Magnet

Hello Dave, Many thanks for letting the forum know about this. As I see it, it could indeed be that the MMi is giving a false reading, or ( in caps) it could be the dipstick is. Not sure when you last changed your engine oil, but if this were mine,I would be draining the oil off, removing the filter , and refilling the engine to the exact quantity ( shown under Capacities in the handbook) for an oil and filter change. If you then start the engine and allow the filter to fill, switch off, and allow the car to stand for a good hour, you can then measure the level on the dipstick to see how it compares with the Full mark. This will give you the correct correlation between the digital and dipstick readings. Perhaps you could let us know when you have some detail on this. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jordon, I think your expectations for buying a new radiator and two front springs and then getting these parts fitted for a total cost of £300 is an ask too far. Parts costings:- Search EBay for a pair of the correct springs for your car. I would be cautious of buying at the cheapest price. Same search and comments for radiator. ( if indeed you do need to replace the radiator). Let’s just deal with the cost of the springs first - you will then know what the cost of the parts would be. Time to fit a pair of springs - possibly 2.5/3 hrs?? Labour rates in your area? - so you will need to find about, but I guess £45/hr (+ VAT?) would be reasonably cheap I suppose. You just need to do the maths then. Mention of bearings - probably refers to the possible need to renew the top suspension mounts which again you can price, and these shouldn’t add any additional labour charge. Perhaps you could let us know what you come up with Jordon. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. You could try Car Parts in Motion ( no connection) who seem to have reasonable brands (Febi etc.) at reasonable prices. I think Steve Y also mentioned them a month or so back, where he too mentioned them as worth a try. Generally better prices than those who offer big discounts off so called retail prices.

Hello Stephan, Thanks for being in touch. Obviously the larger the wheels, the lower the tyre profile ( height) must be, to retain the same outside diameter of wheel plus tyre. You also trade off a harsher ride by increasing the wheel diameter. Best answer to your question is to look in the correct owner’s handbook for the car, and see what wheel and tyre sizes are listed there as alternatives (under tyre pressures would be a good place to start). If you stick with the manufacturer’s specified alternative wheels and tyre sizes, then you should not have any issues with insurance implications. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, Many thanks for being in touch with the forum, and sorry to hear of your issues. If I’m reading this correctly, then you are saying that the engine is not turning over (cranking) when you attempt to start it. If so, then this is of course typical of battery issues i.e. flat/unserviceable battery. Have you had the battery tested? If not, then this obviously has to be the first port of call. If the battery proves to be unserviceable, then this would also account for spurious warning lights, and it is pointless carrying out any diagnostics unless you do so with a serviceable battery. Replacement batteries can of course be bought locally, but personally, I only buy 5 year warranty grade Varta/Bosch from specialist online suppliers such as Tayna, Battery Megastore etc. ( no connection ) where you can buy quality at very competitive prices. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on Ian. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello again Jeffrey, Your logic is sound:- the larger the wheels, the lower the tyre profile will have be, and the harsher the ride. If the vehicle of interest has 19 inch and you want 18 inch:- if the vehicle meets your requirements in all other aspects - have you considered obtaining 18 inch and negotiating an adjusted price if possible? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jeffrey, Thanks for being in touch with the forum. If I’m reading your question correctly (and I’ve re-read it) - no, you cannot fit 18 inch tyres on 19 inch rims. Are you sure that’s what you are really asking? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, The logic of the end suffice letter does make sense, since the letter changes as the part gets modified for later models. In my experience, the modifications can be minor and the parts can sometimes be interchangeable. In your case, the suffix letter is all important since the electrical connections have been modified since your ‘B’ design. I know Audi has/do keep the same basic part numbers for cambelt kits, but change the end letter for different engines, so the suffix match is essential there. Possibly a daft question and of no significance, but if you did find one in say Germany, will it be identical in terms of our driver’s door being their passenger door? Guess yes, but worth an ask. I too would have registered my want with as many of the online breaker systems as possible - and would keep doing so. What is actually wrong with yours David? Repairable with some engineering? Audi dealers? Is such things as redundant stock national searches at dealers, a thing of the past? - I guess so. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Annie, Many thanks for posting. Perhaps it would further help potentially interested parties if you included your expected price. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Asad, Sounds good. A simple battery test with a voltmeter is virtually meaningless. Apologies for a different of point of view, but £200 for an AGM battery ( of course dependent on size) would not automatically seem to be a no brainier to me. I would certainly consider it worthwhile to compare prices at online battery specialists before offending my wallet. Kind regards, Gareth.

