Magnet

Regrettably another post-and-run member.

Rubber for winter.

Many thanks Jill, I’ve found Mon Motors good to deal with for parts. Regards, Gareth.

All of this now points to an ailing battery then.

Fully agree of course John. Just bear in mind that you will be conveying this important detail to a service receptionist for onward transmission to the person who is going to inspect it. I would write this down in a clear fashion and ask them to attach it to the worksheet. Otherwise a fair chance of ‘no fault found’. Regards, Gareth.

So that’s a Yes then Jon.

OK John, All very different now then, but far more clearly explained. As has been explained so many times, it is effectively meaningless to attempt to test a battery’s efficiency using a simple multimeter. Repeating- it needs to have all its parameters assessed under load with professional equipment.

Thanks Jon, So does all that boil down to it still wont be replaced under warranty?

Hello John, ’Standing’ battery voltage of 12.1v does not bode well. Expect nearer to 12.4. ’Engine running’ voltage of around 11 volts is totally inadequate (should be c14.5 v) and points to the alternator being inoperative.

Hello Sean, If the matrix is blocked, then any amount of flushing is unlikely to result in a cure. You have to ensure the matrix itself isn’t blocked/ partially blocked, before moving on to other possible causes.

New one Kelvin? Motors in Motion ? Not sure if other members have heard of these, but I haven’t. Could you please share contact details and price-? Regards, Gareth.

I wouldn’t believe Michael, I would check and ensure they do, otherwise you will end up changing components which may not be faulty. If the alternator is found to be at fault, you will then have experience of the quality of some aftermarket alternators - which fail in a year. Spend more and wisely, and perhaps try Bosch. If you leave the choice to the garage, they may fit the cheapest option from ECP or their local motorfactors.

Welcome Kelvin, If you want to get one from Audi, then please arrange a mortgage beforehand. Try I M Axles - they manufacture replacement sub frames and may do one for yours. Please let us know how you get on. Regards, Gareth.

Welcome Sean, Possibly/probably a blocked heater matrix. Regards, Gareth.

Pleasure Michael, but why are you booking it in to have the alternator replaced, before you have positively identified it as one of the a culprits? Similarly get the battery checked as Cliff recommends. It just isn’t good and logical practice to get components renewed simply because you believe it is faulty, and prior to having it tested to prove/disprove it is at fault. Regards, Garetjh.

Thanks Michael, So as you have now deduced, you think the alternator maybe at fault - as I suggested it maybe.

Welcome Alex and thanks for joining. Simple answer to whether a rattle on cold start is normal - would you have bought one new if Audi had manufactured it to do that? The car is trying to tell you something is wrong, and it would be wise to get it dealt with. Regards, Gareth. p.s. Comments based on links not working on my system.

We are talking voltage readings of 13. odd, with the engine running - aren’t we?

Apologies for jumping in on this thread, but it would be strongly recommended to have the alternator output checked at the same time. Cliff raises a good point when referring to 13.9 volts being rather low - my view is it should be around 14.5 volts. It would be great if we could revert to the days of new is new and so is faultless. No longer the case Micheal. This maybe (in caps) associated with your battery discharging back through the alternator -? Regards, Gareth.

Thanks Tim, We spend thousands of £s to buy even a secondhand car, then we spend valuable time shopping around trying to save relatively small amounts of money to maintain it. One thing is for certain, marketing folks are paid good money to entice us to spend our hand earned on their employer’s products and service, and price matching is one of the older gimmicks. They are also good at coming up with get out clauses - that good, that they would get under a snakes belly with a top hat on! Regards, Gareth.

Thanks Richard, If not already known, a potentiometer is a variable resistor. Seems like your link to the rotational switch maybe similar to what is needed. Regards, Gareth.

Hello again Rebecca, Mystery now sorted:- Input Oil consumption into the search bar and select ‘Everywhere’ from the drop down menu. That should link you to the appropriate threads, but please come back to us for any ongoing concerns. What I would say is your oil consumption level could be lived with, compared to what others use. Regards, Gareth.

Sorry about this Rebecca, Now alerted Admin of this issue. Regards, Gareth.

Does this engine spin over on the starter quicker than normal?

Apologies Rebecca, I believe there must be something wrong with the search facility. I’ve tried even searching for just Oil - and nothing found. I will alert Forum Admin to this issue. Perhaps you can just scroll back via ‘Latest posts’. Anyway, it could be due to the termed ‘skinny piston rings’ era which I believe your model year may fit into, but not sure if it affected the diesel engines. Will look into it further in a couple of days or so, if you don’t get any more responses meanwhile. Regards, Gareth.