VT Passat

Hey!

I just bought a 2010 A5 PP with B&O and I couldn't be happier. It handles light years better than my Passat GLX 4-motion purchased new in 2001! I've had the car for less than a week and would like to get some input on the following:

The car was diagnosed with the oil consumption issue and the pistons and rings were replaced at 75k miles. The car has 79k now. Within the 250 or so miles I have owned the car the MMI oil indicator has dropped 1 bar from the full position. Can I expect the engine to burn some oil that is considered normal usage? Also, to add oil, wait for the oil level warning symbol to display in the instrument cluster and then add .5 liters?

The afternoon of the day I bought the car the fan for the climate control system would not turn on no matter what I tried. After driving the car back to the seller, who at first couldn't get it to work, it turned on. I've done some looking online and this seems to be a sporadic problem with the same symptoms. Has anyone experienced this issue and had it fixed by Audi?

When I checked the tire pressure the front tires were set 2 or 3 psi higher than the rears. Didn't know if maybe this was done intentionally. Opinions?

Lastly, I'm considering purchasing a dedicated winter wheel and tire setup. What are my 17" wheel options? Is the A5 sold with 17" wheels in the premium trim? I've looked at Tire Rack but just want to see what others have done.

Thanks for reading.

uberwgn

VT, welcome aboard!



I've got an '11 A4 and was able to find a set of OE 17" Audi wheels for my snow tires on Craiglist for short money. You just have to be cautious about getting newer Audi wheels as the center bore has been increased and wheels from older Audis won't bolt up.


Dollar for dollar, Tire Rack makes a lot of sense: new wheels + fresh tires and minimal hassle. Gary is the forum's rep over at Tire Rack.


I'd also check ECS Tuning for wheels...they frequently have some ridiculous blow out sales on nicer wheels.

VT Passat

Not yet having enough experience monitoring the MMI oil level indicator, maybe saying one bar is a bad description.


The car has been driven 3387 miles since the rings and pistons were replaced. When I test drove it last week the MMI oil level was full. Since then MMI oil display has gone down by approximately one-sixth. I guess I assumed that the display shows oil usage in one-sixth increments. So, my original question is should I still expect the engine to use some oil?


Now, hopefully, the previous owner did not add any oil before trading the car. Which is what I was told. Obviously, the situation is completely different if, after piston and ring replacement, oil was added before the vehicle was traded. The local Audi dealership said there is a 1-year 12,000 mile warranty on the work. No doubt I'll monitor oil usage closely as the miles add up.


Regarding tire pressure, the tire pressure label on the driver's door jamb says 35 psi all around.

uberwgn

IMO, with Stage 2 work completed, I don't believe the car should be using measurable oil. I think you've got to keep an eye on it.


In the USA, since 2006 or so, the door jamb label displays MAX LOAD values only. Be thankful Audi still publishes normal load and the max load info in the Owner's Manual.


FWIW, cars sent to the rest of the world have very different door jamb labels. It's just the USA that's "special"...for "special" drivers with "special" needs


I just happen to have a foto of the door jamb label for a European market A5. Does your door label look anything like this:

VT Passat

I see said the blind man. Have there been many stage 3 engine replacements? I can't find too much on them. How sensitive is the MMI oil level sensor? Where I park the car at work and home isn't exactly level...meaning if left in neutral the car would definitely roll. Maybe I'm grasping at the moment and it's still very early to be thinking stage 3 but I'll pull over some where level on the way home tonight and run through this procedure I read about shutting the car off after getting engine up to normal operating temps, then turning on accessory mode and then popping the hood. Something about resetting the MMI oil level reading.


About the sticker for the tires all it says is 35 cold tire pressure for fronts and rears. As you mentioned it seems the all the weight is in the nose so possibly the previous owner had the front tires set higher for better handling. Opinions?

uberwgn

The MMI generates its reading while the car is being driven. It is mostly accurate. You may be able to get a dipstick for your car.


I don't think many have had complete engine replacements. Many have gone thru Stage 2.


Every time you open the hood, it forces the dynamic (oil) measurement system to start over. You may have to drive 100 miles for it to display again. I'd suggest you check the MMI once a week and keep track of how fast it's dropping. If the oil level drops too low, the car will produce a warning message.



Again, the labels on USA cars show MAX LOAD only. I can only suggest you open the Owner's Manual and find the correct information for your car and its engine! This is what the page looks like:





I use normal load + 2 psi. That works for me and my local road surfaces.

VT Passat

Thanks! The first time I checked the owner's manual I thought all it said was refer to the driver's door which I thought was strange. Now I see the chart. It says 33F and 29R for 2.0 on 18" wheels. Normal load + 2 psi sounds good.


Thanks again for your help!

uberwgn

No problem, that's what we're here for.


My A4 has the 18" wheels and I run 34F/32R. Works pretty well. Good luck with it!

Nastybutler

For winter tires I run 18" wheels. I wouldn't go as small as 17". You can use up to 20" wheels without issues on these cars, but I run 19" in the summer due to really crappy roads.

VT Passat

The previous owner can't find the second key and the independent VW/Audi dealer where I picked up my A5 said he'd split the cost of another key fob. $80 each. Audi is basically the only option for another key fob, correct? How's the pricing seem? Thanks.