Hiya,

i just bought a 2011 Audi A3 1.6. The car had been sitting for a while before I bought it. Unfortunately yesterday the emissions warning light came on. I took it to a mechanic who diagnosed the fault. He said it needs a new lambda sensor which will cost £250 to fit.

does this sound correct?

 

many thanks

Well it sounds plausible. Whether it is correct I couldn't say.

Was the engine light on as well as the emissions light, because knowing its a faulty lambda sensor would have come from a code.. if he code read it? Is it a diesel, could just need a dpf regeneration.

Hello Andrew,

A couple of thing here which may help before spending money:-

MOT expiry date? Is the car now road legal with you in terms of tax and insurance and MOT? 

Did you buy it from a dealer or privately? If a dealer, then return the car for it to be sorted. If private purchase, the car has to be as described , so there may be some avenue for redress there. 

If it were mine and it was road legal - and in knowledge it has not been used for some time (how long?) - then I would be adding some fresh fuel and the appropriate Redex additive, driving it reasonably quietly for at least a few miles, before giving it a good, reasonably high revving run for at least 20 miles, i.e. an ‘Italian tune’. Personally, I would not be using supermarket fuel at this stage, but....

Continue to use the car in a well-driven style for at least 100 miles to let it find its legs.  Hopefully the light may well behave itself following this, but if not, that would be the time to get the fault code/s diagnosed.

Perhaps you could come back to us. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.