Sunroof doomsday scenario?

[Wuffles]

Sunny day today, why not break open the old sunroof for a bit of sunshine?

[you know where this is going right?]

Oh hang on, it's gone very cloudy, better close the old sunroof.

[I can't keep up the suspense]

Oh wait, it won't. Tries to close, sensor detects something (which is nothing) in the way and springs the roof back open again.

Meanwhile, the Wife's frantically scrabbling around in the book to try and find the over-ride...Just press the button again within 5 seconds of it reopening. Nope. Does the same thing. Stop the car to make sure there's nothing in the way of the sensor, all seems fine. Give it a reboot, no difference.

15 minutes later, here comes the rain.

Some cursing and a spot of button pressing that would have easily won me Gold in Daley Thompson's Decathlon in an arcade in the 80s and it closes.

We're taking it to the supplying dealers this time (Swindon Audi) to see if they can fix that and a bunch of other things that need looking at.

I have already told the call centre that received my service appointment request that if it "springs open" of its own volition, it's not down to me.

[danny931]

Had a similar problem on my VW Tiguan. Wouldn't close, or would close a bit then open again etc. It went back a few times, regreased and adjusted but the fault would still be there. Eventually they replaced some clips with smaller ones and everything was fine after that.

[Wuffles]

Cheers, first time it's done this that I am aware of, I'm positive it won't be the last.

By the way, Audi Assist (RAC) said they'd have bagged it to tide us over. Imagine that? Awesome.

[Whippy53]

Wuffles, you must have been a real ******* in a previous existence.

[Wuffles]

Wuffles, you must have been a real ******* in a previous existence.

I know. I shouldn't go near that car, it only ever goes wrong when I'm in the hot seat.

I wouldn't want this car (at all, but that's a different story) outside of warranty.

[ScottyA6]

Funny but only from here !

I had the same experience in an XJ-S Convertible once. We were coming back from York Races and the 'darling' thing would not close. There was some thing in the book about turning a valve so you could close it manually but to be honest by the time you found said valve, figured it out and got the roof up you were going to be just as drenched. Mrs was in her Ladies Day best and looked like a drowned rat by the time we got back, how we laughed- well, some time after she started speaking to me again anyway !

These big modern multi panel roofs look like a recipe for trouble to me, we don't get to use them in this country enough and like most things mechanical that it not good.

[Wuffles]

Have just explained to a helpful chap at Swindon Audi that I won't be paying anything towards the excess waiver. Their excess is £1000 same as Taunton Audi by the way.

I used this simple argument:

"I will not be paying a thing to you given this car has spent in excess of 30 days in varying dealerships being repaired since it was purchased in May 2012, from you."

There was a moment's silence, some brief attempt at getting me to see reason and then agreement.

Wife's dropping the car in there next Monday evening and they're giving her something to manage with for the rest of the week, picking up on Thursday, or failing that Friday. There's a list of things for them to look at, I'll get them to re-check a few things that Bristol Audi couldn't find anything wrong with, but I'm also keen for them to check the alignment of the rear bumper as it's pretty bad in places. Oh, and the colour.

[Whippy53]

Good luck with that, lets hope they see reason. Like to see you resolve some of those issues.

[Wuffles]

They're the ones we (NOW we find out) should have driven the car to when the problems first started, thrown the keys at and said, money back please. They were heavily involved in the investigation Audi whitewashed so they must know they're in the firing line as far as how I feel about them.

So yes, pull up a chair and see how this pans out.

I have popcorn.

[boof]

Some cursing and a spot of button pressing that would have easily won me Gold in Daley Thompson's Decathlon in an arcade in the 80s and it closes.


:D

Have you kept up the servicing on the sunroof? i.e does the sunroof have FASH?



;)

I jest. Glad I don't have one. What a pain. To add to all your other pains.

[Wuffles]

I know, can you imagine them using that little get out? Luckily last time it was looked at it was serviced. Probably the last time it was opened too if I'm honest.

