A6 2.0 TDI Service intervals

[hoyleap]

I own an Audi A6 2.0TDi with multitronic transmission. I bought it new in May 2006 and since then have travelled approximately 39,000 miles. The vehicle is running on a variable service plan and has required services after 18,500 miles, 31,500 miles and is now showing the next one to be due after approximately 44,000 miles.
Service intervals of 13,500 miles are significantly lower than those I was led to believe are likely. AUDI are unwilling to investigate any further as their computer does not indicate any fault, although the actual service intervals achieved are significantly below those indicated in their promotional literature.
The AUDI website quotes “the service interval can be up to 30,000 miles/ 24 months for 4 cylinder TDI diesel engines” and “typically averages over 20,000 miles between services”.
Any suggestions how I can get them to carry out a thorough investigation?

[PhilR]

My understanding is that the service intervals are up to 19000 miles or 2 years on the variable servicing. I also have a 2.0 TDi multitronic bought new in March 2007, and you should consider yourself lucky - my service is showing 10,800 will be when it's due. I did query it after a week or so as it was telling me about 11500 to the service, and they advised to keep an eye on it. I have done 8500 miles so far and about half have been abroad on holiday, which should stretch the service intervals. My previous A6 2.0TDi was a manual and bought new in march 05. This went 16,500 miles. The only difference between my 2 cars is the manual / multi, and my 05 was a factory order built to my spec. This one was an Audi stock car, and was in the Audi showroom.

My friend has an A6 Avant 2.7 TDi multi, a month older, 700 miles less, lives down the road from me, works down the road from me, drives the car harder, has done less distance driving than me and his is saying 19000 miles.

I'm in the process of discussing this with Audi Customer Services at the moment (Southampton Audi have advise there is no issue with the sensor) and am looking for them to stump up for some of the service.

Out of interest, have you had issues with the multitronic running high revs for no apparent reason? I've had problems from July to October - it seems to have stopped now, buit wonder if it's to do with the warmer weather. Audi have told me it's 'normal' behaviour, but how an engine running at 1500 rpm when pretty much stopped can be normal I'll never know.

[Crasher]

One thing I would recommend is to have the CVT oil changed every 40K and the in-line filter changed at 80k. It seems to help avoid problems.

[hoyleap]

Thanks for the response. Neither the local dealer nor customer service are interested enough to investigate any further despite several letters. I consider myself to be a gentle driver and get about 40 mpg overall and therefore thought I would get long service intervals. I have wondered about getting the engine oil tested to determine it's true condition ie if it really needs changing.
I did have one problem with the engine software which one cold morning tried to close down the engine. It was fine once it had warmed up but did have a software upgrade which was supposed to cure the known problem. Since then no problem ticking over at about 900 rpm.

[hoyleap]

Thanks for the tip. It is scheduled for next week.

[Crasher]

If it isn't being done at Audi, make sure you strongly emphasise that the car must receive the special CVT oil, not regular ATF. I have seen that done a number of times.

[PhilR]

My understanding is that the service intervals are up to 19000 miles or 2 years on the variable servicing. I also have a 2.0 TDi multitronic bought new in March 2007, and you should consider yourself lucky - my service is showing 10,800 will be when it's due. I did query it after a week or so as it was telling me about 11500 to the service, and they advised to keep an eye on it. I have done 8500 miles so far and about half have been abroad on holiday, which should stretch the service intervals. My previous A6 2.0TDi was a manual and bought new in march 05. This went 16,500 miles. The only difference between my 2 cars is the manual / multi, and my 05 was a factory order built to my spec. This one was an Audi stock car, and was in the Audi showroom.

My friend has an A6 Avant 2.7 TDi multi, a month older, 700 miles less, lives down the road from me, works down the road from me, drives the car harder, has done less distance driving than me and his is saying 19000 miles.

I'm in the process of discussing this with Audi Customer Services at the moment (Southampton Audi have advise there is no issue with the sensor) and am looking for them to stump up for some of the service.

Out of interest, have you had issues with the multitronic running high revs for no apparent reason? I've had problems from July to October - it seems to have stopped now, buit wonder if it's to do with the warmer weather. Audi have told me it's 'normal' behaviour, but how an engine running at 1500 rpm when pretty much stopped can be normal I'll never know.

Audi have just coughed £100 towards my service due to the low service indicator.

