Audi s3 8v misfiring and coolant

veeeight said:
I had a brief mis-fire on startup this morning, so I booked in to the dealer for coolant loss.

The service manager said that they had seen a few coolant loss cases now, but no action or fix yet.

Also booked in for a couple of other un-related faults (Pre-Sense, ACC)
Click to expand...

Hope you can get it sorted. Touchwood mine has been running fine since and have just touched 7,000miles
 
interesting topic guys....my wife borrowed mine recently while i was away and on landing she called me to say she was "broken down" (it had done about 1,000 km's)....the radiator warning light and message was telling her to stop...so she got some help from some locals who threw in some water then waited and waited and finally had to get a tow to the audi garage. i went to pick it up and they had no explanation other than the coolant had gone below the level of the sensor....when i asked why they said maybe it hadn't been filled up properly before giving it to me. i still don't buy this and now i have read this thread even less so....i am monitoring also when cold....and heading to the salesperson on the weekend to get a better explanation....
 
I spoke to soon. Currently road side on Hammersmith road awaiting audi assistance.
The EPC light has come on and emissions light is flashing and the car was choking in traffic.
Didn't sound to clever either.
Will see what the recovery guy says, really annoying and inconvenient to say the least
 
PanamaS3 said:
interesting topic guys....my wife borrowed mine recently while i was away and on landing she called me to say she was "broken down" (it had done about 1,000 km's)....the radiator warning light and message was telling her to stop...so she got some help from some locals who threw in some water then waited and waited and finally had to get a tow to the audi garage. i went to pick it up and they had no explanation other than the coolant had gone below the level of the sensor....when i asked why they said maybe it hadn't been filled up properly before giving it to me. i still don't buy this and now i have read this thread even less so....i am monitoring also when cold....and heading to the salesperson on the weekend to get a better explanation....
Click to expand...

Sounds like a common story to me, the difference is there´s no way i give my car to my wife, hahaha
I still think they dont filled it well with coolant but they change the water pump for free (warranty), no complains with Audi.
 
OK

Turns out there is a TPI for S3's losing coolant
(or on the TPI, it's titled air getting into the system)

Procedure is to fill to correct level at MAX then pressure test to find out where it's leaking.
If no pressure drop detected, no warranty process, return car to customer and ask them to monitor.

Here's the interesting bit:

The MAX level is not the top line, but about 1cm higher than the top line.
Both the tech and I were surprised at the illustration in the TPI

I can only guess that this is Audi AG's attempt at a higher level, to eliminate possibility of air getting in, or air locks.
I recall some posts about forum members complaining that the dealer was overfilling the coolant - perhaps not !


I've said that as long as my dealer or Audi UK keep me supplied with G13 coolant, I'l accept the situation and monitor.
 
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veeeight said:
OK

Turns out there is a TPI for S3's losing coolant
(or on the TPI, it's titled air getting into the system)

Procedure is to fill to correct level at MAX then pressure test to find out where it's leaking.
If no pressure drop detected, no warranty process, return car to customer and ask them to monitor.

Here's the interesting bit:

The MAX level is not the top line, but about 1cm higher than the top line.
Both the tech and I were surprised at the illustration in the TPI

I can only guess that this is Audi AG's attempt at a higher level, to eliminate possibility of air getting in, or air locks.
I recall some posts about forum members complaining that the dealer was overfilling the coolant - perhaps not !


I've said that as long as my dealer or Audi UK keep me supplied with G13 coolant, I'l accept the situation and monitor.
Click to expand...

I haven't checked the level since I got back from the garage, actually, so don't know how full they have made it. Will have a look later and take a picture for reference.

Do you have a TPI reference number by any chance? In case I need it...

But I'm not going to accept coolant levels dropping as normal behaviour, that's for petrol/oil only :D
 
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I agree that coolant should not drop.

But given that there was no "official" fix on the TPI, I didn't really have any choice, other than to say that I'm not buying any G13 coolant - they can supply/pay for that!

