Noisy fan and burning smell on new A6?

[PeteBSK]

Hi all, I picked up my new A6 (2.0 Diesel Ultra S-Tronic) last Thursday. I've driven <50 miles and after the last two trips - each <10 miles and careful driving (<3000 RPM) as soon as I switch the ignition off, a really noisy fan kicks in under the bonnet. There's also a burning smell from the exhausts - as in, noticeable as soon as you get out of the car.

This is my third A6 Diesel, but my first Ultra and I've never had this before. The dealer said the fan is a new thing to really cool the engine and protect the Diesel Particulate Filter etc.., but it's really noisy and it's not exactly tropical temperature weather at the moment in the UK. We just picked up my son returning from a school trip... about a 2 mile round trip and ambient temp was around 9c... and still the fans kicked in for a good few minutes after ignition switch off.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this... is it an Ultra-engine thing? I have a 200 mile trip on Tuesday and am now rather concerned how the car will be after that, if it smells of burning/with fans going after just a few miles!

 

[DaveW]

Same happens with my 190 ultra. Also used to happen with my 177 tdi.

Nothing to worry about.

 

[PeteBSK]

Thanks DaveW that's all I needed to hear!!

Does the noise/smell go away after it's run in...?

Cheers

 

[Cantata]

I have a 3L Tdi 204, had it for 18 months and I've heard this once. Phoned the dealer and they said it was just the DPF process finishing off.

 

[DaveW]

Thanks DaveW that's all I needed to hear!!

Does the noise/smell go away after it's run in...?

Cheers

Nope, it never went away on my 177 and my 190 still does it after 5k. I'm afraid we just have to live with it.
Standing in traffic queues seems to trigger it for me.
A small price to pay for having such a great car ☺

 

[elan2s]

It is definitely the DPF process and the reason for the fan and the smell is that it is still in process when you stop the car, Once it has done a full cycle it will happen much less frequently but whilst your car has been on its way to you it will have spent a lot of time sitting with the engine running causing it to need a regeneration process. A good 20-30 mile trip on a motorway will probably sort it out. The dealer is talking rubbish about a new fan, the fan on the pre-ultra engine is also noisy

 

[PeteBSK]

It is definitely the DPF process and the reason for the fan and the smell is that it is still in process when you stop the car, Once it has done a full cycle it will happen much less frequently but whilst your car has been on its way to you it will have spent a lot of time sitting with the engine running causing it to need a regeneration process. A good 20-30 mile trip on a motorway will probably sort it out. The dealer is talking rubbish about a new fan, the fan on the pre-ultra engine is also noisy

Thanks for that; makes sense. To be fair to the dealer, I may have misquoted as I think he said, "it's a new process" which could have meant... it's a necessary process because it's a new car or just a new process brought in with the Ultra engines - certainly don't recall my last (pre/non-ultra) A6 Diesel doing it. I have a two stage 180 mile journey on Tuesday - according to the forecast in driving rain and gales! - so let's see what that brings! Thanks again for the responses everyone.

 

[woollyjoe]

The fan often stays on for me me as its 3lt and many cars do this. The exuast may be dpf related but never had that.

Outside temp seems less relevant. Type of driving seems to affect it more- slow moving in town and it almost always stays on.

 

[PeteBSK]

Ok, 380 miles later and the crazy fan and burning smells are no more! Thanks for all the feedback, always good to have reassurance that we're not alone with what seems like odd issues! Loving this car...

 

[B4VVM]

Its the DPF cleansing, Just today I had the warning light come on so I had to take it on a regeneration drive 2000 rpm at 50 mph for 15 - 20 minutes. Too much town driving for this engine is a NO NO