cliffcoggin

Kieran. That noise is typical of a loose under tray so its not surprising you found it damaged and interfering with the steering, but why do you want to replace it with a heavy steel plate, particularly one without a sump plug hole? Being keen on the car's performance you ought not to be increasing its weight with a slab of steel.

Michail. Something was lost in the translation as "sink" does not make sense in relation to a car. Do you mean "sump", the metal casing at the bottom of the engine?

Did the cambelt break? If it did you could also need a top end because of damaged valves.

I see several online, some of them free, some of them in pdf versions. Try an internet search.

That is not a problem I was aware of, but I trust Steve's experience. You have little to lose by changing the hoses and fluid. It would be cheaper than changing discs so often.

I don't, but they should not be hard to find. I mentioned ECU Testing only because of their proven track record in this forum, not because I prefer them them over others.

Instrument cluster problems happen from time to time on A3s of that era. A new cluster from Audi will cost you silly money, whereas the old cluster can be repaired by companies such as ECU Testing for less than £300. You will have to remove, post, and refit the cluster if you choose to have it repaired. Scan through this forum's history for examples of people in a similar position who have had their clusters repaired successfully.

If power is getting to the light fitting I would check if the power can also get out again i.e. check the earth.

That's a risky assumption. Considering that a defective battery can lead to the sort of faults the car is showing I suggest you get it professionally tested, because a simple voltage test under negligible electrical load will not reveal the real condition of the battery.

Which is why so much emphasis was put on service history in your other topic.

Check the aerial connections at the back of the radio and wherever the other end of the cable goes to.

Do I understand correctly that the dealer: wants full payment despite you not having driven it yet, can not supply a full service history, is trying to sell you worthless dealer warranties? If so, you should cancel the deal, walk away and do not look back.

I see several misconceptions here. Firstly, an MOT certificate shows only that the car is roadworthy. It has nothing to do with engine problems so the MOT is irrelevant here. Secondly, low engine power can not be considered a safety issue. That's just fanciful. Thirdly, turbo faults on a seven year old car with 70000 miles on the clock are not unreasonable depending on how harshly it has been driven. It would be considered fair wear and tear so why assume it is a manfacturing problem needing a recall? Fourthly, master mechanic and Audi are contradictory. Take the car for testing at an independent Audi garage. If the turbo proves to be at fault then it will indeed cost several thousand pounds. Fifthly, whether the car is 7 years or 7 months old makes no difference to the cost. Turbos are complex machines made to close tolerances and require expertise and time to fit.

My choice would always be an independent Audi garage whenever possible. Not only are they generally more interested, more reliable, and more knowledgable, they are often cheaper. To put it more bluntly. Do you want to deal with the man with dirty hands who knows what he is talking about, or a clueless bimbo reading a computer screen?

That looks good Michael. If you are happy with the result mark it as Solution.

Many people have. Look through the forum history to find various suggestions for the cause and possible solutions.

Sort of. ABS prevents the wheels locking up which means the car can still be steered. (A tyre that is sliding on the road can not provide traction, braking or steering.) It does not make the brakes more effective. The penalty for ABS is the vibration, which can be quite violent, felt throughout the car as the brakes are rapidly applied and released. If you have a partly seized caliper be grateful for ABS for preventing the car going into a spin. ABS in those circumstances is not unneeded.

You're right there. Complacency amongst Western manufacturers about the future of electric cars allowed Chinese companies to gain a technological advantage and a significant market share. The Westerners, spurred on by our decisions concerning climate change, are now scrambling to catch up with the Chinese and making mistakes in the process. It's not inconceivable that some companies such as Ford will face financial ruin as a result of their decisions regarding EVs, but that whole subject is wildly off topic so I'll say no more here.

Ah, that makes sense.

My speculation from the phrase "running out of road" is that the braking is harsh enough to trigger the ABS system. The rapid sequence of brake & release pulses can cause vibration.

Thanks Ali.

To my way of thinking a recall is an expensive process that implies something drastic, possibly dangerous, has been overlooked at the design or construction or inspection stages of the car's production. If the fault is not drastic or dangerous then it can wait until a scheduled service, and a recall is unnecessary.

Why that one in particular Steve, when the driver's seat gets much more use?

I can't answer your question Ali, but I am keen to know more about the petrol leak. Was the leak from the car's fuel system or from a can of petrol in the boot.

Four recalls on a car that is only a year old! That's got to be a new low point for Audi.