Magnet

OK, discount this as the source of the (increased) leak then. If you think on about the source of the leak, logic suggests that whatever you have ‘sealed’ has made it worse, so you will now need to unseal each bit in turn to find which area has an effect. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Martin, Many thanks indeed for being in touch, and particularly for sharing your positive news on this subject. I don’t want to appear patronising, but I think it’s fair to say you (in caps) succeeded where others might have failed. I further believe that your last statement is of vital importance, and might mark the division between success and failure. Being able to communicate in a constructive fashion, with researched and carefully honed evidence, is the key. Without wishing to be derogatory, this becomes difficult for some - many? - but, as I said, marks the dividing line between success and failure, and unfortunately it’s this aspect of the situation is very often more important that the understood evidence. Would you advise taking advise/assistance in any (in caps) case presentation? Many thanks again Martin, Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Charlie, Hope you don’t mind me spelling this out, but:- Delay/do not employ the mechanics you used last time, until:- Charge the battery for at least overnight, and yes go to Halfords who should be able to test the battery for you - free of charge? A personal view, but I tend to buy Varta/Bosch batteries on line at competitive prices from battery specialist suppliers such as Battery Megastore, Tanya, Plymouth Batteries etc. If the battery is shown to be serviceable then steer clear of the mechanics you used last time. If it proves unserviceable then get them to refund your expenditure for the battery. Auto electricians? Simply Google this for your locality. Ask around for recommendations for trusted local garages - why employ the services of mobile mechanics? - unless they come from recommendations. Inlet manifold? I would get the battery/ parasitic drain !Removed! seed before moving on to this. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Charlotte, I feel for you - £150 to supply and fit a Lion battery. Of course, this may have included a call out and first-hour charge, so perhaps we shouldn’t be too critical. Moving forward:- If this were mine, I would be charging this battery overnight, and getting its efficiency independently checked. It may well be serviceable, but you have to start off from a point of confirming whether it is or isn’t. If it isn’t, then get yourself a refund, and replace it with a good quality one. I too would suspect you have a parasitic drain on the electrical systems ( as well), and this can be easily confirmed/refuted via. a simple specialist test. If indeed it does, then it is a specialist job to identify the offending circuit/s - unless you have the correct meters and specialist knowledge. Summary:- Get the battery charged and tested. Replace if suspect. If serviceable, engage the services of a trusted local auto electrician to assess and source any parasitic drain. Kind regards, Gareth.

Ok Steve - thanks. By what you tell us, the car is losing coolant even though you have not let that loss low enough to activate the low coolant sensor - you say ‘ almost gone’. It has to be going somewhere! What you don’t tell us is what mileage is covered for the coolant to drop to ‘almost gone’, from the starting point of being topped up - the Max. mark? Appreciating the Audi independent is booked up, but my suggestion was to get the car inspected by a diesel specialist rather than an Audi specialist. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Thanks for being in touch. It’s stating the obvious that coolant is being lost - either via. an external leak ( smell of coolant?) or via. being burnt as part of the combustion. If this were mine, I would be seeking out a good recommended local diesel specialist, and get them to check this over, and isolate the problem. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Charlotte, ‘Battery is Lion...’ Um! I must stress that this is a personal opinion only:- In my book, this would come out as top of the shop in reverse order! If this were mine, I would be returning this as suspect faulty and acquiring a replacement - of a different make? I’m not claiming this is the cause of all your issues, but I would be eliminating this first. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, Thanks for coming back, and sorry I cannot really say where it exits the body, and enters the tailgate. Just a thought:- remove the trim from the inside of the tailgate, and trace it back from there. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Cole, Thanks for being in touch. Is the car fitted with a sunroof by any chance? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, I believe, but not certain, that the rear is fed from the common reservoir. I notice your car is relatively new, but might still be suffering from a breakage on the feed tube, associated with where it passes into the tailgate - a favourite place for it break, particularly in cold weather. Worth checking since you could be depositing fluid into the tailgate, and doing nasty things to wiper motor etc. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks James, I’ve just re-read your post, and now wonder whether when you say ‘....got new bulbs fitted and no joy’ , the new bulbs don’t even illuminate, rather than they do, but the warning doesn’t go off? I guess it’s the bulbs don’t illuminate?? No disrespects James, but if you are hopeless with cars, then you are best advised to steer well clear of anything to do with electrics. You would need a meter and know how to confidently use it to carryout the necessary checks. I would suggest you seek the services of a trusted local auto electrician, or your local garage and get them to sort it. If everything appears to check out OK to a point, but the bulbs still don’t light, then I would be looking at the wires within the flexible section which runs from the body to the tailgate, but I would not advise you looking at this yourself. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Thanks for being in touch. Did you replace the number plate bulbs because they weren’t working, or did you just have a warning message that they weren’t working - when they were? If you could clarify that then we should be able to point you in a direction. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Do you have access to a multi meter, and know how to use It?

