So many issues with car!!!!!!! Anyone help.

s33nyboy12

s33nyboy12

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Right so I've owned a lot of performance and non performance cars in the past and I'm very picky on how my cars run.....

However my problems with the s3 might just be me being picky and expecting too much from what is an old car I suppose or may be problems so this is where I need help, I'll list the issues I have below...

# changing gear the revs hold or rise?
# hunting on idle
# smell of oil
# occasionally squeaky belt sound only happened couple of times
# brakes feel spongy / bit of travel when you jump on them ( just had new discs and pads all round )
# flat spots in rev range
# electric seat driver side won't tilt back but lumbar and up / down works

I've already had new discs and pads all round, had 4 wheel laser alignment done, had to change coolant cap, oil cap and rubber,
And had two new rear coils as one had snapped! And had to have part of exhaust welded as sleeve was f8cked and was blowing.

Now I know some of these seem minor and my previous car to this was a new focus st 225 which I thought was fantastic and had no problems with at all...... But just want to know what you more experienced guys think, and can you recommend anyone (specialist) that could sort all these for me or anyone tell me if I can fix them myself this would be better!

Any more common problems I should look for or check? Just to add too the car has a forge 007dv already so know that won't go.

Many thanks in advance ( I know may not sound like it but i am a massive fan of the s3 just wishing Id bought a new one)
 
# changing gear the revs hold or rise?
Could be the clutch switch... a scan with VCDS may show an inplausible signal fault for teh clutch switch..

# hunting on idle
Vac leak typically, in the engine module check block 032 and see if the short term fuel trim is a fairly high number as this would suggest its adding fuel to cover an airleak...

# smell of oil
Split PCV pipe typically and could also be giving you the above hunting issue as it will cause a vacuum leak

# occasionally squeaky belt sound only happened couple of times
Could be anything lol

# brakes feel spongy / bit of travel when you jump on them ( just had new discs and pads all round )
Normally due to the master cylinder not being bled... if you have changed the fluid recently then bleeding the master cylinder should firm the pedal up a bit... its 2 x 7mm nipples on the MC and they are often tight and snap off so plenty of WD40 before trying to undo them and be gentle...

# flat spots in rev range
Normally due to leaks but logging could show up issues... smoke test may be worth while to see whats what in the charge air system...

# electric seat driver side won't tilt back but lumbar and up / down works
Be a wiring problem under the seat... sometimes if used a lot (tilting to let peeps in/out) the wires can fray... could be any of the wires underneath or the motor itself...

<tuffty/>
 
Tufty your a legend! Are you a vag mechanic or something?......

That helps an awful lot bro cheers appreciate it.
 
Right , got it back from garage today and they've said needs over £900 spending on it!!!

# NSF wishbone rear bush needs replacing
#reAr springs upper and lower fittings
# front suspension top mounts replacing
# osf cv boot kit replacing
# rocker gasket
# recommend TAKING OFF FORGE 007 dv replace oem
#new sump and sealant
# new sump oil sensor
# oil and filter
# engine under tray fixings


Anyone know rough labour time on all this or can you recommend a cheaper garage????
#
 
Does seem alot for all those jobs which can be done at home with a little knowledge where you from mate

Change the 007 dv why chating bull s*it I would take it else where mate
 
Its times like these where i wish i new about cars! Iam from Newark, Nottinghamshire . All vag specialists seem to wanna rape me at minute.
 
I would be thinking of taking the car to a specialist tbh for a second opinion...

Was there any explanation as to why stuff like the sump etc needed replacing? would only need to be done if its been cracked (which does happen)... and the sensor too? did hey list any fault codes they found?

Clearly no idea about tuned cars if they recommended taking the 007p off... a Split-R I could understand but not a 007p

Rocker gasket is a std thing... they leak like a ****** on older cars as they go hard... there is a bit of a trick to fitting one and not having it leak... rear spring fittings? guessing they are the soft spring locator ones... they do get tired but couldn't say if they are that bad without seeing them...

Top mounts only really need attention if they are sticking up too high and even then they can last a while... worth doing especially if they start to make a mark on the bonnet

TBH its not unusual for a car to have accumulated issues like this if previous owners have not bothered... they are that sort of car and that sort of age... it could be the garage are just trying it on a bit and recommending just about anything they can spot as an issue...