[Wuffles]

Got until next Monday to compile this list, anyone got anything to add to my vague diagnostics? I'm having to explain some of the things as they've not seen it since they removed the delivery chocks they left in when the missus bought it.

Front left parking sensor continuous false alarm on more than one occasion - checked interference from outside object and nothing found. Am told this is a potentially failing sensor.

Sunroof - failed sensor?

Noisy & sticking mirrors on startup - known issue.

Reaffix rear bumper as it’s looking a lot more like a repaired bumper now - repaired before (failed sensor bracket meant new bumper, re-spray, re-re-spray and finally, re-re-re-spray, has also been reaffixed before during last service).

Screen sometimes doesn’t come out at all - known issue.

Screen also appears to sometimes come out after car has been running for over a minute, thus making the reversing sensor display pointless. I had been asked to video this happening, I haven’t managed to catch it, too infrequent. Perhaps something to do with the complete failure of the screen coming out - see point above.

Is it worth mentioning the wind noise? They're having this thing for the best part of a week, they may actually look into this stuff rather than fob me off so I wanted to get it all checked out.

Cheers.

[Wuffles]

Oh, and fuel cap cover flap has stopped opening 100% of the time, luckily it happened before it was dropped off tonight, so it was added to the list. Is this a known problem does anyone know?

And yes I was the one driving the car when it first happened. I thought it was just me not doing it right.

[boof]

Oh, and fuel cap cover flap has stopped opening 100% of the time, luckily it happened before it was dropped off tonight, so it was added to the list. Is this a known problem does anyone know?

And yes I was the one driving the car when it first happened. I thought it was just me not doing it right.

Mine, as of last fillup, does this. Not got round to having a proper look. A quick look suggests the mechanism is all intact it just..sticks..?

I thought it might just be dirty and need a good clean out.

Anyway - be interested to see if you get it fixed. Not sure if it's classed as a known issue but you're not the only one. And nice to know I'm not either!

I do hope this isn't your list of ailments starting to infect the rest of us though ;)

[Wuffles]

I think a lock/unlock seems to work it loose, for now anyway. I'll let you know what comes of it.

Interestingly though, even though some of ours are warranty covered issues, this dealership seemed to intimate that a couple of the jobs are chargeable, not by us of course, but by the last dealership that "fixed" them and perhaps didn't do a bang up job.

So the bumper thing must have been charged back to Taunton about 5 times now if that's correct? Serves them right, clueless numpties with a bucket of Gripfill trying to fix a £40k car.

[Whippy53]

Mine stuck last week, heartstopping when you're at the pumps, nozzle in hand and an empty tank!!:aargh4::aargh4:

[Wuffles]

Mine stuck last week, heartstopping when you're at the pumps, nozzle in hand and an empty tank!!:aargh4::aargh4:

Heartstopping?! Felix Baumgartner bottled it when I asked him if he'd like to drive our car about with the sunroof open on a Winter's day in Somerset. "You need to get some excitement in your life" I told him. Wuss.

[Wuffles]

Heartstopping?! Felix Baumgartner bottled it when I asked him if he'd like to drive our car about with the sunroof open on a Winter's day in Somerset. "You need to get some excitement in your life" I told him. Wuss.

Swindon Audi send you a video of your car and the bits they check giving you an option of whether or not you'd like them to go ahead with any required work that you'd have to put your hand in your pocket for. I've not seen it, Wife said so. Giving you a breakdown of tyres, brake pads, that kind of thing.

They also give you a courtesy car with no fuel in it. How do they even do it? Do they syphon it out in the garage whenever anyone brings it back with fuel in it?

It is an A4 quattro avant, and I quite like the auto gearbox in that one. No lag when switching between gears for manoeuvring, more creep too. And very urgent feeling when you floor it. Not driven a quattro before, just the Subaru version years ago, rock solid like that was. Impressive.

Put it in sport, foot to the floor to pull out of the driveway onto the busy A38 and it was brilliant. Didn't need sport, but then I was only having a quick go in it. The A6 would have wheel spun whilst you experience the feeling of "should I have pulled out then, there's a truck bearing down on me and all I can see is the TC light flashing".

