Magnet
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Everything posted by Magnet
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Hello Mike, Of course, the obvious bit is that the mileage tyres will do will be highly influenced by driving styles, and the average journey pattern - the latter often being overlooked. An acquaintance runs an executive hire fleet and he generally uses Continental (Contact 5 I believe) on Mercedes etc. and is very pleased with the service and mileage he gets from them. I tried them on the ordinary A3, and found for our normal short hop tyre journeys that they are not lasting very well. For his mainly motorway journeys - they do. I could be wrong here Mike, but since you say you have scrubbed (rather than using the word worn) the tread on Pirelli s on mainly motorway travel, that your driving style may be ‘enthusiastic’, and perhaps 13k is really not too bad. For me, I’ve returned to Michelin, which although cost a little more, are a more cost effective miles for £s in the long run. Of course, there are other important considerations here, such as road holding in varying conditions, and these factors have to be taken into account as well as how long they last. No doubt others will be along with their experiences of makes they use. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Thanks Paul, I’m sure you will appreciate that charging a battery may make a temporary improvement even if the battery is substandard. So I’m still back to ..why not get it checked anyway? - rather than ...’ I could get Halfords to check it if there are more codes come up...’. Anyway! ..... Kind regards, Gareth.
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Thanks Paul, It sounds as if I’m talking into thin air about getting the battery checked, so apologies for boring you with the content of my posts. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Paul, I look at it like this, if you had an issue/s with the coolant system, then the first check you would carry out would be to check the coolant level - a simply test which will eliminate or confirm any association. Similar with multiple warning lights. You are assuming the battery and charging systems are serviceable because you renewed the battery about a year ago ( similar to claiming the coolant level is OK because you checked that a year ago). Batteries take a hammering with modern cars, so it’s always worth checking its efficiency before embarking on any other form of diagnostic assessment. Your call obviously Paul, and if you would like to progress this on your assumption that the fault is with the steering angle sensor then you enter int a ‘2 assumption’ situation - (1) the battery is serviceable and (2) the steering angle sensor is the offender. Of course, it may well be the offender, and the battery may be serviceable, but by my logic has always been to check and eliminate the simple things first, and this has stood me in good stead for many years, and the word ‘assume’ has sometimes proved to do what they say is it’s interpretation - ‘makes an !Removed! of u and me!’ Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello ? Thanks for being in touch. You say you have checked every circuit, but you don’t tell us what the parasitic drain current is - that you can’t find the source of. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. I notice, as a new member, that you haven’t included your name, location or car model detail in your profile. I wonder if you would be kind enough to let me know if this is simply because you chose not to, or whether the facility to do that was not evident.
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Hello Paul, Many thanks for coming back with the helpful additional information. I would think it’s fair to assume that your current issues are not battery associated, but personally, I would not totally discount this possibility until proved to be fact. It could be me, but I am not a fan of Halford batteries ( having had past issues), and although they can be cheaper than main dealer batteries, they are seldom competitive with on-line battery supply specialists who often list premium brands such as Vatra/Bosch much cheaper than Halfords own branded ones. For me, experience has led me not to pay a premium for their batteries, and that when bought (some years ago) I experienced issues with the. If this were mine, I would be getting this battery’s efficiency checked - to confirm your current warning light issue is not associated with this - ? Interesting you mention that the battery turns the engine over adequately, but it may be of interest to hear that a family member’s non-Audi did exactly that, yet when checked ( on specialist equipment in this case) it was found not to satisfy the cold cranking current parameters set by the fitted battery monitoring system, with consequences of some systems shutting down. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Are you the same poster as TomV10? If so, I wonder why you are now posting under V10 Tom and not including any other information under your profile.
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Hello Paul With any spurious warning light issues, it’s always worth having the battery efficiency checked as the first port of call. Often a zero cost assessment. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Paul, One of the quickest routes to the availability of any secondhand parts is via. registering your ‘wants’ with breaker link sites such as Partsfinder (there are more). These sites link to registered vehicle breakers, who notify the person directly if they have the required parts. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Mike, Your last statement confirms you are on the right road, thinking-wise. One more point I could make is, is the car fitted with run-flat tyres? If so, these will impair the ride quality due to the flexibility of the sidewalls. If so, possible to fit non run-flats when renewing the tyres? Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Mike, I think you will find that you are not alone in asking this sort of question, and I think you are asking at an opportune time, before? ( in caps) changing to an S line and being committed to its harsher suspension set up. Indeed, I have an elder acquaintance who quickly returned his car - at expense I would have thought- due to being disappointed with the harsher ride. Increasing type profiles is an aid, but is technically only possible by first reducing the wheel diameter. If you don’t, then you will be increasing the combined overall dia. of wheel and tyre, and obviously affecting gearing and associated speedo issues. I think you will find that even if you did increase the profile, you will still end up with the inherent harsher ride of the S Line. I would guess that many potential buyers are attracted to the S Line for that very reason - they are more attractive - but unless you are attracted to this model for its road holding abilities etc. and not for its ride comfort, then it may not be the variant for you. I would look at it like this Mike, if you are already looking to enhance the ride comfort, following a test run, considering buying and living with it, may be a step too far. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Really sorry Kamran - my fault, I’ve been an unfortunate victim of the predictive texts - by missing out the...’nt from the would! I do apologise. Is your current coolant pink/red? I would think it should be. For me, I try to use smaller motor factors rather than ECP if buying locally. Appreciating you have now spent money on this Prestone stuff, but if you haven’t already used it, then I would be tempted to return it, and buy the genuine pink/red OAT coolant instead (assuming that is what is in the system now). You will gather that I’m not a friend of so called ‘universal’ products, particularly where various coolants are often not mixable. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Personally, I would not use this cheap universal coolant - as already stated. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Thanks Kamran, ’coolant just below minimum...’. Not being overly critical, but it seems you are joining the growing band of putting their trust entirely in the hands of warning lights! This really isn’t the way to respectfully maintain any piece of machinery. Checking oil, water and tyre pressures on a regular basis will certainly reap rewards, and ensure you don’t run into critical situations - as will be the case when your coolant level reaches the minimum. Unless you, or the garage that services the car for you, haven’t checked the coolant level for well over a year, it looks as if it may be losing coolant, and if so, this puts your white smoke syndrome into a different league. But let’s see what happens when you top it up to the Max. mark when cold,(50/50 mix of antifreeze and water), and run the car for a couple of hundred miles. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. We take it the current coolant is pink/red in colour. If so ensure you only but pink/red OAT coolant to add. Personally, I would buy any so called ‘Universal’ (often ready mixed) coolant.
