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Achilleas
22-12-2010, 05:15 PM
apologies if there is the same thread somewhere else...im new and couldnt find anything but here goes.

12154 miles on my S4 Avant and pop my water pump blows i lose control of steering and slammed into the curb taking a chunk out of my tyre and rim! i called audi ipswich where the car was bought new and peter the sales guy denied any knowledge of knowing about a water pump issue...the car was picked up this evening and i have to find out its location tomorrow first thing. im seriously ****** off.

update: just heard back from audi/colchester that i may have to wait until mid january for a new WP. the service manager mentioned this is a general problem with audi/vw/skoda....not happy.

update: i emailed audi uk general manager and cs manager today, michelle then called to say that they are not in the office....but, she assured me that there is no real issue regarding water pumps....crack cocaine is not my thing but maybe thats what she thought i was on it when she lied through her teeth to me. her "technical team" at audi uk in milton keynes informed her that there is no real issue so no need for a recall...apparently the WP will be in stock at the end of next week. i asked if this was a different WP than the toys r us version that disintegrated in my S4 but she did not know and will call me tomorrow..

Big Bird
22-12-2010, 05:31 PM
Hmmm, not good.

Keep fighting them mate; i'm sure i've read more than one thread on various forums about WP failure, and IIRC it's related to the plastic impellor.

Keep searching and good luck.:beerchug:

a8 tech
22-12-2010, 05:41 PM
Modified pump replaces

Achilleas
22-12-2010, 05:56 PM
no i wont give up. i love the car but when a warning message to all owners should have gone out instead of lies it really aggravates the whole problem. thanks for your support! ive seen loads of US/Canadian forum threads regarding WP issues but not many UK ones.

ScottyUK
22-12-2010, 06:30 PM
Recalls are only for safety issues but of course your/our definition of that may vary from Audi's (as it did with the coil pack issue a few years back).

Your dealer should be able to run with this on your behalf with Audi CS.

I think there's enough evidence around (including a revised pump) to demonstrate that this is a known fault.

Anyway surely your car is still in warranty? A failure which causes such an accident must be covered by them .... mustn't it ?

Good luck :beerchug:

Achilleas
22-12-2010, 07:47 PM
yes exactly, recalls are for safety. the admission of audi colchester and audi ipswich plus all the surrounding internet evidence proves there is a deep lying problem here. yes the car was brand new from april 2010 so warranty will cover me. as i said before the S4 is an amazing car its just a shame that they cut corners on some parts.

baylissboy
22-12-2010, 09:52 PM
The problem affects V6 TDI & V6 petrol engines, Audi issued a recall for some V6 petrol engined cars, but strangely, not diesel. The problem isn't the impellors, it's the fact that the whole pump is made of plastic & they're leaking. They were on back order & we had a carpark full of failed cars!

There's a bullitin on Audi desktop stating that 500 pumps have been supplied to UK dealers.

a8 tech
22-12-2010, 10:13 PM
Diesel as well, 2010 D3 A8 and Q7,A4 AND A5.Basically all plastic casing type 2009/10 onwards in my experience

Audi are taking every measure to resolve the problem, remember they do not manufacture the pump and its yet to be a recall/work shop action as there have been no engine failure's or safety related incidents.

Basically the coolant level starts to drop slowly and this is indicated by the shortage sensor (coolant light)

Early signs of small coolant loss can be noticed with poor heater temperature and temp gauge dropping off with of cold air blowing in the cabin.

Relief cars and parts are on stand by but as with the weather and reduced staffing levels over the holiday period there may be delays

As with all manufacturers, problems occur

Please avoid panic reactions and let the network deal with. I'm sure the dealers will be checking on routine servicing and health checks for signs of coolant loss also.

Happy Christmas

Achilleas
22-12-2010, 11:59 PM
Diesel as well, 2010 D3 A8 and Q7,A4 AND A5.Basically all plastic casing type 2009/10 onwards in my experience

Audi are taking every measure to resolve the problem, remember they do not manufacture the pump and its yet to be a recall/work shop action as there have been no engine failure's or safety related incidents.

