Why is it that A3 1.6 Sport drinks so much petrol?

[Eshrules]

Sorry wasn't clear what i should have said was my uncle HAS serviced the car each year, as i checked the paperwork and he has a full service every year, he's the type of person who would run tot he garage for any little thing lol! Thats why in some sense the A3 has lasted this long and most people think its new! The only issue is the engine management ligjt coming on which bugs me! But i only just got this A3 few monthettttling into it and understanding the type of car audis are. I will take it in for. A service that will mark a new lease of ownership lol

So the car has been serviced regularly - why did you think it hadn't been touched for 4 years?

Still slightly confused - if the car has been regularly maintained, why hasn't the garage (who are in full knowledge of the fault(s)) addressed the issue(s) causing the EML?

An A3 is just a car, like any other - it should be no more difficult to maintain than the other brands it shares the stable with (e.g. VW, Seat & Skoda) but the best part is that because it has those four rings it'll cost twice as much as the others

[Sam]

My head hurts.

If it's been serviced every year without fail unless it's due for a service now, there's no need to service it at all and probably no point wasting any money just yet.

It might be wise to mention (again) that there are various belts that need changing regularly - nothing is more important thank this at the moment. Can you see in the documentation when the belts were last changed and at what mileage?

[ldyeruea]

So the car has been serviced regularly - why did you think it hadn't been touched for 4 years?

Still slightly confused - if the car has been regularly maintained, why hasn't the garage (who are in full knowledge of the fault(s)) addressed the issue(s) causing the EML?

An A3 is just a car, like any other - it should be no more difficult to maintain than the other brands it shares the stable with (e.g. VW, Seat & Skoda) but the best part is that because it has those four rings it'll cost twice as much as the others

sorry didn't make my last message clear as i was out and about. what i was trying to say was on the past paperwork there has been a sevrice each year. its just in 2010 it says full service but every year my uncle got other stuff done on the car since 2010 so therefore i was thinking there hadn't been a full service but as im looking at it now, hes had spark plug changes, oil filter, brake fluid cambelt cover, air filter cooling system ECU e.t.c. blah blah balah so its all been done every year but since its my first proper car, i've gone thru the manual and i want to understand how the audi works tbh, so i will take it in for a service. had an MOT last month and they replaced a few bits (it failed on the first test), the ball joints attached the nearside left wheel was knackered, my headlights didnt pass its brightness test and my passenger door wouldn't open!

The EML came on just before my MOT, I told the garage and he looked into and (this ALWAYS happened), for as long as my uncle can remember, its just the computer code according to him and the guy at the mechanic, thats the thing with electronic systems, they start messing around, especially on the Audi's as i hear from others Since then, he couldn't find any actualy fault, and that light has since gone off, but I don't know if that light could just be a sensor issue...but when i get the full service i'll get him to check it all,

The only actualy issue is that overheating which has been a history factor with the car. according to my uncle its happened quite a few times so not sure, the ECU was replaced and all things tried...haven't had an overheating issues but won't bother waiting to find out lol!!!! must get that full service!!!

[ldyeruea]

My head hurts.

If it's been serviced every year without fail unless it's due for a service now, there's no need to service it at all and probably no point wasting any money just yet.

It might be wise to mention (again) that there are various belts that need changing regularly - nothing is more important thank this at the moment. Can you see in the documentation when the belts were last changed and at what mileage?

loool ur head hurts haha

Well actually on my instrumental panel, it has told me to bring it in for a service. That came on a month ago, I've had the car since March, done about 1,200miles on it already (I think) so I would say, I need to bring it in asap for cambelt change as its been over 2 years since its been changed. don't know the mileage but i'd just take it in as i'm meant tobe going up north next month. I'll ave to get all this done in time.

[Eshrules]

sorry didn't make my last message clear as i was out and about. what i was trying to say was on the past paperwork there has been a sevrice each year. its just in 2010 it says full service but every year my uncle got other stuff done on the car since 2010 so therefore i was thinking there hadn't been a full service but as im looking at it now, hes had spark plug changes, oil filter, brake fluid cambelt cover, air filter cooling system ECU e.t.c. blah blah balah so its all been done every year but since its my first proper car, i've gone thru the manual and i want to understand how the audi works tbh, so i will take it in for a service. had an MOT last month and they replaced a few bits (it failed on the first test), the ball joints attached the nearside left wheel was knackered, my headlights didnt pass its brightness test and my passenger door wouldn't open!

The EML came on just before my MOT, I told the garage and he looked into and (this ALWAYS happened), for as long as my uncle can remember, its just the computer code according to him and the guy at the mechanic, thats the thing with electronic systems, they start messing around, especially on the Audi's as i hear from others Since then, he couldn't find any actualy fault, and that light has since gone off, but I don't know if that light could just be a sensor issue...but when i get the full service i'll get him to check it all,

The only actualy issue is that overheating which has been a history factor with the car. according to my uncle its happened quite a few times so not sure, the ECU was replaced and all things tried...haven't had an overheating issues but won't bother waiting to find out lol!!!! must get that full service!!!

