Audi A3 1.8TFSI Piston rings replacement cost?

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pj1991

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Hey guys, I'm truely heartbroken at the results I received today. I took my A3 in for service and told them that I had been having to replace the oil alot since purhcasing the car 3 months ago. They found no traces of an oil leak but said there was abit of white smoke coming from the exhaust and they are doing an oil consumption test to see if its the piston rings, which are a massive job. :( :(

How much does this cost? The car was brought from Sytner Select who have the used cars that are just out of spec/too old for the Audi approved warranty. In terms of the oil they said they will cover it if it is NOT wear and tear. The car has done around 58,000 miles and is 4 years old this month. I literally brought the car in June this year and I have suspected an oil problem since purchase. I have not thrashed the car or anything and it only had 1 previous lady owner. Will the warranty cover this work? Are the piston rings going wear and tear as surely this is far too early? I hate to think I'm going to have the sell the car... Could I fight to get the company I brought it from to fund the costs? What do I say to them? I have not spent in excess of £13,000 on a car for 3 months later to have a major problem like this. Any advice would be great! I'm absolutely distraught!
 
How bad is the oil usage? Mine tends to use oil, but it's pretty common with the TFSI engines. As for the smoke, if it was burning oil it would be a blue smoke not white
 
I can't give exact figures as I dont know and I have only owned the car 3 months..but after roughly 6 weeks of having it the oil min light came on and I put 1 litre in, as thats all I had. 7 weeks later it came on again, dipstick was on minimum and Halford topped it up. (I have used the reccommend Castrol oil both times). It went in for its service today and they said it was some white smoke. (I always thought it was blue too) But they're the experts and its an actual Audi main dealer. Either way you dont pay that much for a car for 3 months later to have an issue like that, but theres a chance warranty people won't cover it, believe me I'll be straight on the phone to the manager of Sytner Select. 135 Multipoint inspection my ***
 
Any dealer by law has to give a warranty for the first 3 months if something goes wrong and I'm sure You are covered for the first 6 months if you can prove the fault was present when you bought the car. Check with trading standards but I think you might be ok
 
Granta said:
Any dealer by law has to give a warranty for the first 3 months if something goes wrong and I'm sure You are covered for the first 6 months if you can prove the fault was present when you bought the car. Check with trading standards but I think you might be ok
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How do I prove it though? Obviously it has had the oil consumption problem because I've been topping it up. Like my service advisor said (And shes looked after me and my mum for 9 years, well my mum since I was like 14 then lol!) the warranty company might say its wear and tear because it depends how you drive it. I have thrashed it and its only been around town but how do I prove all this?
 
Your best bet is to document it, from the date and mileage you bought note down the amount of oil that you have had to put in. Also see where it has been for its services and call them up and ask if they have any record of the previous owner asking to investigate the oil consumption.

Also can you see the White smoke? I know it's a bit hit and with TFSIs as some use lots of oil and some hardly any. I have an s3 and put half a litre to every 3000 miles if that.
 
Granta said:
Your best bet is to document it, from the date and mileage you bought note down the amount of oil that you have had to put in. Also see where it has been for its services and call them up and ask if they have any record of the previous owner asking to investigate the oil consumption.

Also can you see the White smoke? I know it's a bit hit and with TFSIs as some use lots of oil and some hardly any. I have an s3 and put half a litre to every 3000 miles if that.
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Its had full Audi service history, and from what I gather when I brought the car, its been very well looked after! I've not seen any white smoke, its just what the Audi dealer told me today.. Then again I was never looking for any, im a girl and don't know much about this. I shall record the dates and approx mileage that I would have done it then as in 6 weeks I always do roughly 450-550 miles.
 
It may be worth taking it to a different audi dealership for a second opinion. And if it is the worse suspected and the selling dealer does not want to pay anything you can always try the goodwill route with Audi.
I work closely to a car sales garage and they sold an a4 60 000 miles customer complained of high oil consumption and similar to yours and the dealer paid half and audi covered the other half and that car had full audi service history.
 