Basically the coolant level starts to drop slowly and this is indicated by the shortage sensor (coolant light)

Early signs of small coolant loss can be noticed with poor heater temperature and temp gauge dropping off with of cold air blowing in the cabin.

Relief cars and parts are on stand by but as with the weather and reduced staffing levels over the holiday period there may be delays

As with all manufacturers, problems occur

Please avoid panic reactions and let the network deal with. I'm sure the dealers will be checking on routine servicing and health checks for signs of coolant loss also.

Happy Christmas
do you work at audi? what kind of reaction do audi expect when their 40k cars are turning into useless piles of metal? i was driving through dartmoor 2 weeks ago with my family which could have turned into a disaster if the WP had failed. any common sense company that cared about its products and customers would at the very least offer a warning that this could happen to their cars.

Achilleas
23-12-2010, 12:03 AM
The problem affects V6 TDI & V6 petrol engines, Audi issued a recall for some V6 petrol engined cars, but strangely, not diesel. The problem isn't the impellors, it's the fact that the whole pump is made of plastic & they're leaking. They were on back order & we had a carpark full of failed cars!

There's a bullitin on Audi desktop stating that 500 pumps have been supplied to UK dealers.
and you work for audi too? whats going on? corporate head burying until the problem goes away does not work, believe me i know from experience. bulletin on audi desktop??

a8 tech
23-12-2010, 08:58 AM
I think both myself and baylissboy are just explaining the situation, please direct your anger at the manufacturer and refrain from personal comments which the forum has rules about.

You asked for information and we have kindly given you.

Lets not get personal and I'm sure the matter will be dealt with swiftly.

There are plenty of anti dealer forums you can vent your anger on but this isn't one of them

There is large number of vag techs on this forum who offer free advise and support outside the working hours so don't abuse it

We could always refuse to comment and in future I think that's the better option

Regards A8

Achilleas
23-12-2010, 10:13 AM
yes you explained the situation very well thank you and appreciate the inside info....i am not sure how you came to the conclusion that i directed any anger towards you or anyone else. strange that you also thought that i made any personal comments? where did you see that? i only made comments towards audi so you may want to read my comments again as i did not get personal with anyone. i am not abusing any situation and just asked some normal questions with some normal statements with no threatening language or insinuations. refusing to comment is of course your prerogative but seems a bit pointless on a forum?

robrob
23-12-2010, 08:54 PM
Hmm - a very timely thread. I too, as of yesterday have been informed that my April 2010 3.0 TDI Quattro has also got a defective water pump. As a8 tech has correctly identified, a loss of heat whilst stationary was my first clue. A poster on here told me to check the coolant level, and as expected, it was well below the minimum mark level.

I have to say that my local Audi people have been excellent. I have a courtesy car as of today and they even swapped my winter wheels and tyres on to the courtesy car. This was their idea and probably related to my main gripe which was annoyance at swapping to an Audi Quattro from BMW to deal with precisely these winter conditions only to be without it at the critical time.

Achilleas
23-12-2010, 10:13 PM
bad luck indeed, i didn't have the luxury of "a loss of heat" :-) the WP just went. audi colchester are being very nice and have promised to have my S4 ready tomorrow! i even received a courtesy call from audi uk (vwg) cs to apologise and admit that yes there is an issue but only vosa can issue a recall...

robrob
23-12-2010, 10:30 PM
Achilleas - is that your own S4 or a courtesy S4? I'm being quoted 8/9th Jan for a water pump as they said there are none in the UK at present and they're on back order at the factory. I'd be encouraged if it was your own car you were getting back.

