JamesAudiA6007

KevinGary

JamesAudiA6007

KevinGary

A6Gary

I'm in a similar predicament. My 2006 A6 Avant with only 93.2K miles still needs the ECM replaced for the PITA DTC P2404 issue (ECM error appeared at ~73K miles 4 years ago), and now the rear timing chain covers and valve covers have just started to leak. I don't mine having to replace gaskets or sealants after they reach high mileage (90K - 100K), but defected ECMs and possible failure of the Immobilizer module on the steering column, as KevinGary experienced, is a sign that Audi AG procures electronic modules on the cheap and/or insufficient endurance testing to ensure their reliability prior to placing them in the market to consumers. Another example of Audi's rush to market product is the sixth safety recall on our 2014 Q5 2.0L. The last recall requires replacing the after run coolant pump (cools the turbo) due to potential fouling resulting in overheating and resulting in a fire. The replacement pump was to available last December. However, we are still waiting for the part to replace the existing pump. In the mean time, the pump has been disconnected under the recall, so no possible fire (or cooling) can occur. Compare that recall record with the 2006 that only had one saftye recall (Takata airbag). Given this record on these two Audis, it appears one should only own an Audi up thru the factory 4 year/50K mile warranty period. Otherwise, the owner is stuck with potentially very high repair costs for defects that shouldn't occur.

JamesAudiA6007

Yeah unfortunately it seems that the C6 has a handful of achilles heels - including the rear timing chain cover leaks you mention which I know I will need to address on mine also at some point. None of these things are cheap.

The ECM replacement last year set me back $2300 and the steering column immobolizer replacement last month another $2000 (including tow charges as I was 400 miles from home without my laptop to reset the fault codes). Both of these done at an independent shop - tag on an extra $1500 for each item to have taken care of at the dealer.

I guess one way to look at it might be; buying a brand new one for say $70k is going to cost $15,000 every year for the next 5 years in auto loan payments. If I keep the C6, I'm spending $2K to $3K per year instead on "big ticket achilles heel" items. At the end of a 5 year term, you're looking at $10k to $15k on 'achilles heel' repairs, plus whatever you paid for the C6 compared to the $76,500 (including the interest payments for the loan) for a brand new one...

...assuming, of course, that you only get one big ticket item per year to address!

A6Gary

When I purchased my A6 Avant in 2008, it was coming off a 3-year lease with only 26,278 miles on it, and still under warranty. The list on this Avant was over $57K, but I paid $36K. So, I didn't get hit with the big initial purchase price plus the $7K/yr depreciation in the first 3 years. What bothers me the most is the fact that Audi is producing and advertising a luxury vehicle for a high sales price, and then uses inferior plastic parts and wiring, and electronic modules that are know to fail outside of their warranty, so the required repairs will be borne by the owner. Another example Audi's "cheapness" is the serpentine belt tensioner on the 3.2L V6. The original part was manufactured with a plastic roller; the updated replacement part is manufactured with a metal roller. So, why did Audi choose to originally design it with plastic, and then switch to metal for the replacement? They did the same thing for the water pump on the initial years of the 3.0L supercharged V6, which experience premature failure of this pump. Plastic impeller versus metal impeller. I am sure the design decision boils down to the unit cost of the part to roll up to the total price.

Although you already bit the bullet, that J518 immobilizer module on the steering column can be repaired by Welcome to SpeedoSolutions for $200 compared to the "official" Audi repair, i.e., replacing the complete steering column. You just need to remove the module and send to them for them to repair it. Apparently, this module failure is common on 2005-2011 A6s/S6s and the 2007-2015 Q7s. You would think with this problem area covering numerous years and models, Audi AG would provide a more robust and reliable module. But I guess Audi AG likes to stiff it to the car owner to fork over the $2.0K to replace the complete steering column after the warranty period.

JamesAudiA6007

Right, agreed. Obviously you have "consumables" (tyres and brakes etc) which will wear and need replacement, but steering column immobilizers and engine computers are not consumables. These items should be designed to last the reasonable lifetime of the car. Not the lifetime of the warranty.

I wonder how to define the reasonable lifetime of the car? Perhaps an estimate on the reasonable lifetime/mileage of the engine, whatever that might be...

KevinGary

i believe that Audi’s design life for plastic and rubber components is 9 years/130k miles.

A6Gary

I would agree with the mileage point, but not the years. As a mechanical engineer, one designs components for the number of duty cycles that the part would encounter, e.g., hours of running, exposure to extreme temperatures, start-stops, etc. As an example, the build date for my '06 A6 Avant was in the late second quarter or early third quarter of 2005. Nine years after that date would mean that the plastic & rubber parts should have started to fail in 2014-2015 time frame. However, I still haven't had any of the potential parts (rubber hoses, plastic vacuum lines,headlight wiring, etc.) need replacement yet (knock on wood!). But I know if I keep this car much beyond 100K miles I will be facing the failure of these parts. IMHO, Audi AG should make the 100K mileage their minimum design life for their vehicles before things start to fall apart and need replacement. Note that their parent company, VW AG, now offers a longer 6 yr/72,000 mile warranty on their new VWs - why isn't Audi doing the same?