Not the best start...

a1dmo1

Registered User
Joined
Sep 29, 2016
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Hi all I have recently received my audi a4 avant 1.4tfsi sport.

I have had it a week and the fuel consumption seems terrible... I have even been driving it like a grandma for the past few days and still only get low 30 mpgs on a combo of dual carrigeway and town driving. is this right?

Also my windscreen wipers have stopped working and when I lock my car the indicators no longer flash.. have I got a duff one?

p.s It is currently at the dealers being looked at.
 
Hi welcome to Audi-sport.net. Doesn't sound like a good start to your new car. I have read a few reviews on these and it doesn't surprise me that fuel economy may be an issue.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=86&t=1578454&i=0
If you actually look at what the fuel consumption test driving cycle is like it's not really representative of normal driving.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/vca/fcb/the-fuel-consumption-testing-scheme.asp
Pretty much all the acceleration events are very leisurely and the actual speeds reached aren't that high.
Take what is a fairly large car with a smaller engine and in the real world with real drivers you are going to struggle to get anywhere near what they get in the labs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_European_Driving_Cycle#Urban_driving
If you look at the drive cycle for urban driving part of it is detailed below.

"At 117 s, the car slowly accelerates to 50 km/h in 26 s (manual: 5 s, 9 s and 8 s in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears, with additional 2 × 2 s for gear changes), cruises for 12 s, decelerates to 35 km/h in 8 s, cruises for another 13 s, brakes to a full stop in 12 s (manual: 2 s change to the 2nd gear, 7 s in the 2nd gear, last 3 s with clutch disengaged), then pauses for 7 s (manual: in neutral with clutch engaged)."

50Km/h is 31mph They are accelerating from standstill to 30 in 26 seconds, That is granny driving. All done at 25 degrees room temp with no lights, air con, heated seats etc on.
 
Hi Desertstorm, thanks for the reply.
Wow now that is some next level granny driving.. You would never get anywhere on time with that style of driving!
I accelerate smoothly and change gears when prompted to. usualy around 2.5k revs which seems really slow.
Has anyone else had any issues with the wipers not turning on or with the locking playing up?
Will wait and see what audi come back with as the AA reckoned it could be some type of ecu problem.
 
Yeah I used to get above the limits on my Citroen, but nowhere near in the VW - have been driving around in Eco this week and it helped, but not great.

Try setting Eco mode if you have it!

As for wipers - AA thought I had a damaged ECU in an old Citroen, but it turned out to be just a fuse but we could not find the additional fuse box (documentation was terrible)
 
I had the windscreen wipers issue, I think it turned out to be the bonnet catch. The wipers won't wipe if the bonnet is up, so if the bonnet hasn't clicked in all the way down, it might be that?
 
As I can easily get 65mpg from my A3, I think the A4 should be capable of more than the OP is achieving. It's a good powerful and torquey engine thus the mpg should be resonable. I think 37mpg that the pistonhead review states is equatable to my A3's 44mpg urban and good for a car the size of an A4.
 
Plus how recent is recent. Took mine about 2 tank loads for the on board computer to work out the MPG. Have you tried a tracking app like Fuelly? instead of the on board computer?
 
I've mentioned this before on here. Get some miles on the clock before worrying about average mpg. Things should get better.
 
I've got the A4 1.4tfsi Saloon. MPG is rubbish. Had it around 5 months now and rarely get over 35mpg and its usually around the 32 mark. It does go over 40mpg on a motorway run but nothing spectacular. I've just learned to accept it unfortunately.
 
My experience of smaller 'fuel efficient' engines is that they never get close to being as econimical as claimed, my previous car was a remapped 1.6 diesel that averaged 56mpg (claimed 65mpg - yeah right lol). My friend bought a 1.0 Fiesta EcoBoost as it was supposed to have similar economy and it was appalling, he never got close to the 56mpg I averaged and mine was way more fun to drive....

Now I have an S1 and can get 36mpg in that around town (ok semi granny driving) and 40mpg plus on dual carriageways etc.....
 
Would the drive select setting have any relevance? I have the 2 litre petrol 190 PS s tronic and in comfort setting it changes up at 2000 rpm whilst in dynamic it is more like 2500-3000 rpm. I'm early days with it yet so I haven't checked the differences in consumption.