<tuffty/>
 
I get the feeling they are being very picky. Which I don't mind if it's dangerous....... Or if left Gunna destroy the car.

As for the sump, they said someone has replaced it and put far too much sealant in and it's leaking a bit, the leak has knack red the oil level sensor.... Looked through my receipts from service history and vag techniques specialist did the sump work a year ago.
 
Forgot to mention this check up cost me hours labour ,.......... Nows the time for everyone to laugh at me!

Does anyone know roughly how many labour hours are needed to sort these problems as I've rounded up the parts for the lot at about £320 Inc vat.... So are they really putting £580 in labour on this that makes ten hours at my calculations approx.
 
s33nyboy12 said:
I get the feeling they are being very picky. Which I don't mind if it's dangerous....... Or if left Gunna destroy the car.

As for the sump, they said someone has replaced it and put far too much sealant in and it's leaking a bit, the leak has knack red the oil level sensor.... Looked through my receipts from service history and vag techniques specialist did the sump work a year ago.
Click to expand...

Hummm... if the oil sensor was ******** it would show up a fault code and potentially a CEL on the dash and a big red warning on the DIS... why a new sump if only leaking? seems a bit odd to me tbh...

Pity you aren't closer to Badger5 :D

<tuffty/>
 
Funny you mention badger 5. I'm pricing a job on Gloucester quays, next to Gloucester council building soon and may be tempted to take my s3 instead of my van. I'm stopping in hotel there overnight.
 
you need a chummy vag friend I had a garage do all my bushes and front anti roll bar and shorten my drop links all for £150 about 11 hours labour they say. would have done myself but I was heading up to ultimate dubs in telford that weekend and they took it in on the wednesday and back thursday night. Alot of your problems are very easy to do at home the best thing that you can do is go and buy a haynes manual and have a read up and you will be able to tackle any issuse in reason if you have some tools.
 
s33nyboy12 said:
Funny you mention badger 5. I'm pricing a job on Gloucester quays, next to Gloucester council building soon and may be tempted to take my s3 instead of my van. I'm stopping in hotel there overnight.
Click to expand...

Worth giving Bill a call then :)

<tuffty/>
 
I'm in Retford if you need a hand :)
most of your work is DIY stuff IMO. Do u have spring compressors?

I have vcds too if you need it :)
 
TDITOM I may take you up on that mate. First I'm going to take it to a garage in my village see what price they give to do all that stuff. Also I don't see why we need to replace the sump pan. It could just be re sealed and new sensor surely.

And yeh a Haynes manual is another option, my first 5 cars were civic vti and used to do loads of work on them but they were so simple to work on. The vag 1.8 20v t engine all looks a bit daunting to me!

The thing is my main complaint for the car was it holding revs when changing up gear, and they didn't tell me cause of that!!!!
 
Grazam said:
you need a chummy vag friend I had a garage do all my bushes and front anti roll bar and shorten my drop links all for £150 about 11 hours labour they say. would have done myself but I was heading up to ultimate dubs in telford that weekend and they took it in on the wednesday and back thursday night. Alot of your problems are very easy to do at home the best thing that you can do is go and buy a haynes manual and have a read up and you will be able to tackle any issuse in reason if you have some tools.
Click to expand...

I do need a chummy vag friend! Shall I start hanging out outside vw or Audi main dealers dishing out bacon cobs and cans of coke to technicians doing an inbetweeners stylee " friend friend, car friend" ! Lol
 
Well , I may be able to fault find with the vcds, certainly if there's a sensor error. Maybe somebody more knowledgable with vcds could tell you what exactly to monitor, and help diagnose the cause. Certainly worth checking before the garage charges for it ! The other work is certainly doable with a Haynes :)
 
s33nyboy12 said:
TDITOM I may take you up on that mate. First I'm going to take it to a garage in my village see what price they give to do all that stuff. Also I don't see why we need to replace the sump pan. It could just be re sealed and new sensor surely.

And yeh a Haynes manual is another option, my first 5 cars were civic vti and used to do loads of work on them but they were so simple to work on. The vag 1.8 20v t engine all looks a bit daunting to me!

