Magnet

Hello Evan, Does light braking affect this, and/or is it any worse after moderate braking? If the answer to these is no, then I would be getting the driveshafts and wheel bearings checked, together with all suspension bushes etc. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, I too would suspect the cold start sensor - valve? - not sure about the valve set up. Availability? - take it you’ve checked EBay. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Jo, Thanks for joining and posting your plea. You need to get the alternator output checked, together with the battery efficiency ( when it’s been fully charged again). Halfords should be able to test this for you. If it proves to be alternator issues then I would favour getting yours reconditioned via. an auto electrician, since there can be some inconsistent quality ones available, which may be cheap to buy, but not so cheap when you pay for removal again after fitting. Hope some of this helps, Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Steve, So to try to boil this down, are you saying that this ‘difficult handling’ is a characteristic of the car - and even the VAG brand - and the tyres can almost certainly be eliminated from being a contributory factor, and indeed the suspension/ steering set up will be the culprit here under road conditions encountered on the M25? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Gavin, Is the noise more evident on one lock direction than the other, and does it occur in the straight ahead direction as well. It might be worthwhile getting a local second opinion before moving forward to replace the joint or the complete shaft. I’ve bought quality aftermarket parts from Car Parts in Motion ( no connection) at good prices, so might be worth seeing if they do these. Alternatively, I did use Driveshafts U.K. ( I think that’s what they were called ) in the Midlands a few years back. They were doing a repair service then. Hope some of this helps. Kind regards, Gareth.

Thanks Glynn, Yes, I know somebody in your area. It’s a Welsh thing you see, we need to know where people are from, since we may know someone within a 100 mile radius! - and that results in a stamp of approval. Yes, I know it’s daft, but it’s a friendly Welshness. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Hope we solved your query.

Deleting the DPF and MOT?

Hello Glynn, Thanks for joining and posting your plea. Heating the jets, I would have thought. Hope this helps. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. Note your humour with your Location, but a proper location would be nice - and appreciated. Many thanks.

Hello Richard, Do you then lose the battery condition monitoring function? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello both, Nimbus also comes under code LZ7X, which may be the same colour under two different codes, or could be the same named colour ( but not the same colours) over different models on different years. I think I would follow the dealer route ( if no access to a local paint specialist) since the dealer will most probably have access to the build record from the VIN. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ewen, Most reliable source would be your local Audi dealer. It would be worth arming yourself with the VIN incase it’s needed. Kind regards, Gareth.

Well done Keith. These budget ( ooops - sorry) tyres seem remarkable to have not worn 1mm in 4,000 miles of motoring, including load and towing use. That should easily give you a 30K plus life expectancy. Great. As I see it Keith:- You either have tyres which aren’t up to the handling characteristics you would expect of them. You are not inflating them to the correct degree for the load conditions. You have as yet, undetected wear in the suspension/ steering components. The car may have a possible hidden history of incorrectly repaired accident damage. Or a combination of some or any of the above. As I see it, the next action is dependent on what you feel you want to do about its further investigation, since any without-car-examination will simply boil down to guess work.

Many thanks Jon, Apologies for a differing point of view. Budget tyres at 4K miles will be at least 1/3 worn, so any wheel alignment will certainly be evident by this time. If there isn’t any evidence of irregular wear then I would be leaving well alone, as said. OK, free check, but the temptation is to correct even minor discrepancies, and why would you if there isn’t any uneven wear. - as the poster has said? In my book, if a tyre is misshapen then the result will be a shudder, but again the poster doesn’t complain of this. Same with wheel balancing. I think you are right Jon in suggesting to get the car inspected ( for wear) despite the mileage. Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. just noticed Keith’s reference to recent MOT - so another inspection? Ensure correct inflation for load and test again? Worth seeing if Keith can borrow another set of wheels and see what the difference is?