Sorry, didn't get the TPI number.
 
This is the MAX level illustration in the TPI 2038260/3


QEvIx5D.jpg
 
Checked my 1.8 and was just above minimum. Topped up but seems to be ~200mL between min & max?

Agree it should not drop as never had to top up my previous Audis between coolant changes.

John.
 
Mine miss fires when ever I sit in a lot of traffic for a long time this is the second time she's going in to audi now but when it misfires I get EPC light and engine management come up any ideas thanks
 
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That's wat I was thinking of doing had my s3 since October 2014 and car has only done 2700 miles if it goes in again after this I'm sure I have the right to a new car if they can't fix this problem I'm not pay 35k for a car that don't like traffic
 
I took a look again just before leaving it to first service and the coolant was just above the MIN signal.
No complains since i dont have the ligt blinking in the dashboard and my water pump was changed, but i believe there´s a strange coolant evaporation (verify and not leaking). It is full again and will check in a couple of months if something happens.
 
Sorry if this is a stupid question.. but I've noticed on a cold start that when I move off the car stutters and judders between gear changes. Is this misfiring ? I ask because I also have the coolant loss problem which will be investigated when the car is serviced next week !!
 
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If you are getting a coolant leak into the cylinders, the car will misfire rightaway after startup, not just in between gear changes. That sounds like something else.

If they are investigating your coolant leak problem properly, they will leave it on a pressure test overnight, and then read the pressure drop, look for staining around the engine, and check for a misfire on startup.
 
mls said:
Sorry if this is a stupid question.. but I've noticed on a cold start that when I move off the car stutters and judders between gear changes. Is this misfiring ? I ask because I also have the coolant loss problem which will be investigated when the car is serviced next week !!
Click to expand...


Hmmm - I get exactly the same. So, when I leave my drive in the morning, the first few gear changes I need to be gentle with else it's unhappy. I wouldn't go so far as to say misfires but it's not happy and I keep the revs low and smooth. But after 10s or so, it's fine.

I was going to raise it with Audi but I assumed it was normal for this engine. It clears so quickly and the only way they'd be able to diagnose it is to have the car overnight... should I reconsider and get it looked at?

I had the "coolant loss" problem fixed by opening the coolant value to reset the levels but that was all that was done - 13,500 miles in and coolant levels are fine.
 
I think I have what you both are describing - re gearbox from 1st to 2nd.

Up to 10,000 miles, the shifts from 1st to 2nd have been smooth and seamless.

However lately, if I'm pulling out out of a junction first thing in the morning, and wish to make progress, the change from 1st to 2nd has become "lurchy" and it changes up with a jerk.

I'll certainly be mentioning it at the service, I suspect a DSG oil change will cure that, but thats not due until 38,000 miles .............
 
FYI to everyone here...I have joined the "new water pump club" after a second bout of coolant loss.
I was getting the problem every 4/6 months/6,000 km's.
Apparently here in Panama they have changed 10 water pumps on the new A3 so far.
The "leak" comes not from the water pump itself but from a component/part of the water pump that has a faulty seal and which cannot be changed separately....so they have to change the whole pump.
No issues from them in doing it after I showed them all of the info from this forum.....so thank you all very much for your posts.
 
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On the misfiring issue...has anyone changed their ignition coils to try to solve the problem?
 
oh...one more thing....before I had my water pump changed my car would shudder and sputter everytime I turned it on from cold for about the first 10 seconds....now this has gone and the car feels instantly smooth
 
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further update....despite water pump being changed and coolant/water levels being restored I got the "coolant warning" on the engine again this weekend (week after replacement water pump/coolant top up).
when i got the warning i stopped and opened up the coolant expansion tank (not driven very far) and it looked low.....however once replaced and engine back on, no more warning light. so i went home and topped up the water and no problems since.......took it back to the dealer today and now we are "monitoring"....
 
