Help Please New owner of S4 Avant B8

[WOJ]

Hi guys. I'm New to this forum so hello to everyone. My name is Simon. My first language is not English so apologise for any spelling mistakes. I picked up 2010 s4 avant yesterday and it's lovely car inside out. Have loads of questions so wonder if you will be able to help.

I never had automatic so it' all New to me.

When I test drove the car all was fine as I could not really push it to hard due to the road and sales man next to me.

Is s tronic in Dynamic mode "S" normally so sluggish and wont let you rev it to the red line ? Is it normal?

Is there a way to keep car permanently in individual mode? As it's seems that it always go back to Auto mode after unlocking the car.

Throttle response seems delayed. What I mean by that is if you are let's say crusing around city 30mph and suddenly press throttle half way it' seems that the car don't respond as quick. Gear box changes gears quickly but car feels like is accelerating very slowly. Like there was something holding it. I need to slightly easy off the throttle and car then seems to pick up and then I need to slowly increase the throttle if I need to accelerate more. If i floor it car will be slow to react and engine will sound like it' struggling but if you easy off and let engine catch up then you can follow with the throttle for super fast acceleration? Not sure how to describe it better.

As I tested car before buying in Comfort mode only the steering felt ok'ish. Now after driving it for few hours today and testing diffeent modes I find steering feel very weird. In dynamic mode is the worst. Seems that if I hit pot hole with left wheel the car plus to let straight away. If road if bumpy it feels the front end is all over the place. It transmits uneven road to the steering wheel and it's seems that cars front end goes from side to side. Not sure how to explain it better. I'm New to S4 and had 2013 A6 2.0 TDI before this one and never experienced any of this especially with the steering. So I wonder if there is something not working properly or this is how it feels in dynamic and 19 inch alloys.

Any help much appreciated

 

[A4B82.0tfsi-12]

First off. How you can buy a used S4 without giving it a real test drive is beyond all common sense.

Your issues is to be fixed, gearbox and front rebuild, if you are unlucky. Oilchange in the gearbox is a given. Checking the front bushings and tires a must.

 

[WOJ]

Yes u right but as it' my first auto gearbox it seemed to me that's the way they are. All my previous cars I had where MT.

Does the gearbox in sport mode revs till red line or Not?

Is there a way to reset throttle body on automatic?

When driving in Comfort everything seems fine with the steering. What I spotted is that when you let's say manovering on the car park and have full turn the rpm's fluctuating. Never had 19's with 255 tyres so maybe it's the way they are?

There is no knocks or from front suspension. Car done only 59k. The front feels sometimes (depending on the road) like it follows rail tracks.

Would it be worth it to take it to Audi and see if there are some updates for the car/gearbox?

 

[WOJ]

So it might be that I got myself Lemon.

Anyone that owns s4 locally. Bognor Regis area?

 

[jdp1962]

@WOJ , welcome to Audisport.net. Don't worry about English not being your first language. From reading your posts, it's no worse than that of some people on here for whom English is their first language. I'm sorry to hear about the problems you are having with the car. Be patient and I'm sure some of my fellow members who are more knowledgeable about technical stuff will be along to read your post and reply to it.

Thre only thing I can tell you is that on my car, from memory, the gearbox will rev to the redline when I use full throttle in S mode.

In the meantime, @A4B82.0tfsi-12, was that really the best you could do in terms of welcoming a new member to the forum and encouraging him to think we could help him?

 

[Dippy]

Is s tronic in Dynamic mode "S" normally so sluggish and wont let you rev it to the red line ? Is it normal?

"Dynamic" and "S" are really two different things. It depends on what options the car was built with.

All B8 S4s have the 7-speed s-tronic gearbox (code DL501) which as standard has two gear shift programs. "D" for "drive" will shift at relatively low revs. So whilst cruising in D it should quickly reach D5, D6 or even D7 depending on speed. This means that a description of an S4 in "D" could indeed be "sluggish". So that's why it also has "S" for "sport" which raises the shift points significantly, i.e. it should "hold onto" gears longer whilst accelerating. I would never describe an S4 in "S" as "sluggish". In both "D" and "S" it is indeed true that the engine won't rev to the redline unless the throttle is nearly fully open. So if you don't put your foot well down on the accelerator pedal then it won't reach redline. I suggest that next time you have the chance, find a safe open road to try a sprint with your foot to the floor and check that it upshifts at the redline.

"Dynamic" is a term which applies to ADS ("Audi drive select"). I assume by the rest of your post that your car has ADS, but you don't make it clear exactly what extra components it has (just the steering?). ADS was a cost option and in base mode it just controls a few items, although one is important. In ADS "Dynamic" the gearbox will be put into "S" but also the throttle response will be improved. Before I bought my S5, I had a B5 S4 which was turbocharged. I test-drove a lot of B8 S4s and S5s and was pleased to find that compared to my B5 S4 with its turbo-lag, the throttle response of the B8 was good. Then when I tried one with ADS I thought it was excellent. The difference between "S" and "Dynamic with S" is significant.

