Buying a A3 TDI 2.0 - Common Faults?

[kaz219]

Hello all !!

New member and first post but here goes!!

Hopefully should be buying a 2004/04 Audi A3 2.0 TDI 140PS.
Got FASH (serviced at 55k), 59k, all prev receipts, leathers, black, parking sensors, MFSW, CD, 1 Prev owner etc.

But being a student, i just want to know what the common problems are so i can put a bit of money a side just in case (not earning that much) !

I'm aware of the bearings and i have told the garage to change them as one of they was a noisey but what are the other common faults.

I want the car as a project and got a whole list of mods in mind (remap, s3 bodykit, wheels etc) but someone told me there may be a headgasket probs...ouch!

If someone could list the common faults, I'd appreciate it massively!!

Cheers

Kaz

 

[sprout99]

Hi

Welcome !!

watch out for coolant warnings. Can lead to engine damage. Some cars had dodgy coolant sensors.

Pourous Heads on Tdi's

Poor MPG (as i have 44 mpg if you drive like miss daisy)

thats all i can think of.

Ian

 

[golf]

Don't expect any kind of refinement, this engine is crude. Nice car for a student...

 

[kaz219]

As the for coolant prob, i usually check my car regularly (oil, water etc) so should be ok.

44mpg doesn't sound too bad...planning on getting a remap and apparently, you get more mpg as well as.

As for the pourous head..what the costs involved in getting that sorted (I'd imagine a new head which sounds costly!)

Cheers mate !

 

[kaz219]

Don't expect any kind of refinement, this engine is crude. Nice car for a student...

I'm coming up from a golf autograph:

It should be a lot more refined engine and suspension wise that that shouldn't it? (had 19s so was bumpy as fudge!)

After a smooth engine, reliable, remappable, good mpg with decent handling !

the audi im looking at is a 2.0 sport tdi, manual !

 

[sprout99]

As the for coolant prob, i usually check my car regularly (oil, water etc) so should be ok.

44mpg doesn't sound too bad...planning on getting a remap and apparently, you get more mpg as well as.

As for the pourous head..what the costs involved in getting that sorted (I'd imagine a new head which sounds costly!)

Cheers mate !

that mpg is with re-map. Ours is a DSG which may not help.

 

[kaz219]

Still not too bad and from what i know, dsg's drink a bit more juice than a manual dont they?

So basically, if i check my coolant, i should be ok?

because the common probs on a golf 1.4:

throttle body
drive shafts snap
temp sendor and switch
gearbox
wish bones

i was shocked when i found out and then had all the probs with my golf...
i wish i new all this before i bought mine lol !

Thats not too bad...hopefully, should get it tommorrow if its A-OK !

Will let ya'll know how it goes!

BTW, is there regional meets on in this forum?

In the Manchester area?

Cheers

 

[James2.0TDI]

I just bought an 03 A3 and luckily i have warranty from the garage, as there is something wrong with my head gasket now, i dont know much at all on cars lol. but apparently they needed to get the art from Audi in Germany. ggrr so annoying and i miss my car but at least it will get fixed under warranty and i wont pay for it.
Cheers

 

[sibby]

Still not too bad and from what i know, dsg's drink a bit more juice than a manual dont they?

When driven normal and in D mode they are more economical than manual.

 

[kaz219]

When driven normal and in D mode they are more economical than manual.

Are they...i didn't knwo that! I'm not goign for a DSG as with teh probs i have read about, i can't afford the risk!

I just bought an 03 A3 and luckily i have warranty from the garage, as there is something wrong with my head gasket now, i dont know much at all on cars lol. but apparently they needed to get the art from Audi in Germany. ggrr so annoying and i miss my car but at least it will get fixed under warranty and i wont pay for it.
Cheers

Thanks for that and i bet your grinning you had the warranty! I'm getting mine from a garage too and they are giving a three months parts and labour warranty if i purchase mine! Going to push my luck and try and get a 12 month one but see how it goes!