[Wuffles]

So, anyone following this?

Sunroof wasn't a sensor apparently, just a mis-aligned guide rod that was forcing it to pinch and create resistance therefore springing back. They were a little surprised given it had fairly recently been serviced.

Screen pop-up or lack of is (according to them) being addressed in a software update that is being worked on in Germany. I don't know if this is flim-flam but anyway, let's see. Here's his wording:

"The MMI screen not popping up – since the car’s been in, we haven’t been able to fault this, but we have made Audi technical dept aware, and they have informed us that they are currently working on a software patch that will cure this problem, as there have been a number of cars within the network worldwide affected, so once that has been released to the Audi dealerships, we will be able to get that update carried out for you. But in the mean-time we have carried out a few tests, checks and upgrades for the short term and seems to be behaving itself ever since."

Also, "The recall is almost completed". ***? No idea what that is, perhaps the steering update again, no idea.

There was a technical bulletin for the noisy mirrors when unfolding.

New solenoid for the fuel cap filler flap.

Bumper alignment now fixed.

And final bit, the front parking sensor. Am awaiting a callback on this but basically they're blaming it on "damage from external impact" which sounds like a smack in a car park or something to me. However, I've spoken with them and they are suggesting it's a stone chip, dead centre on the sensor that's made it stop working. "I have approached Audi with this to see if they would be willing to cover it due to the many issues you’ve experienced, but they have said that because it’s not a manufacturing defect they wouldn’t be in a position to do this I’m afraid."

I know I have a) a black and white view on most things and b) zero tolerance to smiley people on the phone trying to fob me, but as of right now, it's working in my opinion, just not working fine all the time, which is a fault in my mind. They shouldn't put something on the front of a car that can't withstand a stone chip, although I am sure others will have a different opinion on this.

They've offered to do it for £100 less than it should be (total £230 inc from £330) but I've told them not to bother and I'll take a view another day. They're going to see if they can "apply more pressure" from Audi based on the fault, not the damage. I'm expecting nothing. Think the Wife is collecting the car later.

[boof]

I'm following it!

If only to see what happens about the fuel filler.

Are the parking sensors painted? I can't think. If not then they're probably cheap to fix yourself. Where they need painted is the issue.

I do think they're fragile though. I've had issues with them on all my cars that have had them. Probably best to think of them as consumables.

[Wuffles]

Understood. And I agree. But it's working right now so I won't be paying anyone to fix something that's just partially not working. See what they come back with.

[pumpsmynads]

A sensor hit hard enough to intermittently stop working would show impact signs surely? If it's painted it would be chipped.

[Wuffles]

Yep, not seen it since they've had it. Didn't look like it when the sensor started potentially failing months ago, but I was just looking for obstructions.

[Wuffles]

Ok, so...

Apparently there was nothing wrong with it. Even though before it was apparently broken. Anyway, no errors showing, if it had failed it would have shown on the MMI (not sure how true that is) and as it's not damaged now (after it was reported damaged when they rang Audi etc) should it happen again they'll replace it FOC. Apparently.

Oh, and the missus enquired about what the costs of these things would have been to repair had this all been outside of warranty, he's knocking up a list for her. But he did say that a new sunroof would be...drum roll...about three grand! I believe that is more than when it was originally fitted, so suffice to say, don't get a sunroof :o

[ScottyA6]

A stone chip ? Sounds like a big bunch of collywobblers to me. I've had four cars with parking sensors on them and drive on some pretty manky roads and have never had one fail, and that includes the father in law reversing his bloody Volvo into one of them. I would be on to Audi UK with that one.

I am am glad mine didn't have the sun roof on. Sounds like more trouble than its worth !

[nuty_bloke]

Glad I didn't order a sunroof now!!

[Wuffles]

"I have approached Audi with this to see if they would be willing to cover it due to the many issues you’ve experienced, but they have said that because it’s not a manufacturing defect they wouldn’t be in a position to do this I’m afraid."

This was Audi UK's response unfortunately. It's all I've come to expect from them if I'm honest.