Another thought: are you taking your mpg figures from the DIS? The only true overall figure is between fill-ups when you can measure how much fuel goes in and take your recorded mileage from the trip to work it out. If I pop to the supermarket the DIS will show something like 21 mpg whereas on a prolonged motorway cruise it will show low 40s. I've just got back from a re-fuelling trip and the 40.96 litres I put in gave an overall figure of 39 mpg.
 
Strange, we get at least 58mpg from our little 1.0 fiesta on a run, and my partner averages 38 around town.It is a brilliant and economic little engine. The problem is that 'pub talk' about I only get this or that mpg doesn't take into account how the cars are driven and on what driving conditions. Some will say they are driving economically when, if you sit beside them, they are not.
Does not anyone find it incredible to get the high 30's around town with a car as large and heavy as the A4 when my mk1 mondeo 2.0l petrol gave 16-22mpg over the same drive into work when my A3 averages 44?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jcbmally
I've had my A4 2.0 Tfsi s line manual now for just over 2 months and only just started doing some proper longer distance driving. Just back today from round trip from London to Huddersfield (400 miles) and was getting 47mpg when in efficiency mode and doing a steady 70 mph + 10% ;0). M1 and M25 all the way. Got 44mpg when I was being a little heavier on the accelerator and in Dynamic. When not on the motorway drops to c35 mpg.

Overall I'm pretty happy with that, as well as the car in general. Really impressed me when getting off the motorwAy and on to the Yorkshire A roads, plenty of grip and acceleration when needing to get past the Driving Miss Daisy" brigade!
 
  • Like
Reactions: maui
First of all Thank you all for the replies! it is still at audi and i havent heard anything back yet but they have given me an sq5 as a courtesy car which is ****** lovely! I have been playing around in it and testing out the power(330bhp) and according to the trip computers, annoyingly I am getting much better mpg in this beast than my a4! haha.
You know I have a funny feeling that it could be bonnet catch thing as just before It was collected I had a quick look and opened and shut the bonnet and it seemed to be fixed. when the AA scanned it, it came up with about 10 different faults.
 
I have a new A4 2.0 TFSI manual, for the next hour as I'm on my way to trade it in. You should be getting more than that from the 1.4.

Here's a picture of my fuel consumption from home to close to the dealers and I think I managed to achieve more than the combined figure stated for the 2.0 TFSI. This was achieved by literally sticking to 60mph on motorway and getting stuck behind wagons doing 40-60mph on B roads.

IMG 4661
 
Yes but your example, good as it is, isn't similar driving to that of the OP. To compare mpg it should be like for like. I believe they only quote 41mpg for the 1.4 urban anyway.
If you want mickey mouse figures, I can achieve 95mpg when driving home from my fuel station, yes half of it is downhill and yes I don't believe it either...
 
  • Like
Reactions: f1nny
Fair point in the like for like. I only mentioned it because other 2.0 TFSI owners had on this thread and I would of thought a 2 litre shouldn't be achieveing more than a 1.4 TFSI with the so called COD which is suppose to be a fuel saving technonolgy.

On a combo of dual carriageway and town driving like the OP mentions I can still achieve high 30s low 40s. They quote 38.7 urban for the 2.0. So again in theory the 1.4 should be getting better, even if only slightly.

But like you say it should be like for like to compare.
 
Hi just to update you, I have got it back, they recon it was the bonnet latch by the sounds of the issue. as no faults came up regarding wipers or locking.
Received it and they had "kindly washed" my car leaving it looking like it was washed using a bag of sand! soo many micro scratches and a few scuffs on it also! I am livid with them as it was only a week old and i have cleaned it properly and waxed it the morning that it was taken in so there was no need to wash it and cause such damage to the paint work!
they have agreed to have it taken to there body shop to have a machine polish but not until the end of the month as that is when they have a courtesy car free (say they need it for a week).
Im in the right mind to complain as that is ages away...what would you do?
 
Tell them you want the paint corrected by a professional detailer at their expense. No way I'd let their body shop anywhere near it.
 
would there body shop be no good? Unfortunately I dont know of any good detailers in the area. Is it worth them trying to sort it themselfs and if then when they return it and still not upto standards then I would research local detailers.
 
