AugustHorch

About 10 days ago, the check engine light came on my '17 A8L 4.0 at 19K miles. There were no other warning signs while driving home, so an appointment was made and the vehicle dropped off at the dealer the following morning. In the afternoon, I receive a call informing me that the issue is the fuel level sensor (TSB: 2052368/2) and that the part has been special ordered from Germany and that I should pick up and drive the car until the sensor arrives. I have the car for about a week when I get the call to schedule an appointment to drop it off for a day's work (I'm told they'll need it overnight since the fuel tank needs to be removed) and that a loaner will be provided. Awesome. I drop off the car at the dealer yesterday, get handed a Q5 as a loaner and am told to expect a call this morning (today) to go pick it up. Just a few hours later, on the same day, I receive a call from the service advisor telling me they are having some issues with the new sensor and that he'll update me the following day.

Later in the afternoon, today, I receive the call with an incoherent message... to paraphrase: "The sensor we ordered, we're having some issues with it, so we ordered another sensor to go pick up [? from where, Germany?], but we couldn't put the old one in as-is so we have to remove the fuel tank for the new one, since we'll have to do that... it'll take longer, but it won't be later than Thursday afternoon, we'll call you." WTF? How does it take the first fuel sensor a week to arrive from Germany, but the second one can appear magically to be picked up by someone, and then to top it off, it's now presented as a new discovery that the fuel tank needs to be removed, even though I was told the same thing, yesterday morning when dropping off the car?

Something seems fishy here - has anyone else had to deal with that TSB or a general fuel level sensor replacement on their D4? This is one of the largest Audi dealers in Southern California - can it be that they have no clue how to remove the fuel tank on a D4 and are awaiting further instructions from Audi of America?

laurent0613

I read something like this lately, I need to find the link again.
Apparently you need to remove the tank to change the sensor.
If I recall correctly what the guy did was to open a little frame from below the car, change the sensor and reroute the cable for it, all of this without the need of removing the tank.
Quick and dirty but effective.

Now for the part itself, it can be that the one they were originally sourcing was not the correct one.
They ordered it from Germany and when it arrived, they noticed they couldn't fit it.
They might have received new instructions and the part they needed was available in one of their local storage.

They won't fit any used part scavenging random cars if this is what you think. (well I really hope so as you can not really verify it unless you unmount everything by yourself again)

Most important thing is that you won't pay anything and that your car will be working afterwards.

Keep us posted !

AugustHorch

Thanks. The used part bit didn't even cross my mind... it was the consistent repeating of "oh, we also need to remove the fuel tank", by the same gentleman, that got me concerned - unless he has memory issues and keeps forgetting he has told me already. I'll come back here with an update. In the meantime, the more time I spend in the Q5, the more I appreciate my A8.

RED HORSE

My gas tank saga is one of the reasons someone else now owns my '15 S8.

First, there are three sensors in the '15. Don't know if the same is true for the '17. The right and left sensors may be replaced by removing the rear seat. The gas tank must be removed to replace the center sensor.

Hopefully they will be doing this under warranty. R & R gas tank is $8,000.00 job, and they did mine twice, under warranty.

All the rear suspension must be removed before they can begin to remove tank, which requires removing some of the frame components.

AugustHorch

Speechless. Why would Audi design it as such?

RED HORSE

Great question. Also, the last time they had my tank out I got to see the paperwork generated by the technician and it took two session on the alignment rack to get the car going straight again. And for those wondering, it was never involved in a collision or any such events.

tx170754

This is my 5th S8/A8, most of them were pretty reliable, but with this turbo saga and now with this issue I’m wondering if I should keep the car any longer or just get rid of it . My car has less than 15,000 miles it is still under the original warranty and have two years on top of it since it is certified, any suggestions ?
I have two other turbo cars a CL600 and a SL550, they’re bulletproof...

landjb4u

Trust your gut.
I'm switching to an oil change every four months myself. Already had the oil seperator done but not the screen or the check valve (found out to late). I'm hopeful that that will be enough to hold off the turbo failure forever.

tx170754

My gut is telling me that I should get rid of the car and go for an S63 ! It is kind of sad to leave the Audi family since we had almost all of them since 1984.

landjb4u

Sounds like you've decided...