Granta said:
It may be worth taking it to a different audi dealership for a second opinion. And if it is the worse suspected and the selling dealer does not want to pay anything you can always try the goodwill route with Audi.
I work closely to a car sales garage and they sold an a4 60 000 miles customer complained of high oil consumption and similar to yours and the dealer paid half and audi covered the other half and that car had full audi service history.
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How will I go about getting the goodwill? I didnt have it directly from Audi but a garage they deal in, as they're supposed to stock only the best used cars. Sorry for all the questions I'm just really knew to this.
 
Ha ha no worries. Just say something along the line of you bought an audi because you have heard good things ie reliability and you are really disappointed and wouldn't have bought it knowing you would have to rebuild the engine within 3 months and it has left a bitter taste in your mouth

Something along those lines
 
Granta said:
Ha ha no worries. Just say something along the line of you bought an audi because you have heard good things ie reliability and you are really disappointed and wouldn't have bought it knowing you would have to rebuild the engine within 3 months and it has left a bitter taste in your mouth

Something along those lines
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Ah fair enough, thanks. For the goodwill I take it I speak to the service advisor about that or do I have to write to Audi? The problems definately been there since I had it and I will be complaining to Sytner Select who sold me the car as well. I can see the warranty company saying pistons/rings are wear and year even though I've owned the car 3.5 months and never ever thrashed it. I reported this problem within 2 months of having the car it just took me a month to get an appointment where I could have a courtesy car. Just my luck..
 
Mike_B said:
What is the actual oil consumption?
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I don't actually know atm. My Audi Dealership are taking it on a 600 mile run to do the test. I had the car roughly 4-5 weeks and topped it up with a litre of oil (just over half way on the dipstick), probably did about 600-700 miles and then 6-7 weeks later (again anywhere between 500-700 miles)... I don't know how much oil was left in there when I took it in for service but when Audi looked at it they said it was white smoke and probably the pistons but this oil consumption test should tell. I've had the car nearly 4 months, under warranty but apprantly the pistons can be classed as wear and tear so they may not cover it. I've not thrashed it and it has always been serviced by audi.. I will know more on monday.
 
Last edited:
Granta said:
It may be worth taking it to a different audi dealership for a second opinion. And if it is the worse suspected and the selling dealer does not want to pay anything you can always try the goodwill route with Audi.
I work closely to a car sales garage and they sold an a4 60 000 miles customer complained of high oil consumption and similar to yours and the dealer paid half and audi covered the other half and that car had full audi service history.
Click to expand...
Oh btw that car sales garage you know that sold the person that car, was that an Audi dealer or was it a similar case to mine where I brought it from a none audi dealer (although its still sytner) and Audi funded part of the cost?
 
Hmm - some of the Audi engines are known to use a bit of oil! I got mine at 60k miles and it was using maybe a bit less than a litre every 1k miles. Raised this with Audi main dealer as the car was still under the supplying dealer warranty and was told it was perfectly acceptable. At 127k miles, it's using about a litre every 700 miles.
 
Mike_B said:
Hmm - some of the Audi engines are known to use a bit of oil! I got mine at 60k miles and it was using maybe a bit less than a litre every 1k miles. Raised this with Audi main dealer as the car was still under the supplying dealer warranty and was told it was perfectly acceptable. At 127k miles, it's using about a litre every 700 miles.
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I was told by Sytner Select this was perfectly normal and it wasn't until Audi checke over it when they saw the white smoke (although I always thought oil burned blue)
 
audi wont take it on a 600 mile run you will

they first change a part and weigh an top up the oil
then you drive it till the warning light comes on they reweigh the oil and they tell you whats what.
 
bez101 said:
audi wont take it on a 600 mile run you will

they first change a part and weigh an top up the oil
then you drive it till the warning light comes on they reweigh the oil and they tell you whats what.
Click to expand...
They already have taken it on the 600 mile run,well thats what they've kept it for this past week, I'm getting the results next week.
 