It might be ok but if they make it worse you're going to be even more pee'd off :(

I have a laminated A4 page that goes on the dashboard that confirms that I do not want my car washed by them when it's in for any reason.
 
Fair point in the like for like. I only mentioned it because other 2.0 TFSI owners had on this thread and I would of thought a 2 litre shouldn't be achieveing more than a 1.4 TFSI with the so called COD which is suppose to be a fuel saving technonolgy.

On a combo of dual carriageway and town driving like the OP mentions I can still achieve high 30s low 40s. They quote 38.7 urban for the 2.0. So again in theory the 1.4 should be getting better, even if only slightly.

But like you say it should be like for like to compare.

I believe that the 1.4 TFSI engine in the A4 does not have the COD engine.

Performance of mine has started to improve from around 5,000 miles in but it has a problem with its fuel computer which it is going in next week to get looked at so I cant tell unfortunately what MPG i am getting. The lag though has pretty much disappeared thankfully.
 
The engines are all of the same EA211 engine family, I think Audi have stopped using the cod label and it is soon to be replaced by a 1.5l displacement version.
 
Last edited:
I have messaged Audi Uk explaining my situation and they rang saying that they are going to get a manager to call me. So will wait and see what they have to say
Any tips on what I could ask them/any form of compensation for my time wasted?
On a plus note my fuel consumption seems to slowly be getting better.
I am on my first full tank so shall see what mpg works out when I come to refill it.

I believe the 1.4t in the a4 isn't a cod engine as there is no mention of it anywhere that I can see. and i cant hear any change in engine nose from 2 cylinder to 4 cylinder which apparently you can hear in the a3?
 
I can assure you the only way I know my cod is running on two cylinders is if I have the DIS set to display it otherwise you wouldn't know at all. I think even that has been removed now. You maybe correct about the A4 though as I also found no references to cod either, seems like audi have gone quiet on the cod completely..
 
I thought the 2.0TFSI S-Tronic had COD and that's why the CO2 is so low on it compare to manual?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
There is no mention of COD in relation to my current engine. Like cuke, I could never sense when my A3 was toggling between 2 and 4 cylinders and but for the DIS, you would have been unable to tell. I don't know if the COD was unsuccessful, but I really loved that engine; it was so smooth, had excellent acceleration and great fuel economy for such a versatile unit. On my experience with the A3 I would have gladly gone for the same power unit in the A4, but I didn't want to risk being underpowered and I wanted to try s tronic, so the 2 litre unit seemed the better choice.
 
I have about 430 miles on the clock of my 1.4 TFSI Sport and I'm talking with the dealer about changing it - I utterly hate it.

Interior of course is top notch but here's what's utterly destroying the car for me.

1. Dynamic (Comfort) Suspension - waaaaay too soft and while comfortable the car feels like (and looks like) it's jacked up on stilts. 70mm clearance between the top of the tyre and edge of the wheel arch at the front, 55mm at the back. Seems to me the same suspension is used for the lightweight petrol engine as for the heavy diesel engines as my previous A4 (2.0 TDI) sat lower at the front than the back.

2. Steering is awful - Coming from a 2013 (B8) A4 2.0 TDI S-Line Black Edition and then a S3 I just hate the steering. It's amazing how far you have to turn the steering wheel to get the same amount of turn as for any other I've driven so far. Means I'm forever taking corners really wide forgetting how much the wheel has to be turned by.

3. Fuel economy is abysmal - I got about 28-30MPG out of my Audi S3 and that was me giving it the beans on a daily basis. The 1.4 TFSI A4 is getting about 35-37MPG and that's with properly gentle driving - moderate acceleration coupled with lots of in-gear coasting to junctions. See below about comparison with Skoda Fabia and Skoda Rapid Spaceback.

4. Gearing is terrible - At speeds below 30MPH you more or less have to live in first or second gear, traffic can be a bit of a nightmare as you have to drop into first at speeds where second would be fine in any other car, second is utterly dead at slow speeds until the turbo spools up. In start/stop traffic it's just really awkward and uncomfortable to drive. The way the turbo is set up seems to deliver a diesel-like wallop of torque in first/second gears when moving off normally but start/stop traffic doesn't lend itself to that very well. I just find myself going 1-2-3-6 most of the time, 4th and 5th gears seem useless. Doesn't help the gear lever is really sticky and not very precise.