Is there a way to keep car permanently in individual mode? As it's seems that it always go back to Auto mode after unlocking the car.

I only recently discovered that ADS is different between B8 cars (2009-2011/12) and B8.5 cars (2012-2016). I have a B8.5 and it stays in the ADS mode I select until I change it (although note that when in "Dynamic", restarting the car will switch the gearbox to "D" although ADS is still in "Dynamic"). I am not sure if this is different for a B8 - another member will need to comment.

Throttle response seems delayed. What I mean by that is if you are let's say crusing around city 30mph and suddenly press throttle half way it' seems that the car don't respond as quick. Gear box changes gears quickly but car feels like is accelerating very slowly. Like there was something holding it. I need to slightly easy off the throttle and car then seems to pick up and then I need to slowly increase the throttle if I need to accelerate more. If i floor it car will be slow to react and engine will sound like it' struggling but if you easy off and let engine catch up then you can follow with the throttle for super fast acceleration? Not sure how to describe it better.

This really doesn't sound right. Even in non-ADS "Dynamic" and "D", pressing the accelerator that much should change down and accelerate. What I suggest you do is try to rule out the gearbox by switching to "M" with the gear lever or paddle, changing down to 2nd gear. So at around 20mph that should take the revs up to a point where the charger is fully boosting. If you then press the accelerator half way the car should pretty much leap forward. If it doesn't then something is wrong. A diagnostic scan (e.g. VCDS) might help - unfortunately I'm too far away from Bognor Regis.

As I tested car before buying in Comfort mode only the steering felt ok'ish. Now after driving it for few hours today and testing diffeent modes I find steering feel very weird. In dynamic mode is the worst. Seems that if I hit pot hole with left wheel the car plus to let straight away. If road if bumpy it feels the front end is all over the place. It transmits uneven road to the steering wheel and it's seems that cars front end goes from side to side.

I have dynamic steering and like it, but I know of others who don't. The steering in "comfort" should be light with a low ratio (more turn of the steering wheel needed to turn the car). In "dynamic" it will be stiffer with a high ratio, especially at higher speeds. I'm not sure that complaining about pulling to the left after hitting a pothole is valid - it depends on the pothole! But I do not relate to the front end being "all over the place" on an uneven road. Your comment in #3 sounds like tram-lining. Some tyres are prone to this and my current Pirellis do it - I shall be changing to Michelin PS4s as soon as the Pirellis wear out. You might need your steering and/or alignment checked, but of course check tyre conditions and pressures first. My car has 255/R19s and the spec is 39 front, 33 rear, but the S4 might be different - there should be an info sticker on the driver's door.

@WOJ , welcome to Audisport.net. Don't worry about English not being your first language. From reading your posts, it's no worse than that of some people on here for whom English is their first language.

Is you talkin' 'bout me like?

 

[Dippy]

What I spotted is that when you let's say manovering on the car park and have full turn the rpm's fluctuating.

I have never observed this on my car, however I do remember that for my B5 S4 Audi specifically warned not to leave the car on full lock too long. Power steering does sap engine power so maybe full lock on low revs could cause that. I'll try to remember to test this on mine sometime.

Car done only 59k. Would it be worth it to take it to Audi and see if there are some updates for the car/gearbox?

Yes there are updates, especially for the B8. It is ULTRA important that the DL501 be serviced correctly (oil & filter change). First one should have been done at or before 39K.

 

[jdp1962]

@Dippy, thanks for coming in as you have. I'm sure WOJ will be much encouraged by your response.

 

[WOJ]

I would like to thank you for all responses and really appreciate all input. Best forum I've ever joined. Very helpfull bunch of people here.

Will test some of the suggestions you guys provided over the weekend. See how I get on and come back to update you all.

In regarding to throttle response . I've had chat at work today with my mate and he told me that usually in automatic you have to "kick throttle it" so what he meant by this is that if you travel already at certain speed you not supposed to press throttle pedal furher down from oginall position but you should release it and then floor it ? New to automatic and I'm sure got a lot to learn.

@Dippy yes the car has ADS,damping controll, as well as steering and gearbox settings. I don't have sport diff as I didn' wanted one due to horror stories I read over the net. As I wasn't buying fairly new car I wanted to prevent unncessary and eye watering expense.

 

[WOJ]

I have never observed this on my car, however I do remember that for my B5 S4 Audi specifically warned not to leave the car on full lock too long. Power steering does sap engine power so maybe full lock on low revs could cause that. I'll try to remember to test this on mine sometime.



