cliffcoggin

Possibly, but I am not certain.

Was that new battery coded to the car? It needed to be. VCDS or equivalent can do the coding. I don't know about cheaper code readers.

Yes. Get the battery professionally tested on deep discharge equipment. A dying battery can cause limp mode to come and go. If a new battery is needed it is essential to get it coded to the car.

Why the interest in the parts cost if the insurance company is paying?

I can't comment on the diagnosis, but if it is a matter of a simple clip it would be worth looking at a secondhand part from a breaker's yard or Ebay.

If I may add to Gareth's comments, the A3 tyre damage shows the sidewall to be cut, not the tread. That's usually caused by metal that has fallen off a lorry rather than an inherent defect in the tyre, so I'd say you were just unlucky it happened so soon after getting into the car. The situation with the A6 is surprising in a car only three years old with only 28000 miles on the clock. As the RAC picture shows, it may be caused by something trivial or something spectacularly expensive. I hope the guarantee on the car covers everything. Don't forget the option to reject the car as Steve mentioned.

That the "smoke" only appears for a few minutes after starting the engine is new information, which I wish you had mentioned earlier to save both our times. That means it is only steam and should be ignored. Water is one product of fuel combustion. It condenses to a visible cloud in a cold exhaust; but becomes invisible as the system warms up. It will be more apparent in low temperatures.

That could be a faulty instrument cluster, which is a well known fault in Audis of that era. It can be repaired a by a few companies for less than £300, providing you take the cluster out and post it to them. Alternatively Audi will charge many times that cost for a new cluster.

Leo. They are both .csv files. Many computers will not automatically recognise them, and have to be told what to do. For anybody willing to download the file, (which I am not,) it should be capable of being opened with a spreadsheet application.

Brian. I have merged your two identical topics into one.

Any news on this John?

Any news on this Ray?

Not all. I have bought all my cars privately and secondhand based solely on my own judgement. However the history on this forum shows that dealers will prevaricate as much as possible when it comes to defective new cars, and need the threat of hitting their wallets to make them take notice.

Smart cars have their own share of software problems, but I have not read any complaints of discomfort.

Ah that makes sense thank you.

Phil. Perhaps I am being dense today, but you seem to be asking about a tow ball cover yet your car does not have tow hitch.

If the clutch is cable operated I reckon the cable is seizing and needs to be replaced. If it is a hydraulic clutch something more serious is happening, and you may need to change it or at least take it off for inspection.

John. I have no knowledge of this but I can suggest a way to find out if the longer plugs will cause a problem. Stick a blob of Plasticine or BluTack or something similarly soft on the tip of a short plug so that it extends it by another 5 mm. Screw the plug in and turn the engine over by hand. Unscrew the plug and look for the flattening of the blob of soft stuff.

Take the car back to the dealer and demand a refund, which you are entitled to if purchased in the last 30 days. That will put a rocket up his posterior and spur him into action.

If a puller won't work it must be well stuck by corrosion. A risky but effective option is a gas torch. Alternatively cut a slit in the side and prise it apart, ensuring you don't damage the splines on the spindle.

Can you pull the pedal up to its normal position, or is it jammed?

Thanks Des. I have marked your message as a solution.

I sympathise, but as mentioned previously, the modifications make it almost impossible to advise. I fear you have bought a lemon.

Tim. Forget about the oil filter. I inadvertently misled you because I failed to note the problem existed before the change. Oil pressure is the single most important factor in keeping the engine functional. Without it the engine will rapidly turn itself into a lump of scrap iron that will cost many thousands of punds to replace. Unless you have positive proof that the oil pressure is up to standard it would be foolish to continue using the car.

If having the heater on maximum prevents the problem, it is likely because it is the only effective way to cool the engine, i.e. there is a fault in the engine cooling system. Years ago it was a well know way to prevent engine over heating when the radiator became blocked. Few motorists nowadays know about such tips.