@PanamaS3, are you sure it´s just that piece in the water pump, i also have changed it last year and still have the consumption problem.
The last time i filled it was one month ago, and filled it to the plastic mark of the water pump (over the MAX), and yesterday i saw it between the MAX and MIN. Maybe i will try to change it again with the guarantee.
 
kikin said:
@PanamaS3, are you sure it´s just that piece in the water pump, i also have changed it last year and still have the consumption problem.
The last time i filled it was one month ago, and filled it to the plastic mark of the water pump (over the MAX), and yesterday i saw it between the MAX and MIN. Maybe i will try to change it again with the guarantee.
Click to expand...
not sure of anything to be honest....been trying to find the TPI which I understand refers to "air in the system" so changing the water pump seemed illogical anyway but it has changed the way my car starts up now so no complaints there....but it baffles me why there is no fix to this problem
 
One of the weirdest issues in this car, at least i dont remap it yet, so i just remove the FSR to apply the guarantee.
 
Looks like I'm joining the coolant loss club in my new S3 Saloon. 1400 miles from new, 2 miles into a trip and I had the red light on the dash telling me Engine Coolant Low and to pull over and switch off the engine. Here's the level of the coolant before and after I slowly unscrewed the cap and replaced (damn that cap's hot!) - will be calling Audi shortly... Not what I expect from a 40k car....

Image
Image
 
Updating: second water pump changed last week. Leaking detected in a certain piece of the water pump. At least the warranty was applied without complaining (i have the DTUK FSR). Expecting to return to dealer just for the next service and not to refill it again.
 
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kikin said:
Updating: second water pump changed last week. Leaking detected in a certain piece of the water pump. At least the warranty was applied without complaining (i have the DTUK FSR). Expecting to return to dealer just for the next service and not to refill it again.
Click to expand...
I haven't had anymore problems (touch wood) since my last post....but I did top it up a little bit with water the other day just for good measure.
Hope it works out for you on the 2nd pump....
 
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UPDATE:
Came back from 3 week holiday and checked my coolant tank. Totally empty.
Took it to Audi for fill up and they gave me a full bottle of G13 to monitor/top up.
Seems there is no current published solution, but in talking to the guys there they all seem to think that its due to cyclinder head expansion which then leaks fluids because these engines run so hot. They thought that the solution might be to replace the screws holding the head on with longer ones.
This is unofficial, but I did read somewhere else (maybe earlier in this thread or online) that they found this same problem being caused by this on TT/TT-S/TT-RS models.
Monitoring continues.....
 
UPDATE also.
The leaking continues with the 2nd pump, i haven´t bring it to the dealer because i´m waiting the check light to pop up.
Can i get a new car? haha
 
kikin said:
UPDATE also.
The leaking continues with the 2nd pump, i haven´t bring it to the dealer because i´m waiting the check light to pop up.
Can i get a new car? haha
Click to expand...
Yes you can have a new car :)
Next!
 
PanamaS3 said:
UPDATE:
Came back from 3 week holiday and checked my coolant tank. Totally empty.
Took it to Audi for fill up and they gave me a full bottle of G13 to monitor/top up..
Click to expand...


Don't forget to dilute the G13 !
 
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Depends which climate and country you are in, the ratios are on the reverse of the peelable label!
 
veeeight said:
Depends which climate and country you are in, the ratios are on the reverse of the peelable label!
Click to expand...
As always v8....a veritable bottomless pit of useful practical advice....:) I think its 50/50 anyway G13/distilled water....cheers!
 
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After about 3500km mine was below min but no light came on, I just had it topped with water and and have only done about 1000km since and it has not moved. My local APR dealer has the same problem with coolant disappearing and says most of his customers with S3's and Golf 7 R's find their coolant just disappears and nobody can find out where it's leaking from. If I had to take a guess I think the coolant is evaporating somewhere due to the heat. I had mine topped up in Winter and like I said it hasn't moved. I'm no expert though. I don't even know if coolant can evaporate.
 
Mine is still disappearing like Lord Lucan.

Dealer has no idea where it is going.
 
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