I'd actually been between the Audi A4 and a Skoda Fabia or Skoda Rapid Spaceback (I'd been looking at the Skodas as a 'sensible' purchase since they're a lot cheaper but still very well equipped) - I was in talking with Skoda today and although I've only had the car a week and a half because of the heavy discount on the car coupled with the big deposit contribution from Audi, I can actually trade the car losing hardly anything in the exchange and I'm really tempted by either the Fabia or Spaceback. I managed to get a lend of the Spaceback (1.2 TSI 110BHP 6-speed) from the Skoda dealer overnight and the car feels far quicker in every gear, it EASILY achieves 50-55MPG despite me driving it reasonably aggressively. And the steering/suspension feel way better, far more agile and nimble than the A4.

I think ultimately I got the *wrong* A4 - I should have gotten the S-Line version with the larger 2.0 TFSI engine, I think the 1.4 TFSI is either too small (requiring it to be worked hard to achieve decent performance) or the gearing perhaps means you spend more time in the lower gears (where the fuel efficiency is particularly poor). Either way, not a happy customer, and it'll certainly be an all-time record for me to trade in a brand new car after about 10 days and 400 miles.
 
I have about 430 miles on the clock of my 1.4 TFSI Sport and I'm talking with the dealer about changing it - I utterly hate it.

Interior of course is top notch but here's what's utterly destroying the car for me.

1. Dynamic (Comfort) Suspension - waaaaay too soft and while comfortable the car feels like (and looks like) it's jacked up on stilts. 70mm clearance between the top of the tyre and edge of the wheel arch at the front, 55mm at the back. Seems to me the same suspension is used for the lightweight petrol engine as for the heavy diesel engines as my previous A4 (2.0 TDI) sat lower at the front than the back.

2. Steering is awful - Coming from a 2013 (B8) A4 2.0 TDI S-Line Black Edition and then a S3 I just hate the steering. It's amazing how far you have to turn the steering wheel to get the same amount of turn as for any other I've driven so far. Means I'm forever taking corners really wide forgetting how much the wheel has to be turned by.

3. Fuel economy is abysmal - I got about 28-30MPG out of my Audi S3 and that was me giving it the beans on a daily basis. The 1.4 TFSI A4 is getting about 35-37MPG and that's with properly gentle driving - moderate acceleration coupled with lots of in-gear coasting to junctions. See below about comparison with Skoda Fabia and Skoda Rapid Spaceback.

4. Gearing is terrible - At speeds below 30MPH you more or less have to live in first or second gear, traffic can be a bit of a nightmare as you have to drop into first at speeds where second would be fine in any other car, second is utterly dead at slow speeds until the turbo spools up. In start/stop traffic it's just really awkward and uncomfortable to drive. The way the turbo is set up seems to deliver a diesel-like wallop of torque in first/second gears when moving off normally but start/stop traffic doesn't lend itself to that very well. I just find myself going 1-2-3-6 most of the time, 4th and 5th gears seem useless. Doesn't help the gear lever is really sticky and not very precise.

I'd actually been between the Audi A4 and a Skoda Fabia or Skoda Rapid Spaceback (I'd been looking at the Skodas as a 'sensible' purchase since they're a lot cheaper but still very well equipped) - I was in talking with Skoda today and although I've only had the car a week and a half because of the heavy discount on the car coupled with the big deposit contribution from Audi, I can actually trade the car losing hardly anything in the exchange and I'm really tempted by either the Fabia or Spaceback. I managed to get a lend of the Spaceback (1.2 TSI 110BHP 6-speed) from the Skoda dealer overnight and the car feels far quicker in every gear, it EASILY achieves 50-55MPG despite me driving it reasonably aggressively. And the steering/suspension feel way better, far more agile and nimble than the A4.