Hello Keith, Thanks for joining. If your car has only done an average of 4K miles a year, then your cambelt has had a hammering ( as we say in Wales) unless your mileage has been covered in irregular long trips. Short journeys, and particular if stop/start is engaged, will result in higher than normal stresses on belts, so yes, it does need changing at the 5 year interval. I would recommend you also have the auxiliary belt renewed at the same time. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steve, I have a non-Audi, and have to remember to switch the stop/start off every time I start the car, and I think I’m in danger of wearing the switch out! I think it is possible to do something with this one to ‘cheat’ the secondary battery, but I think that has downsides. This stop/start system is not to my liking, and is engineeringly averse, since the maximum stress on an engine is at start up. I notice your car is 2016 and is likely to be fitted with a replacement battery - if not, it’s probably overdue for one. The ‘benefit’ of the S/S system is that it is one of the first things to shut down as the battery becomes less serviceable, and does act as a warning to renew the battery! but…. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks Ewan, If (in caps) this car has be resprayed a different colour then there will be glaring evidence at -some - point. Kind regards, Gareth.

Personally, if the tyres are seen to be wearing evenly, then I wouldn’t get the tracking checked, since the sales pressure will be on to adjust it even if it insignificantly out, and you and your wallet may be worse off. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Werner again, Apologies for being boring and repeating. Please check the oil level by my method, and you may even find that the level is slightly over the mark now - who knows. If you have used less oil in the initial period than the book states and it still worries you - as it appears to do - then simply report it to Audi, as Steve suggested you do ( so they have your concern on record - but you need to record that concern in writing). They are understandably going to infirm you that that is with acceptable limits - as per your book, and is likely to decrease. Peace of mind then?? Continue to monitor by my method and observe and record oil usage going forward. Address any concerns at that point. Sounds a simple procedure - to me. Does this satisfactorily deal with your initial question of whether some oil usage in the initial mileage period is normal? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Graham, We notice you have returned to the forum to read the response, and wonder whether you agree or disagree with the advice given. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Ewan, DVLA use ‘broad brush’ colour band grouping (pardon the pun) and the chosen group may not truly represent the colour you think it is. For peace of mind, note the colour code and wander into a local car paint supplier and check the colour with them. Also well worth trying an internet search for the code as an easier alternative. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Werner, Whatever reference the book, makes to warming the engine - and are we talking warming the oil here rather than getting the coolant up to temperature (totally different degrees of ‘warm’)? Just to explain:- A ‘warm’ engine can be considered to be when the coolant reaches its N position on the gauge/display and that is when the coolant temperature is up to approx. 90 c At this point, the engine oil will certainly not have reached its operating temperature, and to reach that temperature, it could take a run of. at least 5 miles. In my book (and the pages are well thumbed and creased!) I only carry out an accurate oil level reading when the car has been standing overnight on level ground and I am certain that all the oil has indeed returned to the sump. I wonder if you would be kind enough to follow that procedure so your oil level assessments are truly comparative - and then report back. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Graham, Sorry to appear unhelpful, but it really doesn’t matter if anyone else has suffered this dangerous occurrence - you have - and even if they have, it doesn’t mean that their cause will be the same as yours. Please get this booked in to a (diesel?) specialist without delay, before you get involved in/cause a serious accident on a motorway. Apologies if this comes over as dictatorial, but your are responsible for your own and others safety. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Werner, If this were mine, I would be following Steve’s advice, and at least reporting it - nothing to lose, although I suspect a reaction of ‘ not abnormal’. Is the oil level only checkable via. the on screen display, or have you also got a dipstick? At least you should now be in a position to monitor the oil usage back to your ( in caps) determined level, which will eliminate the possibility that it may not have been fully up to the mark when new. Unlikely, but…. Hopefully a daft question, but you are checking the oil level before start up, following leaving the car standing on level ground overnight -? Kind regards, Gareth.

So tyre pressures checked and set to the appropriate load? Treads wearing evenly across the width? At 22k miles we would not be expecting wear to be an issue, but always worth checking. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Sarah, Many thanks, I too would be interested in the outcome, since my (pessimistic?) view points me to consider that the ultimate main influence is the amount of rubber between you and the road which can damp the effects of uneven surface - and you have shinny profile, reinforced sidewall tyres. I really hope your expenditure is going to match your expectations. It will be great to hear that it does, Kind regards, Gareth.