[seanmckenna]

Hi Guys,
I am having similar issues with my june 2007 A6 2.0tdi multitronic.
Ist service approx 19k, 2nd 32k and have been watching service interval which is currently showing 9200 until next service having done just 3k since last.
I drive the car quite sedately doing return trip of approx 60 miles per day on mixture of A roads and m.ways and get 43mpg each leg(according to the trip..but thats another story). Therefore I am obviously expecting more from the Long Life service than a standard petrol car doing urban driving

Audi are not interested stating that the sensors are constantly monitoring..blah..blah.
But actually, what are they monitoring ? Just the oil condition ? I suppose this is the only factor which should determine when an oil service is due ?

Also interested in how you are getting on with the service intervals as the car clocks up the miles ?

Ta

[Peter D]

Temperature cycles, stop starts, distance travelled, outside temperature all sorts of data is used to determine the service interval. In my book no oil should go past 10k never mind a diesel. Regards Peter

[Crasher]

And what would you expect the Audi dealer or Audi UK to do? The parameters are coded into the instrument panel and were worked out by VAG in Germany to give you the longest possible interval. You could always try ignoring the service light and driving it as far as you feel is correct and then have a new engine fitted when it seizes, and yes that does happen -a lot- and especially on the 1.8T.

[PhilR]

Hi Guys,
I am having similar issues with my june 2007 A6 2.0tdi multitronic.
Ist service approx 19k, 2nd 32k and have been watching service interval which is currently showing 9200 until next service having done just 3k since last.
I drive the car quite sedately doing return trip of approx 60 miles per day on mixture of A roads and m.ways and get 43mpg each leg(according to the trip..but thats another story). Therefore I am obviously expecting more from the Long Life service than a standard petrol car doing urban driving

Audi are not interested stating that the sensors are constantly monitoring..blah..blah.
But actually, what are they monitoring ? Just the oil condition ? I suppose this is the only factor which should determine when an oil service is due ?

Also interested in how you are getting on with the service intervals as the car clocks up the miles ?

Ta

Mine didn't show any signs of changing. I sold it last month and it was about 1k short of the 3rd service at 33k. What I couldn't understand with the multi is how come it was going 11k, when my manual version of the same car went 17k. Same engine, had them both from new, and same age when sold. Mt A5 Sportback is saying 18k to the next service, albeit it;s only on 1400 miles.

[hoyleap]

Mine is now 3.5 years old with 93k miles on the clock and service intervals are a consistent 13k -14k apart. I got nowhere with Audi or the SMMT but did undertake an oil analysis test just prior to one service which did indicate that the oil was due for replacement. I don't therefore have an issue with the miles between services but do have an issue with Audi's misleading statements about long life service intervals. I did ask them to provide evidence to support their claims but they continued to ignore the question. One response from Audi regarding service intervals was as follows "Many factors are taken into account, such as oil degredation, how often your oil is topped up, how often your bonnet is opened, driving styles, type of fuel used and many more." Please let me know if you have any success with Audi - I might be tempted to have another go at them if you do.

[Richard Lacey]

Hi Guys,

Bit new to this forum, but having similar issues with my A6 Avant with the 2 lite TDI engine, multitronic gearbox. Firstly my first service is indicating due at about 11300 miles, which considering I drive the thing pretty sedately and generally on longer journeys, I was rather surprised by. In view of what others have said on this I shall need to monitor the thing carefully.

More irritating, however, are a couple of issues with the gearbox. Increasingly I am finding that on start up when cold the gearbox takes significantly more revs to deliver any appreciable power, about 2300 vs 14-1500 revs for a fairly gentle pull away. This used to stop after about 20 minutes, but I have discovered that by flooring the accelerator briefly the revs will drop down to normal running straight away.

I also find that on odd occasions I get periods when the revs will not drop below 1500 until I bring the car to a stand with the foot brake on, which can be a bit disconcerting in traffic. Finally I have had two occasions, curiously both in the same place, when on coming to a halt and with drive engaged, the revs have shot up to 5000+ and I have had to switch the engine off. On starting up again there was no problem.

I have had the car into Southampton Audi, who say they can't find anything wrong, no fault codes in the computer etc, and no probelm on road test. I will try again when it goes in for service, but I wondered whether anyone else out there was having similar issues? I'm beginning to think I have a rogue gearbox. Any thoughts?

Regards

Richard

[Crasher]

Ask them to change the CVT fluid.