Audi service, doesnt look as if they did what they said they did

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robps3

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Hi all, my S3 went I to an Independents for MOT and service a few weeks ago and they said it was leaking around the thermostat housing and needs further investigation. As the car was still under approved Audi warranty (only a few days left on it but Audi couldnt see the car until yesterday) I took it in yesterday and they called me in the Afternoon to say they couldn't find a leak. They told me they had pressure tested it and took it for a test drive and couldn't find anything wrong or that it was leaking.
I have two dashcams on the car, so played them back and it seems that one guy had the engine running in the workshop and decided to poke around with a torch, but mostly he spent the time leaning against my wing and on my bonnet. To pressure test from what i can see, no hoses were connected that i can see from the footage, and no bumper off job etc, just kept going and away and coming back having a look with a torch and after leaving it running for about an hour they parked it back up in the car park where it sat for 2 hours before they called me.
Now I really don't know what to do I'm not sure whether to ring them and ask them what they did in writing, can't understand why they would lie. On the print out it just says couldn't find the fault and it was pressure tested.
Plus his fat **** was sat on the wing for some time, and elaning on the bonnet when it was up, then another guy noticed the camera so they both stared for a bit then carried on lol, probably because i tucked the wires out fo sight and its tiny so its hard to know how to take it down.
I have all the footage.

I called another audi dealership to close to where i work and they have said they need to see the car before the warranty runs out and they said needs to be left for a couple of days because they really shouldnt see me until 1st of may is when they have space but will squeeze me in because of the warranty issues.
its 60 miles from where i live and i need the car for work so im a bit stumped now on what to suggest
 
tough situation to be in and its quite reassuring dash cams are actually able to record footage.
Some garages deliberately disconnect your camera for various reasons which I find a bit sneaky but worth contacting AudiUK to investigate the issue.
 
spoke to them today regarding it and asked them to clarify in writing what they did, they have said that it was pressure tested twice and they could find no fault and therefore they really dont know what to suggest. Ive said its stil lost fluid and they said they can bring it in again tomorrow morning just for someone to check it again, seems strange
 
robps3 said:
spoke to them today regarding it and asked them to clarify in writing what they did, they have said that it was pressure tested twice and they could find no fault and therefore they really dont know what to suggest. Ive said its stil lost fluid and they said they can bring it in again tomorrow morning just for someone to check it again, seems strange
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I had the same with Bedford VW once, went in for a possible oil leak investigation. They charged me £96 to essentially look under the car, didn't clean it down to try and see if they could see any fresh oil, wanted me to go again and pay another £96 for them to do that. I ended up getting my money back and went to Milton Keynes VW, they cleaned it down and didn't charge a penny, asked me to do a couple of hundred miles then go back (again, didn't charge anything)
 
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Have a look underneath for the tell tale white residue marks on the pipework as that's how mine was diagnosed.
Also extend your warranty, it's around £400 for comprehensive cover and you can pay monthly if needed.
 
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Tom.H said:
I had the same with Bedford VW once, went in for a possible oil leak investigation. They charged me £96 to essentially look under the car, didn't clean it down to try and see if they could see any fresh oil, wanted me to go again and pay another £96 for them to do that. I ended up getting my money back and went to Milton Keynes VW, they cleaned it down and didn't charge a penny, asked me to do a couple of hundred miles then go back (again, didn't charge anything)
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does my tree in really, just expected so much more of Audi, called them today and said its still leaking. I cannot see any leaks and the girls said we pressure tested it twice yesterday but bring it in tomorrow and we will take a quick look when your here. Now to pressure test it they have to have the engine running dont they? if thats the case then the cameras are running, which looking from the footage after a bit of poking around witha torch then no hoses were connected at all, they say tehy took the undertrays off and they sent a little video spending more time showing me the low profile of the rear tyres. now if the car has gone into audi for specific reason, and they couldnt find anything such as leaks, wouldnt you film that and send it to the customer rather than something different.
 