I think ultimately I got the *wrong* A4 - I should have gotten the S-Line version with the larger 2.0 TFSI engine, I think the 1.4 TFSI is either too small (requiring it to be worked hard to achieve decent performance) or the gearing perhaps means you spend more time in the lower gears (where the fuel efficiency is particularly poor). Either way, not a happy customer, and it'll certainly be an all-time record for me to trade in a brand new car after about 10 days and 400 miles.
I think from reading your thread youve been disappointed and on a collision course of rejection from the start.
Thats a real shame.
Did you not have a proper extended test drive first?
I totally get the "on stilts" ride height, i saw one at my dealers prior to making my choice and despite the slightly firmer ride of the sports suspension it drove me straight from an intended sport model with comfort suspension to the sline version which in my opinion looks far,far better.
Its the classic A4 stance.
I had a 100 mile test drive , keeping the car ovwr night to ensure i liked what i was considering.
I would reconsider carefully before switching brands.
Perhaps you could consider changing to a 2.0 s tronic?
I fear , when on the rebound you will regret switch to the mentioned brands.
Neither brand or pretty much any other can offer the quality and feel good ambience of an Audi interior.
Think carefully ...you will miss this dearly......
In just 10 days you have come to hate it ??
 
Last edited:
I think ultimately I got the *wrong* A4 - I should have gotten the S-Line version with the larger 2.0 TFSI engine.

If you are already in talks with your dealer, see you can get an extended test drive in the above. Go for the stronic as well. Would make it the same combo I have and it's nothing short of fantastic.
 
Unfortunately a perfect example of how to get it wrong and incorrect comparisons with a different size and class of car with the Skoda's, a tough lesson. Does the 1.4 an injustice as its a fine engine and not underpowered at all from other a4 owners experiences.
A tuning box on the 1.4 can bring it to near 2.0l performance as well...
 
Is a total distance of 430 miles a fair test? That's one and a half tankfulls of fuel for me and however disappointed I might be with the initial drive, I'd need to give it a few more tankfulls before deciding whether to keep it. How did you not test drive it first? If it is so awful, that would soon have become apparent. I wish you good luck with whatever you decide; I'd hate to find I'd bought the wrong car and I feel very sorry for you.
 
I have about 430 miles on the clock of my 1.4 TFSI Sport and I'm talking with the dealer about changing it - I utterly hate it.

Interior of course is top notch but here's what's utterly destroying the car for me.

1. Dynamic (Comfort) Suspension - waaaaay too soft and while comfortable the car feels like (and looks like) it's jacked up on stilts. 70mm clearance between the top of the tyre and edge of the wheel arch at the front, 55mm at the back. Seems to me the same suspension is used for the lightweight petrol engine as for the heavy diesel engines as my previous A4 (2.0 TDI) sat lower at the front than the back.

2. Steering is awful - Coming from a 2013 (B8) A4 2.0 TDI S-Line Black Edition and then a S3 I just hate the steering. It's amazing how far you have to turn the steering wheel to get the same amount of turn as for any other I've driven so far. Means I'm forever taking corners really wide forgetting how much the wheel has to be turned by.

3. Fuel economy is abysmal - I got about 28-30MPG out of my Audi S3 and that was me giving it the beans on a daily basis. The 1.4 TFSI A4 is getting about 35-37MPG and that's with properly gentle driving - moderate acceleration coupled with lots of in-gear coasting to junctions. See below about comparison with Skoda Fabia and Skoda Rapid Spaceback.

4. Gearing is terrible - At speeds below 30MPH you more or less have to live in first or second gear, traffic can be a bit of a nightmare as you have to drop into first at speeds where second would be fine in any other car, second is utterly dead at slow speeds until the turbo spools up. In start/stop traffic it's just really awkward and uncomfortable to drive. The way the turbo is set up seems to deliver a diesel-like wallop of torque in first/second gears when moving off normally but start/stop traffic doesn't lend itself to that very well. I just find myself going 1-2-3-6 most of the time, 4th and 5th gears seem useless. Doesn't help the gear lever is really sticky and not very precise.

