New A3 S-Line Turbo Charger Linkage Fault at startup

It's obviously working on some cars, must be unfortunate one-offs.
 
Having driven the car over the bank holiday weekend I can confirm it's near silent when accelerating gently through 2nd gear (hooray!). But all other gears produce the same rattle from 2k to 3k RPM, in fact it even rattled at 1,800 rpm on a couple of occasions when under load... :banghead:

I've booked it back in with the garage but earliest they can fit me in is end of next week. Interested to hear if this fixes the issue for other users.
 
Just had the "clip" fitted and it seems to have sorted the problem. I've driven about 25 mile back from the dealer and all appears well. I dont' want to speak too soon though. Will keep an eye on it. Seems to have a bit more poke too !.
 
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mjcourtney said:
Having driven the car over the bank holiday weekend I can confirm it's near silent when accelerating gently through 2nd gear (hooray!). But all other gears produce the same rattle from 2k to 3k RPM, in fact it even rattled at 1,800 rpm on a couple of occasions when under load... :banghead:

I've booked it back in with the garage but earliest they can fit me in is end of next week. Interested to hear if this fixes the issue for other users.
Click to expand...

Sorry to hear your problems, this might be more than the rattle from the lever and rod. From what you say about the rattles when under load, this could be the waste gate valve inside the turbo, I have not seen this particular turbo internaly but it is usually a flap valve. When accelerating hard the flap will at times be open dumping excess exhaust gas back into the exhaust system, when it is doing this, pressure is taken off the flap valve and if loose can allow the valve disc to rattle (by loose I mean a larger clearance between the flap valve and the operating lever internaly when it is riveted/swaged over during manufacfure).
Hope all this makes sence to you, it does in my head but a little different to explain. If I can be of any further help just ask
 
audi upgrades
That does make sense, thanks! I just hope the dealership technicians are as knowledgeable as you. To be honest if they come back and tell me it's still the wastegate, lever or actuator rod I will be asking for a new turbo. This has gone on quite long enough......
 
Think it will need to be new turbo, wastegate and lever fixed to turbine housing and cannot be removed, actuator can be changed but not recommended due to requiring setting up
 
Just had my rattle fixed today after 8 weeks waiting,watch out for rear light lens delamination as I have had these replaced under warranty also, had the same problem on 2010 3 door 8p.
 
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Glad to hear your rattle is fixed :)

Do you have any photos of the delamination on the rear lights? I've not heard of this before.
 
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Sorry I haven't and its hard to describe.
Keep a check on the top edge of the lens .
 
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Day 2 of the fix and all still appears well. Still find myself driving it gently though. I keep imagining the noise also - so used to it being there !!! :jump:
 
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Had the clip applied to my car by Nottingham Audi today, I had the windows down and radio off on the drive home and no sign of the rattle no matter how hard I tried.
:thumbsup:
 
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Stop it, you're making me jealous!! :3sadwalk:

Lol, no really, I'm pleased it's sorted for you! :)

Makes me wonder more and more whether they actually fitted my clip correctly!
 
Mine is in tomorrow so The dealer can plug it into diag and provide the report to audi and then source the clip. Apparently the manufacturer needs this data before sending the part to the dealers????? Either way I've waited this long so another wee while wont make a difference.
 
OK so had a nice surprise today. I was only expecting a diagnostic report to confirm what we already know, but somehow the dealer procured a clip that was meant for someone else(perhaps a 63 plate?) and fitted it. Pleased to report no more rattle. Before you could reproduce the noise by holding the Actuator Rod ###once cool### now...nothing, not a peep.
 
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That's excellent! A good stroke of luck pinching someone else's clip. Now we just need to wait for the thread "Been waiting 12 weeks for my turbo clip and the dealer fitted it to another car!!"...... :p
 
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SUCCESS!!!!!

I am now rattle free :D :D :D :D :D :D (and the car too)

It turns out that my clip was indeed damaged. They blamed it on the fact the engine was too hot to work on last time, and they think they damaged / bent the clip whilst trying to fit it without burning their hands (well, at least they're honest). They also said they've now fitted a new clip - but I'm a bit baffled how they managed to get another one on such short notice, unless the supply issue has been resolved??

Regardless, I now have a silent drive :)

Time for a celebratory dance....

fzwBb.gif
 
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mjcourtney said:
SUCCESS!!!!!

I am now rattle free :D :D :D :D :D :D (and the car too)

It turns out that my clip was indeed damaged. They blamed it on the fact the engine was too hot to work on last time, and they think they damaged / bent the clip whilst trying to fit it without burning their hands (well, at least they're honest). They also said they've now fitted a new clip - but I'm a bit baffled how they managed to get another one on such short notice, unless the supply issue has been resolved??