As a matter of interest Sean, do the other (secondhand?) locks you are finding have the same part number except for the last letter? Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Nigel. Good point, and in any case, the battery should be charged - as best it can be - before testing. All modern stop/start vehicles are super sensitive to overall ( in caps) battery condition and the car’s battery condition monitor assesses all important parameters, so my view is that if the battery proves to be completely serviceable under a sophisticate test then happy days. If any monitored parameter shows marginal, then it would be new battery for me - sooner than later. I understand the CTec are great if the car is left unused for extended periods of time. However, they can be expensive to the tune of a similar price to a new battery. What I’m trying to say is (in a not very clear way!) - it would not be economical to buy one, in the hope that it will revive an ailing battery. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. a new battery is likely to need to be recoded to the car.

Hello Steve, See reply to Poorna’s post - this morning. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Asad, As Steve Y says - you must suspect the battery first, and get it professionally tested - Halfords will do this. If the battery is unserviceable, then yes, you must ( in caps) replace it with a stop/start AGM battery. Halfords sell batteries, but I always buy on line from specialists battery suppliers such as Tayna ( there are more - just Google it). I only buy Varta/ Bosch in their 5 year warranty range - don’t buy cheap batteries, ( paying high prices does not always guarantee quality!), but buy a good brand at the most competitive price from the specialists. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Poorna. Thanks for being in touch. ’ Frosty nights…’ may be the clue here. Carefully peel back the rubber covering on the harness which runs from the body into the boot/tailgate, and inspect all wires within this section. This a favourite location for wires to fracture, due to continued opening/closing - particularly in cold weather where the harness becomes less pliable (frosty night!) If that is ok, then you need to remove the inside plastic covering from the boot/tailgate and inspect all connections. The effect of non working rear washers, and general water ingress is often associated with troubles in this area. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Tim, but has the fault - non start issue now been resolved? I guess it must have been, but I’m having difficulty in trying to interpret why the subsequent non- start bit and the resolution of that, but it could be me missing something. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, I agree with virtually all you have said in the last but one post. Can I boil this down to the logic - as I see it (with the I in bold caps), and I can only apologise for the lack of additional opinion on here at the moment:- If your MOT isn’t imminent, then I would forget about the front wishbone bushes for the moment, on the basis they are only split, but not broken. However, I have to temper this advice since I haven’t seen the car, so cannot be positive about the extent, or whether this advice is truly sound, but….. While you are continuing your search for a good and trusted local garage, I would be taking the car around to a (local independent if possible) tyre retailer, and asking them to thoroughly inspect all four tyres in relation to any tyre or wheel issues which might account for the noise you describe - ask them to road test the car if at all possible. Such an inspection will at least eliminate tyres and wheels as the cause, and would be a positive and valid next step forward. Personally, I would not be revealing that the wishbone bushes have been declared split - on the basis that no one has actually told you that that is the cause of your noise. I would be sitting back and giving this whole business a good coat of thinking about, rather than knee jerking into any decisions at the moment. Having said that, the car is trying to tell you something, so whatever the cause is has to be found. Other non associated wear problems should be parked on the back burner until someone comes up with a positive diagnosis. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, Apologies for this hogging this post, and for repeating previous advice - which of course - may or may not be sound:- We know you have a flapping noise, which could be as simple as an insecure plastic under shield, or associated with a choice of many other issues - even worm wishbone bushes. I’m not sure if anyone who has inspected the car has clearly identified the cause, but all have simply confirmed the wishbone bushes are worn - to what extent?? New question:- did you ask Halfords to investigate the source of your flapping noise, or to investigate the possibility of your noise being associated with the worn bushes? All important difference. Whatever, they are understandably covering their bum by not claiming renewing the bushes will cure your problem. Appreciating you don’t want to spend £500, and your aim to save money by renewing the wishbones ( even though no one has clearly identified these to be the offending cause). Apologies again John for saying it as I see it, but if you are seriously intending to replace the wishbones yourself, and you are asking the question where the jacking points are, then I fear for your ability to safely and correctly carryout this work - even if it is believed to be the cause of your noise. Once again, sorry John, but….. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. plea again - can someone else advise John on this whole business since unfortunately I’ve run out of road with John’s quest for help and advice from the forum?

Thanks David, You seem to have carried out the searches which I would have suggested, so now saved me advising these routes. Re. Part numbers:- Since your part is no longer available via. Audi then I would expect that they will correctly advise you if the suffix letter signifies any unacceptable differences. I wouldn’t attempt to seek this advice over the phone, but go along and talk with the Parts chap in person. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks John - that makes it clearer. Re 2 hour wait:- It’s probably me, but certainly around these parts, you are expected to drop the car off and advised to collect it later in the day, rather than a drive-in-do-it-drive-away service. Probably different in your neck of the woods. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting your advert. To minimise the risk of offers below your expectations, can I suggest you post an anticipated selling price. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, If you managed to walk into a local garage and was able to get them to change the oil and filter that day - while you wait - then I fear you have probably picked the wrong garage. No decent local garage can be expected to deal with walk- in jobs at a drop of a hat, and it would be reasonable to expect to wait at least a week to book any job in. If you didn’t have to, then I would be suspicious. Sorry to say it as I see it, but to complain that you had to wait 2 hours is an unreasonable complaint. Still… There just has to be a trusted local garage, and it may take some searching and intensive asking around to find the right one, but that’s the hard fact. I feel I cannot offer any additional advice (as I see it - in caps), and I feel to return to the Audi dealership would not be the route I would go down - with all due respect to my wallet and confidence of a satisfactory resolution. I think I am a lone voice with this post, and would welcome some additional input, which might disagree or agree with my views. It’s quiet on here! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello David, Where have you looked and failed to find this part so far? Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Andy, so you now need to talk with your Bagpiping namesake then. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello John, So we now have Audi, who want you to throw loads of money at it (to hopefully) solve your flapping noise which is due, fundamentally, to worn wishbone bushes. You have an Audi specialist who confirm the bushes are worn, but personally I get the feeling that just means the bushes are worn - but are they the cause of your flapping noise?? Audi specialist No2 say the noise is due to a worn front wheel bearing and want to relieve your wallet of approx. £330. Questions to others out here:- Is it just me who is in doubt about any of these diagnosis being due to the noise you describe, but being realistic that we are not privy to hearing this noise? Question back to you John :- do you have/ or can you get, a recommendation for a trusted local garage who can road test the car and give you an ‘independent’ view on the cause? Can anyone else join in with some advice on this? Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. It would be worth ringing your Audi dealer and asking for a price to change the front wheel bearing IF it turns out to be that which is the source of your noise. Audi specialists are not always cheaper than the main dealers.

Hello Chris, Thanks for being in touch with the forum, and sorry to hear of your issue. If you are losing coolant (and it sounds as if it’s a considerable amount by your description) then logically it must be either be leaking (‘externally’) or being burnt by combustion. The leak may be from the heater matrix, and if it is, then there is going to be evidence inside the car/ under carpets. If there is a leak on the external parts of the coolant system within the engine bay, then it should be evident there. Normally pinkish deposits are a tell tale, but you could try laying paper under the engine compartment and seeing if there are any damp patches - obviously weather dependent test. If both of these are negative, then coolant may be leaking into the engine intervals and being burnt - so no external evidence of a leak. A simple test is to take the car on a 10 mile run, then immediately on your return, get an assistant to rev the engine to a steady 2000rpm and hold it there for about 2 to 3 minutes while you observe the exhaust smoke - looking for grey vapour. Don’t ignore the fact that pressure testing the system ( to a greater than normal operating pressure) may have aggravated an already minor leak. Heater issues? May not be directly associated with the now coolant loss. Coolant loss now becomes your priority. Maybe worth sending a PM to the last poster. Perhaps you could let us know how you get off with the above tests. Kind regards, Gareth.