I guess that being an Audi garage they will be considering turbo failure as a possibility - - - which would account for oil consumption and possibly this "white smoke" of which you speak.
 
Mike_B said:
I guess that being an Audi garage they will be considering turbo failure as a possibility - - - which would account for oil consumption and possibly this "white smoke" of which you speak.
Click to expand...
Maybe, I really don't know. All I know is they are doing the oil consumption test to see if the piston rings are worn. Hopefully if its turbo failure they will pick it up rather than just focusing on their inital thoughts like alot of places. And hopefully that would be covered under the warranty.
 
Pj1991

Did you get this sorted ? I have a 2009 59 1.8tfsi with 28k on the clock and I have had it since June 2013. Currently under audi used approved warranty. The exhaust is black and it cokes up after about 2 miles after cleaning. I also get quite a bit of blue smoke on start up which then turns white and after a 30 secs of so the burns clean. It's also using a bit of oil probably around a litre every 2k miles. Is this how yours started ? Any advice appreciated on anyone's symptoms. Getting audi to check it out but they will no doubt wriggle
 
audi upgrades
Very strange if it was rings, especially with that mileage. Normally valve stem oil seals, or turbo seals. Blue smoke is oil, white is water or just steam (perfectly normal).

I remember on my M3 that BMW said a litre every 2k was normal!
 
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Chris**** said:
Very strange if it was rings, especially with that mileage. Normally valve stem oil seals, or turbo seals. Blue smoke is oil, white is water or just steam (perfectly normal).

I remember on my M3 that BMW said a litre every 2k was normal!
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Oil changed every 6 k, now a 5 year old car so I am hoping it's not the usual piston ring problem that has plagued the 2.0t cars. I like the sound of turbo seals. It does make a strange noise between 1 and 2k rpm when spooling up the turbo from slow speed i.e. Putting the engine under load which then disappears after 2k rpm.

Ringing audi tomorrow. I want this sorting before my warranty runs out next May
 
Its no way wear and tear, what ever it is with such low miles. 200k then yes maybe lol

If they can do a leak down test, and a compression test, then that will isolate where the oil is going.
 
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Chris**** said:
Its no way wear and tear, what ever it is with such low miles. 200k then yes maybe lol

If they can do a leak down test, and a compression test, then that will isolate where the oil is going.
Click to expand...
Chris
Please educate, leak down test ? Is this the brim the oil, run 1000 miles and then weight the remainder ?
 
Yeah sorry, forgot which thread i was replying to lol. Hence the diesel comment just in case :D
 
lgooch said:
Pj1991

Did you get this sorted ? I have a 2009 59 1.8tfsi with 28k on the clock and I have had it since June 2013. Currently under audi used approved warranty. The exhaust is black and it cokes up after about 2 miles after cleaning. I also get quite a bit of blue smoke on start up which then turns white and after a 30 secs of so the burns clean. It's also using a bit of oil probably around a litre every 2k miles. Is this how yours started ? Any advice appreciated on anyone's symptoms. Getting audi to check it out but they will no doubt wriggle
Click to expand...
Hello. Mines currently still at Audi having a £3500 engne rebuild, should be under warranty but they want the engine stripping down just incase its wear and tear, which with my mileage, it definately isn't. Either way the warranty will cover it or failing that the garage where I had it from have comfirmed payment if all else fails, plus I have a £1500 contribution from Audi.

Mine actually started out worse than yours. I owned mine 6 weeks when I realised it was using oil. I had the oil topped up just before the car was brought and roughly 800 miles later the light came on. I put a litre of oil in and another 6 weeks passed and yet again the light came on, this time around 500 miles. I noticed no problems otherwise other than a rough idle which Audi had previously said was normal. (whether this will still be there when the car is finished I don't know) So when my car went into service I asked them to check for an oil leak. Audi said there was no leak but it was burning oil and they described white smoke, now I always though oil was blue and white meant head gasket etc. Which is true but white can also mean oil, so they did an oil consumption test and took it on a 600 mile drive and it confirmed it was burning oil. I have no idea about Turbo seals but surely an Audi maindealer know what they're doing. At least I hope so because my warranty runs out next month!
 