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Hello James, Thanks for being in touch. Being realistic:- Would you recognise the engine number of any car you have owned? Or, indeed the VIN? Whoever sold you the engine would probably (should?) know the registration number of the vehicle it was removed from, so the answer should be there. Sounds as if it isn’t. Who should be capable of cross referencing engine numbers to registration numbers? Obviously - DVLA. Chances of getting this information? - unfortunately nil, I would think. Still, questioning the forum must be better than not asking. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Steve, What was the make of the replacement sensor? Kind regards, Gareth.
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OK, so now you are looking at checking you have a good earth at the bulb holder, and if this is confirmed - following my earlier advice. Let us know how you get on Parm. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Tony, Many thanks for being in touch and sharing your unfortunate experiences. I could be wrong, but this smacks for shoddy dealings with the leading company, rather than an inherent broad-brush-Audi issue. The explanation may go along these lines :- Your company contacts the leading company to supply you with a ‘certain type’ of car within a stipulated budget. The leading company may well have used Kia in the past since they were good value for money. Now? - good cars, but not as competitively priced as they were, so they cast the new further and find a good deal on an ‘over stocked’ stuck-in-the-compound A4, which the dealer has been unable to find a buyer for. Dealer offers it to the leasing company at a knock down price (loss?) - dealer doesn’t care what it’s like, so it’s up to the leasing company to try to present it at its best. They don’t care either, since it’s only going on lease. Outcome? - you are left with a non typical Audi car, which is ‘given’ to you, so you have little clout in all of this. I can only wish you well Tony, and as daft as it may sound, I would be hoping the situation deteriorates to a point where they offer you an alternative car. Perhaps you could keep us up to date on developments. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Parm, OK, so you’ve used a multimeter to check if you have 12v at the bulb holder - and you haven’t. Have you confirmed with the meter, that you have a good earth connection at the holder? That’s the next step, and obviously if you do, then you are lacking a 12 volt supply - always worth checking in this way, rather than assuming the earth connection is good. As Cliff says, you now have to look in your handbook and check what fuse supplies the boot light. The fuse may supply other associated lights, so obviously that will also give you a clue to whether the issue is fuse associated or not. If you have eliminated the fuse, it’s worth peeling back the rubber covering over the section of harness which runs from the body to the tailgate - often the site for otherwise unexplained electrical issues, since the wires are constantly flexed when opening and closing the boot, and can eventually fracture. Careful examination is required. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Many thanks Kamran. Re. coolant loss. Warning light ( low coolant level in header tank) will only illuminate when the level is very low. What we are talking here is the good old fashioned visual check - on a regular basis - and not assuming all is well because a warning light isn’t showing. If it were mine, I would be checking the coolant level in the reservoir, when the car is cold and has stood for a few hours - say first thing in the morning. Top the coolant up as accurately as you can, to the Max mark. Run the car for 100 miles or so and check again after the car has sat overnight. Report back on whether the coolant level has dropped or not, and if it has, by how much. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello David, You don’t say what symptoms you have which lead you to suspect the efficiency of the fuel pump relay. In my book, if you have any concerns about this relay, then I would simply renew it (can’t be overly expensive) to either prove it’s at fault, or eliminate it. If cost is that important, then you may find that relays in other circuits share commonality, and can be swopped as a trial - but you must confirm the alternative is to exactly the same. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Kamran, Many thanks for coming back on this. If you have added a video to your last post, then unfortunately, it’s not working on my system. Having said that, I can envisage the picture from your description, except that I would like to confirm that we are still talking while smoke here - with no hint of blue, or any smell of burnt oil. One more question:- Is the car losing any amount of coolant? Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello David, Thanks for being in touch. I’m sure you will appreciate that it’s always difficult to advise on such noises despite adequate description. I think you have taken the right course of action by returning the car to the supplying dealer (not a main dealer?) and seeking comment. If this were mine - and the supplying dealer was not an Audi dealer, then I would be seeking advice at your Audi dealership, and asking them to write down their diagnosis. If it was purchased from a main dealer, then I would return there and ask them to write down their explanation, since your original description is vague and you don’t understand what they mean. Even if you don’t actually understand the explanation, the explanation should be clearly understandable to those experienced enough to know what they are talking about. The final step I would take, would be to formally notify the seller of the issue in writing. Perhaps you could update the forum accordingly. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Greg, Wondered whether your quest to find the part number, as opposed to the actual part, is based on Audi’s price being considered too expensive. Kind regards, Gareth.
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Hello Keith, Many thanks indeed for the feedback of information. Regrettably, this is rare, and others affected by the same issues, have no idea of how the matter was resolved - or not. Many thanks again Keith for keeping the forum updated. Kind regards, Gareth.
