19 days ago I purchased this car with3500 on the clock as an ex demonstrator from an Audi main dealer. The day after, the dash lit up like a christmas tree with all sorts of warnings and the steering started shaking. Turning the car off and back on sorts the problem.

the dealer says that this is a problem affecting a very small number of this model and that Audi are working on, but do not have a software fix yet but when they have they will sort it.

in the 19 days I’ve had it, it’s done this four times. 
should I trust them or give it back?

 

It’s a gorgeous car otherwise and I’ve made some fairly long distance trips in the car without a hitch!

Given that Audi do not know how to fix it, when they can fix it, or even if they can fix it, I would not hesitate in taking it back for a refund. Audi is not the quality brand it was several years ago, having sold some models recently with expensive defects as a result of poor design and inadequate testing. Consequently one can not rely on an Audi promise to fix it at some some unknown time in the future.

Take it back. On a 25 model car, then you could wait long enough for a software patch.

So I have my A5 (S5) with issues, but none as extreme as yours. 

I have also picked up on other threads regarding SW issues on Q6 etc where, I assume, there are shared SW and Control Module HW. 

I appreciate my Audi Partner is in the hands of Audi UK regarding updates and SW releases but I have mailed Audi Customer Relations so that it is formally on record. 

The more often that these issues are raised with Audi, the more likely that we will see a fix sooner rather than later.

I sympathise with Audi Partners (Dealerships) as they can only pass on what they are fed and at times this comes across as being fobbing off. Keep banging the drum and eventually our drumming regiment will get the attention it deserves. 

You are within your rights to reject the car, you could also demand that Audi loans you a car for as long as yours is waiting for a fix. This may fall on deaf ears but compared to my niggles, yours sounds like a safety concern where one or more control modules  has more bugs than Australia. 

 

 

20 minutes ago, Envy said:

I sympathise with Audi Partners (Dealerships) as they can only pass on what they are fed and at times this comes across as being fobbing off.

That's unfortunate and I too sympathise, however while it not the dealer's fault, under UK law it is the dealer's responsibility as the vendor to provide either a fix or a refund. The dealer evidently can not provide a fix so the customer must decide whether to go for a refund or accept a defective car.

So I purchased my car from a different Dealer to my local Audi Partner. Although the transaction is with the selling dealership the buck stops with Audi UK - an example, Head Up Display Controller replaced under warranty. Bath Audi quote Audi UK and Audi UK pay. 

Thanks Tom,

No, as Cliff says, the buck stops with the vendor (the selling Audi dealer), and not Audi U.K.  It will be the Audi dealers responsibility to seek redress from Audi U.K. if they want to. 

Where does ‘Partner’ come from then? How long before this forum will be talking ‘hood’, ‘trunk’,  ‘rocker panels’ etc. 

5 hours ago, Envy said:

 Although the transaction is with the selling dealership the buck stops with Audi UK - an example, Head Up Display Controller replaced under warranty. Bath Audi quote Audi UK and Audi UK pay. 

Not so. While your dealer may have come to an arrangement with Audi UK to be compensated by them, that is a private arrangement between those two parties that can not be influenced or demanded by you. Your only legal enforceable recourse is directly with the seller, a provision of the 1979 Sale of Goods Act and its successor legislation.

14 hours ago, Magnet said:

Thanks Tom,

No, as Cliff says, the buck stops with the vendor (the selling Audi dealer), and not Audi U.K.  It will be the Audi dealers responsibility to seek redress from Audi U.K. if they want to. 

Where does ‘Partner’ come from then? How long before this forum will be talking ‘hood’, ‘trunk’,  ‘rocker panels’ etc. 

New Audi UK terminology. Audi Dealers (Franchises) are known as Centres and when you elect an Audi Dealer to be your point of contact regarding Servicing, warranty, Recalls, future sales etc they Become your Audi Partner. Howdie Partner does have the ring of the wild west and connotations to Cowboys tenuous but some would agree. 

What a load of xxxocks. Just don’t encourage them by following their terminology and keeping some marketing guy in a job. 