Cheers pj. Glad to hear you are getting it sorted. By all accounts you have three fallbacks for getting it done FOC. I will persevere with Audi and let you know how I get on
 
Pj1991

Just had mine in at Audi today to let them check it out for the oil consumption.

I spoke to the tech in the car park as i also wanted a rasping sound from the turbo investigating. He basically said according to the book they can use a litre of oil every 600 miles or so which I knew he would quote. After talking about turbo oil seals passing and piston ring wear etc I must of given him the impression I was no dummy and then freely admitted that he personally sees 1l per 600 miles as grossly excessive consumption.

Anyways last it with them and just picked it up. They found an oil leak on the turbo intake side, not sure where this is and they have recommended a new turbo and modification to something else. They also want it in for the oil consumption test and said if it fails this then it's new rings and arms etc.

I just hope it fails as my warranty runs out in May next year. I have a good mind to siphon the chuffin oil out so it just gets repaired as it seems Audi are admitting a fault with the engine already.

New a3 8v as a loaner in low spec was nice though. Leagues ahead in terms of refinement over the 8p
 
lgooch said:
Pj1991

Just had mine in at Audi today to let them check it out for the oil consumption.

I spoke to the tech in the car park as i also wanted a rasping sound from the turbo investigating. He basically said according to the book they can use a litre of oil every 600 miles or so which I knew he would quote. After talking about turbo oil seals passing and piston ring wear etc I must of given him the impression I was no dummy and then freely admitted that he personally sees 1l per 600 miles as grossly excessive consumption.

Anyways last it with them and just picked it up. They found an oil leak on the turbo intake side, not sure where this is and they have recommended a new turbo and modification to something else. They also want it in for the oil consumption test and said if it fails this then it's new rings and arms etc.

I just hope it fails as my warranty runs out in May next year. I have a good mind to siphon the chuffin oil out so it just gets repaired as it seems Audi are admitting a fault with the engine already.

New a3 8v as a loaner in low spec was nice though. Leagues ahead in terms of refinement over the 8p
Click to expand...

Hope you get it all done under warranty then to make sure nothing crops up later on! I think the warranty covered mine but the Sytner would have covered it either way. I only got it back last week so I have no idea if the problem is fixed but I seriously hope so as the warranty runs out next month. I have heard of the same symptoms being the cause of a turbo failure or other problem. They told me initally they use alot of oil but they had known me years from dealing with my mum and gathered I knew there was something not right. Sadly some garages do try and fob off females because they believe we don't know anything. Let me know the outcome though, be interested to see what the results are!
 
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I think its over a litre as when mine was on the min I topped it up to the max and it was roughly 1.5 litres, thats only a guess though. I know when I put a litre in it wasnt enough
 
so today I start the oil test. any advise for the type of driving which consumes the most oil ?

stop start - on off boost / high revs or long motorway runs
 
So what's the out come on these oil consumption tests?
Just before Christmas my a3 sb 1.8tfsi went in as the min oil light had come on after investigation and a strip down of the engine for warranty to repair it the head gasket was leaking that's now been replaced got the car back 9th jan so I though great it's sorted the problem check the oil yesterday and the level is just on the bottom of dipstick waiting for a call Monday to get it back in the garage
 
Mine passed it. They said it used 0.14 litres of oil over 623 miles me the threshold for failure over the same mileage is 0.5 litres

Still not happy with it, but not much more I can do. Warranty runs out in 4 months and on two minds whether to keep it or chop it in. If I keep it I would hope Audi would see that the engine was failing whilst under warranty and pay for the lot.
 
That's what I'm worried about but mine should clearly not pass the test but I'll find out end of the month, my warranty runs out in a few months and I'm the same as you are considering getting shot of the motor as its going to cost the earth to keep it running I've only owned it 6months
 
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