Creaking noise due to faulty body panel - lemon?
#23
AudiWorld Senior Member
Yes indeed when and if there is a TSB please share the number. So far our A4 has been good (going on 6 months -- 2018 PP sport package) but that creaking noise/sometimes sounds like a ticking noise is not confidence inspiring. As much as I want to love the VAG products there is always something that gets in the way of the love affair and causes me to question whether makes any sense (read: is an acceptable risk) to keep a VAG product much beyond the manufacturer's warranty. At any rate that noise, although intermittent and highly dependent upon road surface/undulations, is obnoxious and unacceptable in a car with a sticker closing in on 50K. Factory needs to fix this and fast.
#24
I wish I had something to report. They have now had my car for over a month. I've put on way over 1000 miles on their Q5 loaner and am not in a big hurry to get the car back as I like having an unlimited mileage rental..
I did get a text from my SA last week saying that they are progressing and that the car is currently at the body shop and should be done by end of the (Last) week. But I haven't heard anything since. I'll post up when (if) I get my car back..... I'm also having day dreams of them buying back my car so I can get a A5 sportback... I can dream..
Ken
I did get a text from my SA last week saying that they are progressing and that the car is currently at the body shop and should be done by end of the (Last) week. But I haven't heard anything since. I'll post up when (if) I get my car back..... I'm also having day dreams of them buying back my car so I can get a A5 sportback... I can dream..
Ken
#26
AudiWorld Senior Member
Indeed, pile on those miles. When my A6 was in for the upper timing chain tensioners I had an A5 sportback (this was the catalyst involved in getting my wife the /18 A4 Quattro PP) for some seven weeks. I'm sure I put quite a few miles on that car. I wonder why this is taking so long. It will be interesting to see the TSB if one indeed exists. I really like our A4 other than the creak. If I could get comfortable with the risk of holding it beyond warranty I would do so but not with the creak -- that has to get taken care of. Right now I'm not too fussed about it since wife drives that car and she's not that sensitive to rattles, squeaks, creaks and more importantly the car is leased and will disappear in approx. 2.5 years. If I get comfortable enough to run risk of ownership post warranty expiration, car is stellar during the next 2.5 years (meaning no VAG timing chain/belt, oil burning, turbo or other issues) and creak is eliminated, might actually buy it at end of lease and run it for another 2-3 years. Time will tell.
Best,
Jeff
Best,
Jeff
#27
I am really starting to miss my car... (a lot of it cause of the undesirable color which helps keep the "boring" down). The only reason I'm not 100% in love with it is I wish I had a hatchback vs trunk.. so a sportback would be my first choice. But I give it to Audi for taking care of this. My car has almost 30K of miles and is... cough*lowered*cough.... but even after the EMD springs, it actually might ride better than the stock sport package, its def firm.
But I just hope they fix it... just cause i know that slight knocking/rattle is there was driving me nuts. Had Audi not stepped up, I would've dropped it off at the body shop and told them to seam weld that entire fender. If that didn't work, I would have to get drastic.
I am starting to miss the power of the A4 vs the Q5. It just doesn't have that snap off the lights like my A4 (even with my NS power module installed on my loaner..) nor that "I'm not going slow down for this left hander thru the intersection" feeling I get with my car but free miles is nice!
Ken
But I just hope they fix it... just cause i know that slight knocking/rattle is there was driving me nuts. Had Audi not stepped up, I would've dropped it off at the body shop and told them to seam weld that entire fender. If that didn't work, I would have to get drastic.
I am starting to miss the power of the A4 vs the Q5. It just doesn't have that snap off the lights like my A4 (even with my NS power module installed on my loaner..) nor that "I'm not going slow down for this left hander thru the intersection" feeling I get with my car but free miles is nice!
Ken
#28
AudiWorld Member
Any updates to this one? I have this issue that the shop has already failed to fix once. It is driving me nuts, but am hesitant to have them try again unless there is something I can point them to.