I sold my golf a few weeks ago and miss it soo much too. Ahwell..i hope the wait was worth it for this A3!

Can't wait for the petrol saving though...my golf used to get 190 miles from £40!!!

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

Still not too bad and from what i know, dsg's drink a bit more juice than a manual dont they?
because the common probs on a golf 1.4:

throttle body
drive shafts snap
temp sendor and switch
gearbox
wish bones

Your Mark IV list of common faults is a bit light, without even thinking I can also name the door lock modules, plastic window regulator clips and rear beam bushes.

DSG will get the same or better than a manual, it is basically a computer controlled manual.

Paul

 

[royjk]

Hi
Recently sold my 54 plate from new A3 2.0 TDI DSG SE, awaiting A3 Cabrio. Never had a moments problems the DSG box is great, fuel consumption around 50 to the gallon & I don't normally hang around. Drove up to North Wales last year at a steady 40-50mph & was getting 57 to the gallon. My daughter has the 2.0 TDI S-Line DSG, mostly motorway driving & she is getting around 48 mpg. A great little car thats why I have spent a fortune on the cabrio.

 

[Amchlolor]

DSG is basically a computer controlled manual.
Paul

No it isn't.
It's an auto that lets you play at changing the gears yourself, a bit.
Even then, it's auto tendencies will over-ride you (will still change up at high revs for you, even in manual mode).

If buying a 2.0tdi, try and establish it's oil usage.
Some seem to be okay, loads seem to drink the stuff.
All our fleet 2.0tdi's use oil pretty heavily.

 

[Gti Jazz Blue]

No it isn't.
It's an auto that lets you play at changing the gears yourself, a bit.
Even then, it's auto tendencies will over-ride you (will still change up at high revs for you, even in manual mode).

If buying a 2.0tdi, try and establish it's oil usage.
Some seem to be okay, loads seem to drink the stuff.
All our fleet 2.0tdi's use oil pretty heavily.

I beg to differ (LOL) it is a manual gearbox controlled by computer. I didn't say that you have control over it, the computer has a number of inputs and decides when it wants to let you control it.

 

[bacardi]

I've not had, nor heard of any real warranty issues with DSG

Big common problems
Steering racks
Drivers seats
passenger seats
glove box lids

Problems "apparently" only existant on my A3
wheel bearings

 

[Amchlolor]

Problems "apparently" only existent on my A3
wheel bearings

Nope, mine had knackered wheel bearings too.:thumbsup:
Still does, because the dealer "couldn't find" the fault.

Avoid an Akoya Silver sportback S-line DSG, reg SP05 KCZ.
It's a dog.
I really wish there was a website I could post that on.
Where prospective buyers could check, like an HPI check.
Can you imagine the fuss the motor trade would make?
Ha!

 

[kettle]

my engine caught fire!!
think im the only one though just really lucky i think

 

[Amchlolor]

my engine caught fire!!

You win!

 

[Lex]

alright Kaz

I thought i recognized your name off uk-mkivs.net and i have done the exact same thing as you.
I had a 1.4 golf with a load of problems including throttle body ect ect and bought a 2.0 tdi sport 140 bhp and it feels so much nicer than the 1.4.

however i am having afew problems with mine.

something up with the cooling fans which seems to be a common fault with this early 2.0tdi which i haven't got to the bottom of this yet. the fan will stay on constantly and run down the battery.

my turbo is whistling like a bitch, my car has done 80k but i think i have some split hoses.

but good choice coming from the 1.4 to the A3, i loved my 1.4 golf but they are crap compared to the diesel A3's.

lets hope you dont get any problems with yours.

lex

 

[golf]

Lex, I remember you from uk-mkivs.net, didn't know you had sold your Golf.

 

[Eeef]

When driven normal and in D mode they are more economical than manual.

It's got fek all to do with D mode. In fact if you put it in 'manual' and drive it conservatively then you'll see better returns than D. AS for MPG, I used to regularly hit 50mpg on a mixed journey, doing 85mph on mways. Drop down to 70mph and you'll see 60mpg if you know how to drive.

