Magnet

Hello Dave, Batteries and service life? No longer any guarantee that they will last the warranty period -as you say! Recently had a battery fail catastrophically on a 15 month old non Audi, to the extent that it wouldn’t even start with jump leads. Also, one on a prestige vehicle which was just 3 months out of manufacturer’s warranty. All important - what make battery are you now buying? Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. 50mA is nearer the drain once everything has shut down.

I have a genuine Audi Cambelt kit - Part no. 06A-198-119-B for sale - all new, boxed, with an expiry date of 01/2024, so current stock rather than new-old-stock. Believed to be the correct fitment for the 1.8 A3 to 2003; A4 1.8 to 2001; and the TT 1.8 to 2006, but please check these applications to ensure this information is correct. The all important bit of the part number is the last letter (B in this case) which dictates the application. Will also fit same engined Seat and VW? These kits have a recommended retail price of £130. Will accept £45 plus p&p. Sorry no offers. Please message me for further details if necessary. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Dave, Might be worth removing the connector onto the alternator as a trial. Might be (only might be!) discharging through a faulty alternator. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Aaron, I guess you have checked how many owners it has had and importantly how long the last owner has owned it. Also when the cambelt was last changed - assuming it has a belt rather than chain. Schedule believed to be every 5 years irrespective of mileage, so this 11 year old car should be due next year unless done (with evidence) within the last 5 years. If chain - tensioner needs respect. Guess you’ve checked it out on HPI re insurance history etc. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, Yes, I would think an e-mail will do to start. Personally, I think ‘the story’, how it’s panned out, what actions have been taken, and what the proposed action plan is must be recorded in one document at this point in time. E-mails are fine as a record, but I would certainly be following it up in writing and sending it by Recorded Delivery. If the dealer is closed, and there isn’t anyone to accept the letter, then it should be returned to you. If it isn’t, you can assume it’s been received, but your idea of supplementing it with an e-mail, can only help your case in the longer term. Good luck with sorting it out. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ian, Sorry to hear of your issue. If this were mine, I would be formally writing to the dealer principal and informing them of your discontent with the car. I would mention that you understand the problem has been assessed, agreed and reported on by their technicians, and the matter is now in the hands of Audi Germany. In view of the current situation, you are obviously prepared to await the outcome of that, but should the problem escalate through continued use, you will not be prepared to accept any contributory blame. Most important bit:- if the issue is not resolved in a reasonable timescale then you intend to formally reject the car. Ok, you may have indicated all the above, but you would be wise to formalise it in writing. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Simply changing wheel diameters is not straightforward - spigots or no spigots. It is usually overlooked that the outside diameter of the new larger wheel and tyre, must remain the same as the original standard wheel. This can be achieved by fitting tyres with a lower profile ( assuming the larger wheel is not wider). It needs thought if gearing and speedo readings are to remain accurate - more to it than simply fancying larger diameter wheels. Of course, this is before you find it necessary to inform your insurers that you have non standard wheels fitted, so they don’t invalidate your insurance in the event of a claim. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Nice to see you back Steve.

Hello Keith, A 5amp parasitic drain means that the battery is likely to run flat in less than 24 hours if the car is not used. That is a phenomenal drain, and equivalent to something running a wattage of around 60w - equivalent to at least 10 sidelights being left on. I think you will better understand what needs to be done if you read the threads, but you will need a meter obviously capable of accepting/ measuring currents around 5 amps. Be interested to know how you measured your parasitic drain. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jon, Yes, these are the main dealer discount suppliers I’ve been talking about. Closed now due to the current situation? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gez, To give meaningful advice regarding increasing wheel diameters, you would really need to let the forum know the width and profile of the factory tyres, and the same information regarding the tyres which will be fitted to the larger diameter wheels. The logic is that the combined outside dia. of the new wheel and tyre must be the same as the factory fitted wheels and tyres, to ensure the gearing remains the same. You would also need to inform your insurers that you are fitting non standard wheels to the car - wheels which are a factory option. I would also question the effect on warranty claims. I understand car values have plummeted since the Covid 19 situation. Are you really going to proceed to purchase this car? If so - at the previously agreed price? Kind regards, Gareth.

