audi Warrenty, but is in warrenty with the people I bought it from for 3 years I believe, still waiting on a phonecall for it though...

Complete service history, with one prevous owner too.
 
Yeah i found warranties not worth the paper they're written on.

I had an EGR go on my A3 that the warranty didn't cover for. About the only thing i've noticed it covers, is sensors. Everything else seems to be deemed as a wear and tear part.

Have you got an OBD reader you can plug in and read off the error codes? At least that will give you some idea of the problems.
 
Available car really looked after me and my in law with our warranties, you shouldn't have any problems with them, they have a big rep to keep.
 
stopper said:
Available car really looked after me and my in law with our warranties, you shouldn't have any problems with them, they have a big rep to keep.
Click to expand...
From what I can see, they tend to be pretty good.

What branch did you both buy from? I'll be dealing with the Sutton Branch, the car was bought from the Castleford one, but transferred as I am local to Sutton.
Still waiting on a phone call, i've been in touch and they have said that i'm next in the queue for the aftersales team.
 
russell664 said:
What branch did you both buy from? I'll be dealing with the Sutton Branch, the car was bought from the Castleford one, but transferred as I am local to Sutton.
Click to expand...
I bought mine from Castle Donington and the in law got his from Sutton in Ashfield. They were both brilliant at sorting them out.
I wouldn't think your local would be any worse though, like I said they have a big rep to keep
 
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russell664 said:
  • Clutch is high. The cluth does seem really high, the car has done 48k miles so I can see it being end of life already. The clutch was high when I got it, but thought it was a german car thing, but it seems to of got higher since i've driven it. I have driven my girlfriends Golf GTD and the clutch is quite a bit lower with 80k on the clock!
  • Wobbly mirror glass - apperently this is a common thiing with Audi's?
Click to expand...
Clutch bites "from the floor" at all VAG cars, I'd say all German cars actually, certainly true for BMW & Vauxhall. Usually very high on French stuff, very annoying when you drive them. I was absolutely shocked when I drove a friend's Volvo C30, literally bites in the last inch or so, but apparently it's been like that for the past 4 years he's had it so.... :D

No such thing as a commin thing with the wobbly mirror glass, my internal mirror wobbles a bit when the volume goes up a bit, but the 10" subwoofer in the parcel shelf might have something to do with it... :D
 
So the car is in today, will let you all know what they say.

The engine management light came on - along with the ESP fault. The ESP light now clears, but the engine management one persists. I reckon it could be something like the crank postition sensor, or a temprature sensor. Only time will tell. Hopefully they will fix it, no quibble.
 
Literally chuckling to myself every time I read the word ‘warrenty’.

Anyway - keep us posted - the clutch will need attention certainly by the sounds of it
 
Well update.

I got it back on Sunday and everythig is fixed. The rattle was due to the engine mounts and a coolant pipe bracket - they have replaced the mirror glass and sorted the clutch too!
The engine light was due to coil packs going, which would explain being down on power and a slight judder randomly. I thought it would be something like the throttle body or some such.

I'm actually suprised to be honest with you all. The car drives lovely now :cool:.
 
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