Achilleas
23-12-2010, 11:04 PM
hi rob - its my own S4 thats coming home :-) (i hope) at first i was told that they would take another customers WP as he was on vacation, then i was told mid january would be the earliest..at this point i contacted audi uk's general manager and cs manager, i was not expecting any response but their colleague called. today she called again to offer apologies and to tell me what i knoew already, that they have an issue with WP's....audi colchester have been very good. if you need any help please contact me and i will let you have any details you need. good luck.

robrob
23-12-2010, 11:31 PM
Thanks for the info Achilleas. I think my main problem now is simply the holiday period - a 2-3 day turnaround equates to the middle of next week now. Anyway, dealership told me last thing tonight that their system is now showing stock coming into the network on the 25th (!) which probably means they'll get a WP for me next week.

Achilleas
23-12-2010, 11:41 PM
no problem, yep Christmas will get in the way a bit. Have a good one.

Achilleas
24-12-2010, 10:46 PM
no problem, yep Christmas will get in the way a bit. Have a good one.

:approve:I picked up my S4 today as planned. Very happy. Alloy wheel fixed too and a clean car to boot!

baylissboy
25-12-2010, 01:04 AM
and you work for audi too? whats going on? corporate head burying until the problem goes away does not work, believe me i know from experience. bulletin on audi desktop?? No, I don't work for Audi, I'm a master tech at an Audi dealer, there is a difference!!

As A8 Tech as already said, I was only trying to give you some info.

Glad your car is sorted!!

Achilleas
27-12-2010, 09:23 PM
Happy Christmas Baylissboy. Master Tech sounds great. I just checked the coolant level on my S4 and it is sitting half way between max and empty.....after WP replacement is this normal? i have driven about 60 miles since i collected on Christmas Eve. Ta

robtt09
28-12-2010, 10:35 AM
As ,a worried, owner of an April '08 3.00tdi I am watching this thread with interest and also checking the coolant level on my car daily ! Many thanks indeed to babyblissboy and A8 tech for their replies

a8 tech
28-12-2010, 10:40 AM
2008 platforms are fine, but I'm glad to see a pro active approach to owner maintanace.lol

a8 tech
28-12-2010, 10:46 AM
Happy Christmas Baylissboy. Master Tech sounds great. I just checked the coolant level on my S4 and it is sitting half way between max and empty.....after WP replacement is this normal? i have driven about 60 miles since i collected on Christmas Eve. Ta



The level should be on min from cold, if its below min top it up and check it again after a similar drive, this engine has two cooling circuits and can be awkward to bleed the fresh coolant through, there is only one coolant header tank so if the level sits between min and max it is ok

troc
28-12-2010, 03:03 PM
The water pump in my S4 was replaced a month or so ago in a workshop action here in Holland, so I was one of the lucky ones to not actually experience a failure. There are plenty of threads about the problems, mostly in the US and German forums (I thought I'd mentioned it gere but maybe I forgot).

For anyone who is worried, check the various forums (audizine probably) for some pictures that show the plastic and replacement aluminium pumps so you can check yourself (It's easy to check).

I do know that S4s built after (mid)April should have the new pumps.

It's annoying there's been no recall but as others have said, recalls are for safety critical systems only - as is standard in the auto industry.

baylissboy
28-12-2010, 10:29 PM
Happy Christmas Baylissboy. Master Tech sounds great. I just checked the coolant level on my S4 and it is sitting half way between max and empty.....after WP replacement is this normal? i have driven about 60 miles since i collected on Christmas Eve. TaCoolant level sounds ok, but it depends where the level was set, personally I always set the coolant on max when the engine is cold.

baylissboy
28-12-2010, 10:35 PM
As ,a worried, owner of an April '08 3.00tdi I am watching this thread with interest and also checking the coolant level on my car daily ! Many thanks indeed to babyblissboy and A8 tech for their repliesWas this a mis-spell, or were you taking the ****???? LOL

baylissboy!!!:D

Achilleas
28-12-2010, 11:24 PM
:beerchug:

Achilleas
28-12-2010, 11:29 PM
thanks for taking the time to answer! appreciated. out to check in the morning. strong stench of coolant every time i go out.....brakes are squealing randomly too...

