Audi 3.0 tdi work reqd!!

[stevemr]

I have an A4 Cab 3.0 tdi manual. I bought it last year with only 16000 miles on the clock its an immaculate manual s line and it was my intention to keep it a long time. Had thought the 3.0 tdi with manual was a very reliable unit!

Had enough of crawling around under classics so thought I would buy a nice modern cab to use for holidays etc. and live with the depreciation by keeping it 10 years. That was the theory!

So took it for a service and MOT this week at a main dealer £455 with brake fluid change, so a bit steep but it wont need doing for another 2 years so I can live with that.

However it needs a new starter motor and a new intake manifold flap motor ! total cost £1097.

Thankfully still under warrenty, apparently the starter motor solenoid teminals corrode and the new ones are silver plated!
The intake manifold flap motor is a known problem, but they can not just replace the other one until its faulty by which time of course it will be out of warrenty.

Very surprised to see this sort of expense on a 4 year old car with 19500 miles on the clock.

So now wondering if this is a one off or if I am going to be faced with some serious bills if I keep the car a while??

[jdp1962]

Sorry to hear about the bills you have incurred, but I don't think anyone has the predictive powers to answer your question about what will happen in future.

[stevemr]

I havent incurred any bills its still under warrenty, just wondering whether to expect this sort of thing!

[kite]

Take the car off longlife servicing and change the oil and filter once a year.
Minifold flap motors are prone to fail.

[stevemr]

i wonder if I will notice any difference at all driving it when the flap has been changed, it certainly did not feel short of power!

[john-mandy]

Been driving my 3.0L for 12 months with bank1 intake manifold motor not working.
I have no known issues, i test regularly with my vcds, cars just passed the MOT, no problems with emissions and smoke test passed wihout fault. I have noticed no decrease in performance and MPG seem normal.
I am sure with mine the motor broke down in the open position allowing full airflow to move through the manifold, so maybe this is why it doesn,t throw the emissions light.
I would appeal to any member buying a 3.0L outside warranty to check the intake manifolds for problems before purchasing, it can get costly.

Just for the record, talking to audi they state that its not just a matter of changing the motor, you have to use a special vag tool to set the open/close positions for the motor, so taking away any chance of a reasonably cheaper fix.
Motor probably costs on average £200, fitting costs another £300+.

Check the vcds section, first couple of posts related to fault codes, you will find a member with a new motor still registering a fault with vcds, i think because of the above explanation. Hope someone can post a different opinion.

john

[jdp1962]

Take the car off longlife servicing and change the oil and filter once a year.

Hear, hear! When I bought mine, I had the supplying dealer recode it for fixed annual service intervals.

Audi Variable Servicing? Gaah!

[B7Vic]

I bought my A4 with 3.0tdi in Nov last year. Noticed it's always had a longlife servicing and since I do a bit of driving in town (not much tho) and cover no more than 8000 miles a year, I thought perhaps it would be a good idea to switch to servicing with shorter time intervals inbetween. what do you guys think? would it be a wise thing to do. I still don't quite understand what service is best for what sort of driving.

[john-mandy]

Hi B7vic,

I,ve just booked the car in for the 12 month-10,000 mile service, my car has been on longlife service from day 1, it has never managed to pass 14 months before the service light came on and the worst result was 11 months, so longlife service too me doesn,t quite stack up.
I find having the same oil for 2 years if your lucky seems too long, so i,m now going on 12 months, but replacing standard oil for the longlife equivelent, i think 5-30 fully synthetic.

john