A3 losing power

**Lindsay A3** · 07-02-2011,03:25 PM

Hey All,

Was wondering if you can help me as I think my Audi dealership is trying rob me!!!
I have an 54 reg A3 2.0 TDi that has nearly 80,000 miles on the clock. When driving on the motorway at 70mph, I put my foot down to accelerate and lose all power to the accelerator. This will happen on average 3 times on a journey of approx 100 miles. If I pull over, switch the engine off and re-start then I seem to get power back. But it can vary how long this will last for before it faults again. My emmision control system light comes on when this happens and will stay on for a couple of days, but will then clear. Lately my EPS light has also been coming on. The dealership cant seem to get it fault when they have it in with them. I have had the N75 changed, but this has made no difference.
I have looked on some previous posts and wonder if it may be related to the boost system in my turbo charger??
I dont know much about cars and wanted some advice on what to say to the dealership, and anything I can check to see if they have checked things on my car.
Hope you can help, and ta very much in advance

Lindsay

**Mike Foster** · 07-02-2011,03:50 PM

Your car is going into 'limp' mode to protect it from further damage !

Usually to do with turbo 'overboost' which is caused by sticking vanes in the turbo.

Take it to a VAG specialist and get them to do a diagnostic scan on it. That will find any fault codes that have been thrown up. If your dealership is a VAG specialist then take it to another one because this is a common fault with that engine at that mileage !

Any white smoke when you first start it ?

**JON76** · 07-02-2011,09:05 PM

Please don't automatically think the dealer is trying to rob you!! If it's an intermittent fault and it won't fault at the dealers they might have difficulty diagnosing it.

A few months ago, mine kept stalling so I took it to Audi who couldn't get it to fault and couldn't find any fault codes in it. They returned it to me no fault found and I paid the £88 diagnostic charge. A few weeks later the same fault returned so I took it in again and politely told them I expected a diagnostic to be carried out free of charge as it was the same fault that they had failed to diagnose the first time. The service manager agreed to check it for free and that time they found the fault.

So my advice (assuming you have already paid for it to be checked) would be to take it back in, tell them you've already paid for a diagnostic which failed to find the fault and ask them to check it again free of charge. If you don't ask you don't get!

Also I would advise to keep a log of when the fault has occurred, what speed you were doing, whether the engine was warm or cold, how long you switched the engine off before you got going again etc. Write it all down and give a copy of it to the dealer - the more information the better really.

**Lindsay A3** · 08-02-2011,01:26 PM

Hey Mike,

Thank you very much for the advice. I dont appear to have white smoke when I first start my car. I have checked with the dealership this morning and they are VAG specialists, and have finally managed to get it to fault on them. So will have to wait and see what they say is wrong and how much it will cost! Do you think it will warrent a new turbo or can you change the vanes alone?

Thanks again

Lindsay

**Lindsay A3** · 08-02-2011,01:36 PM

Hey John,

Thanks for your advice. Was wary off how much I have been paying as I have had the car in for this fault several times in the past year, which has cost me quite a bit. I know intemittent faults are hard to diagnose, but had got extremely frustrated as my car is my pride and joy :0). I have spoken to them about not paying for another diagnostic charge and they are now not going to charge me for this current diagnositic that it has had.

Thanks for the advice

Lindsay

**kite** · 08-02-2011,01:45 PM

If it is coked up turbo vanes, they can be cleaned...

**Mike Foster** · 08-02-2011,04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Lindsay A3

Hey Mike,

Thank you very much for the advice. I dont appear to have white smoke when I first start my car. I have checked with the dealership this morning and they are VAG specialists, and have finally managed to get it to fault on them. So will have to wait and see what they say is wrong and how much it will cost! Do you think it will warrent a new turbo or can you change the vanes alone?

Thanks again

Lindsay

Glad to hear they've found something !

I don't think you can replace the vanes but as said they can be cleaned.

Hopefully you won't need a new turbo!!

Good luck !

**Lindsay A3** · 11-02-2011,04:19 PM

Hey Mike,

Need a new turbo and am having my car serviced, so think it is going to be an expensive month :_( Thanks for your help

Lindsay

**Mike Foster** · 12-02-2011,03:11 PM

Originally Posted by Lindsay A3

Hey Mike,

Need a new turbo and am having my car serviced, so think it is going to be an expensive month :_( Thanks for your help

Lindsay

Sorry to hear that Lindsay but after a full service and new turbo it will be like a new car.

Don't know whether it's had a cambelt replaced but at that mileage it needs to be ! See if you can do a deal with the garage to have that done as well.

My longlife service and cambelt cost £535 (at previous VAT rate ) and just had a recon. turbo fitted for £725.

Good luck !

**Lindsay A3** · 14-02-2011,07:13 PM

Originally Posted by Mike Foster

Sorry to hear that Lindsay but after a full service and new turbo it will be like a new car.

Don't know whether it's had a cambelt replaced but at that mileage it needs to be ! See if you can do a deal with the garage to have that done as well.

My longlife service and cambelt cost £535 (at previous VAT rate ) and just had a recon. turbo fitted for £725.

Good luck !

Hi Mike,

My turbo has cost me about the same, so am happy with that, and had my cambelt done last year. However got a call the other day to say that my CV bolt??? has gone (something to do with protecting dirt etc from getting into my suspension??!) and my drive shaft, and front and rear wipers. So am currently looking at a bill of just under £2500. THough i would rather not pay it as long as it sorts the car then i will be happy. Can you advise me of anything else that could go wrong with a car of my mileage, or do you think that it will be liking driving a new audi!!! Thanks again for all your help. Sorry am a bit sporadic replying but work long shifts