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-Ju- said:
Have a look underneath for the tell tale white residue marks on the pipework as that's how mine was diagnosed.
Also extend your warranty, it's around £400 for comprehensive cover and you can pay monthly if needed.
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trouble is extending it is only good if they fix the problem they have said there is nothing wrong, a independant garage spotted it and said as its under warranty get audi to fix it so why would he say it when they werent going to earn any money from it.
 
If it was a warranty problem before warranty ran out then it is still a warranty problem as it has not been fixed and they should have sent film of this to confirm. I would be asking why they haven't .
I would be staying with the car tomorrow to see what they do to it .
I don't think they connect hoses to test it I think it is just a pressure cap with a dial they use .I may be wrong though .
 
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This is why we call them stealers.
 
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I often have 90 mins of footage of @FranA3 sorting the car out!

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk
 
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terminator x said:
I often have 90 mins of footage of @FranA3 sorting the car out!

TX.

Sent from my BBB100-2 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
wish i had 90 mins, this lazy **** just pearches his huge **** on my wing then leans on my bonnet while staring straight into my dashcam, his mate that comes along you can see him mouth thats a dashcam fitted to which he has a closer inspection and still carries on.
 
Pinky1959 said:
If it was a warranty problem before warranty ran out then it is still a warranty problem as it has not been fixed and they should have sent film of this to confirm. I would be asking why they haven't .
I would be staying with the car tomorrow to see what they do to it .
I don't think they connect hoses to test it I think it is just a pressure cap with a dial they use .I may be wrong though .
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i would say the same, and to be fair when i spoek they did say if the problem shows up then we have it documented that we looked it in warranty i just didnt want the arguments again. and like you if its gone in for a issue, film that and prove its not leaking etc.

im might google how they do the pressure test, im assuming the engine needs to be running to do the pressure test?
 
robps3 said:
wish i had 90 mins, this lazy **** just pearches his huge **** on my wing then leans on my bonnet while staring straight into my dashcam, his mate that comes along you can see him mouth thats a dashcam fitted to which he has a closer inspection and still carries on.
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Yep agreed, disgraceful from a dealer.

TX.

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robps3 said:
Now to pressure test it they have to have the engine running dont they? if thats the case then the cameras are running, which looking from the footage after a bit of poking around witha torch then no hoses were connected at all, they say tehy took the undertrays off and they sent a little video spending more time showing me the low profile of the rear tyres.
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There are a few methods to detect a coolant leak on internal combustion engines. One is to drive the vehicle until hot and check the engine for coolant leaks with a light (as it sounds like this is what they did). This would be the most real world way to duplicate the leak from the engine naturally as the system creates its own pressure when hot. The next method is to shut the engine down hot (after a drive) and put a pressure gauge to the system and see if it holds pressure after a set amount of time. Lastly, you can also put vacuum to the system to see if it holds vacuum. The latter can hide leaks as it can suck some hoses down and seal parts of the system.

Best way to find a leak is to thoroughly check over the engine for signs of coolant trails. If no signs, I would then heat the engine up and apply pressure to the system and see if it holds. They may have done this if your cams are only running when the engine is running but of course no way to know for certain.
 
MarttiMAT said:
There are a few methods to detect a coolant leak on internal combustion engines. One is to drive the vehicle until hot and check the engine for coolant leaks with a light (as it sounds like this is what they did). This would be the most real world way to duplicate the leak from the engine naturally as the system creates its own pressure when hot. The next method is to shut the engine down hot (after a drive) and put a pressure gauge to the system and see if it holds pressure after a set amount of time. Lastly, you can also put vacuum to the system to see if it holds vacuum. The latter can hide leaks as it can suck some hoses down and seal parts of the system.

