Nosferatu

I just purchased this car certified used about 2 months ago and I've let this go for a bit (I'm about to bring it to the dealer) but I figured I ask some people first what they think is wrong.

I noticed every time I'm out driving the speedometer is off by 3-4 MPH. It's constantly the same amount (not off by a percentage like with different sized tires)...but here's the "catch."

1.) If I set the hard speed limiter (you know when the info console flashed the MPH warning at you) it's dead accurate...when I set it to 80mph it goes off exactly at 80, same at 50mph, same at most speeds I tested.

2.) HOWEVER, the speedometer at 80 shows about 83-84mph and at 50 shows 53-54mph. This is very annoying. Any ideas? It's like the needle is just pointing the wrong direction yet the car's computer reads the speed fine.

Thanks again!

Nosferatu

oh sorry to leave out...

it's a 2007 A4 (B7) with the 3.2 with the auto transmission

I tested the speed by using a GPS which shows proper speeds on all my other cars I've tried it on (Nissan Altima, Dodge SRT-4, Pontiac Vibe) so obviously the A4 is off. Plus those wonderful speed trap readers they have on the highway also shows the speedometer is off on the Audi.

bengtc

its normal for audi's to be 1-5 mph too fast.

bengtc

mine is 5 mph fast.

Nosferatu

are you serious? That's horrible! I expect that from a Kia or my Pontiac Vibe...not an Audi.

champ1

Yea but unlike those brands, in an Audi it's done on purpose. Call it a special purpose.

RichAA

Mine is worse. Mine is off by about 14 MPH at highway speed 80=66 actual, etc.

Brillo

Your observation is correct that the speed is optimistic by almost exactly 5 mph. This is done intentionally as I am told. It's as if they speedo maker just pushed the needle onto the spindle at 5 mph when the actual speed was zero mph, so at any speed it's always 5 mph faster than the actual speed. I'm also told that the logic is that there is a regulation in Germany that forbids speedos to be inaccurate in the pessimistic direction, so they intentionally error on the side of optimism. Don't know the validity of this though.

OneEyedJack

I had a similar complaint. Turns out to be an EU regulation that started in 2000 to standardize every speedo from a moped to a Mack truck. Manufacturers put the slop in to cover their ***** in the event owners put different size wheels/tires on their cars. See the link for the EU regulation if you want to read about it...that is if you have trouble sleeping.

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...ht=speedometer

paulk11087

interesting posts guys... i noticed this recently that mine was around 3-4mph faster than the actual speed that the speed trap thingy showed... didn't really mind much though