Advice on how to get Audi to replace defective engine?

[SJ_GTI]

No, not obtuse at all, but now that I've seemed to offend you without meaning to, my previous opinion is reinforced.

Good luck with that I guess.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Yeah, but that's because you owned a Hyundai.

My Hyundai went to the dealer once for a broken sunvisor. It was my fault because my fat head banged into it. That was a great little cheap car. My cousin has it now.

[2o6]

Idk sometimes shit happens. If a part gets replaced under warranty I'm less inclined to care.

[giant_mtb]

From a friend...

My Audi Q5's engine died heavily damaged because Audi chose not to recall those engines even though they new they have a faulty timing chain tensioner design. Over a short 170 miles drive to Canada my car went from "I was just serviced and running like a champion" to "I'm dead" with no service light coming up until after its death. (Also, side note, towing from Canada is fun! And complicated.)

Audi recently settled a class action suit about this issue. The suit however seems to only cover the timing chain tensioner and related parts, but a dead engine is "incidental damage" that they don't cover (or very partially based on age of the car and mileage) through the suit, which was however for people who had an issue before. It also extended the chain and tensioner warranty to 100,000 miles.

I bought the car new at my dealership and had it serviced perfectly, always there. They know that and tell me that my service history is absolutely impeccable.

My dealership tells me that Audi wants to help and that my cost would be "only" $5,600 dollars. For a dead engine that happened with absolutely no warning for a problem they knew about and never told me about to proactively fix (replace the defective part).

I plan to walk my way up all the way to Audi America to argue that they should cover the whole work (or this for sure will be my last Audi). Anybody has experience doing that, and has tips? I am starting with the dealership service director tomorrow.

So........is there proof that the timing chain tensioner was the cause of his engine failure?  If not, he's focusing on the wrong fuckin' thing.  You can't just point at a known problem the second anything goes wrong and expect to get a free engine.

[Soup DeVille]

Idk sometimes shit happens. If a part gets replaced under warranty I'm less inclined to care.

Some things, sure.

Major things are a huge red flag.

The transmission on the Acadia was replaced under warranty; and then again out of warranty. GM was a bitch about it too. I wouldn't make excuses for that transmission, and I sure as hell won't defend GM warranty department, or the dealer that sold me that car. If they had been forthcoming about the known problems with that transmission and worked to help replace it, I'd be less inclined to shit on them, but still wouldn't count the experience as "mostly positive."

[12,000 RPM]

I think you are projecting your experience onto everyone else. Sounds like SJ had no such issues with VW

[Soup DeVille]

I think you are projecting your experience onto everyone else. Sounds like SJ had no such issues with VW

Audi. He expects less from VW.

I jist think companies that can't make a reliable product need to be called out on it.

[12,000 RPM]

I jist think companies that can't make a reliable product need to be called out on it.

They are, regularly. Hell, there are companies making reliable cars today that are still getting shitted on for the crap they made decades ago.

He had 4 VWAG products... only one had a problem and they took care of it. What else is he supposed to say?

[SJ_GTI]

They are, regularly. Hell, there are companies making reliable cars today that are still getting shitted on for the crap they made decades ago.

He had 4 VWAG products... only one had a problem and they took care of it. What else is he supposed to say?

You don't have to be my white knight. 

Soup is welcome to his opinion. 

[Soup DeVille]

They are, regularly. Hell, there are companies making reliable cars today that are still getting shitted on for the crap they made decades ago.

He had 4 VWAG products... only one had a problem and they took care of it. What else is he supposed to say?

I don't keep track of how many and which cars he's owned; if that's the only major problem amongst four vehickes, that changes things a bit- at least as far as his personal experience goes.

Statistically though, they don't seem to fair well, especially for a brand that isn't exactly at the entry level of the market. If Kia or Mitsubishi had these same sort of issues, they'd be roasted. Nissan has had serious issues with their CVTs and the whole brand has suffered. Yet VW and Audi fare worse in most reliability surveys and their owners still say they love them. Its weird man. These aren't handmade Italian sportscars where you trade predictability for passion, yet the owners treat them as such.

[2o6]

My Sonic had a fucked synchro and my transmission got warranty replaced. 100k miles later it's doing fine.

[MX793]

I think the majority of VWs are probably mostly trouble-free.  Or their issues are more minor annoyances than catastrophic.  Most of my VW's issues are of the latter variety.  But a lot of it is stuff that you don't tend to see on modern cars.  Worse, most issues I've had weren't isolated incidents when I googled them.