The thing is my main complaint for the car was it holding revs when changing up gear, and they didn't tell me cause of that!!!!
Click to expand...

Need to get the list of fault codes from them mate... only trouble is if they use a generic code reader then it may not give all the info you need as VAG extended the code set to be more granular and then you would be able to check what the codes mean on Ross Tech wiki...

Something like this may be of help...

VAG COM USB KKL ECU DIAGNOSTIC CABLE 409.1 OBD2 II LEAD VW AUDI SEAT SKODA | eBay

<tuffty/>
 
I have a generic print out from them says oil level temp sensor g505 intermittent signal charge.
Then says few other non issue codes.....

And they are a vag specialist , told me he'll put it on vagcom , I were told they are expensive but good! They've lived up to one of the description already!
 
I have a vagcom/vcds lead fully registered, happy to look for you just so I can learn myself to be honest. But I have only just bought it, so would litrally be able to fault find and give you a downloaded error list, and any specific info somebody more knowldgeable on here may want to see to help fix things. Of course, my time is free too, and you certainly wont find that anywhere in Newark LOL
 
Yeh mate when I'm next not working will have to give it a try, worth a try at least init. Cheers for that.
 
audi upgrades
Best thing to do is a bit of diy and get vagcom, its suprising how much you learn and how much cash you save.

There's also all the guys and gals on here who will help you out even me, I have given my 1st bit of advice the other day to someone (no i'm not a blue peter badge seeker).

Personally I have allways tried and done my own bits and bobs The best learning was from my Redtop 2.0 C20XE Corsa I helped strip and rebuild it (saving me money). But now I have the A3 with a turbo it's a new learning curve, I knew nothing of turbo's except they worked well on the vans I driven at work!.

As for your parts look at all options: New, Reconed and the scrappy. Lots of people shy away from the latter but if it wasnt for them I would have paid £83 to Larkspeed in Leeds for my Forge 007p which at the scrappy was £15 and works perfect! Some things are worth the risk some arnt. I also got a crank position sensor last week thats a risk but I know mine is on the way out due to none starting sometimes and vagcom. It's an **** to get to for fitting but £3 it cost and it's a genuine audi part so I think its worth trying it.

Anyway enough of me blabbing on lol

Hope you get your stuff sorted and keep us all informed on the progress :)
 
..
cjsuk said:
Best thing to do is a bit of diy and get vagcom, its suprising how much you learn and how much cash you save.

There's also all the guys and gals on here who will help you out even me, I have given my 1st bit of advice the other day to someone (no i'm not a blue peter badge seeker).


I'm in a bit of similar situation to you mate as I used to strip my civic vti, changed loads on that, from manifold, spark plugs, induction kit, oil, filter , wiping door card off and doing windows to greasing callipers up but just seems daunting looking under the bonnet of the s3 ! So jam packed with stuff!

Yeh first turbo vehicle I had was vans too living the dream ay!

I think next stop is Haynes manual....... Then go see Tom in Retford get it on vagcom.

Cheers for replies lads, keep you updated
Personally I have allways tried and done my own bits and bobs The best learning was from my Redtop 2.0 C20XE Corsa I helped strip and rebuild it (saving me money). But now I have the A3 with a turbo it's a new learning curve, I knew nothing of turbo's except they worked well on the vans I driven at work!.

As for your parts look at all options: New, Reconed and the scrappy. Lots of people shy away from the latter but if it wasnt for them I would have paid £83 to Larkspeed in Leeds for my Forge 007p which at the scrappy was £15 and works perfect! Some things are worth the risk some arnt. I also got a crank position sensor last week thats a risk but I know mine is on the way out due to none starting sometimes and vagcom. It's an **** to get to for fitting but £3 it cost and it's a genuine audi part so I think its worth trying it.

Anyway enough of me blabbing on lol

Hope you get your stuff sorted and keep us all informed on the progress :)
Click to expand...
 
So I have some good news!
I'm a grit blaster / shot blaster by trade and a neighbour who is a mechanic has said if I blast his alloy wheels he will do a chunk of the labour for free! Yes free! And his discount on the parts for them couple of hours free labour.

Before he said that, I got another quote from a vag specialist and indie local mechanic and they were both much cheaper than the garage I went to last week!!!!
 
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