Don't let the anti DSG gang put you off. I had one and it was ace. In fact it's a major criteria for choosing a next car. There weren't that many faults that I was aware of, just peoples misconceptions of what the DSG box is.

 

[bacardi]

Nope, mine had knackered wheel bearings too.:thumbsup:
Still does, because the dealer "couldn't find" the fault.

Avoid an Akoya Silver sportback S-line DSG, reg SP05 KCZ.
It's a dog.
I really wish there was a website I could post that on.
Where prospective buyers could check, like an HPI check.
Can you imagine the fuss the motor trade would make?
Ha!

I'd be posting the hell out of mine, wonder if that sort of thing would actually make dealers/manufacturers sit up and take notice?

 

[sibby]

It's got fek all to do with D mode. In fact if you put it in 'manual' and drive it conservatively then you'll see better returns than D. AS for MPG, I used to regularly hit 50mpg on a mixed journey, doing 85mph on mways. Drop down to 70mph and you'll see 60mpg if you know how to drive.

Right, have you read the manufacture figures and compared a manual box to the DSG? Check the figures.

I can't say I have used the manual mode on DSG as it changes gear itself when you go down and having to constantly watch the DIS is tiresome

The D mode is optimized for maximum economy even when you put your foot down!

 

[Lex]

Lex, I remember you from uk-mkivs.net, didn't know you had sold your Golf.

Yep the poor girl got sold p/x for my A3

it got to 50,000 miles from 14,000 miles of quite hard driving in my first year and the problems were stacking up so i fixed it up and flogged it off working fine, however i wouldn't trust it .

im really happy with my A3 and my driving has calmed down a hell of alot now so this audi should last me until i get my S3.

 

[bacardi]

Right, have you read the manufacture figures and compared a manual box to the DSG? Check the figures.

I can't say I have used the manual mode on DSG as it changes gear itself when you go down and having to constantly watch the DIS is tiresome

The D mode is optimized for maximum economy even when you put your foot down!

what?

Shove your foot down in D, it drops down to the lowest gear possible and holds onto it until just shy of the red line, how is that "geared for economy"?

 

[sibby]

what?

Shove your foot down in D, it drops down to the lowest gear possible and holds onto it until just shy of the red line, how is that "geared for economy"?

Not always. Often it would stay in gear i.e 4th around 40-45 instead of going into third and then quickly restore to the right gear, it does not push as hard as S mode/manual does. Not massively economical but it does behave differently from S mode for fuel economy, that was the point of the double clutch it was not just for performance.

 

[bacardi]

Not always. Often it would stay in gear i.e 4th around 40-45 instead of going into third and then quickly restore to the right gear, it does not push as hard as S mode/manual does. Not massively economical but it does behave differently from S mode for fuel economy, that was the point of the double clutch it was not just for performance.

Mine doesn't, so long as my foot is welded to the bulkhead it holds the gear

 

[sibby]

Mine doesn't, so long as my foot is welded to the bulkhead it holds the gear

Right, because it is maximising fuel economy.

 

[Eeef]

Right, have you read the manufacture figures and compared a manual box to the DSG? Check the figures.

I can't say I have used the manual mode on DSG as it changes gear itself when you go down and having to constantly watch the DIS is tiresome

The D mode is optimized for maximum economy even when you put your foot down!

Yeah, because everything Audi says is true...

D Mode is optomised for smooth driving, not economy. If it were optomised for economy, 'even when you put your foot down' then it wouldn't rev out beyond 1500rpm doofus.

 

[bacardi]

Right, because it is maximising fuel economy.

How is holding the gear maximising fuel economy? Am I missing something?

 

[Crashball]

Hi guys,

Thins is my first post, hope someone can help me out.

I have a 2004 a3 TDI. 2 days ago my mate stalled the car accidentaly and we couldnt restart it, we had to jump start it with help from another car. It ran smoothly but as sonn as i switched on the air con or the radio it starts jerking..!!!

PLEASE HELP!!!