Regardless, I now have a silent drive :)

Time for a celebratory dance....

fzwBb.gif
Click to expand...

excellent news!!!! its a great drive without the bag of wasps under the bonnet isn't it!!!!!

You can enjoy the 8V experience properly now :)
 
Got my car booked in on the 9th and will see how it goes. Hopefully they would know what I'm talking about and know how to deal with it exactly.
 
JossyB said:
Day 2 of the fix and all still appears well. Still find myself driving it gently though. I keep imagining the noise also - so used to it being there !!! :jump:
Click to expand...

I've been doing exactly the same - I keep expecting it to start rattling at certain revs! I need to fill an old can with some coins and keep it to hand in the car so that I can rattle it at the appropriate moment to be reminded of the old times lol
 
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Right I've dropped the car of to northampton audi. Told them about the problem and the solution. The guy was friendly and told me their engineers had to do their initial testing which is understandable but I gave them the details which he took on board. Hopefully things get fixed very soon.
 
Just an update:

As mentioned the car was dropped off on Monday and left with them, the service tech told me they would need the part to order and was going to arrive the following day to fit. Its a bit strange how I hear from other people's experience that it could have been in short supply.

Anyway when I got the car back today no loud rattle but its very quite now. Its not going to annoy me just yet but you got to really listen to it to hear it.
 
Glad it's (mostly) sorted for you. I think the part shortage must have been resolved as the complaints are drying up and my dealer apparently ordered a 2nd clip and it turned up within 24 hours.
 
Has anyone pursued the whine noise at start-up which was apparently not linked to the turbo rattle?
 
It just doesn't sound very Audi-like and it did not happen with my old 1.8T. The manual does say that there will be some noise due to hydraulic tappets but I don't think this sounds like that.
 
Did a motorway journey this morning. Plenty of hovering between 2k -3k revs and even higher at times. Sat most of the journey with no radio on and pleased to report it's silent as a mouse! One very happy owner :yes:
 
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Did any of you wait while the fix was applied?

I presume nothing needs to be removed for access? Looks like a simple slot on modification..
 
Yes I waited. And they messed it up because the engine was too hot and they damaged the clip trying to put it on without burning their hands.

Their 2nd and sucessful attempt involved me dropping the car off and them letting it cool down for over an hour before they tried.
 
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mjcourtney said:
Yes I waited. And they messed it up because the engine was too hot and they damaged the clip trying to put it on without burning their hands.

Their 2nd and sucessful attempt involved me dropping the car off and them letting it cool down for over an hour before they tried.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Looks like Huddersfield Audi told me a pack of lies then.
 
They told me that part is not in circulation yet (and estimated it would be at the end of September).

Now, either he meant it is on back order until end of September or it simply isn't available to Audi until end of September.


I think his exact words were 'it isn't available for the 1.4TFSI until the end of September'


It is a shame because it really does spoil the whole Audi 'well engineered' experience. I'm 100% it won't damage any of my car but I find it quite embarrassing when everyone I know asks me 'whats that horrible noise coming from your car'
 
If they're talking about the 'clip' then yes, it's available and has been for about a month. I don't know about lead times, but my garage seemed to get a replacement part in within 24 hours of ordering it after they broke the first clip.

Regardless, they can still order the part as the relevant numbers are on the parts system. Make sure they at least done this, otherwise you will be waiting indefinitely.
 
Mine has started doing this...I had hoped they would have sorted this in the factory but no....spoke to my dealer, Colchester Audi, no idea what I was talking about...hmmm
 
Having been an owner of two VW Scirocco GT’s over the last 6 years without I must say not once have they time spent in a dealer workshop with mechanical or any other problems.
I this time decide to have a change so I purchased an Audi A3 S-Line TFSi thinking Audi must be a quality built car and reliable, well it is an Audi after all.
I collected the car in early June 2013 and must very please with the purchase.
I then decide to join the Audi-Sport.net forum just as I did with my Scirocco’s just to see what other owners think of their Audi’s etc.
I then came across this thread about the Turbo Charger Linkage Fault which was originally posted in April 2013, reading the thread I thought sure Audi UK would now be aware of the issue and fit modification to all cars sold once they become aware of a problem.
I decided to contact Audi UK about the issue mentioned in this thread, waited a few days and hay presto Audi contacted me, they stated that they were not aware of any issue of this sort and internet forums should really bit take with a pinch of salt so to speak, so my reply was ok thanks for getting back to me, I assured my new would be fine.
Well what a surprise my new Audi A3 with 1200 miles on the clock seems to have the symptom’s mentioned in the very good I must say thread, thinking what do Audi know, the customers are the ones who drive the cars day to day so any issues would be found by them.
So I have booked my A3 in for inspection on Monday with the whole of this thread and part number details for the fix printed off in hand and passing it to the dealership technicians just encase they have not seen the issue before.
If confirmed this is my issue I will be contacting Audi UK again…
 
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