Achilleas
28-12-2010, 11:32 PM
coolant at max when cold or min? there seems to be some difference of opinion here? thanks for the response. ill check either way.

a8 tech
28-12-2010, 11:39 PM
Checking coolant level.
The coolant level must be at the MAX marking when the engine is cold.
The coolant level can be above the MAX marking when the engine is warm, hence I like it ay min from cold so it doesnt go over max but there you go

Achilleas
29-12-2010, 09:48 PM
coolant level this morning was just below minimum......topped it up to the minimum line. travelled 60 miles today so will check in the morning again.

Achilleas
29-12-2010, 09:54 PM
forgot to mention that I checked the level with the engine OFF...

techfreak
30-12-2010, 03:02 AM
Can someone tell my why they are still using the wp with the blasted plastic impellers?
Must be over 10 years now since they started using em...!

troc
30-12-2010, 11:00 AM
It's not the impellers that are failing AFAIK, it's the actual plastic housing. I think the impeller in both cases is aluminium.

I could be completely wrong though :)

Mclucker
30-12-2010, 06:29 PM
The pump body being made out of plastic won't be the issue. It will be a design issue or manufacturing issue. More and more parts (steering, transmission) are being made out of plastics. Without metal replacement, the manufacturers would not be able to hit the fuel efficiency figures that are now required.

If you are concerned about car parts being made out of plastics then you will be worried when in the near future car bodies and aircraft fuselages are made out of plastic composites. :biglaugh:

magic33!
11-01-2011, 12:24 AM
:aargh4: 12k miles and water pump failed.

Ruby S4
16-02-2011, 07:28 PM
Hey all, just thought I'd add a reply to give anyone else having problems another anecdote of water pump failure on on S4 for out of touch dealers.

My 2010 S4 did exactly the same the day before it's first birthday (11000 miles) :aargh4: also happened to be a Sunday afternoon :aargh4: luckily I was just approcaching my girlfriends house so was able to just park and await the RAC. 2 1/2 hours later I was told by the RAC man "Sorry cant do much with it, going to have to get it recovered I'm affraid"

Can't complian about how it was handled though. I had it taken to Lake District Audi who called me the next morning to advise me that they had the car and would be looking at it on tuesday.
Also got home to find my replacement car on the drive.

Had my car back by the following weekend:D

Have to admit I didnt ask if it was a common problem that they knew off or not.

74ns
01-03-2011, 09:38 AM
Yup same problem here with my S4, luckily managed to make it home from work, 7K on the clock, was handled very well by Audi, collected next morning and repaired the next day. I too was shocked that no recall had been made.

I always refuse to get the car cleaned by Audi (due to them bascially cleaning it with a sponge dipped in grit!!) once received home washed it a few days later to find at least 10 deep scratches on the bonnet which looks like was made with a watch when opening and closing the bonnet, they were certainly not there before as myself and the Audi recovery guy looked over the car before he took it away and would have been easily spotted.

bwmzoom
11-08-2014, 11:42 AM
hi rob - its my own S4 thats coming home :-) (i hope) at first i was told that they would take another customers WP as he was on vacation, then i was told mid january would be the earliest..at this point i contacted audi uk's general manager and cs manager, i was not expecting any response but their colleague called. today she called again to offer apologies and to tell me what i knoew already, that they have an issue with WP's....audi colchester have been very good. if you need any help please contact me and i will let you have any details you need. good luck.


Hi,

I am looking to purchase an S4 2009 and live near Colchester the car is a private sale and is under Audi warranty but I am concerned about the water pump issue. Would you be kind enough to pass on the details you have regarding this and contacts etc for Colchester audi. Both Brentwood & Chelmsford audi have denied that there is any issues:mad:

Thanks in advance