A4 Head gasket failure.

[260 KMN]

Hi All, just signed up so here goes with the first post.
I own a 2004 A4 2.0FSI Avant, bought 6 months old with 9k on it.
After about 17k the management light came on, took it to the dealers who initially said it needs a new engine, thanks guys. After a month i finally got it back to find that the head gasket had been replaced, so they said.
Is this a common fault on this engine ?, and is it likely to go again. As the mileage now is approaching 30k i am starting to get a little worried.

[MCCLATCHIE]

Hi This may put your mind at rest there is an addative that you can buy just put this into your rad bottle and if the head gasket is to fail on any water ways this will seek and plug. Look on Ebay I know the stuff from the states will work with antifreeze. It worked on my mates ford.

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Hi All, just signed up so here goes with the first post.

Welcome to the forum.

I own a 2004 A4 2.0FSI Avant, bought 6 months old with 9k on it.
After about 17k the management light came on, took it to the dealers who initially said it needs a new engine, thanks guys. After a month i finally got it back to find that the head gasket had been replaced, so they said.
Is this a common fault on this engine ?, and is it likely to go again. As the mileage now is approaching 30k i am starting to get a little worried.

Would that be the turbo 200Ps engine?

Engine management light does NOT mean new engine, nor head gasket failure.

Is the IoM covered by the same Data Protection laws on the UK mainland? If so, write to the garage - I assume an Audi main dealer, asking for full documentary evidence of all diagnostic works, all workshop procedures, and all parts fitted.

I know of no faults with the 2.0 FSI engines, and it looks like you have seriously been ripped off!

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Hi This may put your mind at rest there is an addative that you can buy just put this into your rad bottle and if the head gasket is to fail on any water ways this will seek and plug. Look on Ebay I know the stuff from the states will work with antifreeze. It worked on my mates ford.

What tosh are you talking about? Are you a snake oil salesman?

Do you not realise that Audi expressly prohibit the use of additives in either the coolant or the engine oil.

VAG products are engineered to completely different standards, compared to your "Found On a Rubbish Dump"

[skymaster]

I Am taking a guess that a 2004 car woudl still be covered under warranty. Unless it was Feb 2004 but then you say it's been with them a month so should have been in the warranty period.

Sounds more like a machanic with 'I have no idea whats causing this fault, I could spend 3 hours trying to diagnose it or cover all possibilities and fit a new engine and gain 20 hours of warranty time added to my time sheet. Mmmmm what shall I do???

The true irony will come if the light comes back on again (For your sake I hope it doesn't)

[Teutonic_Tamer]

You can not be serious,

Who do you think you are - John Macenro <sp????>

i assume this work has been carried out under warranty.

I'm not too sure about the warranty. The original poster is on the Isle of Mann, who are not part of the UK, hence no third year UK dealer warranty.

Oh please come on how many cars do you know that need a head gasket done at 13k intervals?? let alone one produced by a top German manufacturer.

Agreed, it smells fishier than Grimsby docks!

Im sorry but if you paid for that work to be carried out , you were well and truly had, why say it needed a new engine only then to do the head gasket?? could they not tell the difference?? did they explain this to you?? did they explain why they diagnoise that a new engine was needed in the first place?? did you ask ? as i sure as hell would of done on a car of that year and of that milage , why did they keep the car for a month??

There seems to be muppetry on both sides - though one side clearly has the bigger cupboard of Jim Henshaw (??) puppets!

[260 KMN]

Wow, that caused an angry response from some people.
Yes the car was still under warranty so it was FOC and they paid the ferry costs as well.
We have no dealer here on the IOM so Lancaster Audi in Liverpool did the work. Why it took 4 weeks is any ones guess, they did give me a loner in the meantime tho.
The receipt that i eventually got from them for the work done, just said gaskets replaced, on it.
The only way you could tell that anything had actually been done was the oil leak from the cam cover gasket which my local Seat dealer replaced, again paid for by Audi.
Although the dealer service was *****, Audi customer services were excellent and did their best to chase the dealer.
My original question, if you can remember, was, is "head gasket failure" a known problem on the 2.0FSI non turbo engine, which according to teutonic tamer it is not.

Suppose only time will tell.

[onzarob]

Welcome to the forum.

Great that you have it sorted and a good response from Audi. Let us know if anythin else crops up.

As to the angry responses, this is not indicative of the site and not really acceptable guys try and be a little warmer you are being watched!!

Rob

[Teutonic_Tamer]

Wow, that caused an angry response from some people.

Hang on a mo, I don't think there were any "angry" responses (appart from my attack at the snake oil salesman, who had no actual solution to your initial post).

I just think the majority of posters were a little surprised, to say the least at your need for a new engine!! I think is was the lack of a fuller explanation from yourself which may have slightly frustrated others, including myself, but again I state no one was being angry to you

Yes the car was still under warranty so it was FOC and they paid the ferry costs as well.

That's good to hear. BTW, do you still get the full 3 year warranty like we do on the mainland?

We have no dealer here on the IOM

Interesting . . . what about VW/Seat/Skoda dealers - who should all have been able to do Audi warranty work?

so Lancaster Audi in Liverpool did the work. Why it took 4 weeks is any ones guess, they did give me a loner in the meantime tho.

Maybe some parts were on back-order from Germany. My S4 had a clutch and new flywheel changed under warranty, and that was off the road for about a month, due to non-stock of parts!

The receipt that i eventually got from them for the work done, just said gaskets replaced, on it.

Only the gaskets?? I would be inclined to ask for copies of the workshop jobcards.

The only way you could tell that anything had actually been done was the oil leak from the cam cover gasket which my local Seat dealer replaced, again paid for by Audi.

What, after the Audi garage had done the original warranty work?? They should have fitted a new cam cover gasket too!

Although the dealer service was *****, Audi customer services were excellent and did their best to chase the dealer.

Not surprised at the first bit of your sentence, I am surprised at the second bit though!

My original question, if you can remember, was, is "head gasket failure" a known problem on the 2.0FSI non turbo engine, which according to teutonic tamer it is not.

I personally have never heard of problems - but that don't mean they are perfik!

You may wish to have a shufty at the Vortex forum http://forums.vwvortex.com/zeroforum?id=739 though you will have to sift through all the "tuning" dross that plagues the boards from the other side of the pond!

Suppose only time will tell.

Quite - and I'm sure we would all be keen to be kept updated on any future developments you may (but hopefully don't) have!