Who were they then Jon? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Charlie, Disconnecting batteries and leaving them disconnected for comparatively lengthy periods is not good news, and may ( just may) lead to issues with remote locking etc. If this were mine, I would be starting it twice a week and letting it run for around half an hour - assuming you can get it to the exit of your underground car park - so you don’t cause dangerous emissions issues for yourself or others. This procedure is a relatively simple, doesn’t involve any spannering, and is a no hassle way of ensuring the car will start when necessary. If you do get any battery issues then you can then remove the battery , charge overnight and refit. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mick, I think you are actually in a very strong position if you bide your time. Buying the one you have in mind - possibly sight unseen? Personally, I would be running away from concluding any deal in these troubled times. As I understand it, the desirability/value of used cars has (understandably?) plummeted, and it might be well worth entering the registration number of the car you are interested in into We Buy Any Car, but sit down first. Yes, I know that WBAC prices are near/below trade values, but it will give you a good indicator. Of course, I assume you don’t have to buy a car now, but if you do, I would only be doing so in your own locality - assuming dealers are open, and most aren’t. And if you do have to buy, you hold the ace negotiating card. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello ? Welcome to the forum. It might have helped if you had filled in your location, but you probably didn’t, since you are aware that you are advised not to have visitors to your property in these troubled times. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, I take it you don’t want to pay for a new one and minimise any hassle - assuming you can find a dealer who is open. If I’m right, and you want to buy secondhand, then you could register your want with on-line car breaker search sites such as Partsfinder etc. You enquiry will be circulated to participating breakers who will respond to you if they have what you want - again, assuming they are operating in these troubled times. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, The simple fact is that you had one working key and remote before the locksmith worked on the car. I cannot understand why he would have needed to do anything with that remote, but whatever he has done has resulted in it not working any more. With the exception of an highly unlikely coincidence, whatever he did caused the malfunction of your original key, so it becomes his responsibility to at least get your back to where you were. In my book, yes, get him back. Of course, current circumstances may result in him not working. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Keiren, The poster has not visited the forum since June of last year. I think your best option would be to send him a PM. Kind regards, Gareth.

Not for me to recommend - but for someone in authority who runs this forum? Is it time to recommend ( not a strong enough word) that anyone who has a vehicle fitted with these tyres gets them professionally checked at a tyre retailer without delay? Surely this has been going on long enough, and in sufficient reported frequencies, to deduce there is something significantly and dangerously wrong here - to an extent where this is life threatening. Not to do so would be remiss (again not a strong enough word). Kind regards, Gareth.

Are you looking at genetic on-line motor factor sites and listings?

Wrong kit? Where did you get it from?

Hello Nick, Good question. You must not (in caps) use your ‘old’ conventional 6 amp charger to charge your AGM battery. These batteries need to be charged with what I would term intelligent chargers which tailor the charging cycle and duration, to the requirements of your battery. You mention CTEK, which I understand are good quality (expensive) intelligent maintenance chargers which can be left permanently connected while the car is not used - ensuring the battery will be up to scratch when the car can be used again. These are fine if your car is garaged and you can leave it plugged in, but I wonder about their use for say someone who just wants to charge the battery on a fine day when the car is outside. This situating is more likely to require an intelligent charger with a greater output over a shorter period. I would reinforce:- DO NOT USE an older standard charger to charge modern AGM and stop/start technology batteries. If in any doubt - Stop - do not use a charger, and simply start the car say twice a week and leave it run for around 15 minutes - disabling the stop/start if fitted. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Many thanks for the helpful additional details. No apologies necessary, it’s my ignorance of cam bridges etc. which is to blame! New territory to me I’m afraid, and in terms of the mesh filter. I was going to suggest a look at the PCV system, but as with most other possible suspects, you seem to have been there done that. I feel I am at a loss here to suggest other possible avenues, but one I would have suggested (in better times) would have been to nip it around to your local friendly MOT station and cadge an emissions test, which might just give a better pointer towards the effect, or indeed eliminate fuelling as the culprit. I guess it’s finding such an MOT station now is the problem in these troubled times. I asked how long you had owned it incase the issue had come to light very quickly after. Not that this is going to help you at all, but intermittent faults can sometimes be associated with bad electrical connections. Clutching at straws here, but worth giving all visible connectors associated with fuel and ignition systems a squirt of contact cleaner and a wiggle? I know this is not where you want to be Paul, but sometimes it worth investing in an hour’s experience of a trusted independent. Such folks have often come across the same issues before and solved it via. the hard way of try this try that. Sorry I’m not helping you, but certainly interested in developments. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Paul, Could you clarify meaning of:- Cam Bridge. Oil transits. Missing filter mess (mesh I guess). Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. How long had this car been with you before it started being problematic?

Am I missing something here - who is going to be able to go travelling responsibly in the near future then?

Hello Paul, CTS and temperature indications:- More often than not (but yours?) the temperature gauge sender is a separate component from the often closely located CTS. Upshot can be that the gauge does not show any abnormality, but the CTS may still be at fault and calling for incorrect fuel mixtures. As I said, normal failure mode is to set (rather than temperature variable) resistance which is not rich enough for instant cold starts, and too rich for hot starts. Having said that, cars usually start, but only reasonably well, so I would not like to offend your wallet and recommend changing it, and it does not solve the problem. Sorry Paul, I’m running out of ideas, but it’s certainly interesting. Not the right word to describe it for you, but... Could you keep us posted. Kind regards, Gareth.