If you have an EML active and the vehicle has a history (?) of overheating, you must get it to a reputable garage that knows what it is doing and have the fault investigated. Any garage that says something like "thats the thing with electronic systems, they start messing around, especially on the Audi's" clearly does not have the first clue.

loool ur head hurts haha

Well actually on my instrumental panel, it has told me to bring it in for a service. That came on a month ago, I've had the car since March, done about 1,200miles on it already (I think) so I would say, I need to bring it in asap for cambelt change as its been over 2 years since its been changed. don't know the mileage but i'd just take it in as i'm meant tobe going up north next month. I'll ave to get all this done in time.

timing belt is (IMHO and per general consensus) 4 years or 60k, whichever comes first

[NickPicks]

The EML came on just before my MOT, I told the garage and he looked into and (this ALWAYS happened), for as long as my uncle can remember, its just the computer code according to him and the guy at the mechanic, thats the thing with electronic systems, they start messing around, especially on the Audi's as i hear from others Since then, he couldn't find any actualy fault, and that light has since gone off, but I don't know if that light could just be a sensor issue...but when i get the full service i'll get him to check it all,

If the EML is on, then the engine management system has logged a fault. Saying "They always do that." is not a good method of diagnosis. Plugging it into vagcom and reading the fault codes is the best first step, then either looking them up on the ross-tech wiki, or posting them here is the best second step. You can then decide whether the fault code means something needs fixing / replacing, or if it is "just a sensor playing up" (which actually means it's going to need replacing)

[SammoVWT]

The only actualy issue is that overheating which has been a history factor with the car. according to my uncle its happened quite a few times so not sure, the ECU was replaced and all things tried...haven't had an overheating issues but won't bother waiting to find out lol!!!! must get that full service!!!

This bit bothers me the most. Cooling system and ECU replaced. ECU sounds like I don't know what it is so lets put in a new ECU instead of finding the actual problem.

I will echo what has been said already, fault code scan is a must. Keep an eye on your coolant level. If it starts dropping, try to find out where its going.

Also with my 1.6 I find that trying to get it into 5th whenever I can helps with MPG. However I think your MPG issues seem to be a secondary issue to something else.

[ldyeruea]

This bit bothers me the most. Cooling system and ECU replaced. ECU sounds like I don't know what it is so lets put in a new ECU instead of finding the actual problem.

I will echo what has been said already, fault code scan is a must. Keep an eye on your coolant level. If it starts dropping, try to find out where its going.

Also with my 1.6 I find that trying to get it into 5th whenever I can helps with MPG. However I think your MPG issues seem to be a secondary issue to something else.

lol, no the ECU was replaced, he did get a second expert opinion, and it was suggested due to the link of overheating. I do trust this guy simply because my unlce has been going to him, he is a VWAudi specialis, and i have had numerous others with audis say he does a good work. and he's never had "problems" on a scale thats unwarranted for a kind of a car like the a3. This car has never failed in its 14 years (10 of which my uncle has had and successfully kept it going) so although what i jus wrote above comes across as "I don't know what im doing lets jus do this and that" this guy actually knows how this car behaves. It certainly, from the paperwork, not the first time its done this nonsense. And yes, as soon as the light came on, Ii even went to Kwik Fit and they said my collant level is fine (I even chekced it myself as well), 2 people said could be the sensors causing the dahsboard panel to flicker sometimes. It does happen, but not very often as I say.

I knew its a fault scan so i'll also get that done in case other damage is being done within the body of the engine compartment that i don't know about!

[ldyeruea]

It was on for a while....then it stopped. Can this diagnosis of vagcom be done by myself where i can buy the software equipment or do i need to just take it i simply??

Those sensors (*eyes roll*) lol...

[ldyeruea]

Last year (july 2013) got the following work done (my uncle owned it at the time) - Coolant flange asembly. antifreeze, bolt twice, temp sender switch, temp sensor seal,
in 2012, got the air, oil pollen fuel filtesr, 4 spark plugs, engine oil lubricants, rear axle bush, manifold seals, oil cap, breather
in 2011, coolant hose cluster, antifreeze
in 2010, dip stick guide, cam belt cover, breather tube, plug, seal antifreeze, brake fluid, HT lead SH, Air, oil, fuel, pollen filters,4 spark plugs (also comments write exhaust mounting bracket broken. camshaft sensor fault, timing belt history unknown, traced fault with miss fire, supply & fit hy lead & tested, carried out full service, renenwed brake fluid, supply & fit collant blanking plug, drained cooling system and added anti freeze blead system * rechecked, supply & fit engine breather hose7
in 2009, all filters (Air, oil, fuel, pollen) done, full service. ENGINE MANAGEMENT LIGHT TWO FAULT CODES 16522 02 sensor 16726 CPS, Checked and adjusted tracking, (Plus coolaant leak??? timing belt cover broken. breather pipe slit. tracking out. front anti roll bar bushes worn. off side front wish bone bush worn. Rear windscreen washer u/s. timing belt done by main dealer. power steering pipe leaking?)

SO this is just a summary of each year's most recent service that my uncle had on the car before I took on the responsibility lol!