Magnet

Hello Trevor, Always difficult to suggest causes for such things - which can be numerous - and you really only have a chance of sorting it by getting it examined - as you are doing. Perhaps some additional information may help the garage, such as:- worse after fill up, or simply putting some fuel in, when stationary or when running, how long does the smell last etc. etc. Personally, I would be leaving the answers to some of these with the garage who is going to look at it. Perhaps you could let us know what they come up with. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Kay, Apologies, but I cannot help you directly with this, but the cynical view on diagnostics is that it sometimes (regularly?) does not differentiate between causes and effects, and often shows the fault to be component x, but x is in fact not at fault, but is receiving a ‘wrong signal’ from component y. Obviously, this can result in changing the apparent faulty component but not sorting the issue, and so spending ‘unwisely’. It then becomes a matter of experience and (expensive) trial and error to home in on the actual offending component. Sometimes it’s cheaper in the long run to get such things sorted at specialist who will have access to replacement parts which can be tried if necessary. For diesels, I always favour a trusted local diesel specialist ( ask for recommendations from your local taxi drivers). Sorry this isn’t positive, but it might save you money in the long run. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mike, Sorry, I missed the bit about warranty. Not sure what the warranty period actual is, and this might be a pessimistic view, but the warranty normally applies only when the car has full dealer service history where the paint inspection part has been assessed and filled in. Even then, the paint thickness will first be measured, to assess whether the panel has been resprayed, and if so, this is likely to affect the warranty. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Obviously you will know more about whether the threads in this sump are acceptable or not, since you have worked on it. If you have renewed the sump plug and washer, and it still leaks at that point, then something must be wrong there. How wrong? Could be wrong enough for the plug to decide to part ways with the sump and deposit all your oil - wrecked engine! You have to decide on the risk here. Continue topping up OK? See above, plus the fact that oil leaks = potential for MOT failure, so probably no debate there. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Alex, Seems fairly simple to me:- you first buy a genuine new sump plug and washer and try that, carefully noting whether the old plug screws out nicely and the new one does the same. If you have any ( in caps) concerns about the threads, then you must ( in caps) renew the sump, if you want to avoid losing your oil and wrecking your engine. Kind regards, Gareth,

Hello Mike, It’s difficult to come up with an explanation without actually seeing the problem or seeing a photo. Unbroken bubbling can be associated with filled-over rust ( worse possible case), through rusting - but not yet broken the paint, or in its least worrying form, micro blistering due to actual paint application issues. Each has characteristic sizing, from larger to smaller as each possible issue has been described. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Simon, One could be excused for thinking this could be a thermostat problem, but it first needs to be establish what the actual/dynamic running temperature is, to eliminate a possible faulty temperature sender. You could ‘simply’ change the thermostat ( in my book only using a genuine VAG part) - or get it changed anyway. This may solve the problem and will save diagnostic costs, but a gamble it will be. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andy, I think you are tending to suspect this is linked to battery/ supply problems despite the battery being relatively new. Bosch and the S5 ( 5 year warranty) should be a near top of the range reliable power source, so it would be understandable to assume all would be well there. Please don’t quote me, but check for yourself, but I think! I read that there might have been a greater than average problem period with some of these - but I could be wrong. Type 015? Numbering might well have changed, but I thought 015 was a near match for the old 038 which was a small output battery, and would be totally inadequate for your car. Have you double checked what the correct battery should be for your car, and confirmed the one currently fitted is indeed correct? Let’s assume it is..... If so, if this were mine, I would be starting by getting the battery efficiency checked. Make sure it’s fully charged before having it tested. Halfords test these. Whether you buy from them if a new one is needed is a personal choice. It would also be well worth checking all associated main earth connections, but I would go at this one step at a time - first step would be to eliminate - or otherwise - the battery being at fault. Perhaps you could let us know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Euro Car Parts - even with their frequent special discount offers :- seldom the most competitive source??

Hello Dan, Sorry to hear of your issue. Despite your good description and the video - not wishing to appear unhelpful - but I think there would only be a very slim chance of correctly identifying the source of the noise without actually examining the car. If this were mine, I would be nipping the car down to a trusted local independent tyre supplier - as a start - and seeking their advice. The vibration through the steering wheel is typical of wheel balance problems, but personally, I would not assume this is the cause without first having the wheel and tyre inspected. Such issues could be due to tyre damage or defects, so there would be some urgency in my book, in getting the car examined. ‘....the before I go buying parts’ bit is very meaningful, since if you cannot personally identify the offending issue and you do not seek independent advice, then it becomes obvious that there will be an increased potential to be spending unwisely. In a nutshell Dan:- I think your best chance of a correct diagnosis rests with getting the car inspected locally. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Aaron, When you check on the cost of clutch parts with Audi, then you are unlikely to buy genuine parts - even when you take into account the reimbursement on your returned old components. If you decide to go down the route of aftermarket parts, then the only ( in caps.) make I would use would be LUK, with no exceptions in my book. Shopping around - even on EBay should lead you to be able to buy LUK kits at prices competitive enough not to bother with any other aftermarket make anyway. It’s always worth investing the DIY savings on the best of parts. Good luck and kind regards, Gareth.