#29
AudiWorld Senior Member
On an unrelated subject (I have same noise as per this thread -- waiting until some clarity via TSB and also waiting until car goes in for 10K service to raise with service advisor), I have now noticed twice over past month when I fire up car first thing in a.m. a rattling from engine for couple of seconds that sounds suspiciously similar to the noise I had prior to the upper timing chain tensioners being replaced with upgraded parts in my 2015 A6 at 3 years/27K miles. Kind of like a machine gun sound but goes away after couple of seconds. I sure hope that I'm not cursed with a second Audi with timing chain issues. I'll monitor this and raise with service advisor if hear it again. Has anyone experienced anything like this in their A4?
Although I'm trying to love my Audis it is this type of thing (timing chain issues, soft clear coat that shows every swirl mark imaginable on a Manhattan Grey car, mysterious noise coming from rear which is the subject matter of this thread) that will likely have me exiting Audi ownership within the next 2.5 years. Fortunately the A4 is leased. I'll take my chances with the A6 until approximately 6 years/60-65,000 miles and then goodbye.
Not to bash the brand (too much) but after so many years of trouble-free Acura ownership with no issues of any consequence (and with respect to the few minor things that went wrong Acura was right there standing behind their product) my feeling is that the Audis are lovely cars to look at and drive but suffer from unacceptable quality issues. I'd expect some of this stuff from a Dodge Journey or some other FCA product, not from a so-called premium German marque. Vorsprung durch technik. Perhaps not. I'll report back regarding the machine gun I heard under the hood this a.m.
Best,
Jeff
Although I'm trying to love my Audis it is this type of thing (timing chain issues, soft clear coat that shows every swirl mark imaginable on a Manhattan Grey car, mysterious noise coming from rear which is the subject matter of this thread) that will likely have me exiting Audi ownership within the next 2.5 years. Fortunately the A4 is leased. I'll take my chances with the A6 until approximately 6 years/60-65,000 miles and then goodbye.
Not to bash the brand (too much) but after so many years of trouble-free Acura ownership with no issues of any consequence (and with respect to the few minor things that went wrong Acura was right there standing behind their product) my feeling is that the Audis are lovely cars to look at and drive but suffer from unacceptable quality issues. I'd expect some of this stuff from a Dodge Journey or some other FCA product, not from a so-called premium German marque. Vorsprung durch technik. Perhaps not. I'll report back regarding the machine gun I heard under the hood this a.m.
Best,
Jeff
#30
So I'll keep the main part simple.. I haven't heard from my SA in about a week but last message was that one of the rivets failed and they are now talking to Audi about another spot weld. He stopped telling me "maybe later this week" so I'm guessing I'll have the loaner for a bit longer..
I am really starting to have A4 withdrawal symptoms now. I do love the hatchback and free miles but when i was driving my A4, I was always torn between trying to get my DSG to fart under full throttle to keeping my MPG as high as possible. With the Q5, its always in the keep the MPG as high as possible (I'm up to 28mpg on a tank with this thing!). The loaner feels cheap now compared to my wifes Q5 and more and more, its just a rental now. It has also developed a blown speaker in the rear door. It goes away with volume, which is weird and I'm super tempted to turn it back in for yet another warranty claim... oh and i think its burning oil (my A4 is burning zero).
I starting to give up hope on getting my beloved gottland green car back....
I am really starting to have A4 withdrawal symptoms now. I do love the hatchback and free miles but when i was driving my A4, I was always torn between trying to get my DSG to fart under full throttle to keeping my MPG as high as possible. With the Q5, its always in the keep the MPG as high as possible (I'm up to 28mpg on a tank with this thing!). The loaner feels cheap now compared to my wifes Q5 and more and more, its just a rental now. It has also developed a blown speaker in the rear door. It goes away with volume, which is weird and I'm super tempted to turn it back in for yet another warranty claim... oh and i think its burning oil (my A4 is burning zero).
I starting to give up hope on getting my beloved gottland green car back....