Best way to find a leak is to thoroughly check over the engine for signs of coolant trails. If no signs, I would then heat the engine up and apply pressure to the system and see if it holds. They may have done this if your cams are only running when the engine is running but of course no way to know for certain.
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Hi thanks for explaining g and makes sense, yes my worry is they did pressure test it with the engine running however there isn't any breaks on the times for video it's all in sequence and over the space of an hour then the car parks up until I collect it. The only other problem is just before the mot I thoroughly cleaned then engine bay then applied products to provide a satin finish, after the service I did the same thing so I guess ive clean up all the trails of coolant. I will mention this to them today when I see them I won't . I need to post the videos but I think I have to use a hosting service to do so
 


Uploaded to YouTube to see what you guys think
 
robps3 said:


Uploaded to YouTube to see what you guys think
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I think he stands around yapping far too much. Must have been the supervisors day off or something? Don't think the manager will be happy seeing his mechanic standing around for so long doing nowt.
 
Regardless of what they did or didn't do, the total lack of respect for the car by constantly leaning on it like that would grind my gears. They are meant to protect paintwork with covers if they are leaning over it to work on it, so sitting on your wing in his dirty overalls and leaning on your bonnet is unacceptable. I would send the footage to the service manager.
 
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wab172uk said:
I think he stands around yapping far too much. Must have been the supervisors day off or something? Don't think the manager will be happy seeing his mechanic standing around for so long doing nowt.
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yeah i know I assume hes waiting for the car to warm up, but he doesnt really spend too long on the car and ive watched it over and over and i still cant see him doing a pressure test on it.
 
GeoffT said:
Regardless of what they did or didn't do, the total lack of respect for the car by constantly leaning on it like that would grind my gears. They are meant to protect paintwork with covers if they are leaning over it to work on it, so sitting on your wing in his dirty overalls and leaning on your bonnet is unacceptable. I would send the footage to the service manager.
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yeah just expected so much more of audi, where he was standing is right where the waiting room is aswell so it makes it worse you just would think as hes on show he would at least keep out of view or make himself look busy
 
robps3 said:
yeah just expected so much more of audi, where he was standing is right where the waiting room is aswell so it makes it worse you just would think as hes on show he would at least keep out of view or make himself look busy
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Exactly. I wouldn't want anyone with that sort of attitude working on my car and if I was the service manager I wouldn't want him there either.
 
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This is why I don't take the S3 to dealerships. Those apes couldn't give a toss about the car they're working on, just another hunk of metal to them.
 
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I’m not being funny but, okay he’s leaning on the bonnet a bit, he’s hardly pushing it hard to damage it or rubbing gritty rags over it, no different really to people leaning across the bumper checking oil and fluids etc... I can’t hear sound on the video? I’m guessing the engine is running, he’s waiting and the checking with a torch to see if any leaks occur?? As the above poster says is a method to check

Sometimes it’s so easy just to criticise people doing a job they are paid to do and probably not on the greatest wage neither and the criticise them massively without knowledge or understanding of what they do, he may well be doing what an Audi TSB tells him to do in the first instance.

Sadly this day in age we are far to quick to record people doing a job then criticise them afterwards with no knowledge on the work they are completing like the Police, ambulance, other drivers etc etc etc

What do you want to happen? Sack him put him on the dole??
 
Jimbbobw1977 said:
I’m not being funny but, okay he’s leaning on the bonnet a bit, he’s hardly pushing it hard to damage it or rubbing gritty rags over it, no different really to people leaning across the bumper checking oil and fluids etc... I can’t hear sound on the video? I’m guessing the engine is running, he’s waiting and the checking with a torch to see if any leaks occur?? As the above poster says is a method to check

Sometimes it’s so easy just to criticise people doing a job they are paid to do and probably not on the greatest wage neither and the criticise them massively without knowledge or understanding of what they do, he may well be doing what an Audi TSB tells him to do in the first instance.

Sadly this day in age we are far to quick to record people doing a job then criticise them afterwards with no knowledge on the work they are completing like the Police, ambulance, other drivers etc etc etc

What do you want to happen? Sack him put him on the dole??
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Did i say i wanted him sacked? what you saying because hes not a good wage he shouldn't be expected to do his job properly. imo if i was his boss i'd want him working rather than standing round (took me three weeks to get booked in because they were busy) if hes just waiting then do something else. Have a look where his big old **** is, he could have studs on his back pockets or just grit on his trousers. You may not care about your paintwork but I care and look after mine took me alot to have this car and if its going to get damaged then i'll do it because i paid for it. They told me they took it for a test drive to ascertain if there was a fault, they didnt, they lied. Thats not good coming from a Audi dealer. They also said they pressure tested it - twice! Long and short of it is i got the car back that day, checked the levels the following day and it was down, took it back in the following morning and someone else looked at it and within 20mins the girl came out and said i'll book you in for the 30th he thinks he knows whats wrong with it and we have sorted you a loan car because we are going to have to strip it. So im going to generalise here and say the first mechanic was very lazy or very crap at his job. Also strange that he didnt film the area i had the issue with but spent several minutes trying to sell me two rear tyres for 228 (he didnt mention which tyres though probably some budget stuff)
 
Jimbbobw1977 said:
I’m not being funny but, okay he’s leaning on the bonnet a bit, he’s hardly pushing it hard to damage it or rubbing gritty rags over it, no different really to people leaning across the bumper checking oil and fluids etc...
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If they’re working under the bonnet they’re *supposed* to protect bumper and wings with a padded cover type thing (can’t remember name for it)
 
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Jimbbobw1977 said:
I’m not being funny but, okay he’s leaning on the bonnet a bit, he’s hardly pushing it hard to damage it or rubbing gritty rags over it, no different really to people leaning across the bumper checking oil and fluids etc... I can’t hear sound on the video? I’m guessing the engine is running, he’s waiting and the checking with a torch to see if any leaks occur?? As the above poster says is a method to check

Sometimes it’s so easy just to criticise people doing a job they are paid to do and probably not on the greatest wage neither and the criticise them massively without knowledge or understanding of what they do, he may well be doing what an Audi TSB tells him to do in the first instance.

Sadly this day in age we are far to quick to record people doing a job then criticise them afterwards with no knowledge on the work they are completing like the Police, ambulance, other drivers etc etc etc

What do you want to happen? Sack him put him on the dole??
Click to expand...
Frankly, if it was me and my car, then yes I would want him sacked, or at the very least given a serious warning. He is working for a decent brand on an expensive car and he is leaning on the car without a protector mat. If mechanics have so little respect for their customers property they shouldn't be there IMO. What he gets paid is irrelevant.
 
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GeoffT said:
Frankly, if it was me and my car, then yes I would want him sacked, or at the very least given a serious warning. He is working for a decent brand on an expensive car and he is leaning on the car without a protector mat. If mechanics have so little respect for their customers property they shouldn't be there IMO. What he gets paid is irrelevant.
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Wow really?? Harsh, he’s working for a mass production car company on an A3 not in the Rolls Royce factory. I’m not saying he shouldn’t have respect for the car or that the original poster hasn’t worked hard to buy a car that is expensive but such scathing critic of a guy doing his job without knowing the full story, what information he was given, who told him to do what etc etc....

I’m not the biggest fan of Audi dealers especially after they wanted to charge £750 to replace a windscreen seal when I fixed the fault myself which was a blocked drain I still think it’s a bit critical
 
Jimbbobw1977 said:
Wow really?? Harsh, he’s working for a mass production car company on an A3 not in the Rolls Royce factory. I’m not saying he shouldn’t have respect for the car or that the original poster hasn’t worked hard to buy a car that is expensive but such scathing critic of a guy doing his job without knowing the full story, what information he was given, who told him to do what etc etc....

I’m not the biggest fan of Audi dealers especially after they wanted to charge £750 to replace a windscreen seal when I fixed the fault myself which was a blocked drain I still think it’s a bit critical
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So if you came back to your car in a car park and someone in dirty overalls was leaning on it, you'd be cool with that?
 
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robps3 said:
Hi all, my S3 went I to an Independents for MOT and service a few weeks ago and they said it was leaking around the thermostat housing and needs further investigation. As the car was still under approved Audi warranty (only a few days left on it but Audi couldnt see the car until yesterday) I took it in yesterday and they called me in the Afternoon to say they couldn't find a leak. They told me they had pressure tested it and took it for a test drive and couldn't find anything wrong or that it was leaking.
I have two dashcams on the car, so played them back and it seems that one guy had the engine running in the workshop and decided to poke around with a torch, but mostly he spent the time leaning against my wing and on my bonnet. To pressure test from what i can see, no hoses were connected that i can see from the footage, and no bumper off job etc, just kept going and away and coming back having a look with a torch and after leaving it running for about an hour they parked it back up in the car park where it sat for 2 hours before they called me.
Now I really don't know what to do I'm not sure whether to ring them and ask them what they did in writing, can't understand why they would lie. On the print out it just says couldn't find the fault and it was pressure tested.
Plus his fat **** was sat on the wing for some time, and elaning on the bonnet when it was up, then another guy noticed the camera so they both stared for a bit then carried on lol, probably because i tucked the wires out fo sight and its tiny so its hard to know how to take it down.
I have all the footage.

I called another audi dealership to close to where i work and they have said they need to see the car before the warranty runs out and they said needs to be left for a couple of days because they really shouldnt see me until 1st of may is when they have space but will squeeze me in because of the warranty issues.
its 60 miles from where i live and i need the car for work so im a bit stumped now on what to suggest
Click to expand...

I had a similar issue with a coolant leak onto the thermostat and other bits. I had to top the coolant up but only a couple of times about 12 months apart. No visible signs of the leak externally and it only became apparent when the engine management light came on at the very start of this year. Audi couldn’t see the car for over 3 weeks due to workload but told be not to drive it, so I took it to an independent who took the tray off under the engine and found the residue. I gather that the leaking coolant collects then dries on the tray so there isn’t really any sign externally of the leak.

I’d say if you haven’t already done so get it looked at. Mine was out of warranty so I had the independent fix it. They used genuine parts but even at their reduced labour rate and probably mark up on parts it still cost about £900.
 
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S3GCN said:
I had a similar issue with a coolant leak onto the thermostat and other bits. I had to top the coolant up but only a couple of times about 12 months apart. No visible signs of the leak externally and it only became apparent when the engine management light came on at the very start of this year. Audi couldn’t see the car for over 3 weeks due to workload but told be not to drive it, so I took it to an independent who took the tray off under the engine and found the residue. I gather that the leaking coolant collects then dries on the tray so there isn’t really any sign externally of the leak.

I’d say if you haven’t already done so get it looked at. Mine was out of warranty so I had the independent fix it. They used genuine parts but even at their reduced labour rate and probably mark up on parts it still cost about £900.
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thanks, yeah ive seen lots of people having something similar and like you all costs a fair bit, its back into audi at the end of the month and they are having it for a week. im hoping they will just replace it but i suspect there going to have it running again in the garage and hopefully they can see it this time. technically its out of warranty but because they messed it up there going to see it again
 
I couldn’t give a flying f@ck what wage that clown is on, he could earn £500 a month and I’d still expect my car to be treated with a bit of respect. What has his salary got to do with it anyway? If he doesn’t like it he can frankly f@ck off and let someone else do his job. Frankly it not my/our problem what Audi pay these monkeys, we expect a good job to be done and our cars treated with some respect.

Find yourself a reputable Indy and use them, Main stealers are all crooks.
 
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Well just got my car back, Audi have had it for 3 days, they have now stated that they have fixed the coolant leak by replacing the thermostat housing and and cooland change over valve.
I suppose you have to trust what they say, strangely there is still water on the under tray when you look into the engine bay which surprised me jsut assumed they would clean that out but I guess i now have a warranty of a year on there repairs they have done and have to see how it goes.

one thing i have noticed is the tracker shows it has been road tested for 9 miles however the car mileage has only increased by 2 miles, do they change the mileage on the car before letting it go, seems a stange thing to do.
 
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