I'd actually been between the Audi A4 and a Skoda Fabia or Skoda Rapid Spaceback (I'd been looking at the Skodas as a 'sensible' purchase since they're a lot cheaper but still very well equipped) - I was in talking with Skoda today and although I've only had the car a week and a half because of the heavy discount on the car coupled with the big deposit contribution from Audi, I can actually trade the car losing hardly anything in the exchange and I'm really tempted by either the Fabia or Spaceback. I managed to get a lend of the Spaceback (1.2 TSI 110BHP 6-speed) from the Skoda dealer overnight and the car feels far quicker in every gear, it EASILY achieves 50-55MPG despite me driving it reasonably aggressively. And the steering/suspension feel way better, far more agile and nimble than the A4.

I think ultimately I got the *wrong* A4 - I should have gotten the S-Line version with the larger 2.0 TFSI engine, I think the 1.4 TFSI is either too small (requiring it to be worked hard to achieve decent performance) or the gearing perhaps means you spend more time in the lower gears (where the fuel efficiency is particularly poor). Either way, not a happy customer, and it'll certainly be an all-time record for me to trade in a brand new car after about 10 days and 400 miles.
I second everything that has been said about this engine, gearbox and ride height.
Only problem is I'm on a 2 year contract hire agreement...
Has anyone experienced a contract hire agreemen or anyone know if there is any kind of leeway for exchanging for a different car on this particular kind of contract?
If so I may try ringing them up and see if I can alter it atall. If not I'm just going to have to suck it up for 2 years. As it was a very cheap deal £166 a month with only £1500 deposit.
Kind regards
 
Thanks for all the feedback, it's been a rollercoaster as it's become apparent that if I want to change my A4 I need to do it *now* before the value potentially drops and then I'm kinda stuck with a lot of negative equity.

(As an aside @a1dmo1, I'm so glad I went PCP this time, I nearly did go down the contract hire route, but my PCP is £303/mth with £1000 down - for £166 I'd just keep the car personally!)

I didn't really get that much of a test drive if I'm honest for a couple of reasons - I was out of the country and arranged to be home on the last day of Sept (ideally to get a good deal since it was the end of Quarter3!) and the only one available was the exact car I was proposing to buy, and so we only really did a test drive of a few miles on roads I'm not really familar with and not that representative of the way I drive - there's no way they could have let me keep it overnight as it was unregistered etc. Also, with the salesman sitting next to you it's hard to take the time to properly assess it. I think as well I was 'wowed' by the interior and the smoothness of the drive that I didn't critically assess the engine/handling properly. Part of the problem is that I had an A4 two cars back (a 2013 B8 A4 S-Line Black Edition 2.0 TDI) and assumed it would be similar enough.

Just to clarify on one of my points, the 1.4 TFSI is *not* underpowered, if you drive it the way it wants to be driven it is very powerful, but it's clear (and I let my friend drive it today to confirm - slightly biased though as he owns an Audi RS3!) that the engine is tuned heavily for torque and geared to favour the lower gears (and doesn't seem to have much to give above 3500 RPM) - but it's clearly not tuned for efficiency as 35-38MPG is the most I can get out of it in realistic and semi-gentle driving, which is disappointing as the whole point of choosing a small petrol engine is for economy (also surprising is the £110 road tax). It annoys me to get only 35-38MPG driving a 1.4TFSI gently when I got 28-29MPG driving my Audi S3 like a lunatic.

I've just been an idiot and made assumptions about the efficiency and drivability of the car without verifying properly on an extended test drive.

The salesman at Audi is looking at potential alternatives, they've plenty of S-Line diesels in stock but the 2.0 TFSI is trickier to get hold of apparently. To be honest, coming from a long line of Audi cars, this time I put sensible hat on and swore only to buy something that was reasonably cheap to buy and cheap to run which is why at the time I was also considering the Skoda Fabia (I don't *need* a big car, I just like the A4). Does anyone know if the steering rack will be different in the S-line model? The one in the Sport trim seems really long

The main thing I will say to potential buyers of the 1.4 TFSI is to really take time to assess how the car handles, how the engine performs (try it in slow moving start/stop traffic as well as normal traffic) and check the fuel economy.
 
The 2.0 TFSI is harder to find and test drive, I ended up test driving a TDI to get an 'initial feel' then the fleet company I am dealing with managed to get me an extended test drive of the 2.0 TFSI so I could get a grip on how it is on my commute. For steering I doubt that be any different, but have you tried using the custom drive setting and changing the steering to sport? In my MK7 Golf it makes a noticeable difference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk