2014 S3 DSG - Gearbox Issue. 62,000 Miles.

That's absolutely terrible. I know from personal experience they will do anything to get out of paying up especially when its an expensive bill. Attributing some blame wherever possible no matter how ridiculous it seems. How close where you to the schedule when you originally tried to book in the car? Did they warn you at the time, given the lead time on when they were able to do the service, that if you went beyond the service interval it would invalidate your warranty?
I'm just thinking of a potential legal case since what they are stating seems a very unreasonable justification to the cause of the component failure. Especially as you say they skipped (10,000K) miles on another part with a similar schedule and warranty requirements. Did they say this would invalidate the warranty on the haldex?
I'd say you probably have a good case if you went to court since it wasn't your fault they were unable to service it in time and they (I assume) didn't offer any advise otherwise in order to preserve your warranty (e.g. not driving the car or using a different dealer to do the work sooner).

Utter BS from the dealer.
Without stripping the box how do they know what failed? They also wouldn’t know if it was a servicing issue that caused the failure or if it was something like the ecu caused it to blow up. Dealers have become fitters not skilled with the investigative side of proper diagnostic. Computer says broken so need new box at £8k when you might have got away with a new bearing or clutch plates at maybe £1500.
I think failing with Audi UK I would look at the motor ombudsman or trading standards for some help. If it’s financed on pcp or hp then speak with them also. I had issues with a new car and not getting anywhere with Audi UK and then spoke with Audi finance. Eventually Audi finance pushed and got what I wanted.

Trading standards were useless for me

My car seems to 'whistle' when I'm driving on the motorway, I'm wondering if I should be worried...

I'd raise the case with the financial ombudsman, or if you're on reddit try asking for help on reddit.com/r/LegalAdvice to me (with my limited law knowledge through my profession) sounds to me that you would have a case. If you tried to book it in and stated you would require a courtesy car for work, which is a reasonable request, then pinning 100% of the blame and cost on you is extremely unfair.
Before paying anything I would follow the above and advice of others.

I think there should be at least some level of good will here but if you are faced with no support then the bill for a repair job at an Indi will be far less than a replacement unit.

Indeed, and I believe there are also specialists who can do DSG repairs for a lot less too.

Absolute snakes the pair of them.

They should have at least given you the fault code for a start. Can you locate a forum member with vcds/carista/obd 11 near to you who could scan your ecu and retrieve the fault code(s)?

I'd find a gearbox specialist and get it repaired by someone who knows what they're talking about and one who is not trying to pull down your trousers.

The box still operates so I doubt you need a complete new unit.

Good luck mate.

Jackapple90 said:

When i booked in the service i stated on the phone, which is on record that i was at 37,000 to book the 38k service. I told them that at 10weeks i would be over the 38,000 allowed to which i was told, we will note that so don't worry.
Biggest mistake i made was not getting that in writing as now they are claiming they're service team wouldn't tell me that.

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500 quid? they are taking the proverbial.

nothing in any email correspondence or service booking confirmation?

"now they are claiming they're service team wouldn't tell me that."

You could turn this back around on them. So if they claim the service team would never say that then what did they say instead? Did they tell you to stop driving the car once you hit 38000 miles? Knowing at the time of booking the cars mileage, service interval, 10 week lead time on them being able to do the vital (apparently!) service. Did they advise you that the warranty on the gearbox will be void during that period if you kept driving the car? That would be the only correct advice, no? Do they have it in writing that they gave you this advice? Anything else, including saying nothing, is negligence on their part.

Assuming you will now get the car back and have it sorted at a DSG gearbox specialist. During this time seek legal advice and if the solicitor thinks you have a half decent case then take them to court to recover the repair costs. There is a lot of unreasonable behaviour on their part here. Denying what you claim they told you, trying to charge you for a brand new gearbox when its likely to be unnecessary. Btw, a new box is what they would HAVE to do under warranty (make it like new, so no reconditioning allowed). But, if it is not a warranty claim a complete new box is not necessary making it look like they are trying to fleece you for unnecessary work. Not providing you with the actual fault or any diagnostic information, blaming the lack of gearbox oil change for just 1500 miles over the schedule for a failure which occurred 20,000 miles later and on a total of 60000 on the box. What are the actual chances of that being the cause? Its not a reasonable assumption to lay blame to that despite what it says in the warranty small print.

It would cost them much more in legal fees than the cost of your repair if they had to go to court. If you have a justifiable and reasonable case (which you seem to have) then even if you lost or (more likely) blame is deemed 50/50 then you wouldn't be liable for their legal costs as I understand it. Therefore, they tend just to pay up to save them cost and hassle. Worth considering

Get a ‘subject access request’ to them
This will detail every call and data they have on you.

Was talking to a mate who is a vw master tech today. He reckons the whine is coming from the diff bearings and these can be replaced.

AlS3BE said:

Get a ‘subject access request’ to them
This will detail every call and data they have on you.

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Do they record calls by default because I had a run in with my local audi repair centre over them charging me for an inspection service when all I asked for was the annual oil change.

After much shouting and refusing to leave the premises, the barstewards eventually stood down and only charged me for the oil change.

Anyway when asked to check the call I made when booking the car in, they told me they didn't record calls.

Mind you this was pre GDPR so things may have changed.

Anyway they never did an inspection because less than 1k miles later I got an advisory at my 1st mot on rear brake pads being at minimum.

I f'king hate stealers and my car will not be going back to one now it's out of warranty.

davc said:

Was talking to a mate who is a vw master tech today. He reckons the whine is coming from the diff bearings and these can be replaced.

Do they record calls by default because I had a run in with my local audi repair centre over them charging me for an inspection service when all I asked for was the annual oil change.

After much shouting and refusing to leave the premises, the barstewards eventually stood down and only charged me for the oil change.

Anyway when asked to check the call I made when booking the car in, they told me they didn't record calls.

Mind you this was pre GDPR so things may have changed.

Anyway they never did an inspection because less than 1k miles later I got an advisory at my 1st mot on rear brake pads being at minimum.

I f'king hate stealers and my car will not be going back to one now it's out of warranty.

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I know banks and that record all phone calls as may be needed for future.

I'd assume they're all recorded but never accessed unless required. However when ringing someone like that I make sure to take their name, the time I called and the length of the call to back up that I made the call and it will correspond with their system. Granted it won't prove they did or didn't say something, but you can argue the case that you called when you did because of the servicing requirement.

In regards to OP I'd definitely look to get some legal advice for this case before agreeing to "settle" with Audi beforehand

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I found the customer service with Audi is going down hill dramatically. When I brought my first Audi a few years back they were good before and after the purchase but after our two recent purchases it's been very poor to say the least!

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Your warranty doesn’t mean a thing no matter how long you have. Under the Sale of Goods Act, you as a customer have certain expectations and I personally would not expect a gearbox to play up on an expensive car in four years, so get some legal advice, go on the companies house website and get the business address and the managing directors name and issue legal proceedings against him personally, it really gives them the hump. For your information, Audi USA offer a four year warranty from the outset and your first interim service is FREE.