Puts me in mind of a dealership who wanted to be more ‘customer focussed’ by addressing their customers by name. 
Customer rings up dealership to buy some parts. Receptionist answers -‘ Good morning you are through to ….,my name is ….. how may I help you?

‘I want your Parts dept. Please’. ‘Certainly, may I have your name please?’ ‘Why do you want that?’ ‘So when the Parts Dept answers they will be able to address you by name.’ ‘Ok it’s Mr. Thomas’. ‘Thank you Mr. Thomas, I’ll transfer to the Part Dept now’.

’Parts, what do you want’! 
Don’t encourage them Tom. 

Ever been to an Apple Store? Costa? Have to disagree with you re. the Name thing. If a retailer wants me to buy something from them then I want to be a person that is well thought of and valued as a customer, not just a number. Picked up the Car this time and there was a bottle of Champagne in the boot. The time before I took my Son with me and they gave him a radio controlled car. Go into a dealership and have a coffee, feel welcome and enjoy the benefits. Yes it is probably a "New Car" thing but I have found all of the Audi franchises I have visited very accommodating. 

Blinking heck.

What aspect of the Name thing are you disagreeing with Tom? 
The terminology of Partner/Dealer?

Giving your name to the above? 

If it’s the latter, then my post was simply aimed at a light hearted example of how that principle works in practice. 
 

What I disagree with is your aversion to giving your name to a receptionist, parts dept etc.  

Maybe your light heartedness does not come across in the way that you hope when you type it. 

Anyway: back on topic, my dealership is waiting on an update from the car maker for the issues that I am experiencing. Unfortunately I was in the Gym last night when the Car Makers UK Office tried calling. From their VM they left, they will try calling again today.   

Not holding breath but hopefully a glimmer of light. 

OK Tom, I give up. I never said I have any aversion to giving my (in caps) name to anyone - I do so daily on here. I think you’ve got the wrong end of the stick in relation to the lighthearted (all good intentions) example of marketing.

The point of the example:- receptionist takes customer’s name so that she may convey it to the Parts dept. and they will then address him by name when the line is connected, because that’s the new dictate. Parts man however responds as he always used to ‘Parts’  - no ‘Hello Mr… you are through to the Parts dept’…
I can’t believe I’m doing this!!! 
Anyway Tom, good luck with the Car Makers U.K. Office and their Partners or Dealers, or whatever.

You are right of course, and it is indeed off topic. 
Why did I start this? 
Regards,

Gareth.

It's a sign of the times Gareth. Everybody who wants your money believes that pretending to be your best mate and using your forename will deceive you into accepting worthless junk in return. It doesn't work with me. When such people ask me my first name I reply "Mister".

On 10/7/2025 at 11:08 PM, Garynhughes said:

19 days ago I purchased this car with3500 on the clock as an ex demonstrator from an Audi main dealer. The day after, the dash lit up like a christmas tree with all sorts of warnings and the steering started shaking. Turning the car off and back on sorts the problem.

the dealer says that this is a problem affecting a very small number of this model and that Audi are working on, but do not have a software fix yet but when they have they will sort it.

in the 19 days I’ve had it, it’s done this four times. 
should I trust them or give it back?

 

It’s a gorgeous car otherwise and I’ve made some fairly long distance trips in the car without a hitch!

"the dealer says that this is a problem affecting a very small number of this model and that Audi are working on, but do not have a software fix yet but when they have they will sort it."

 

I'd say that's common dealership talk for, we know there's an issue but haven't found the cause yet. Some dealerships farm out electrical faults to smaller independent dealer trained specialist workshops. That might be worth a look, and if it can be rectified by one ask the dealership if they will contribute towards the cost of repairs.

To try and divert some frustration I am making a game of it. "Guess the Fault Displayed Today"

Had a new one to me last night "Steering Fault" "Safe to Continue" The evening before, the traction control decided it would be turned off and would not switch on. - To me it smacks of a incompatible SW / HW combination. The messages have to be over CANBUS and the central control unit will be getting scrambled messages. Some of the faults put the car in limp (limited performance) mode.

I can understand the flap VAG must be in tyring to resolve these issues. If they were in America Lawyers would be jumping all over it.