I'm not sure I've ever owned a truly  trouble-free car.
I generally have a positive opinion of my Mazda, but to date that is the only car I've owned that stranded me (accessory belt pulley issue).  It also had serious corrosion issues (a widespread problem with Mazda in general).  The belt pulley was inconvenient, but shit happens and Mazda took care of me.  There was a TSB and there was an improved replacement part.  I also had a failed airbag sensor, which was part of a widespread recall due to a manufacturing flaw (not Mazda's fault).  A fault light lit up days after I got the recall letter.  The corrosion, well, that put me off of Mazda as a year-round DD as long as I live someplace with snowy winters, until I see a solid track record that Mazda has improved their paint over the past 10 years.

I also make some distinction between QA slip ups and design flaws.  My VW's issues are predominantly of the "poor design" variety.

[2o6]

Also, it's usually standard procedure these days to throw parts at a car rather than rebuilding anything. I'm I wouldn't be upset at a total replacement for a part that likely could be rebuilt.

[GoCougs]

I like this new Soup DeSavage.

[Laconian]

D'oh, sorry, I mistook his Q5 for another Q5.

8 years, close to 100k miles.

[Soup DeVille]

D'oh, sorry, I mistook his Q5 for another Q5.

8 years, close to 100k miles.

Oh.

I don't think he can reasonably expect much more than what he's been offered.

[2o6]

Oh.

I don't think he can reasonably expect much more than what he's been offered.

Yeah same. Audi (or the dealer) may good faith offer some compensation, but to expect them to do it out of pocket is kind of stretching it.

[12,000 RPM]

I don't keep track of how many and which cars he's owned;

I don't either... here's where I got that info

As you guys note I have had more than my share of Audi and VW cars (an A4, a GTI, and S4, and now a Golf R).

VWAG is def less reliable than, say, Toyota... and they make a lot of infuriating design choices... but I think they have finally got their shit together.

[Soup DeVille]

I don't either... here's where I got that info

VWAG is def less reliable than, say, Toyota... and they make a lot of infuriating design choices... but I think they have finally got their shit together.

Which was of course, stated afterwards.

[SJ_GTI]

D'oh, sorry, I mistook his Q5 for another Q5.

8 years, close to 100k miles.

If they are installing a new engine and the owners share is only 5600, off the top of my head that seems like kind of a good deal. I would think it means they are covering close to half the cost (possibly more, depending on which engine it has...I am assuming it's the 2.0T).

[HurricaneSteve]

Agreed. They have improved leaps and bounds.

I don't either... here's where I got that info

VWAG is def less reliable than, say, Toyota... and they make a lot of infuriating design choices... but I think they have finally got their shit together.

[cawimmer430]

Ehhh, Honda has been having issues in some states with oil/fuel dilution in the 1.5T model.


Doesn't seem to affect the Civic and Accord, since they use a different variant of that engine and aren't as prone to doing that.

Fake News. Japanese cars never have problems. Ever. 

[Xer0]

I'm not really sure if an 8 year old, 100K mile engine should really be Audi's issue at this point honestly.  This baby ain't new no more.

[giant_mtb]

D'oh, sorry, I mistook his Q5 for another Q5.

8 years, close to 100k miles.

Yeahhhhh not happening.  I understand he's upset, but he's realllllly reaching here.

[Laconian]

Yeahhhhh not happening.  I understand he's upset, but he's realllllly reaching here.

Yeah once I discovered that I told him "sorry dude, VW gonna VW".

His previous car was a Duratec Mazda 6. The engine failed on that car too!

[CaminoRacer]

Yeah once I discovered that I told him "sorry dude, VW gonna VW".

His previous car was a Duratec Mazda 6. The engine failed on that car too!

I'm gonna drive my Mazda6 until the engine dies. 171k and still chugging.

[HurricaneSteve]

That's a lot of engine failures! How often does he check his oil?

[HurricaneSteve]

Tru dat! It's like trying to decide between chlamydia and HIV. 🤔

Fake News. Japanese cars never have problems. Ever. 

[FoMoJo]

That's a lot of engine failures! How often does he check his oil?

Yeah, I would wonder about that.

[BimmerM3]

I'm not really sure if an 8 year old, 100K mile engine should really be Audi's issue at this point honestly.  This baby ain't new no more.

Well the bad publicity of having an engine blow up with no warning at under 100k is certainly their problem.