Not sure on the 2.0 (smaller cc engines are solid) Aaron, but a call to the main dealer parts section will give you the answer. Kind regards, Gareth.

You could well be right about only one battery James, but it is now not uncommon for vehicles to have a small (very small) auxiliary battery which can control BCU type signals. Personally, I would want it proved that there is simply one battery ( big and of course guaranteed more expensive via RAC). You would expect ‘them’ to know, but recent experience with a non Audi is tending to dispel that fact. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Adam, When you say ...’changed .....’ do you mean you have done the work yourself or has a garage done it for you? If the latter then I would have expected them to have come up with a similar possible diagnosis. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. You don’t tell us what mileage this car has covered, but I would go forward very carefully with your belief that this might be gearbox associated.

Hello, I’m sure you will appreciate that it can be very difficult to diagnose problems without inspecting the actual vehicle, but from what you describe I would have said your initial issues - and by the sound of it - your current issues could be associated with unserviceable clutch hydraulics ( although I’m surprised it not cable operated -but...). You say you the system has been bled 3 times which is daftly unnecessary. Bled once and properly should be sufficient. Bled more than once and still not right suggests problems with either the clutch master cylinder or slave cylinder or both. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Lore, Sorry, but not sure of the cost of the pipe, but your garage will advise you on that. You will also need to factor in the cost of coolant to top this up to the correct strength, but that shouldn’t be expensive. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, Sounds a pleasing end result. It would probably be a well worthwhile insurance to noob treat the car to a quality oil and filter change together with renewing the air filter. Personally, I would only use Mann filters if not using genuine VAG ones. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Lore, Sorry to hear of your problem. Repair the pipe? Certainly not recommended, unless you want to risk wrecking your engine via. loss of coolant. If this were mine, I would take your video along to the nearest main dealer and order a new pipe. It would be worthwhile thoroughly checking the other pipes to ensure they are servicable. Kind regards, Gareth.

No jet wash with alloy wheel cleaner then. Surely, if the supplying dealer has rubbed these down on 3 occasions in an attempt to rectify the rusting issue then the time involved will already have grossly exceeded the cost of new replacement parts. If it were mine, I would be a trip to the Citizens Advice and take their advice on a reasonable course of action. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Andy, I as not too pleased that mine on the 2006 A3 only lasted about 10 years before they started falling apart! Re. rubbing down and respraying:- I just cannot see the sense in doing that since the rust will never be removed by rubbing down, and I would anticipate that they have to be removed to do that. Why not simply renew them? As a matter of interest Andy, how is the car generally washed? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ben, I sympathise with your problem and your understandable concern, and I think you will be wise to along with Trevor’s advice. One thing I would add is that you may well need to change the actual wheel since the will have at least taken additional stresses even if they have not elongated - which I would be surprised if they haven’t. I can well understand your discontent with this tyre company, but I think you might find when you look at the receipt that there will be a recommendation to check and retighten the wheel nuts after x miles, so they put the responsibility for rechecking back on the customer. This statement is generally standard wording. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ray, It seems like you have worked really hard to rectify this issue. From the initial symptom of starting and immediately stalling it might point to an immobiliser issue - if the car is fitted with one, which I would suspect it is even though it is 20 year old. Perhaps you could let us know if an immobiliser is fitted, and if so, if you have investigated this as a possibility. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nick, Cutting to the chase:- so Dunlop are crediting you for the ‘loss of mileage’ that results in you having to renew these tyres now rather than where they wear to the legal limit! Don’t tell us the compensation is conditional on buying replacement Dunlop tyre. Great and generous?? Not in my book. So simple question - if someone had lost your life as a result of these defective tyres, are we on the right lines in believing that the compensation would be the same? I doubt it. If it were me I would consider myself simply under qualified to discuss any technical or monetary detail with them, and would be leaving that to those with a legal background. Good luck with sorting it out, and indeed it would be great to know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Nick, I would strongly advise you to retain one (typical) faulty tyre. ‘BBC Watchdog may be my next port of call’ . If it were me, I would be alerting them of the issue while you deal with Dunlop. Perhaps you could let the forum know how you get on. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mezaros, I feel you will need to give the forum more information about this problem if we are going to be able to help you. Kind regards, Gareth.