Yes there are updates, especially for the B8. It is ULTRA important that the DL501 be serviced correctly (oil & filter change). First one should have been done at or before 39K.

@Dippy In regards to updates to the Gearbox would they be free of charge or they would ask for payment? I personally would think that this sort stuff should be free of charge and shouldn't realy matter if the car is in manufacturer warranty still? As it's something that has been released by Audi to apply to all the cars and not only New ones?

 

[yusuf7869]

Welcome @WOJ . The guys on here are awesome and very helpful.

Hope you get all things sorted as these cars are awesome to drive.

 

[Sandra]

@WOJ welcome to Audi-sport.net. As you can see we are friendly and helpful. Hope you get your car running smoothly soon. Enjoy the forum.

 

[rum4mo]

Just a couple of things, Dippy your experience with power steering will be with electric steering I think seeing as your car will be B8.5, B8 had hydraulic steering system, so that might change some of what you said in respect to this car.

Update software, in my experience of VW, SEAT and Audi, if your car is still within the dealer service loop, they will implement S/W updates FOC, if you are still in the dealer service loop and an update is normally FOC if requested by the customer for a valid reason, it will be implemented FOC, if for some reason if you are or are not still within the dealer service loop and did not request that a S/W update were implemented within a reasonable time frame from that S/W update being made available, then you will required to pay for the tech time it takes to locate that old S/W update and implemented, you will not be charged for the S/W itself.

On the subject of buying a used car without testing every aspect of that car, lots of us end up buying a car as soon as we have seen it, so logic can go out the window so to speak, it is called love at first sight! That probably happens more with cars like the S4 where there are not normally that many available for sale at any one time.

 

[WOJ]

@rum4mo cheers

I will email today to nearest dealer which I think is in Worthing to see what are they going to say about updates.

In regards to steering and rpms it' bit weird. When at full lock either way with gearbox in D and just waiting to join the traffic you can hear engine and rpms fluctuating. It' s might be normal but I'm not sure as usually I had never cars and my last was M135i 2014 in MT and nothing like that was happening. Maybe is the way they are as there is no knocks etc coming out of front end.

I agree that sometimes and it was the case this time for me that emotion took over when buying this car. It's seemed solid and in immaculate condition. As I was looking for a while for one of those and went to see few already they all seemed "worn out" so when I arrived to see the car the diffeence was like "day and night" compering to everything I've seen in the past.

I will upload some pictures over the weekend if weather will be bit better.

Is it ok to post them on this tread or do you have special place for this on the forum?

 

[Sandra]

@WOJ you can post pics in here if you like. You may also post pics in the link below.

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/post-pics-of-your-b8-a4-s4.61006/

 

[WOJ]

@WOJ you can post pics in here if you like. You may also post pics in the link below.

http://www.audi-sport.net/xf/threads/post-pics-of-your-b8-a4-s4.61006/

Will do. Thank you for quick response

 

[Dippy]

In regarding to throttle response . I've had chat at work today with my mate and he told me that usually in automatic you have to "kick throttle it" so what he meant by this is that if you travel already at certain speed you not supposed to press throttle pedal furher down from oginall position but you should release it and then floor it ? New to automatic and I'm sure got a lot to learn

"Kick-down" is forcing the automatic gearbox to change down one gear by pushing quickly on the accelerator pedal, i.e. "kicking" it. In my experience since these cars are semi-automatic, the better/quicker option is to use the paddle to drop the gear. It will then stay in M for a short while before returning to D (well it does on the B8.5).

@Dippy yes the car has ADS,damping controll, as well as steering and gearbox settings. I don't have sport diff as I didn' wanted one due to horror stories I read over the net. As I wasn't buying fairly new car I wanted to prevent unncessary and eye watering expense.

Yes there have been some problems with the sports diff, but then it is a complicated bit of kit. So far no problems with mine.
Having written that, if you had wanted a car with sports diff you might still be looking - they are rare.

Just a couple of things, Dippy your experience with power steering will be with electric steering I think seeing as your car will be B8.5, B8 had hydraulic steering system, so that might change some of what you said in respect to this car.

Yeah - good point. I often forget that there are quite a few differences between the B8 and B8.5.

On the subject of buying a used car without testing every aspect of that car, lots of us end up buying a car as soon as we have seen it, so logic can go out the window so to speak, it is called love at first sight! That probably happens more with cars like the S4 where there are not normally that many available for sale at any one time.

When the B9 S4/5 were announced I was eager to read reports of member test drives, but before it happened I was reading post from members stating that they had ordered one. I accept that buying a new car without a test drive is less risky than for a used car, but more money is at risk. Personally I couldn't understand it and I would want a test drive before buying any car.