Hello Charlotte, ’Wont start’....Do you mean the starter motor won’t turn the engine over at a reasonable speed to start the car, or the engine does turn over energetically enough, but won’t start? Make of new battery? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andy, Many thanks for being in touch and sharing your experiences. I’m sorry to hear of your sad loss, and the unacceptable issue with these tyres couldn’t have come at a worse time for you. I just wonder if you did indeed change the rear tyres to Pirelli, and whether the fronts are still Dunlops. I don’t want to form definite conclusions with this serious issue, but it would appear ( perhaps in caps.) that these very low profile tyres are failing due to (unacceptable?) load issues, and if Dunlop are maintaining the faulty tyres are within specification, then they are being used in inappropriate conditions. If this is the case, then it is possible that Audi should not have specified/used them on these models. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Barry, Thanks for being in touch. Worth having a read of a similar post re. Stop/start - written within the last 48? hours. Kind regards, Gareth.

Jonathan raises a good point, and all battery, and major earth connections, must be first class. OK, Kwik Fit declare the battery to be serviceable - probably by performing a simple ‘voltage drop test’ , but as I mentioned, other parameters of the battery’s performance - e.g. cold cranking amps - may also come into the equation to evaluate whether it is up to consistently operating a stop/start system. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ollie, Thanks for coming back on this. So your additional requirements will be to match the load and speed ratings. We haven’t yet considered whether the current tyres are run-flat on not, and if so, then that of course has to be matched. To assess the effect of different widths and profile, just calculate the effect of the proline as a % of the width. I can appreciate the quest to try to save money and extend choice, but obviously moving from the manufacturer’s specification will result in you having non standard tyres on the car, and you will have to decide whether you inform your insurers - or not. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Phil, Depends on marque, model and year. I believe that if the car is fitted with a battery condition monitor - and many are now - then it will need to be coded. I have read that some circuits such as windows might not ‘limit’ correctly if the new battery isn’t coded, but apparently there is some dodge around that, but... Of course, if James’ battery is replaced under the Audi warranty, then the coding will be carried out if necessary. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, I’m must take it you have exhausted searches for ‘best possible price’ for these and your best price is £120. A quick search on EBay comes up with aftermarket brands for less than half that for petrol engines and even far cheaper again for diesels. Although I don’t usually advocate buying on cheapest price, if needs must, then buying a cheap replacement is better than suffering the consequences of failure of a sub standard component. Noting you say ‘It is a very cheap car’, then if that means you bought it cheaply in relation to its value, then having to spend on the car is not so bad as having paid a fair amount of money for it, then having to pay for (scheduled) service replacement items. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Many thanks for being in touch. Auxiliary belts remain serviceable for many tens of thousands of miles, and the common practice is that whenever the belt is changed, the tensioner is also changed as a matter of good practice. I’m sure you will appreciate that commenting on perceived wear without access to the component, is pretty well impossible, so if it were mine, I would be simply renewing the tensioner, particularly since you have doubts about its serviceability. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Thanks for being in touch. You are right in questioning whether the battery could be the source of your issues. If this were mine, this is where my first port of call would be. The car is 11 years old, and it’s reasonable to expect that it has already had one replacement battery, so the make/quality/ efficiency of this battery would be of interest. Of course, there is a remote possibility that the current battery is the original, but this would be exceptional for a stop/ start vehicle. Could you let us know what make the battery is James? I would now be getting the battery (and alternator) efficiency check, irrespective of whether the car still starts OK. Stop/start systems are the first to be disabled as the battery’s efficiency drops. Perhaps you could come back to us. Kind regards, Gareth.

Not sure if yours is chain or belt driven. Chain? If belt, and it hasn’t been done already then most certainly get it done. If you are getting it done, I would only use genuine VAG parts, or as a second option, Gates kits, but I would only use a VAG water pump, and not be talked into ‘ we only fit O.E. parts’. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks James, Now that’s a make which is a complete unknown to me - never too old to learn. I have always stuck with Varta/Bosch batteries ( Varta was the O.E. supplier to Audi), and I tend to go with their 5 year warranty grade - nothing less. I’m not sure what Audi would replace yours with if it becomes defective under warranty, but the above might help. If you find you can/have to supply a replacement then yourself, if it were mine, I would source one of these from specialist on-line suppliers such as Battery Megastore, Tanya, Plymouth Batteries etc. who will deliver - at most competitive prices - to your door. Always worth looking at their listings on EBay, since strangely, they sell on EBay with free postage, but often not if bought direct! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ollie, Thanks for being in touch. The first port of call when considering changing tyre dimensions is to calculate what effect that change has on the outside diameter on the wheel + tyre. Moving from your current ( manufacturer’s original tyre size?) tyres to a higher 35 profile tyre, will increase the OD by just over 13mm ( approx.1/2 inch), and although not significant, is sufficient to cause second thoughts, in terms of effect on gearing, speedo etc. If you couple this with second-thought concern with the potential of your insurer being interested in the fitment of non standard tyres, then it may help to concentrate the mind on whether the economics are worth while. You don’t mention the load (xl/non XL) and speed ratings of the proposed size compared with the ones you have now, but these would indeed be meaningful. We take it your current ones are not run flat -? It’s interesting that you mention the hard ride with your current 30 profile tyres. This is a meaningful issue, and the downside of ‘nice looking’ large diameter wheels. It would be worth looking in your handbook to check the original specified tyre sizes for the 20 inch option wheels. Who knows, someone might have previously fitted non standard tyres, and you could be trying to match to that anomaly! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello James, Thanks for coming back on this. What is the make of the original battery currently fitted to the car, and reputed to be crap? Also, is your vehicle suffering from any battery associated issues? Kind regards, Gareth.