Longlife services - I'm really confused

[Johnny R]

Hi all,

May I ask for some help and advice please ?

Me and the wife have an A4 2.5 TDI. We've owned it from 20k miles. When we got the car, the dealer said it was a Longlife service vehicle and that we'd only need to service the car every 25,000 miles.

When the car got to 30k miles, it indicated that we needed a service. We phoned the dealer and asked why we needed a service when we were told we only had to have one every 25k.

The dealer said, it was because we do short journeys, about 100 miles a week. OK, sounded reasonable, so we got the car serviced (in Jan 07).

We now do about 350 miles a week, and the car now indicates that we need another service as we're approaching 40k on the clock.

May I ask, what this Longlife service thing is ?

Does anyone know why, every 10k miles we're getting the computer tell us to service the car ?

If we don't service the car, will it refuse to start one morning on our way to work ?

Does anyone know how to delete the message that tells me I need to spend more money on the thing ?

I'd be grateful, for any help 'cos this service stuff confuses the life out of me.

Many thanks,
Johnny.

[bora(ing) nick]

Sounds like your car is on the fixed servicing regime, and not the longlife.....

Longlife servicing vehicles analyse the condition of the oil, as well as other contributing factors such as how many miles, driving style, no. of days since last service ect and is not just 25k. I thinks 25K is a maximum ( or 2 years) whichever comes first.

Standard servicing is 10K / 12K or yearly IIRC.

I'm not too clued up on audi's, but there are many on here that are.

Hope you get sorted.

Nick

[Johnny R]

Thanks for the quick reply, Nick. We had the gear box oil changed a couple of weeks ago - before we'd noticed the service indicator. Hopefully someone in the forum can clarify things for me.

Cheers mate.
Johnny.

[xenon]

Sound like you are on fixed interval servicing (10k or 1 year whichever comes first). Longlife service schedule usually means 20k between services (or very 2 years) but you must use fully synthetic engine oil. Other factors such as the number of times the bonnet has been opened, brake pad wear, style of driving etc are taken into consideration by the cars computer to work out when it needs servicing. I think there is more information in the owners handbook.

If Audi have been servicing the car the you shouldn't have a problem but get them to check that the car is on longlife servicing.

If the car has been serviced by someone else then there could be 2 things to check.
1) The service indicator can be reset by pressing buttons on the dash (spanner and 0,0 buttons together I think) but that will default back to fixed interval servicing. To reset for longlife servicing you'll need to plug a computer into the car (vag-com can do this).
2) The wrong spec oil has been used (i.e. not fully synthetic). I think the car will decide that after 10k the oil isn't up to the job any more and needs changing.

If you don't do anything then you'll be able to use the car but get the service reminder every time you get in the car. You can reset the indicator as I described above but you will definitely be on fixed interval servicing.

I would get the car serviced again but make sure that longlife servicing has been enabled and very expensive fully synthetic oil has been used. The owners handbook should detail the exact specification of oil to use (or ask someone on this forum).

Hope this helps.

[Johnny R]

Hi xenon, thanks for taking the time to post.

That makes things a lot clearer. In the past, we've had the car serviced at our local Audi dealer, so I'm guessing that they've used the better oil, but I'll check the invoice and manual to make sure.

I think you're right, we should get the car serviced again and I'll make sure they (the Audi dealer) switches us to the longlife schedule.

Thanks again, I owe you and Nick a beer.

Johnny R.

[Fullspizz]

Mine is on the long life servicing, but as mentioned, it takes into account your driving style, oil type and journeys.
If you are doing a lot of running around town, short trips etc, then the oil/engine gets more use due to constant starting/stopping than if you were sat on the motorway at 70mph for a couple of hundred miles.
I have the 1.8T and mine was serviced at 60k, but is showing the next service at the moment to be at around 75k (I have a mixed driving style, town and motorway).
A chap I work with has a 1.9tdi and his last service was at 60k, but his next one is about 82k according to the DIS, he drives mostly on the motorway though.

I would still get it serviced though and just ask the question of the servicing staff as to what servicing schedule it is on.

[hagis]

My 1.9 TDi is on long life servicing, the previous owner had it done at 54K (service records say no oil change done) and it's now saying it's due for a service at 73k, which will be next month with my milage.