1.9 TDI, sump plug fell out??

[Gringo76]

Looking for any comments, as I am stumped!

Audi A4 avant, 2004, 130bhp
Serviced 10k ago, in november at main dealer
Went in to different dealer yesterday for quick assessment of a rattling noise under bonnet
They said was aircon compressor on way out, but at £1000, I am not having it done there
This morning, 50 miles into journey, oil pressure light on motorway
Crawled maybe a mile to where I could stop and taken back to dealer

They reckon the sump plug has fallen out. There's no damage to the sump or cross threading.
They confirm they didn't touch it yesterday.......

Anyone heard of a sump plug falling out after 10000 miles??
Feasible or am I being fobbed off?

Welcome your comments

Thanks in advance

[nickeym1]

Looking for any comments, as I am stumped!

Audi A4 avant, 2004, 130bhp
Serviced 10k ago, in november at main dealer
Went in to different dealer yesterday for quick assessment of a rattling noise under bonnet
They said was aircon compressor on way out, but at £1000, I am not having it done there
This morning, 50 miles into journey, oil pressure light on motorway
Crawled maybe a mile to where I could stop and taken back to dealer

They reckon the sump plug has fallen out. There's no damage to the sump or cross threading.
They confirm they didn't touch it yesterday.......

Anyone heard of a sump plug falling out after 10000 miles??
Feasible or am I being fobbed off?

Welcome your comments

Thanks in advance

That sounds like a load of crap to me mate i changed the oil in my a4 last week and believe me the sump plug would not fall out unless it was tampered with. By any chance i wonder would they have done this to your car in the hopes you would bring back to them and they could charge you an arm and a leg for refilling with oil and and new sump bolt. Just my thoughts mate but is it not a little coincidental that it happened so soon after they had the car

[Gringo76]

That's what I suspect!

It wasn't in for service, just a visual check to see what the rattling was!
They shouldn't have touched anything!

Problem is, how can I prove it was their fault?
Am I likely to have engine damage?

[nevo]

Theres no way a properly tightened sump plug will come undone,impossible to prove who's fault it is,as regard damage if you stopped sharpish you may get away with it,is there any oil puddle on the undertray?I would give that garage a very wide birth.

[NickPicks]

If it was replaced with a new plug at the last service, and torqued to the correct setting, then it shouldn't have come loose and fallen out, but I have had nuts work themselves loose in the past, so I'd say that although it's unlikely, it is possible that it's just conicidence.

I really can't imagine someone loosening the sump plug when asked to investigate a rattle, just in the hope that you'll bring it back to them to pay £99 for an oil and filter change.

[nevo]

Incidentally the rattle you describe is almost certainly the air con clutch on the front of the compressor with can be replaced,there's no way the garage will admit liability,take it to a recommended indie.

[nickeym1]

If it was replaced with a new plug at the last service, and torqued to the correct setting, then it shouldn't have come loose and fallen out, but I have had nuts work themselves loose in the past, so I'd say that although it's unlikely, it is possible that it's just conicidence.

I really can't imagine someone loosening the sump plug when asked to investigate a rattle, just in the hope that you'll bring it back to them to pay £99 for an oil and filter change.

Maybe they planned on billing him for more than an oil change and sump bolt. Or maby there was confusion as to what the car was in for in the first place and the mechanic went to give it a standard service and was then told that it wasnt in for a service then just threw the undertray back on without tightening back up the sump bolt.


I could not possibly be coincidence that the bolt fell out the day after being in the garage and even if it did wouldnt that mean the garage would be liable seeing as they done the last oil change. A lot of ifs and buts but as he says how can he prove anything one way or another.
Id be finding a trustworthy indy somewhere and never step foot back in that garage again.
Sorry just realised you brought it to a different dealer

[A4 Lad]

You will probably find that someone ( ytp person ) has been messing about.
Lets face it, IF your bung had been that loose to fall out, it would have been leaking pretty bad for a while.
You will never prove this but it is very unprofessional


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk as I cant be ***** turning on my laptop !

[Gringo76]

Thanks for everyones comments

Back home now after 4 hours in dealership!
New sump plug, new oil, checked turbo and road test, no admission of liability but to be fair they didn't charge me. Whole day wasted tho :-(

No guarantee but there may not have been any damage done to the engine, happened at 80mph and had to limp about a mile to find somewhere safe to pull up.....
But she's running fine so fingers crossed.......

[Gringo76]

Incidentally the rattle you describe is almost certainly the air con clutch on the front of the compressor with can be replaced,there's no way the garage will admit liability,take it to a recommended indie.

Thanks pal, is it an easy job or garage to deal?